John Van der Kiste - While You See A Chance: The Steve Winwood Story

Fonthill Media Language Policy

Fonthill Media publishes in the international English language market. One language edition is published worldwide. As there are minor differences in spelling and presentation, especially with regard to American English and British English, a policy is necessary to define which form of English to use. The Fonthill Policy is to use the form of English native to the author. John Van der Kiste was born and educated in England; therefore British English has been adopted in this publication.

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First published in the United Kingdom and the United States of America 2018

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data:
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

Copyright John Van der Kiste 2018

ISBN 978-1-78155-673-3

The right of John Van der Kiste to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission in writing from Fonthill Media Limited

Typeset in 10.5pt on 13pt Sabon
Printed and bound in England

Foreword

In January 1966, by some standards, Steve Winwood was already a music business veteran. As lead vocalist, guitarist, and keyboard player with The Spencer Davis Group, he had released five singles within less than two years, the first one failing to chart and the next three edging into the lower reaches of the British Top 50. The fifth succeeded where the others had failed, in making the group one of the select few acts to dislodge The Beatles from No. 1, and the follow-up also reached the hallowed top of the charts three months later. A few weeks after that, the veteran performer celebrated his eighteenth birthday.

Like many others who have made their living in the same way, Steve Winwood would find it a bumpy ride of highs and lows, with hits and misses on both sides of the Atlantic. The sweetest success would come twenty-two years after those two British chart-toppers, eleven years into a solo career, when a first single and first album under a new contract went all the way to the top in the United States and confirmed him as one of the hottest acts on that side of the Atlantic. These were the twin peaks of an extraordinarily fruitful fifty years and counting of music as a member of various groups in turn, a collaborator with others, and an acclaimed soloist in his own right.

Particular thanks are due to several people: Chris Welch and Alan Clayson, who both led the way around thirty years ago with their biographies of Steve Winwood, and on which I have relied to some extent while hopefully contributing something new at the same time; to Dan Ropek, author of a more recent biography of Chris Wood, who has cheerfully answered several enquiries on the subject; to my old musical friends of many years standing, Miles Tredinnick, Martin Kinch, and Ian Herne, for their help, interest, and encouragement; to Peter Godwin, who was kind enough to share with me his experiences as one of Steve Winwoods lyricists; to Mick Lee Green, for his personal recollections of working with Steve as a guitarist; and to my wife, Kim, for her support and proofreading assistance as ever. Finally, my thanks to Alan Sutton, Jay Slater, and Josh Greenland at Fonthill Media.

Contents

The Spencer Davis Group, 1966. From left to right: Spencer Davis, Pete York, Steve Winwood, and Muff Winwood

The Spencer Davis Group performing When I Come Home on the Thames, from The Ghost Goes Gear, 1966.

Traffic, 1967. From left to right: Steve Winwood, Jim Capaldi, Dave Mason, and Chris Wood.

Hole in my Shoe, 1967, the limited edition British picture sleeve.

Traffic, 1967.

Traffic at rehearsals on Top of the Pops, 1967.

Advertisements for Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush, single and film, 1967.

Trevor Burton, formerly of The Move, who almost joined Blind Faith.

Steve Winwood, 1968.

Blind Faith at Hurtwood Edge, 1969. From left to right: Steve Winwood, Ric Grech, Ginger Baker, and Eric Clapton. (Ronald Pearse Images)

Blind Faith at Hyde Park, June 1969. (Croydon Music Archive)

Blind Faith on stage in America, summer 1969. (Croydon Music Archive)

Traffic, 1970.

Steve Winwood on stage, 1971.

Advertisement for Traffic at the Oz benefit concert, July 1971.