Chorbo: Difference between revisions

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[[File:Chorbo Logo.png|thumb|alt=A white skull and two viking axes in a "skull and bones" pattern, along with the word 'Chorbo' rendered in a red ~~Mael~~ font on a black field.|Chorbo's Logo]]

{{Infobox band

| name = Chorbo

| image = [[File:Chorbo Logo.png|thumb|alt=A white skull and two viking axes in a "skull and bones" pattern, along with the word 'Chorbo' rendered in a red fantasy font on a black field.|Chorbo's Logo]]

| caption =

| origin = Liverpool, England

| genres = Heavy metal, proto-disco

| years_active = 1974–1982, 2017–Present

| labels = Bell Records, Polydor, [[Dollar General Records]]

| associated_acts = Chibwich, KATHARGO

| members = Don Frumpton, Mick Ball, Rod Aylesworth, Bill Stack

| past_members = Graham Hatman, Gerald "Luciano" Hartwig

| website =

| status = Active

}}

'''Chorbo''' is a heavy metal band from England. Their music is heavily imbued with sword-and-sorcery themes: muscle-bound warrior heroes, medieval weaponry, perseverance in battle and the ongoing war against dark forces.

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Line 27:

== The “Scouser Sound” era and stylistic shift ==

[[File:Chorbo Scouser era.jpg|thumb|Chorbo in a 1975 performance]]

Chorbo’s early material centered on the “Scouser Sound,” a hybrid of hard rock and emerging dance-music styles that would later coalesce into disco, and whose visual stylings included sweat bands, track suits, and excessive gold jewelry. The band was reportedly “only playing this style because that’s what sold at the time”, but all of the members knew the Scouser Sound was over when they included a disco whistle on the song Throb Machine.

~~Chorbo’s early material centered around the “Scouser Sound”-~~a ~~hybrid~~ of ~~hard rock~~ and ~~disco, whose visual stylings included sweat bands, track suits, and excessive gold jewelry~~. The band ~~was reportedly “only playing this style because that’s what sold at the time”, but all~~ of ~~the members knew the Scouser Sound was over when they included a disco whistle on the song Throb Machine~~.

Late singer Graham Hatman picked up a worn mass market paperback anthology of Conan the Barbarian stories in 1978 and had a new vision. The band quickly retooled their image and changed direction to a New Wave of British Heavy Metal sound with sword-and-sorcery themed lyrics and visual stylings.

~~Late singer~~ Graham Hatman ~~picked up~~ a ~~worn mass market paperback anthology~~ of ~~Conan~~ the ~~Barbarian stories~~ in ~~1982~~ and ~~had~~ a ~~new vision~~. ~~The~~ band ~~quickly retooled~~ their ~~image~~ and ~~changed direction~~ to a ~~New Wave~~ of ~~British Heavy Metal~~ sound with ~~sword~~-and-~~sorcery themed lyrics and visual stylings~~.

== Golden era ==

In April of 1978, Graham Hatman got kicked out of his flat for non payment of rent. He crashed at Mick Frumpton's house (brother of guitarist Don Frumpton) and wrote what would become the lyrics for Night on Skull Mountain over an intense weekend of drinking. Needing a new living situation, he decided to abscond to his mother's English country cottage. The band followed, and within a span of a week they had fully arranged the songs that would become Night on Skull Mountain. The band was able to negotiate discounted studio time at Flatley Hall in West Bromwich and recorded the album soon after.

=== Unsuccessful follow-ups ===

While Chorbo's ''Conquest'' tour of the US and UK to support ''Night on Skull Mountain'' was a measured success, fans demanded more. However, due to pressures of touring, Graham Hatman's worsening alcoholism, and creative tensions within the band, it took until 1980 to record and release their follow-up album ''Keep the Wolves at Bay''.

==== Keep the Wolves at Bay ====

Rod Aylesworth, the band's keyboardist, wrote a significant portion of this album. As a student of Scandinavian studies, he insisted on more Norse-inspired theming for the songs and concept art—this can be seen on the album cover as a lone rider (a warrior actually named "Chorbo" in the canon established roughly by liner notes) standing against the wolf Fenrir, inaccurately cited in the liner notes as a being in Norse mythology that is destined to consume the world during ragnarök.

Despite the ambition behind the album, it was almost universally panned by critics. While Aylesworth characterized the album as "ahead of its time", heavy metal fans of the day received the album poorly. It ultimately sold less than a hundred thousand copies but today is considered a fan favorite, and even attracted a mildly positive review by David St. Hubbins of Spın̈al Tap in an offhand comment made during a magazine interview.

== Graham Hatman's troubled final years ==

== Comeback ==

== Discography ==

{| class="wikitable sortable"

! Cover

! Album

! Year

! Notes

|-

| [[File:Self titled chorbo.jpg|100px]]

| ''Self-titled''

| 1974

| Arguably the zenith of the "Scouser Sound". Includes a disco whistle on the song ''Throb Machine'', much to the manager Ian's chagrin.

|-

| [[File:Night on Skull Mountain.jpg|100px]]

| ''Night on Skull Mountain''

| 1978

| Sold almost a million copies in the United States and prompted the kickoff of their ''Conquest'' tour.

|-

| [[File:Keep the Wolves at Bay.jpg|100px]]

| ''Keep the Wolves at Bay''

| 1980

| Sophomore effort with Chorbo's new heavy metal sound. Although highly anticipated by many heavy metal fans, this album sold fewer than a hundred thousand copies in the United States. Of this album, David St. Hubbins of Spın̈al Tap said the following:

It can definitely sit on the shelf next to bands like Grim Reaper and Tygers of Pan Tang.... but not too closely.

</blockquote>

|-

| [[File:Axe Rampage.jpg|100px]]

[[File:Rampage black.jpg|45px|Alternate cover]]

| ''Axe Rampage''/''Rampage''

| 1981

| The final album of Chorbo's "Golden age". Confusingly, there is a UK-only version released with an all-black cover and the name changed to simply ''Rampage'', which was hastily prepared and printed in response to a court order forbidding the band from attempting to capitalize off of Graham Hatman's actual drunken axe rampage inside a discount store in Burton-upon-Trent. The band considers this album an epitaph to Hatman who died in 1982.

|}

== Trivia ==

Chorbo once shared a photo studio with Rick James. While Chorbo was in the studio shooting their album cover for the ~~single~~ Warlock Nights, James had booked an adjacent studio to shoot the album cover for the album “Throwin’ Down”, but shortly after arrival one of James’ entourage had his Jheri-curl catch fire, requiring the studio to be fumigated. Chorbo welcomed James with open arms and James ended up with a barbarian-themed album cover.

=== Work with Rick James ===

[[File:Throwing down.jpg|thumb|Album cover]]

Chorbo once shared a photo studio with Rick James. While Chorbo was in the studio shooting their album cover for the unfinished album Warlock Nights, James had booked an adjacent studio to shoot the album cover for the album “Throwin’ Down”, but shortly after arrival one of James’ entourage had his Jheri-curl catch fire, requiring the studio to be fumigated. Chorbo welcomed James with open arms and James ended up with a barbarian-themed album cover.

"Chorbo" also means "summer romance" in Iberian Spanish. The operator of Chorbo's Facebook page, Don Frumpton, released a statement:

=== Definition of "Chorbo" ===

"Chorbo" also means "summer romance" in Iberian Spanish. The operator of Chorbo's Facebook page, guitarist Don Frumpton, released a statement:

One of our fans in Spain told us that Chorbo in Spanish means “summer fling”. Well let me tell you what it means in the UK: no compromises heavy metal that is true to its roots even after 45 years.

</blockquote>

=== Liner note continuity ===

[[File:Skull mountain liner.jpg|thumb|Night on Skull Mountain liner notes]]

In the liner notes of ''Night on Skull Mountain'', the following liner notes establish that the album is the story of an actual warrior named Chorbo:

In the mists of time, in the days of yore, a small kingdom was beset on all sides by goblin hordes. Towns were pillaged, men were set aflame, women and children were stolen and carried to an unspeakable fate.

Until one day, when it seemed like the never-ending night was at its darkest, a lone man came down from the mountains and turned the tide of war: Chorbo. Armed with nothing but his legendary strength and an axe, Chorbo takes on the goblin hordes singlehandedly.

</blockquote>

Later, in the notes for ''Keep the Wolves at Bay'', the following passage continues Chorbo's adventures:

In the ancient scrolls in the cold northern Viking kingdoms, there is a prophecy that foretells Ragnarök, the Twilight of the Gods. It is said that the giant wolf Fenrir will break free from his magical bonds and devour the world.

The arrival of Ragnarök was heralded by three consecutive winters, and the stars disappeared from the sky. A great earthquake then freed Fenrir and he arrived unto Midgard with great awe and terror by all who saw him, and he said to them: "Behold and fear me, for I am the world-devouring wolf Fenrir!"

But there is one thing Fenrir never counted on: Chorbo. In open defiance of the Norns, armed with his legendary strength and mighty axe, Chorbo will challenge the world-devouring wolf in single combat. Can Chorbo save not only the kingdom, but the entire world?

</blockquote>

[[Category:Bands]]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-[[File:Chorbo Logo.png|thumb|alt=A white skull and two viking axes in a "skull and bones" pattern, along with the word 'Chorbo' rendered in a red Mael font on a black field.|Chorbo's Logo]]
+{{Infobox band
+| name = Chorbo
+| image = [[File:Chorbo Logo.png|thumb|alt=A white skull and two viking axes in a "skull and bones" pattern, along with the word 'Chorbo' rendered in a red fantasy font on a black field.|Chorbo's Logo]]
+| caption =
+| origin = Liverpool, England
+| genres = Heavy metal, proto-disco
+| years_active = 1974–1982, 2017–Present
+| labels = Bell Records, Polydor, [[Dollar General Records]]
+| associated_acts = Chibwich, KATHARGO
+| members = Don Frumpton, Mick Ball, Rod Aylesworth, Bill Stack
+| past_members = Graham Hatman, Gerald "Luciano" Hartwig
+| website =
+| status = Active
+}}
 '''Chorbo''' is a heavy metal band from England. Their music is heavily imbued with sword-and-sorcery themes: muscle-bound warrior heroes, medieval weaponry, perseverance in battle and the ongoing war against dark forces.
@@ Line 13: / Line 27: @@
 == The “Scouser Sound” era and stylistic shift ==
+[[File:Chorbo Scouser era.jpg|thumb|Chorbo in a 1975 performance]]
+Chorbo’s early material centered on the “Scouser Sound,” a hybrid of hard rock and emerging dance-music styles that would later coalesce into disco, and whose visual stylings included sweat bands, track suits, and excessive gold jewelry. The band was reportedly “only playing this style because that’s what sold at the time”, but all of the members knew the Scouser Sound was over when they included a disco whistle on the song Throb Machine.
-Chorbo’s early material centered around the “Scouser Sound”-a hybrid of hard rock and disco, whose visual stylings included sweat bands, track suits, and excessive gold jewelry. The band was reportedly “only playing this style because that’s what sold at the time”, but all of the members knew the Scouser Sound was over when they included a disco whistle on the song Throb Machine.
+Late singer Graham Hatman picked up a worn mass market paperback anthology of Conan the Barbarian stories in 1978 and had a new vision. The band quickly retooled their image and changed direction to a New Wave of British Heavy Metal sound with sword-and-sorcery themed lyrics and visual stylings.
-Late singer Graham Hatman picked up a worn mass market paperback anthology of Conan the Barbarian stories in 1982 and had a new vision. The band quickly retooled their image and changed direction to a New Wave of British Heavy Metal sound with sword-and-sorcery themed lyrics and visual stylings.
+== Golden era ==
+In April of 1978, Graham Hatman got kicked out of his flat for non payment of rent. He crashed at Mick Frumpton's house (brother of guitarist Don Frumpton) and wrote what would become the lyrics for Night on Skull Mountain over an intense weekend of drinking. Needing a new living situation, he decided to abscond to his mother's English country cottage. The band followed, and within a span of a week they had fully arranged the songs that would become Night on Skull Mountain. The band was able to negotiate discounted studio time at Flatley Hall in West Bromwich and recorded the album soon after.
+=== Unsuccessful follow-ups ===
+While Chorbo's ''Conquest'' tour of the US and UK to support ''Night on Skull Mountain'' was a measured success, fans demanded more. However, due to pressures of touring, Graham Hatman's worsening alcoholism, and creative tensions within the band, it took until 1980 to record and release their follow-up album ''Keep the Wolves at Bay''.
+==== Keep the Wolves at Bay ====
+Rod Aylesworth, the band's keyboardist, wrote a significant portion of this album. As a student of Scandinavian studies, he insisted on more Norse-inspired theming for the songs and concept art—this can be seen on the album cover as a lone rider (a warrior actually named "Chorbo" in the canon established roughly by liner notes) standing against the wolf Fenrir, inaccurately cited in the liner notes as a being in Norse mythology that is destined to consume the world during ragnarök.
+Despite the ambition behind the album, it was almost universally panned by critics. While Aylesworth characterized the album as "ahead of its time", heavy metal fans of the day received the album poorly. It ultimately sold less than a hundred thousand copies but today is considered a fan favorite, and even attracted a mildly positive review by David St. Hubbins of Spın̈al Tap in an offhand comment made during a magazine interview.
+== Graham Hatman's troubled final years ==
+== Comeback ==
+== Discography ==
+{| class="wikitable sortable"
+! Cover
+! Album
+! Year
+! Notes
+|-
+| [[File:Self titled chorbo.jpg|100px]]
+| ''Self-titled''
+| 1974
+| Arguably the zenith of the "Scouser Sound". Includes a disco whistle on the song ''Throb Machine'', much to the manager Ian's chagrin.
+|-
+| [[File:Night on Skull Mountain.jpg|100px]]
+| ''Night on Skull Mountain''
+| 1978
+| Sold almost a million copies in the United States and prompted the kickoff of their ''Conquest'' tour.
+|-
+| [[File:Keep the Wolves at Bay.jpg|100px]]
+| ''Keep the Wolves at Bay''
+| 1980
+| Sophomore effort with Chorbo's new heavy metal sound. Although highly anticipated by many heavy metal fans, this album sold fewer than a hundred thousand copies in the United States. Of this album, David St. Hubbins of Spın̈al Tap said the following:
+<blockquote>
+It can definitely sit on the shelf next to bands like Grim Reaper and Tygers of Pan Tang.... but not too closely.
+</blockquote>
+|-
+| [[File:Axe Rampage.jpg|100px]]
+[[File:Rampage black.jpg|45px|Alternate cover]]
+| ''Axe Rampage''/''Rampage''
+| 1981
+| The final album of Chorbo's "Golden age". Confusingly, there is a UK-only version released with an all-black cover and the name changed to simply ''Rampage'', which was hastily prepared and printed in response to a court order forbidding the band from attempting to capitalize off of Graham Hatman's actual drunken axe rampage inside a discount store in Burton-upon-Trent. The band considers this album an epitaph to Hatman who died in 1982.
+|}
 == Trivia ==
-Chorbo once shared a photo studio with Rick James. While Chorbo was in the studio shooting their album cover for the single Warlock Nights, James had booked an adjacent studio to shoot the album cover for the album “Throwin’ Down”, but shortly after arrival one of James’ entourage had his Jheri-curl catch fire, requiring the studio to be fumigated. Chorbo welcomed James with open arms and James ended up with a barbarian-themed album cover.
+=== Work with Rick James ===
+[[File:Throwing down.jpg|thumb|Album cover]]
+Chorbo once shared a photo studio with Rick James. While Chorbo was in the studio shooting their album cover for the unfinished album Warlock Nights, James had booked an adjacent studio to shoot the album cover for the album “Throwin’ Down”, but shortly after arrival one of James’ entourage had his Jheri-curl catch fire, requiring the studio to be fumigated. Chorbo welcomed James with open arms and James ended up with a barbarian-themed album cover.
-"Chorbo" also means "summer romance" in Iberian Spanish. The operator of Chorbo's Facebook page, Don Frumpton, released a statement:
+=== Definition of "Chorbo" ===
+"Chorbo" also means "summer romance" in Iberian Spanish. The operator of Chorbo's Facebook page, guitarist Don Frumpton, released a statement:
 <blockquote>
 One of our fans in Spain told us that Chorbo in Spanish means “summer fling”. Well let me tell you what it means in the UK: no compromises heavy metal that is true to its roots even after 45 years.
+</blockquote>
+=== Liner note continuity ===
+[[File:Skull mountain liner.jpg|thumb|Night on Skull Mountain liner notes]]
+In the liner notes of ''Night on Skull Mountain'', the following liner notes establish that the album is the story of an actual warrior named Chorbo:
+<blockquote>
+In the mists of time, in the days of yore, a small kingdom was beset on all sides by goblin hordes. Towns were pillaged, men were set aflame, women and children were stolen and carried to an unspeakable fate.
+Until one day, when it seemed like the never-ending night was at its darkest, a lone man came down from the mountains and turned the tide of war: Chorbo. Armed with nothing but his legendary strength and an axe, Chorbo takes on the goblin hordes singlehandedly.
+</blockquote>
+Later, in the notes for ''Keep the Wolves at Bay'', the following passage continues Chorbo's adventures:
+<blockquote>
+In the ancient scrolls in the cold northern Viking kingdoms, there is a prophecy that foretells Ragnarök, the Twilight of the Gods. It is said that the giant wolf Fenrir will break free from his magical bonds and devour the world.
+The arrival of Ragnarök was heralded by three consecutive winters, and the stars disappeared from the sky. A great earthquake then freed Fenrir and he arrived unto Midgard with great awe and terror by all who saw him, and he said to them: "Behold and fear me, for I am the world-devouring wolf Fenrir!"
+But there is one thing Fenrir never counted on: Chorbo. In open defiance of the Norns, armed with his legendary strength and mighty axe, Chorbo will challenge the world-devouring wolf in single combat. Can Chorbo save not only the kingdom, but the entire world?
 </blockquote>
 [[Category:Bands]]

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