Biography
Atcha Acoustic originated as the vehicle for guitarist and vocalist Chris Jagger—sibling of Rolling Stones frontman Mick—alongside multi-instrumentalist Charlie Hart, guitarist Ed Deane, bassist Paul Emile, and percussionist Malcolm Mortimore. The ensemble grew directly out of Jagger’s earlier solo efforts Atcha in 1994 and Rock the Zydeco the following year; the same personnel appeared on those recordings before adopting the Atcha Acoustic moniker for the 1997 album From Lhasa to Lewisham.
Prior to the group’s formation, Jagger had explored several fields outside music, beginning with theater studies that he later abandoned in favor of his brother’s profession. In the 1970s he served as a lighting technician at London’s Rainbow Theatre and performed with both the Living Theatre and the Citizen’s Theatre companies.
During the late 1960s and early 1970s, fashion also captured his attention; he produced flamboyant outfits for Brian Jones, Eric Clapton, John Lennon, and Jimi Hendrix, one of which—a jacket covered in oversized eyes—appeared on a Hendrix album cover.
In the 1980s Jagger turned to journalism, contributing articles on music and broader topics to outlets including Rolling Stone and The Guardian.
Music nevertheless remained a constant thread. He launched his recording career in 1973 with a self-titled album that fused country, blues, and rock—the same blend that would define his later projects—and featured input from Mick Jagger. After releasing Adventures of Valentine Vox the Ventriloquist in 1974, he parted ways with his collaborators. Although he supplied tracks to the Rolling Stones’ Dirty Work and Steel Wheels and collaborated with French songwriter Franck Langolf through the 1980s, Jagger did not issue new solo material until 1993, when he reunited with the musicians who would become Atcha Acoustic.
The remaining members brought extensive credits from both rock and jazz circles, their résumés collectively encompassing work with Charlie Byrd, Nick Lowe, B.B. King, and Ian Dury. Under the new name the collective completed Atcha in 1994, the widely praised Rock the Zydeco in 1995, and From Lhasa to Lewisham—their debut as Atcha Acoustic—in 1997.
Prior to the group’s formation, Jagger had explored several fields outside music, beginning with theater studies that he later abandoned in favor of his brother’s profession. In the 1970s he served as a lighting technician at London’s Rainbow Theatre and performed with both the Living Theatre and the Citizen’s Theatre companies.
During the late 1960s and early 1970s, fashion also captured his attention; he produced flamboyant outfits for Brian Jones, Eric Clapton, John Lennon, and Jimi Hendrix, one of which—a jacket covered in oversized eyes—appeared on a Hendrix album cover.
In the 1980s Jagger turned to journalism, contributing articles on music and broader topics to outlets including Rolling Stone and The Guardian.
Music nevertheless remained a constant thread. He launched his recording career in 1973 with a self-titled album that fused country, blues, and rock—the same blend that would define his later projects—and featured input from Mick Jagger. After releasing Adventures of Valentine Vox the Ventriloquist in 1974, he parted ways with his collaborators. Although he supplied tracks to the Rolling Stones’ Dirty Work and Steel Wheels and collaborated with French songwriter Franck Langolf through the 1980s, Jagger did not issue new solo material until 1993, when he reunited with the musicians who would become Atcha Acoustic.
The remaining members brought extensive credits from both rock and jazz circles, their résumés collectively encompassing work with Charlie Byrd, Nick Lowe, B.B. King, and Ian Dury. Under the new name the collective completed Atcha in 1994, the widely praised Rock the Zydeco in 1995, and From Lhasa to Lewisham—their debut as Atcha Acoustic—in 1997.
Albums
