Biography
Leeds native Jeff Christie launched his career in a skiffle outfit that later embraced rock and roll, channeling a Beatles-inspired approach as the Outer Limits. The band issued two singles, “Just One More Chance” on Deram and “Great Train Robbery” on an independent label. After the group dissolved, Christie turned to songwriting and submitted a demo that reached Tremeloes guitarist Alan Blakely and then his brother, drummer Mike Blakely, an alumnus of the Epics and the Acid Gallery.
Mike Blakely arranged a London session with the Tremeloes backing Christie, yet none of the recordings appeared; the experience nonetheless encouraged Christie to form his own trio. Christie played bass and sang lead, Blakely handled drums, and ex-Acid Gallery member Vic Elmes contributed guitar and vocals. The unit adopted Christie’s surname, secured a British CBS deal, and debuted with “Yellow River,” which grafted Christie and Elmes vocals onto the earlier Tremeloes backing track. The single spent 22 weeks on the UK charts, topped charts in several countries, and reached number 23 in the United States on Epic Records despite the band’s lack of touring readiness there.
Follow-up “San Bernadino,” the first track recorded by the group itself, hit number one in Germany and number seven in Britain while barely entering the lower US Top 100. The band continued for two years through multiple personnel shifts that included Mike Blakely’s departure and replacement by Paul Fenton. Their second album, For All Mankind, adopted a louder, blues-driven sound that diverged from earlier pop material, and commercial momentum faded.
Howard “Lem” Lubin, formerly of Unit 4+2, joined on guitar and vocals, expanding Christie to a quartet, yet professional friction between Elmes and Christie brought recording activity to a close in 1972. Christie cut sides for Mercury Records in the mid-1970s, continued releasing under the Christie name for Epic and Wizard, and used his full name on the RK label during the 1980s. Disputes over the group name surfaced in the 1980s; Jeff Christie has employed it most recently, while Vic Elmes has periodically fronted a European act called Christie Again.
Mike Blakely arranged a London session with the Tremeloes backing Christie, yet none of the recordings appeared; the experience nonetheless encouraged Christie to form his own trio. Christie played bass and sang lead, Blakely handled drums, and ex-Acid Gallery member Vic Elmes contributed guitar and vocals. The unit adopted Christie’s surname, secured a British CBS deal, and debuted with “Yellow River,” which grafted Christie and Elmes vocals onto the earlier Tremeloes backing track. The single spent 22 weeks on the UK charts, topped charts in several countries, and reached number 23 in the United States on Epic Records despite the band’s lack of touring readiness there.
Follow-up “San Bernadino,” the first track recorded by the group itself, hit number one in Germany and number seven in Britain while barely entering the lower US Top 100. The band continued for two years through multiple personnel shifts that included Mike Blakely’s departure and replacement by Paul Fenton. Their second album, For All Mankind, adopted a louder, blues-driven sound that diverged from earlier pop material, and commercial momentum faded.
Howard “Lem” Lubin, formerly of Unit 4+2, joined on guitar and vocals, expanding Christie to a quartet, yet professional friction between Elmes and Christie brought recording activity to a close in 1972. Christie cut sides for Mercury Records in the mid-1970s, continued releasing under the Christie name for Epic and Wizard, and used his full name on the RK label during the 1980s. Disputes over the group name surfaced in the 1980s; Jeff Christie has employed it most recently, while Vic Elmes has periodically fronted a European act called Christie Again.
Albums
Singles
