Post by valerie davenport on Oct 7, 2007 9:12:36 GMT -5
HE'S written some of the biggest international pop hits of the past four decades, but Australian Mike Chapman is yet to be recognised in his home country.
While Chapman is based in the US and has lived overseas for much of his working life, his contribution to the world music scene is unrivalled when it comes to writing catchy tunes.
Chapman is internationally recognised for penning Suzi Quatro's Devil Gate Drive, Tina Turner's Simply The Best and Pat Benatar's Love Is A Battlefield among hundreds of other songs, but he's never been honoured at home with an Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) Award.
"I am sort of always a little bit confused when I come back there (to Australia) because I get the feeling that people don't know I am an Aussie,'' Chapman, 60, told The Sunday Telegraph from Los Angeles, where he is producing a new band called Automatic Music Explosion.
"That has been the big problem over the years, because I think I have been the forgotten son.''
Chapman is based in Connecticut but still has property in Queensland, having grown up at Nambour. Yesterday he was selling his Noosa beachfront property because he has recently bought on the Gold Coast.
He always dreamt of being a rock and roll star so, at the age of 20, he moved to London and joined the group Tangerine Peel before realising his real talent was writing songs.
It took him three years before he wrote his first hit, penning 1970s glam rockers The Sweet's chart topper, Funny Funny.
The hits kept coming, with Chapman writing chart hits for Blondie, The Knack, Smokie, Bonnie Tyler, ABBA's Agnetha Faltskog, Australian Crawl and The Baby Animals.
Other hit songs include Living Next Door To Alice, Lay Your Love On Me and Mickey.
Chapman has amassed a personal fortune of more than $250 million from his song writing, with his music played in pubs and bars the world over.
"There were so many hits that I just loved every one of them,'' he said.
"Every hit over the years has been a highlight for me.''
ARIA Awards event producer Mark Pope said Chapman was approached for a lifetime achievement award this year but wasn't available. Plans are now under way for him to receive a lifetime achievement gong next year.
"ARIA is well aware of the enormous body of work that Mike Chapman has done on a world stage,'' Pope said.
Chapman forged strong friendships with Suzi Quatro and Blondie's Debbie Harry but admits it wasn't always easy working with some of the biggest egos in the business.
He openly talks about his troubled relationship with The Sweet.
"I have made it quite clear over the years that my relationship with The Sweet was a very strained and a very difficult relationship,'' he said.
"But I think out of that strain, tension and angst came some pretty hot rock and roll hits.''
While Chapman is based in the US and has lived overseas for much of his working life, his contribution to the world music scene is unrivalled when it comes to writing catchy tunes.
Chapman is internationally recognised for penning Suzi Quatro's Devil Gate Drive, Tina Turner's Simply The Best and Pat Benatar's Love Is A Battlefield among hundreds of other songs, but he's never been honoured at home with an Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) Award.
"I am sort of always a little bit confused when I come back there (to Australia) because I get the feeling that people don't know I am an Aussie,'' Chapman, 60, told The Sunday Telegraph from Los Angeles, where he is producing a new band called Automatic Music Explosion.
"That has been the big problem over the years, because I think I have been the forgotten son.''
Chapman is based in Connecticut but still has property in Queensland, having grown up at Nambour. Yesterday he was selling his Noosa beachfront property because he has recently bought on the Gold Coast.
He always dreamt of being a rock and roll star so, at the age of 20, he moved to London and joined the group Tangerine Peel before realising his real talent was writing songs.
It took him three years before he wrote his first hit, penning 1970s glam rockers The Sweet's chart topper, Funny Funny.
The hits kept coming, with Chapman writing chart hits for Blondie, The Knack, Smokie, Bonnie Tyler, ABBA's Agnetha Faltskog, Australian Crawl and The Baby Animals.
Other hit songs include Living Next Door To Alice, Lay Your Love On Me and Mickey.
Chapman has amassed a personal fortune of more than $250 million from his song writing, with his music played in pubs and bars the world over.
"There were so many hits that I just loved every one of them,'' he said.
"Every hit over the years has been a highlight for me.''
ARIA Awards event producer Mark Pope said Chapman was approached for a lifetime achievement award this year but wasn't available. Plans are now under way for him to receive a lifetime achievement gong next year.
"ARIA is well aware of the enormous body of work that Mike Chapman has done on a world stage,'' Pope said.
Chapman forged strong friendships with Suzi Quatro and Blondie's Debbie Harry but admits it wasn't always easy working with some of the biggest egos in the business.
He openly talks about his troubled relationship with The Sweet.
"I have made it quite clear over the years that my relationship with The Sweet was a very strained and a very difficult relationship,'' he said.
"But I think out of that strain, tension and angst came some pretty hot rock and roll hits.''
