Biography
Chas Jankel was a keyboardist with Ian Dury and the Blockheads, acting as a co-writer with Dury on most of the bands best known songs during the British funk/new wave band's commercial peak (the late '70s). Jankel was responsible for much of the funk influences in the Blockheads music, and that love for rhythmic music was a large part of his solo career.
He released several solo albums in the early 80s, including Chasanova, Questionnaire, Chazablanca, and Looking At You. He hit #1 on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart in 1982 with "Glad To Know You," "3,000,000 Synths," and "Ai No Corrida."
First hooking up with Dury as part of the pub group the Kilburn & the High Roads in the early part of the '70s, Jankel was asked by Dury to join his new outfit, and appeared on such Blockheads releases as 1977's New Boots & Panties!! (which spawned Dury's best-known hit, "Sex & Drugs & Rock n' Roll") and 1979's Do It Yourself, before leaving the group.
But in 1981, Jankel teamed up once more with Dury (sans the Blockheads), for the release Lord Upminster, which spawned the U.S. Top 40 dance hit "Spasticus Autisticus." But by this time, Jankel had become more interested in pursuing a solo career and he issued several releases for A&M from the early to mid-'80s: 1980's self-titled debut, 1981's Chasanova and Questionaire (the latter of which contained the U.S. dance hit "Glad to Know You," a collaboration with Dury), 1983's Chazablanca, and 1985's Looking at You.
But after the flurry of recording activity, little was heard from Jankel again.
Quincy Jones had a UK chart hit with his version of "Ai No Corrida" which reached #14 in April 1981.
Jankel returned to the Blockheads after his solo career, and worked with Ian Dury on his final album with the group. After Dury's death, Jankel continued to perform with the Blockheads.
Jankel has several composer credits for films, including D.O.A. and K2.
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