Family

Biography

Highly respected and nostalgically revered, Family was one of Britain’s most memorable progressive rock bands of the late 60s and early 70s. They were led by the wiry yet vocally demonic Roger Chapman (8 April 1942, Leicester, England), a man whose stage presence could both transfix and terrify his audience, who would duck from the countless supply of tambourines he destroyed and hurled into the crowd. Chapman was joined in the original line-up by Ric Grech (b. Richard Roman Grech, 1 November 1946, Bordeaux, France, d. 17 March 1990, Leicester, England; violin/bass), Charlie Whitney (b. Richard John Whitney, 24 June 1944, Skipton, West Riding of Yorkshire, England; guitar), Rob Townsend (b. 7 July 1947, Leicester, England; drums), and Jim King (b. 5 May 1942, Kettering, Northamptonshire, England; flute/saxophone).

Family’s roots can be traced back to 1962 where Leicester Art College students Whitney and King formed the R&B-based...

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