Origin: (Bermuda)

SHARX

Andrew Chamberlain - David Fitzsimmons - Victor Chambray - Barry Fitzsimmons - Erwin "Bird" Leader

Sharx albums:

On the rock - 1985

Notes about Sharx:

 Text in English

- Sharx was an AOR band from Bermuda active in the 1980s, whose line-up comprised Victor Chambray on vocals, David Fitzsimmons on guitar, Barry Fitzsimmons on bass, Andrew Chamberlain on keyboards and Erwin "Bird" Leader on drums and percussion [1, 2, 3]. Three of them had previously played in Fame, a disco and soul band of the 1970s: Chamberlain, Barry Fitzsimmons and Leader are credited as performers, alongside Clarke Smith, Johnny Lambert and Quinton Raynor, on that group's self-titled album, recorded in Bermuda and released in the United States in 1977 by Strawberry Records [1, 4]. Before Sharx, Chambray, a Bermudian-Canadian singer, had sung with Canadian bands, among them Zingo (1972–1978), Banshee (1978–1979) and the Vancouver group Stiletto (1979–1982) [5, 6, 7].

Sharx started out as the house band at the 40 Thieves Club and went on to appear there regularly, according to Tony Brannon, who ran the venue [7, 8, 9]. Opened in March 1962 by his father, Terry Brannon, the club stood on Front Street in Hamilton; Tony Brannon operated it with Jon Feldman from 1977 and in March 1982 opened the New 40 Thieves Club, whose stage hosted Billy Preston, Nils Lofgren, Paul Carrack and Jeff Golub, among others, between 1982 and 1986 [10, 11]. The thanks on the band's album begin with the management and staff of the Forty Thieves Club, and the first individuals named are Brannon and Feldman [2].

*On The Rock*, the band's only album, was released in Bermuda in 1985 by Berry Hill Records as a seven-track cassette [1, 2, 3, 7]. It was produced by Phil Greene, Barry Fitzsimmons and Sharx, and recorded and mixed at Normandy Sound Studios in Warren, Rhode Island, where Greene had been a partner since 1976 [2, 12]. Greene was also the recording engineer, with John DiFonzo and Bob Winsor as assistant engineers, while I.A.N. Communications Group of Wilmington, Massachusetts, handled mastering and cassette duplication [2]. Andy Newmark, the American session drummer whose credits include John Lennon's *Double Fantasy* (1980) and who has family ties to Bermuda, is credited with musical consultancy and direction [2, 13]. The guest musicians were Jeff Golub, credited as a member of the Billy Squier Band and appearing courtesy of Capitol Records, on guitar on "I Can't Rock (Without You)"; Mick Gaffney, on guitar on "The Game"; and Derek Dyer, on saxophone on "The Game", "Only Love (Can Save Us Now)" and "So Long" [2]. Golub had played on Squier's albums *Emotions in Motion* (1982) and *Signs of Life* (1984) [14]. Publishing is credited to Island Publishing Ltd., which shared a post-office box in Devonshire, Bermuda, with the band's management, Great Sound Entertainment; Peter Matcham designed the cover, with art direction by Lynne and Peter Matcham [2]. Musically, "Borrowed Time" breaks with the rest of the album by turning to reggae [7].

On 30 September 1986 Sharx played the closing night of the New 40 Thieves Club. Footage of that performance, posted on YouTube by Brannon, shows a set that combined the band's own material with covers of hits of the day such as "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" and "Summer of '69" [8]. The 40 Thieves Club closed for good in July 1988 [11].

Chambray kept recording after Sharx. In the late 1990s he released a solo album produced by Golub, and Brannon credits him with recording and performing alongside Newmark and Bryan Adams's guitarist Keith Scott [9]; Golub's own discography includes two Chambray albums on the Bermuda Music label, *Victor Chambray* and *Malta Nova* [15]. In 2012, by then based in Vancouver [9], Chambray contributed a version of "Across the Universe" to *Lennon Bermuda*, a double CD of John Lennon songs performed mostly by Bermudian and Bermuda-linked artists, executive-produced by Brannon and Michael Freisenbruch, with Newmark drumming on many of its tracks; an international edition followed in 2013 [16, 17].

In 2006 the Las Vegas label Retrospect Records reissued *On The Rock* on CD-R (RR-228). Its booklet adds a photograph of the band, identifying the members from left to right as Barry Fitzsimmons, Chamberlain, Chambray, Leader and David Fitzsimmons, repeats the production and recording credits, and lists Golub on "The Game" as well as on "I Can't Rock (Without You)" [3]. -

Notas sobre Sharx:

 Texto en Español

- Sharx fue un grupo de AOR de las Bermudas activo en los años ochenta, formado por Victor Chambray a la voz, David Fitzsimmons a la guitarra, Barry Fitzsimmons al bajo, Andrew Chamberlain a los teclados y Erwin «Bird» Leader a la batería y la percusión [1, 2, 3]. Tres de ellos habían tocado antes en Fame, un grupo de disco y soul de los años setenta: Chamberlain, Barry Fitzsimmons y Leader figuran como intérpretes, junto a Clarke Smith, Johnny Lambert y Quinton Raynor, en el álbum homónimo de aquella formación, grabado en las Bermudas y publicado en Estados Unidos en 1977 por Strawberry Records [1, 4]. Antes de Sharx, Chambray, cantante bermudeño-canadiense, había formado parte de grupos canadienses como Zingo (1972-1978), Banshee (1978-1979) y Stiletto, de Vancouver (1979-1982) [5, 6, 7].

Sharx empezó como grupo residente del 40 Thieves Club y siguió actuando allí con regularidad, según Tony Brannon, que dirigía el local [7, 8, 9]. Inaugurado en marzo de 1962 por su padre, Terry Brannon, el club estaba en Front Street, en Hamilton; Tony Brannon lo gestionó desde 1977 junto a Jon Feldman y en marzo de 1982 abrió el New 40 Thieves Club, por cuyo escenario pasaron entre 1982 y 1986, entre otros, Billy Preston, Nils Lofgren, Paul Carrack y Jeff Golub [10, 11]. Los agradecimientos del álbum empiezan por la dirección y el personal del Forty Thieves Club, y los primeros nombres propios que aparecen son los de Brannon y Feldman [2].

*On The Rock*, único álbum del grupo, lo publicó en las Bermudas el sello Berry Hill Records en 1985, en formato casete y con siete temas [1, 2, 3, 7]. Lo produjeron Phil Greene, Barry Fitzsimmons y Sharx, y se grabó y se mezcló en los Normandy Sound Studios de Warren (Rhode Island), de los que Greene era socio desde 1976 [2, 12]. Greene fue también el ingeniero de grabación, con John DiFonzo y Bob Winsor como ingenieros auxiliares, e I.A.N. Communications Group, de Wilmington (Massachusetts), se ocupó de la masterización y la duplicación de las casetes [2]. Andy Newmark, batería de sesión estadounidense con lazos familiares en las Bermudas y créditos como *Double Fantasy* (1980), de John Lennon, figura a cargo de la asesoría y la dirección musical [2, 13]. Los músicos invitados fueron Jeff Golub, acreditado como miembro de la Billy Squier Band y por cortesía de Capitol Records, a la guitarra en «I Can't Rock (Without You)»; Mick Gaffney, a la guitarra en «The Game», y Derek Dyer, al saxofón en «The Game», «Only Love (Can Save Us Now)» y «So Long» [2]. Golub había tocado en los álbumes de Squier *Emotions in Motion* (1982) y *Signs of Life* (1984) [14]. La edición musical se acredita a Island Publishing Ltd., que compartía apartado de correos en Devonshire (Bermudas) con la empresa de representación del grupo, Great Sound Entertainment; Peter Matcham diseñó la portada, con dirección artística de Lynne y Peter Matcham [2]. En lo musical, «Borrowed Time» rompe con el resto del disco al decantarse por el reggae [7].

El 30 de septiembre de 1986 Sharx tocó en la noche de cierre del New 40 Thieves Club. Las imágenes de aquella actuación, que Brannon subió a YouTube, muestran un repertorio que combinaba material propio con versionados de éxitos del momento como «Everybody Wants to Rule the World» y «Summer of '69» [8]. El 40 Thieves Club cerró definitivamente en julio de 1988 [11].

Chambray siguió grabando después de Sharx. A finales de los noventa publicó un álbum en solitario producido por Golub, y Brannon le atribuye grabaciones y actuaciones junto a Newmark y a Keith Scott, guitarrista de Bryan Adams [9]; la discografía del propio Golub incluye dos discos de Chambray en el sello Bermuda Music, *Victor Chambray* y *Malta Nova* [15]. En 2012, ya afincado en Vancouver [9], Chambray aportó una versión de «Across the Universe» a *Lennon Bermuda*, un doble CD de canciones de John Lennon interpretadas sobre todo por artistas bermudeños o vinculados a las islas, con Brannon y Michael Freisenbruch como productores ejecutivos y Newmark a la batería en muchos de sus temas; en 2013 apareció una edición internacional [16, 17].

En 2006 el sello de Las Vegas Retrospect Records reeditó *On The Rock* en CD-R (RR-228). Su libreto incluye una fotografía del grupo que identifica a los miembros, de izquierda a derecha, como Barry Fitzsimmons, Chamberlain, Chambray, Leader y David Fitzsimmons, repite los créditos de producción y grabación y sitúa a Golub también en «The Game», además de en «I Can't Rock (Without You)» [3]. -

Sources/Fuentes

[1] Sharx. Artist profile and discography. Discogs: https://www.discogs.com/artist/4589106-Sharx

[2] Sharx. *On The Rock*. Berry Hill Records, cassette, Bermuda, 1985. Original cassette inlay credits. Discogs: https://www.discogs.com/release/8382381-Sharx-On-The-Rock

[3] Sharx. *On The Rock*. Retrospect Records RR-228, CD-R reissue, US, 2006. Booklet and back-tray credits. Discogs: https://www.discogs.com/release/7424416-Sharx-On-The-Rock

[4] Fame. *Fame*. Strawberry Records STW 6008, US, 1977. Credits and notes, Discogs: https://www.discogs.com/release/2291035-Fame-6-Fame

[5] Victor Chambray. Artist profile. Discogs: https://www.discogs.com/artist/4994145-Victor-Chambray

[6] Victor Chambray. Past projects. Royal City Music Project, "A History of Westcoast Music": https://www.rcmusicproject.com/artist/677517/view

[7] Meletis, Fotis. "Sharx: Όταν το άγνωστο συναντά τον AOR παράδεισο!" [Sharx: When the unknown meets AOR paradise]. *Rocktime.gr*, 16 September 2023: https://rocktime.gr/oldtimerock/sharx-otan-to-agnosto-sunanta-ton-aor-paradeiso

[8] Brannon, Tony. "The Sharx last night at the 40 Thieves Club Bermuda". Video series filmed on the closing night of the New 40 Thieves Club, 30 September 1986, posted on YouTube. "I Need Somebody": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcrLFsHioEI — "Livin on Borrowed Time": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIFBp-xLUUY — "Everybody Wants to Rule the World": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COrqCAx-NqE — "Summer of 69": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jv3wfXT6W-g

[9] Brannon, Tony. "Victor Chambray". Photograph and caption, Flickr, uploaded 16 June 2012: https://www.flickr.com/photos/lennontribute/7376848370

[10] "The 40 Thieves Club 1962–1988". *Bermuda Entertainment*, history page: https://bermuda-entertainment.com/history.html

[11] Sherratt, Roger. "The Fabulous Forty Thieves Club". Bermuda Ex-Police Association, 28 May 2014: https://expobermuda.com/index.php/articles/284-fortythieves

[12] "Phil Greene". Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame, 2017 inductee: https://www.ripopmusic.org/?p=8499

[13] "Andy Newmark". Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Newmark

[14] "Jeff Golub". Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Golub

[15] Jeff Golub. Discography. Official website: https://www.jeffgolub.com/discography.html

[16] Neil, Scott. "Everything measures up on Lennon Bermuda CD". *The Royal Gazette*, 25 October 2012: https://www.royalgazette.com/?p=169652

[17] "Lennon Bermuda". Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lennon_Bermuda