Origin: Toronto, Ontario (Canada)

SIMON CHASE

Anthony Michaels - Sil Simone

Simon Chase albums:

	Thrill of the chase - 1988 (with lyrics)
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Notes about Simon Chase:

 Text in English

- Simon Chase was a Toronto melodic rock band built around vocalist Anthony "Tony" Comparelli and guitarist Silvio "Sil" Simone. The group made its first appearance on record in 1986, when "Fire in the Rain" was included on *Q107 Homegrown – Volume 8*, one of the compilations drawn from Toronto rock station Q107's Homegrown contest, released that year by MCA Records Canada [1, 2]. The title would resurface two years later on the band's debut album.

In 1987 Simone was already working within Triumph's circle. He shares the writing credit for "Never Say Never" with Rik Emmett, Mike Levine and Gil Moore on Triumph's *Surveillance* (MCA, November 1987), an album recorded at Metalworks Studios. Keyboardist Dave Tkaczuk, co-writer of "Carry On the Flame", and Greg Loates, on percussion and programming, also took part in the album, which had Hugh Cooper among its engineers and Ross Munro among its chorus singers [3]. Several of those names reappear in the credits of Simon Chase's debut.

*Thrill of the Chase* was released in 1988 on Axe Records, a division of September Productions Limited, which manufactured and distributed it in Canada (AXS 531) under license from Random Entertainment, the Toronto company that managed the band [4]. It was produced by Ross Munro and Rik Emmett and recorded and mixed by Hugh Cooper at Metalworks Recording Studios, with additional engineering by Noel Golden, Ed Stone and Dave Runstedler, additional recording at The Room and at Toronto Recording Workshop, and mastering by George Graves at The Lacquer Channel [4, 5]. On the original LP Comparelli was credited as Anthony Michaels [4]. Alongside him and Simone, the sleeve lists under the heading "The Players" Dave Tkaczuk on keyboards, synthesizers and programming, Greg Loates on drums, programming and VHF, and Peter Cardinali on bass. Vito Rezza on drums, Mac Wighton on bass, and Lou Pomanti and Cam Shearer on keyboards, with Shearer also on programming, are credited as additional musicians, and Emmett appears courtesy of MCA Records [4]. All ten songs were written by Comparelli, Simone and Munro, with Emmett joining them as co-writer on "Rosanne" and "Paradox in the Matrix" [5]. Axe also issued two 7" singles, "One More Night" backed with "Long Distance Riders" and "Fire in the Rain" backed with "Paradox in the Matrix" [6].

Hampered in part by poor promotion, the album did not take off [7]. Simon Chase carried on as a working band on the club circuit. Drummer Paul Marangoni, who came in after the album's release, recalled in a 1999 interview that the band he joined featured Comparelli, Simone, Tkaczuk and bassist John Menniti, and that he chose to leave as their sets came to rely more and more on cover material [2].

Simone and Tkaczuk went on to play with Emmett [2]; Tkaczuk is credited with keyboards, piano, synthesizers and arrangements on *Absolutely* (1990), Emmett's first solo album after leaving Triumph [8]. In 1991 Simone was the lead guitarist in Tom Cochrane's band on the *Mad Mad World* tour [9]. He later formed Blood Red Flower with singer Phil Naro [2]; the band's album *Last Link to the World* (1997) credits Naro on vocals, Simone on guitars, Randy Cooke on drums and Stan Miczek on bass [10].

In 1995 the German label Long Island Records reissued *Thrill of the Chase* on CD in its Rock Classic series (LIRC 00036). Founded in 1989 as a record shop and mail-order business, Long Island had opened a Toronto office in late 1993 under Carl Dixon, who was responsible for its Canadian A&R, and had launched the Rock Classic series in October 1994 to reissue collectors' items [5]. The Simon Chase edition, a gold CD limited to 2,000 numbered copies, was remastered by Sondi at Bauer Studios in Ludwigsburg, with additional artwork by Stefan Schmidt-Bilkenroth [5]. It credits the singer under his real name and moves "Surrender", which had closed side one of the LP, to the end of the running order [4, 5].

A second Simon Chase album, *The Witch Doctor*, appeared in 1996 on Sphinx Ministry [11]. Comparelli was the only musician carried over from the debut: he sang lead, played guitar and percussion, and produced and wrote the material with keyboardist and programmer Daniel Leblanc. The credits list Bruce Dies and Simon Bierly on lead guitar, Terry Gowan and Rob Laidlaw on bass and Oliver Klothes on drums, with backing vocals from Carl Dixon, Carmela Long and Jonathan Comparelli, among others. The album was recorded at Outcast Studios and mixed at Studio 306; Ed Stone, who had worked on the 1988 sessions, engineered it and mixed most of the tracks, and Adrian von Ripka mastered it at Bauer Studios in Ludwigsburg [11].

By the end of the decade, according to Marangoni, Comparelli was helping his wife, Carmela Long, with her music career [2]. In 2017 *Thrill of the Chase* was made available on digital platforms under the band's name [12]. -

Notas sobre Simon Chase:

 Texto en Español

- Simon Chase fue un grupo de rock melódico de Toronto articulado en torno al vocalista Anthony «Tony» Comparelli y al guitarrista Silvio «Sil» Simone. Su primera aparición discográfica llegó en 1986, cuando «Fire in the Rain» se incluyó en *Q107 Homegrown – Volume 8*, uno de los recopilatorios del concurso Homegrown de la emisora de rock torontoniana Q107, editado ese año por MCA Records Canada [1, 2]. El título volvería a aparecer dos años después en su primer larga duración.

En 1987 Simone ya se movía en el entorno de Triumph. Comparte con Rik Emmett, Mike Levine y Gil Moore la autoría de «Never Say Never», incluida en *Surveillance*, de Triumph (MCA, noviembre de 1987), un disco grabado en los Metalworks Studios. En él participaron también el teclista Dave Tkaczuk, coautor de «Carry On the Flame», y Greg Loates, a cargo de percusión y programación, con Hugh Cooper entre sus ingenieros y Ross Munro entre los coros [3]. Varios de esos nombres reaparecen en los créditos del debut de Simon Chase.

*Thrill of the Chase* se publicó en 1988 en Axe Records, división de September Productions Limited, que lo fabricó y distribuyó en Canadá (AXS 531) bajo licencia de Random Entertainment, la empresa de Toronto que representaba al grupo [4]. Lo produjeron Ross Munro y Rik Emmett, y Hugh Cooper lo grabó y mezcló en los Metalworks Recording Studios, con ingeniería adicional de Noel Golden, Ed Stone y Dave Runstedler, grabaciones complementarias en The Room y en Toronto Recording Workshop y masterización de George Graves en The Lacquer Channel [4, 5]. En el vinilo original Comparelli figuraba como Anthony Michaels [4]. Junto a él y a Simone, la contraportada acredita bajo el epígrafe «The Players» a Dave Tkaczuk a los teclados, sintetizadores y programación, a Greg Loates a la batería, programación y VHF, y a Peter Cardinali al bajo. Como músicos adicionales figuran Vito Rezza a la batería, Mac Wighton al bajo y Lou Pomanti y Cam Shearer a los teclados, este último también a cargo de programación, y Emmett aparece por cortesía de MCA Records [4]. Los diez temas llevan la firma de Comparelli, Simone y Munro, con Emmett como coautor de «Rosanne» y «Paradox in the Matrix» [5]. Axe extrajo además dos sencillos de siete pulgadas: «One More Night», con «Long Distance Riders» en la cara B, y «Fire in the Rain», con «Paradox in the Matrix» [6].

Lastrado en parte por una promoción escasa, el disco no llegó a despegar [7]. Simon Chase siguió en activo en el circuito de clubes. El batería Paul Marangoni, que llegó tras la publicación del álbum, recordaba en una entrevista de 1999 que el grupo al que se incorporó lo formaban Comparelli, Simone, Tkaczuk y el bajista John Menniti, y que decidió marcharse a medida que el repertorio se fue llenando de versionados [2].

Simone y Tkaczuk pasaron a tocar con Emmett [2]; Tkaczuk firma teclados, piano, sintetizadores y arreglos en *Absolutely* (1990), primer disco en solitario de Emmett tras dejar Triumph [8]. En 1991 Simone era el guitarra solista de la banda de Tom Cochrane en la gira de *Mad Mad World* [9]. Más tarde formó Blood Red Flower con el cantante Phil Naro [2]; el álbum del grupo, *Last Link to the World* (1997), acredita a Naro a la voz, a Simone a las guitarras, a Randy Cooke a la batería y a Stan Miczek al bajo [10].

En 1995 el sello alemán Long Island Records reeditó *Thrill of the Chase* en CD dentro de su serie Rock Classic (LIRC 00036). Fundado en 1989 como tienda de discos y empresa de venta por correo, Long Island había abierto a finales de 1993 una oficina en Toronto dirigida por Carl Dixon, responsable de su A&R en Canadá, y en octubre de 1994 había inaugurado la serie Rock Classic para reeditar piezas de coleccionista [5]. La edición de Simon Chase, un CD dorado limitado a 2000 copias numeradas, fue remasterizada por Sondi en los Bauer Studios de Ludwigsburg, con diseño gráfico adicional de Stefan Schmidt-Bilkenroth [5]. Acredita al cantante con su nombre real y traslada «Surrender», que cerraba la primera cara del vinilo, al final del disco [4, 5].

Un segundo álbum de Simon Chase, *The Witch Doctor*, apareció en 1996 en Sphinx Ministry [11]. Comparelli fue el único músico que repitió del debut: asumió la voz principal, la guitarra y la percusión, y produjo y compuso el material junto al teclista y programador Daniel Leblanc. Los créditos recogen a Bruce Dies y Simon Bierly a la guitarra solista, a Terry Gowan y Rob Laidlaw al bajo y a Oliver Klothes a la batería, con coros de Carl Dixon, Carmela Long y Jonathan Comparelli, entre otros. Se grabó en Outcast Studios y se mezcló en Studio 306; Ed Stone, que ya había trabajado en las sesiones de 1988, se encargó de la ingeniería y de la mezcla de la mayoría de los temas, y Adrian von Ripka lo masterizó en los Bauer Studios de Ludwigsburg [11].

A finales de la década, según Marangoni, Comparelli ayudaba a su esposa, Carmela Long, en su carrera musical [2]. En 2017 *Thrill of the Chase* llegó a las plataformas digitales a nombre del grupo [12]. - 

Sources/Fuentes

[1] Various Artists. *Q107 Homegrown – Volume 8*. MCA Records Canada, MCA-37277 (LP) and MCAC 37277 (cassette), 1986. Discogs: https://www.discogs.com/master/3052643-Various-Q107-Homegrown-Volume-8

[2] Julie, Kevin J. "Paul Marangoni – an interview". *Universal Wheels E-Zine*, December 1999: http://www.travellersintime.com/uw/uwpm.htm

[3] Triumph. *Surveillance*. MCA Records, 1987. Track listing and credits, Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surveillance_(Triumph_album)

[4] Simon Chase. *Thrill of the Chase*. Axe Records AXS 531, Canada, 1988. Original LP back cover credits. Discogs: https://www.discogs.com/release/11400515-Simon-Chase-Thrill-Of-The-Chase

[5] Simon Chase. *Thrill of the Chase*. Long Island Records LIRC 00036, Germany, 1995. CD booklet credits and label history; edition details from Discogs: https://www.discogs.com/release/8543903-Simon-Chase-Thrill-Of-The-Chase

[6] Simon Chase discography. Discogs: https://www.discogs.com/artist/492067-Simon-Chase

[7] Simon Chase biography. AllMusic: https://www.allmusic.com/artist/simon-chase-mn0001009499

[8] Rik Emmett. *Absolutely*. Charisma, 1990. Credits, Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absolutely_(Rik_Emmett_album)

[9] Newton, Steve. "Tom Cochrane dedicates 'Big League' to Stan Smyl in Vancouver on the Mad Mad World Tour". Originally published November 7, 1991; republished on Ear of Newt: https://earofnewt.com/2014/04/16/tom-cochrane-dedicates-big-league-to-stan-smyl-in-vancouver-on-the-mad-mad-world-tour/

[10] Blood Red Flower. *Last Link to the World*. 1997. Credits, Phil Naro on Bandcamp: https://philnaro.bandcamp.com/album/last-link-to-the-world

[11] Simon Chase. *The Witch Doctor*. Sphinx Ministry 35700, 1996. Discogs: https://www.discogs.com/release/2814531-Simon-Chase-The-Witch-Doctor

[12] Simon Chase. *Thrill of the Chase*, digital release, 2017. Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/album/thrill-of-the-chase/1271704920