35 Facts About Chris Curtis

Chris Curtis originated the concept behind Deep Purple and formed the band in its original incarnation of 'Roundabout'.

Chris Curtis taught himself how to play the piano on the family instrument at 30 Florida Street in Bootle.

Chris Curtis passed the 11-plus and went to St Mary's College, Crosby, where he was taught violin although he wanted to play the double bass.

Chris Curtis's father bought him a drum set during his late teens when he left school and he learned these in his spare time, when he was not selling prams at Swift's Furniture store at Stanley Road, Liverpool.

Chris Curtis developed a fascination for American music and particularly liked Fats Domino.

Chris Curtis grew the unusually long hair that would be his trademark in the early years.

Chris Curtis accepted an invitation to join the band for a gig at Wilson Hall, Garston and became the seventh member of The Searchers, replacing McGarry to join John McNally, Mike Prendergast and Tony Jackson.

Chris Curtis adopted the name Chris Curtis after Jackson described him thus in a press interview, choosing the name from a Lee Curtis poster to avoid saying 'crummey'.

Chris Curtis wrote most of the band's original songs and was constantly seeking obscure songs by other artists for them to record.

Chris Curtis was a manic individual given to great enthusiasm but prone to voicing trenchant views without considering the effect upon others.

Chris Curtis antagonised Ray McFall, the owner of the Cavern Club, by saying that it was "a dreadful place", "stinky and sweaty".

At that time Chris Curtis still had long hair, which was unusual for the time.

Chris Curtis cut his hair when the band became popular, deciding that it would put off some potential record buyers.

Chris Curtis met his girlfriend, Annette Kuntze in St Pauli and she returned to live with him in Knightsbridge, London.

Chris Curtis took photographs for some of the Pye record sleeves and was responsible for the sullen look affected by the band.

Chris Curtis left The Searchers in mid 1966, after an extensive tour of the Philippines, Hong Kong and Australia, with the Rolling Stones.

Accounts of the break-up differ but there were some significant incidents during the tour and Chris Curtis had become unreliable.

Chris Curtis hated Australia and he was abusing a variety of substances to the point where he fell off the stage at one venue.

When he left the Searchers, Chris Curtis rang his friend, Klas Burling, who was in charge of the Swedish radio station for whom the band had recorded sessions in 1964.

In 1965 Chris Curtis had written and produced "Snakes and Snails" for Alma Cogan with all the musicians who had played on "Aggravation".

Chris Curtis introduced him to Tony Edwards, a clothier working London's West End, who aspired to be part of the music business and was managing the singer and model, Ayshea.

Chris Curtis did not want to help his old band and with the help of Harold Davidson the Ryans released the single in the week of 12 September 1966 and played it on 'Ready, Steady, Go' on 7 October.

Chris Curtis wrote "Night Time" for the Ryans with his friend Sharon Sheeley and they collaborated on several other songs.

Chris Curtis came back to London at the beginning of 1968 and moved into a low-rent flat rented by Jon Lord, whom he had recently met at one of Vicki Wickham's parties.

Chris Curtis was planning his return to performing but he had yet to assemble his new band.

Chris Curtis's concept was a band with a core of three members: Chris Curtis, Lord and Robbie Hewlett.

Chris Curtis would arrange for Daimler limousines to taxi him about and was charging the cost to Tony Edwards.

Chris Curtis moved out soon after this but he did tell Lord that he had a guitarist in mind for Roundabout.

Chris Curtis arranged for Ritchie Blackmore and his girlfriend to fly over from Hamburg, Germany and meet Tony Edwards.

Chris Curtis left the music industry and joined the Inland Revenue in 1969.

Chris Curtis found the change difficult but he liked his new colleagues and he stayed there for nineteen years.

Chris Curtis took early retirement in 1988 suffering a systemic illness that he ascribed to sick building syndrome.

Chris Curtis asked Curtis to join his band, Western Union, but Curtis started drinking heavily and was asked to leave.

Chris Curtis sang frequently with a karaoke machine at Cooper's Emporium and the Old Roan pub near the home he shared with his mother when the Searchers first started.

Chris Curtis died at home on 28 February 2005 at the age of 63.