Chilli Willi and the Red Hot Peppers
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Chilli Willi and the Red Hot Peppers were a British rock band, originally formed as a folk-rock duo in 1971 by ex-Junior's Blues Band members Martin Stone and Philip Charles Lithman. Lithman moved to California later that year, leaving Stone to play with Savoy Brown and Mighty Baby.
Lithman returned to England in 1972, and the duo reunited, recording Kings of the Robot Rhythm that year with vocalist Jo Ann Kelly and various members of Brinsley Schwarz. Later in the year, the duo expanded, adding Paul "Dice Man" Bailey, Paul "Bassman" Riley, and Pete Thomas to the line-up. During the next two years, Chilli Willi and the Red Hot Peppers became a popular live act in Britain, and recorded two live-in-the-studio sessions for John Peel's BBC Radio 1 show on 9 April 1973 and 25 July 1974.
In 1974, they released their final album, Bongos Over Balham, which sold poorly. Despite taking part in the "Naughty Rhythms" tour of 1975 with Dr. Feelgood and Kokomo, Chilli Willi and the Red Hot Peppers split in 1975. Thomas became the drummer for Elvis Costello's backing band, The Attractions; Riley played with Graham Parker; Bailey formed Bontemps Roulez; and Stone played with the Pink Fairies and Wreckless Eric.
Lithman moved to San Francisco, where he began collaborating regularly with The Residents under the name Snakefinger, beginning with their 1977 album Fingerprince. He would begin a solo career as Snakefinger with the release of the 1978 single "The Spot" and 1979 album Chewing Hides The Sound, with several further releases following on The Residents' label Ralph Records. Lithman died of a heart attack while on tour in Linz, Austria on July 1st 1987.
A collection of outtakes, I'll Be Home, was released in 1996. In 2017, the band's complete recorded works were collected on the two-disc anthology Real Sharp released by The Last Music Company.
Discography
Studio albums
- Kings of the Robot Rhythm (1972)
- Bongos Over Balham (1974)
Singles
- "Breathe A Little" (1975)
Compilations
- I'll Be Home (1996)
- Real Sharp (2017)
Live albums
- The Amazing ZigZag Concert with Starry Eyed and Laughing, Help Yourself, John Stewart and Michael Nesmith (2010)