Chas and Dave are part of a tradition of British music that had its roots in the Music Hall, through the songs of Charles Penrose and Stanley Holloway, through fellow Londoners The Kinks, the Small Faces, Ian Dury and the Blockheads and Squeeze. Their songs tend to be about London life, and are often funny, sometimes sad. Their inspiration came from Rock ‘n’ Roll and from Music Hall.

Chas Hodges and Dave Peacock were a part of the UK rock scene of the 1960s and early 1970s, before teaming up with drummer Mick Burt to form the group Chas and Dave. Chas had appeared on stage with Jerry Lee Lewis, Mike Berry & The Outlaws and Cliff Bennett and the Rebel Rousers (which also included Burt on drums) and had recorded with legendary “home producer” Joe Meek. Chas then joined Albert Lee’s acclaimed Country-tinged rock band Heads Hands and Feet before joining up with Dave Peacock and Albert in a band called Black Claw.

Dave had started out with The Rolling Stones (no, another band called the Rolling Stones!) in 1960, before appearing with The Tumbleweeds, Jerry Donaghue, Mick Greenwood and Black Claw.

The debut Chas and Dave album “One Fing ‘n’ Anuvver” was released in 1975 on the Retreat label. The boys produced it themselves and the album was consciously “Rockney” (London-centric and sung in their normal voices), containing song such as ‘Ponders End Allotments Club’. Indeed the next album, recorded in 1978 for EMI was entitled “Rockney” and it featured Chas and Dave in all their proud cockney glory, showing off their good natured good humour to great effect.

Two years later Chas and Dave were playing their song ‘Gertcha’ in a pub when they were spotted by an advertising executive. He signed them up to make commercials for Courage beer and almost overnight Chas and Dave were an overnight success, with ‘Gertcha’ becoming their first Top Twenty chart hit. It was followed by ‘The Sideboard Song (Got my Beer in The Sideboard Here)’ from their 3rd album “Don’t Give A Monkey’s” , and their two best-selling singles of all time: 1980’s ‘Rabbit’ (from the Don’t Give A Monkey’s” album) and the reflective ballad ‘Ain’t No Pleasing You’, which came two years later. In between they recorded the first of many live Chas and Dave albums, “Live At Abbey Road”, with the famous Studio One (in Abbey Road!) converted into a North London style pub for the occasion, populated with friends and music industry stars and bigwigs.

Their next hits were ‘Margate’ and ‘London Girls’ and in 1986, a collaboration with the Matchroom Mob on ‘Snooker Loopy’, and with Tottenham Hotspur FC on their official FA Cup Final songs.

The 1980s brought some classic Chas & Dave Christmas releases with collections of their favourite old time songs brought back for a new audience. The boys still found time to make TV appearances on the likes of Crackerjack and writing the theme tune to the Alf Garnet sitcom, In Sickness and In Health. In 1985 Eamonn Andrews presented Chas and Dave with the famous “red book” on the TV show This Is Your Life.

The 1990s brought increased success, major theatre tours and gave the British public a love of Chas and Dave that has never waned. And their appeal is high with young people. When The Libertines were asked who they wanted to appear with them in 2003/2004, they immediately chose  Chas and Dave. The Brixton Academy and The Kentish Town Forum shows were a huge success and served to bring Chas & Dave to many people’s attention.

In 2005 Chas & Dave made their triumphant debut at the Glastonbury Festival and they joined forces with EMI once more resulting in two top selling CDs. The year ended on a high with a totally sold out Christmas Beano at London’s Shepherd’s Bush Empire , that was filmed by EMI for  release as a DVD.
Then tragedy struck. In 2009, Dave Peacock’s wife Sue, a driving force behind Chas & Dave’s career, died after a brave battle with lung cancer and Dave decided to retire from music. Chas Hodges continues to keep ‘Rockney on the road’ with his own band which play a full set of Chas and Dave classics plus a selection of Chas’s solo material.

In 2011, Chas & Dave reformed for one final tour and the year was topped off with sold out shows at London’s O2 Indigo venue.