Ричард Стивен Синклер: Англиялық прогрессив рок музыкантының өмірі мен шығармашылығы

English bassist, guitarist, and vocalist

Richard Stephen Sinclair (born 6 June 1948) is an English progressive rock bassist, guitarist, and vocalist who has been a member of several bands of the Canterbury scene.

Born in Canterbury, England, both his father (Dick Sinclair) and grandfather (also named Dick Sinclair) were musical entertainers around Canterbury. Richard was introduced to the ukulele at age 3 and the guitar at 6, and was only 15 when he met Hugh and Brian Hopper when they came to see his dad's danceband. By the following year Sinclair was playing guitar (and occasionally singing) in the root Canterbury band The Wilde Flowers. In 1968 he became a founding member of Caravan, switching to bass guitar and sharing lead vocals with Pye Hastings. His compositional output came to the fore on the band's third album, the classic In the Land of Grey and Pink, on which he wrote and sang the title track, "Golf Girl" and the epic "Winter Wine". Sinclair left Caravan in 1972 to form Hatfield and the North with ex Delivery members Phil Miller and Pip Pyle, lending his distinctive, quintessentially English voice and increasingly impressive bass playing skills to their two albums, and writing some of their best loved songs, "Share It", "Let's Eat (Real Soon)" (both with lyrics by Pip Pyle) and "Halfway Between Heaven And Earth". In 1974, he participated in Rock Bottom, the second solo album by former Soft Machine drummer Robert Wyatt. The album was produced by Pink Floyd´s drummer Nick Mason. After Hatfield broke up in 1975, Sinclair moved back to Canterbury, starting a carpentry/kitchen fitting business while maintaining low key musical activities, often under the humorous moniker Sinclair & The South. He came out of this semi retirement in 1977 when he was asked by Camel to replace their departed bass player. This stint lasted for two studio albums and half of the live set A Live Record. In the 1980s, his activities were sporadic. He recorded a collaborative album with Phil Miller and Alan Gowen, Before a Word Is Said, in 1981, reunited with Caravan for the 1982 reunion effort Back To Front, sang on one track of National Health's swansong D. S. Al Coda (also 1982), and joined Phil Miller's In Cahoots, for a residency at the London jazz club the Bull & Gate and, in 1984, a European tour. He left before the band undertook its first recordings. His voice or bass were barely heard until the end of the decade, save for a low key Dutch tour in 1986 and a guest spot of Phil Miller's album Split Seconds (1989). In 1990, there was a one off reformation of Hatfield and the North and a long term one of the original Caravan line up in 1990 91. At this point, Sinclair formed his own group Caravan Of Dreams, with ex Camel drummer Andy Ward and former Hatfield roadie Rick Biddulph on bass (live gigs only), plus occasional participation from cousin Dave Sinclair and sax/flautist Jimmy Hastings. The project's eponymous album came out in 1992. Sinclair's next effort, R. S. V. P. (1994), was recorded with a fluctuating line up including Pip Pyle, Tony Coe and former Happy the Man keyboardist Kit Watkins. Regular touring stopped in 1996 as Sinclair moved to the Netherlands for a few years. He reappeared in 2002 with occasional concerts and archival live releases, but the most exposure came with the reunion of Hatfield and the North in 2005 06, which came to an abrupt end when Pip Pyle died in August 2006. Shortly after that, he left his longtime Canterbury home to move permanently to Italy, living in a trullo in Martina Franca. In 2010, he joined the trio douBt (Alex Maguire, Michel Delville and Tony Bianco) on the album Never Pet a Burning Dog (Moonjune Records) and toured Japan and Europe with the band. In 2013 2014 he toured Italy with the Italian band PropheXy, recording two live bonus tracks (Disassociation, Golf Girl) for their album Improvviso. In 2023 Richard listed his entire catalog on BandCamp, including many previously unreleased recordings from Caravan, Camel, and Hatfield and the North.

YearArtistTitle1962various artists Canterburied Sounds (four volumes, released 1998)1965The Wilde FlowersThe Wilde Flowers (released 1994)1968CaravanCaravan1970CaravanIf I Could Do It All Over Again, I'd Do It All Over You1971CaravanIn the Land of Grey and Pink 1972CaravanWaterloo Lily 1974Hatfield and the NorthHatfield and the North1974Robert WyattRock Bottom1975Hatfield and the NorthThe Rotters' Club1977CamelRain Dances1977CamelUnevensongs1978CamelBreathless1978CamelA Live Record1980Hatfield and the NorthAfters1981Alan Gowen, Phil Miller, Richard Sinclair & Trevor TomkinsBefore A Word Is Said1982National HealthD. S. al coda1982CaravanBack to Front1983Hugh Hopper & Richard SinclairSomewhere in France (released 1996)1988SkabooshFreetown 1989Phil MillerSplit Seconds1990Hatfield and the NorthLive 1990 (one off reunion, with Sophia Domancich subbing for Dave Stewart1990Hatfield and the NorthClassic Rock Legends (DVD) (same show as above)1990CaravanClassic Rock Legends (DVD)1992Richard Sinclair's Caravan of DreamsRichard Sinclair's Caravan of Dreams1993Caravan of DreamsAn Evening of Magic1994Richard SinclairR. S. V. P.1996Richard Sinclair, David Rees & Tony CoeWhat in the World1998Pip Pyle7 Year Itch2002Richard Sinclair Live Tracks2003CamelLive Tracks2003Dave SinclairFull Circle2003Dave SinclairInto The Sun2003Theo TravisEarth to Ether2005Hatfield and the NorthHatwise Choice: Archive Recordings 1973—1975, Volume 12006Hatfield and the NorthHattitude: Archive Recordings 1973 1975, Volume 22006In CahootsConspiracy Theories2010DoubtNever pet a burning dog