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John Charles Waite...
Though known mainly for his ballads, John Waite is an out-and-out rocker at heart. Born John Charles Waite July 4, 1955, in Lancaster, England, this versatile singer's first stage appearance comes very early in life, when his older brother Joe's band is missing its lead singer for a local gig. At Joe's request, John then only 10, fills in for the singer.
"It was incredible!" Waite recalls. "I was in short pants, and there we were, trying to put across all this gutsy rock 'n roll by the Small Faces and the Rolling Stones."
Several years later that gig eventually leads to Waite's first art college band, 'Chalk Farm.' He attends Lancaster Art college (department graphic art) for 4 years to pursue his original ambition - illustrating children's books - while still playing in bands. His new band, 'Graf Spee,' plays college dances. After art college, Waite leaves Lancaster when local police wrongly accuse him of a jewel robbery. He goes to London. Joining the jazz/rock band 'England' as their singer, Waite lives in a 10 by 8 foot room in West Hempstead, which he shares with the guitarist/roadie, using the p.a. as furniture. The 3-piece band does not work out, and he returns to Lancaster. But he soon receives an offer from 'England's' former vocalist to cross the ocean to Cleveland, Ohio, and join him as a guitar player in a new band.
The band, a punk/pop energy outfit called 'The Boys,' rehearses for six months and signs to the NEMS label. They cut one self-titled U.K. album with Waite in the line-up, credited on the album as Honest John Plain. The punk album contains one Waite-written track: 'First time.' He once again feels stifled by his role in the band. He isn't allowed to sing, and he feels uncomfortable with most of the band's material.
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