Romeo Challenger
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Romeo Challenger | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Romeo Alexander Challenger |
| Born | 19 May 1950 St. John's, Antigua, British Leeward Islands |
| Origin | Leicester, England |
| Genres | Rock |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instrument(s) | Drums |
| Years active | 1971–present |
Romeo Alexander Challenger (born 19 May 1950) is an Antiguan-born English musician. He has been the drummer for the rock band Showaddywaddy since 1973 and seminal progressive rock band Black Widow.
Biography[edit]
Challenger was born 19 May 1950 in St. John's, Antigua, British Leeward Islands.[1][2] In 1955, he moved with his family to England.[3] He began playing the drums as a teenager in the mid-1960s.[3]
He played in several groups, including progressive rock/hard rock band Black Widow in the early 1970s.[3] In 1973, he became one of two drummers (The other being Malcolm Allured) for the rock and roll band Showaddywaddy.[3] Showaddywaddy had ten singles reach the top ten of the UK Singles Chart, including the 1976 number-one "Under the Moon of Love".[2]
Challenger played in the Leicester Boys' football team with Peter Shilton and Jeff Blockley,[4] who both went on to enjoy professional careers.
Challenger is the father of high jumper Ben Challenger, who won a silver medal in the 1998 Commonwealth Games, and a bronze medal four years later;[5] and Tamzin Challenger, a musician best known for her material with bassline producer T2.[citation needed]
Challenger also dabbled in drum teaching. Although he wasn't able to make such an iconic career out of this (unlike his music career) he had one pupil by the name of Stanley Wood. Hours of lessons later and Stanley Wood formed the band Ant Hill, who dominate the music scene in Leicester. Famously, Wood has also gone on to create multiple films such as All In, November 18th, and The Curse of Black Annis, using music from Challenger's band Showaddywaddy.
References[edit]
- ^ Larkin, Colin, ed. (5 January 2024). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 7 (4th ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 435. ISBN 9780195313734.
- ^ a b "Showaddywaddy". Official Charts. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
- ^ a b c d "Romeo Challenger". Showaddywaddy. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
- ^ "Leicester Bands: Showaddywaddy". beehive.thisisleicestershire.co.uk. Retrieved 25 November 2010.
- ^ "Ben Challenger, high jumper". thisisleicestershire.co.uk. Retrieved 25 November 2010.
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