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Richard 'Charlie' McCracken
McCracken performing with Taste in 1970.
Background information
Birth name	Richard McCracken
Also known as	Charlie McCracken
Born	(1948-06-26) 26 June 1948 (age 76) Omagh, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland
Origin	Dublin, Ireland
Genres	Blues rock hard rock
Occupation	Bassist
Years active	1968–2010
Formerly of	Taste The Spencer Davis Group Stud Axis Point Fastway

Richard 'Charlie' McCracken, credited as both Richard and Charlie McCracken, (born 26 June 1948) is a Northern Irish bassist who was a member of Irish blues rock power trio Taste, featuring Rory Gallagher. He also played with The Spencer Davis Group and Fastway, and also was a session musician with Medicine Head, Kevin Ayers, Mike D'Abo and Francis Dunnery.

Biography

McCracken joined Taste alongside drummer John Wilson, replacing original bassist Eric Kitteringham in 1968. With Taste, McCracken opened for Yes, Cream and Blind Faith and at the Isle of Wight Festival 1970, alongside Jimi Hendrix and The Who. In late 1970, they disbanded for numerous reasons, including bad management, differences with Gallagher and financial issues. They performed their last show on New Year's Eve in Belfast. Wilson and McCracken immediately formed 'Stud' in early 1971, with Jim Cregan and John Weider, both past/future members or Family, while Gallagher went on to pursue a solo career.

Stud disbanded in 1973, McCracken next joined a re-formed Spencer Davis Group with Spencer Davis, Ray Fenwick, Eddie Hardin and Pete York. The group released the albums Gluggo (1973) and Living in a Back Street (1974) before once again disbanding. McCracken contributed to an album called Hardin & York With Charlie McCracken, with former Spencer David bandmates Eddie Hardin and Pete York in 1974.

After four years, McCracken reappeared as bassist of Axis Point, with former members of Family, Spencer Davis Group and Judas Priest. The band existed between 1977 and 1979. McCracken resurfaced in 1983 as the first "Permanent" bassist of Fastway, a band founded by former Motorhead guitarist "Fast" Eddie Clarke, and former UFO bassist Pete Way, Way had departed shortly after the band formation. With Fastway, McCracken recorded All Fired Up in 1984 before departing alongside drummer Jerry Shirley after "Hardships of touring".

Following the death of Rory Gallagher, McCracken and Wilson reformed Taste in 1996 with new guitarist/vocalist Sam Davidson. McCracken retired from the band and music in 2010, he was replaced by Albert Mills.

Discography

with Taste

with Stud

with The Spencer Davis Group

• Gluggo (1973)
• Living in a Back Street (1974)
• Catch You On The Rebop - Live In Europe 73 (1995)
• With Their New Face On (1997)
• Keep On Running (40th Anniversary) (2004)
• Taking Out Time (Complete Recordings 1967-1969) (2016)

with Axis Point

• Axis Point (1978)
• Boast of the Town (1980)

with Fastway/Eddie Clarke

• All Fired Up (1984)
• Trick or Treat (1986)
• Fastway / All Fired Up (2000)
• Anthology (2007)

References

1. Vintage Rock USA (26 June 2020). "Happy Birthday to Richard "Charlie" McCracken,, born in Omagh, Northern Ireland, on June 26th, 1948". Facebook. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
2. ^ "ROCK INTERVIEWS (c) ARTISTES". www.rock-interviews.com. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
3. Roberts, David (1998). Guinness Rockopedia (1st ed.). London: Guinness Publishing Ltd. pp. 168–169. ISBN 0-85112-072-5.
4. ^ Cartwright, Garth (30 July 2015). "The rise and acrimonious fall of Rory Gallagher's Taste..." louder. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
5. Strong, Martin C. (2000). The Great Rock Discography (5th ed.). Edinburgh: Mojo Books. pp. 369–370. ISBN 1-84195-017-3.
6. ^ "Stud Biography by AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
7. Larkin, Colin, ed. (1997). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music (Concise ed.). Virgin Books. p. 348. ISBN 1-85227-745-9.
8. Hardin & York with Charlie McCracken by Hardin & York with Charlie McCracken - RYM/Sonemic, retrieved 10 September 2023
9. Jasper Tony and Oliver,Derek. The international encyclopedia of hard rock & heavy metal. Facts on File, 1985. p. 23.
10. Hardin, Eddie (April 1999). "Axis Point". spaceritual.net. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
11. ^ Larkin, Colin, ed. (1995). The Guinness Who's Who of Heavy Metal (Second ed.). Guinness Publishing. p. 131/2. ISBN 0-85112-656-1.

• 1948 births
• Irish bass guitarists
• English bass guitarists
• Irish rock singers
• Musicians from Dublin (city)
• Fastway (band) members
• The Spencer Davis Group members
• Living people