2013

The band reunites — 40 years later

Roger Chapman — vocals
Rob Townsend — drums, percussion
Poli Palmer — flute, piano, vibes, keyboards
Jim Cregan — bass, guitar, vocals

After forty years, Roger Chapman reconvened the band for a pair of London shows at the O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire — the first Family appearances since the Leicester Polytechnic farewell of 13 October 1973. The returning lineup brought back Rob Townsend (drummer across every Family configuration, 1968–73), Poli Palmer (Mk III–IV vibes and keyboards, 1969–72) and Jim Cregan (Mk VI, 1972–73), with Cregan covering the guitar chair alongside the bass.

The notable absence was Charlie Whitney, long since settled on a Greek island with his partner and disinclined to leave (see the Whitney member page for the post-Wimbledon move and how it shaped the rest of his playing life). On the reunion press circuit ahead of the shows, Chapman framed the refusal as expected rather than wounding:

> "I wasn't really surprised. Family was 40 years ago. We've all gone in different directions. Charlie's lived on one of the Greek islands for many years with his partner… I don't hang out with the guys I used to go to school with either… It's a bit like that… Charlie was the first person I asked… But he said, 'I'm happy here, I've got my music, my sunshine, it just sounds like a lot of hard work for a couple of gigs, but have a good time.'"

Chapman was less sanguine about the gigs themselves:

> "I just hope for those two nights we don't blow it, I don't think we will, but in the back of your mind you go… 'I hope we don't let them down and we don't let ourselves down…'"

— Roger Chapman, Uncut, February 2013 (reported in Classic Rock, March 2013; surfaced via Contact Music, 3 January 2013).

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