Chas Chandler
b. Bryan James Chandler, 18 December 1938, Heaton, Tyne And Wear, England. Chandler's career can be placed in two distinct sections. In the '60s he was the giant figure wielding a bass guitar with the pioneering R&B group the Animals. Following the break-up of the original Animals in 1967, the business-like Chandler had the foresight to spot the potential of a black guitarist, whom he had watched playing in a New York club. He brought this young man, now renamed Jimi Hendrix, over to London. After recruiting two further musicians, Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell, the shrewd Chandler succeeded in making the Jimi Hendrix Experience one of the most talked about groups since the Beatles. The summer of 1967 was a perfect time to launch psychedelic rock music to the awaiting ‘underground’ scene. Chandler proved that his midas-like touch was no fluke, and after selling out his managerial interest in Hendrix to former Animals manager Mike Jeffries, he nurtured Slade. With wily foresight Chandler led them through extraordinary success in the early '70s with no less than six UK chart-toppers. He built up a mini-empire of companies, including music publishing, agency, management, production and recording studio under the Barn Group banner. In 1977 the original Animals reformed and recorded their comeback album in his barn in Surrey. Six years later they reformed again, prompting Chandler to sell up his business interests and became a musician again. While the obligatory world tour made money, it also opened old wounds and the group collapsed for a third time. In 1991 he was seeking funds to open the largest rock venue in the north-east of England. Chandler's entrepreneurial knack is likely to appear at any time as he has shown great perception and good judgement in the past. 
Further reading: WILD ANIMALS, Andy Blackford.