Chuck Sabo

Chuck Sabo (Charles Edward Sabo Jr.) was born August 22, 1958, and grew up in Allentown, Pennsylvania, in a family of non-musicians. His parents supported his interest in and aptitude for playing the drums, and he began his career playing in cover bands in the Allentown area.

Sabo moved to New York City in 1980 at age 21. While taking drum lessons with Sonny Igoe he worked moving furniture to subsidize his music career. In the early part of the decade he made his first significant industry connections, recording his first major label project (1982's The Eleventh Hour){{cite web |url= http://musicbusinessmonthly.com/ |title= THE ELEVENTH HOUR Tom Dickie 1982 |website=Music Business Monthly |last=Viglione |first=Joe |accessdate=March 9, 2020}} with Tom Dickie and the Desires{{cite web |url= https://www.allmusic.com/artist/chuck-sabo-mn0000124193 |title= Chuck Sabo |website=AllMusic |accessdate=March 4, 2020}} managed by Tommy Mottola.

He also played in the early 1980s in New York City with the Comateens, and his stint in NYC ended after he recorded their final album, Deal With It, in 1984. After touring Europe with the group to support the album, he decided to stay in London.

He began his UK career being offered gigs with two bands, Decadence, managed by Mick Rossey, who was also managing Flock of Seagulls, and Glasgow band Talking Drums, who were managed by Miles Copeland. He went with Talking Drums and moved to Glasgow for a short time, but soon returned to London, where he played with a number of bands and became further known on the music scene.

In 1988 he was the session drummer for Étienne Daho's album Pour Nos Vies Martiennes. The following year he toured Europe with Daho.

Sabo played on Martyn Ware's 1991 British Electric Foundation album Music of Quality and Distinction, Vol. 2, which included recordings with Tina Turner, Chaka Khan, Terence Trent D'Arby, Billy Preston, and others.{{cite web |url= https://www.allmusic.com/album/british-electric-foundation-1981-2011-mw0002228354/credits |title= B.E.F.: British Electric Foundation: 1981–2011 |website=AllMusic |accessdate=March 4, 2020}} In 1992 he played on Tashan's 1992 album For the Sake of Love, produced by Ware. He toured with Shakespears Sister{{cite web |url= https://variety.com/1992/legit/reviews/shakespeare-s-sister-1200430849/ |title= Shakespeare's Sister |website=Variety |last=Augusto |first=Troy J. |date=October 7, 1992 |accessdate=March 4, 2020}} and played on their album Hormonally Yours as well as Right Said Fred's album Up. In 1993 he was the session drummer on Take That's album Everything Changes.{{cite web |url= https://www.pandora.com/artist/take-that/everything-changes-expanded-edition/love-aint-here-anymore/TRPZlZm4bwXPm5k |title= Love Ain't Here Anymore |website=Pandora |date=October 7, 1992 |accessdate=March 9, 2020}}

In 1994, while he was recording Marcella Detroit's album Jewel, its producer Chris Thomas arranged for Sabo to play on the last track ("Duets for One") on Elton John's Duets album. That led to sessions for The Lion King soundtrack, where Sabo played on "Circle of Life," "Can You Feel the Love Tonight," and "I Just Can't Wait to Be King." Sessions with Kiki Dee and OMD followed.

In 1996 Étienne Daho called on him again, this time for his 1996 album Eden.

In 1997 Sabo played on Natalie Imbruglia's hit Grammy-winning RCA album Left of the Middle{{cite web |url= http://timstackpool.blogspot.com/2019/09/how-torn-was-burned-before-natalie.html |title= HOW 'TORN' WAS 'BURNED' BEFORE NATALIE IMBRUGLIA MADE IT A SMASH |website=That Show Blog |last=Stackpool |first=Tim |date=September 18, 2019 |accessdate=March 9, 2020}} and toured with Imbruglia supporting it.

In 2000, Sabo played on XTC's final studio album, Wasp Star (Apple Venus Volume 2).{{cite web |url= https://www.loudersound.com/news/new-xtc-book-out-in-march |title= New XTC book out in March |website=Louder |last=Ewing |first=Jerry |date=January 9, 2019 |accessdate=March 4, 2020}} His work the following year included Jimmy Nail's album Ten Great Songs and an OK Voice, and a return engagement with Imbruglia for her second album, White Lilies Island.

The success of the Natalie Imbruglia project and others enabled Sabo and his then-wife Jeanette Landry to set up a home studio, where among other projects they wrote and recorded with singer Sally Ann Marsh, who was later signed to Jive Records. Her success led them to a publishing deal with Dalmatian Songs in the U.K. and with BMG in the rest of the world.

In 2007 he joined the drum faculty of the Institute of Contemporary Music Performance in London.{{cite web |url= https://www.drummercafe.com/music-industry/drum-news/chuck-sabo-joins-icmp-faculty |title= Chuck Sabo Joins ICMP Faculty |website=Drummer Cafe |date=October 4, 2007 |accessdate=March 4, 2020}}

In 2019 he released three singles, "This Cowboy Ain't Going Home," "The Politician," and "Keep Running Forever," in advance of his forthcoming debut album Running the Human Race{{cite web |url= http://www.omd-messages.co.uk/the-year-in-review-2019/ |title=The Year In Review – 2019 |website=OMD |last=Browne |first=Paul |date=December 23, 2019 |accessdate=March 4, 2020}} and a single ("Dark & Rainy Street") co-produced by Chris Thomas.

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With David Knopfler

• 1986 Cut the Wire

With Michel Polnareff

• 1990 Kāma-Sūtra

With Elton John

• 1993 Duets

With Marcella Detroit

• 1994 Jewel
• 1996 Feeler

With Natalie Imbruglia

• 1997 Left of the Middle
• 2001 White Lilies Island
• 2005 Counting Down the Days

With Ronan Keating

• 2000 Ronan

With Melanie C

• 2012 Stages

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Category:1958 births

Category:Living people

Category:American rock drummers

Category:American session musicians

Category:Musicians from Allentown, Pennsylvania

Category:20th-century American drummers

Category:American male drummers

Category:20th-century American male musicians

Category:Drummers from Pennsylvania