Chas Hodges Of Music Duo ‘Chas And Dave’ Dies After Bout With Cancer
Chas Hodges, who was one-half of the musical duo Chas and Dave, died of cancer at 74, the band’s official Twitter account confirmed Saturday.
The BBC News wrote that Chas and Dave became popular with such hits as Rabbit and Snooker Loopy and were well known by sports fans from their four Football Association Challenge Cup final songs for Tottenham Hotspur Football Club.
The group’s Twitter post said that Hodges was treated for oesophageal cancer, but also suffered organ failure, leading to his death. The post had received more than 5,000 comments in the short time following it being put up.
According to the BBC News, Hodges was born in 1943 in London and started his career as a session musician in the 1960s. He eventually found his match musically with Dave Peacock in the 1970s, debuting as Chas and Dave with the initial album One Fing ‘n’ Anuvver in 1975, the broadcaster noted.
Chas and Dave’s highest charting song came in 1982 with “Ain’t No Pleasing You”, which reached No. 2 on the UK Singles Chart.
The group had announced last month that he was cancelling all of their upcoming concert dates on the advice of doctors, according to the Chas and Dave website.
It is with tremendous sadness that we announce the passing of our very own Chas Hodges. Despite receiving successful treatment for oesophageal cancer recently, Chas suffered organ failure and passed away peacefully in his sleep in the early hours of this morning. pic.twitter.com/bwxqfHUjUg
— Chas And Dave (@chas_dave) September 22, 2018
“In my life as a musician/entertainer I would say the most depressing thing to have to do is to have to cancel a gig or gigs,” Hodges wrote in August about bowing out of future concerts with his longtime partner. “Fortunately, throughout my career of thousands of gigs with Dave or in other bands these times have been very few & far between, and only extreme illness in the past (and I mean extreme) illness has prompted me/us to have to make this decision.
“… Briefly, recent check-ups have seen no sign of cancer but the treatment has left me well below par and it will be a slow but sure process getting me back to full strength. Advisors say the beginning of next year should reveal a New Chas. Hope those who are disappointed this year will come to see us sometime then,” he added.
According to the duo’s biography, Hodges and Peacock began their careers as session musicians before joining with drummer Mick Burt to create the Chas and Dave project. During their respective careers as session musicians, Hodges had backed up Jerry Lee Lewis and played with Mike Berry and the Outlaws, while Peacock performed with The Tumbleweeds, Mick Greenwood and Jerry Donaghue.
Even though their biggest hits were in the 1980s, the band had a resurgence in 2014, selling out the famed Royal Albert Hall and being presented with the Nordoff Robbins Icon award, joining past winners that include Tom Jones, Pharrell, Jimmy Page, and Paloma Faith, per the biography.
Many posted their condolences on social media.
God bless chas you were a wonderful talented man and a great person.
— Graham Roberts (@GrahamRoberts4) September 22, 2018
So sad to hear this terrible news. I feel honoured to have spent many happy times with Chas, especially making the 4 Spurs Cup Final records and joining him (& Dave and Mick) on TV shows like TOTP and Blue Peter. But his legacy will stretch far beyond football songs.
— Willie Morgan (@WillieMradio) September 22, 2018
Devastating news. Part of my childhood, adolescence and adult life. Supreme musician and entertainer. #RIPChasHodges
— Daniel Clay (@DanielClay) September 22, 2018