Miroslav Ignatov, Bulgaria, wrote:
   I would like to tell Jeff Christie how much his music affected me.
   From long time ago I have had an idea to create one home-made fan-book, which will include brief information for my most favourite musicians. This book will have only 10 copies made, with the purpose of presenting the music I love to my offspring, relatives and friends. It will be without price ( priceless ­ for me ) and without any commercial use.
   I would like to ask you for permission to use in my fan-book the lyrics of Yellow River, San Bernadino, Iron Horse and Coming Home Tonight, a few pictures and brief biographical information - all taken from this site.
   All included items will be unambiguous and credited to their authors.
   Also one short message (maybe to all Bulgarian fans ) will be highly appreciable. I will be very glad if you can send me this message to me.

Jeff answers:
   I'm happy my music means so much to you and I wish you well with your book- go ahead with the lyrics for the book.
   Also to any other Bulgarian fans out there: Thanks for letting me into your lives ... I hope you all continue to enjoy long healthy lives listening to much good music, hopefully some of it will be mine.

Vincent Capobianco wrote:
   Some versions of Yellow River and San Bernadino are different to the originals. When were these recorded by the group?

Jeff answers:
   Christie had guested on the Mama Cass TV special in the early 70s, networked from coast to coast in the US, and shortly after, as a result of this, I was invited to record in Nashville. But owing to work commitments I was unable to do so until the 80s, when K Tel records flew me out of London to Nashville, and provided me with a private suite at the prestigious Knox Manor Hotel, with its famous guitar-shaped swimming pool for a few days.
   Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to record any new songs, I just re-recorded Yellow River, San Bernadino and Iron Horse for K Tel and its licensed compilations distributed throughout various European territories, and for their custom music website .. and partied a bit for a few days before they flew me back to San Francisco.

Fernando López, Madrid, Spain, wrote:
   I have read that in 1971 it was planned to organise several concerts in Spain (I think in Benidorm and in Ibiza) with Julie Felix, The Hollies and Christie, but I haven't found more references about them.
   Were those concerts were finally held?
   Thank you very much and congratulations. It's a very good site about Christie.

Jeff answers:
   Hola Fernando, it is a good site. The concerts were cancelled at the last minute by Spanish officials for no reason, much to our managers' anger.
   The three acts (the Hollies, Julie Felix and us) stayed at the El Montiboli in Villajoyosa, between Benidorm and Alicante, which I loved so much I stayed there several times over the next few years for holiday breaks. I think not long after those shows I returned for more shows and wrote Iron Horse there. The England World Cup Squad stayed at the same hotel at the last World Cup in Spain.
   Incidentally, it was there that I met Lem Lubin, whose brother Alan was involved in promoting those shows, and shortly after he joined the band.

Rene van den Berge, Netherlands, wrote:
   The first record I ever bought was Iron Horse and after 30 years, it's still one of my all-time favorites. The song is kind of magic to me and gives me energy everytime I listen to it! Thank you for so much power!
   I have a few questions.
   a) How did you earn a living in your 'unsuccesful' pre-Christie years with the Outer Limits? Did you have a normal job in these days?
   b) Where was Iron Horse recorded, was it an 'easy' recording, who played the guitars, who produced it and what's your own opinion of this song?
   c) In my opinion Iron Horse is the best Christie tune. It was a hit in Europe, but not in the UK and the USA. How come?
   d) Has your huge single Yellow River made you financially independent or did you have to have a normal job after your Christie years?

Jeff answers:
   I used to know someone who was the head chef at the Pantry, a restaurant in downtown LA in the 1980’s. His reputation afforded him the sobriquet of ‘the great Rene’!
   Some answers for your questions:
   a) I left school at 16, and reluctantly took a day job to help with my keep at home and to give myself a little cash to support my tobacco habit*! I quit the job at 18 before being asked to leave and turned professional, by which time my group The Outer Limits were starting to get noticed. Within three years I had a couple of my songs recorded and released (one of them produced by Andrew Loog Oldham, the Rolling Stones manager), toured with Hendrix, done a TV documentary called ‘Death of a Pop Group’ and still had no money, and barely made a living!
   b) Iron Horse was recorded at CBS’ Bond Street Studios. I don’t recall there being any problems at the session. Vic Elmes played the lead guitar parts and I played bass and acoustic guitars and piano. Paul Fenton played drums. I liked this song a lot. I have a very clear memory of writing it whilst staying in a beautiful hotel in Villajoyosa, Spain. "Iron Horse" was the name the Plains Indians gave to the locomotive trains that crossed the American Prairies westward from the east bringing settlers, commerce, engineers etc. It helped speed up the tragic endgame for the Native Americans through disease, destruction, and double cross. I wanted to try and convey the menace and the thunderous sound of the train in the rolling guitar chords at the beginning of the song as well as lyrically trying a little to see it through "red man’s eyes". To this day I hear cover versions of the song and very few get that guitar riff right, it was a bit tricky. Hopefully my persistence paid off. Martin Clark and myself produced it.
   c) With regard to your opinion that it was the best Christie tune, and why wasn’t it a bigger hit in the UK and USA, I don’t know, but there was some evidence to support chart rigging in the UK in favour of another record that we had sold more copies than, that forced Iron Horse to exit the top 50 after only reaching no 43 on the chart. A hit nevertheless albeit smaller, but it should have been top 20 or 10. A long time ago, but had it been a bigger hit in the UK as you and many others believe, it would’ve had a better chance of happening in the US. C’est la vie!
   d) I suppose it’s fair to say that my success has made me reasonably financially independent and I have never been forced to going back to get a ‘proper job’ but I would just say this: I am not the first nor will I be the last to have been under accounted to or taken advantage of financially by the music industry, misrepresented, cheated, and fallen prey to other people’s jealousy and bitterness. It has been happening since 1970 and it’s still happening today. That’s show biz!
   Best wishes to you Rene, and long live the magic!

*>>Note: Jeff no longer smokes, and currently lives a healthy life!<<

John Bellis, Belgium, wrote:
   Hello Jeff. I've been reading in the articles on the website that you meant for the Tremeloes to record another song instead of Yellow River. Which song was it?
   I thought the Tremeloes were similar in style to Christie in the kind of music played, although both groups seemed determined to shake off the commercial tag and play heavier music. Do you keep in touch with original members of the Tremeloes? Maybe some of you can play together in a new band!

Jeff answers:
   Dear John, I wrote a song called Tomorrow Night specifically for The Tremeloes, but when I played it for them in’69 they told me they were trying to get away from that kind of song, as they wanted to change direction. It was in the style of some of their previous hits, which were often Italian songs with English words. Alan Blakley died some years ago and from time to time I see the others at gigs that they and me are performing at. There has never been any suggestion of any kind of joining up, though one time at a gig in Germany they invited me on stage to sing Yellow River with them.

Gus Brewster, Massachusetts, USA, wrote:
   There is no shame in playing catchy, commercial songs. Look at groups like Abba and Creedence Clearwater Revival. Their legacy lives on, they are regarded as masters of their art. Christie could have been in the same league.
   I'm happy to hear Jeff is still writing. Maybe he can recapture the sound of those great songs, and either record them himself, or offer them to some of today's rising music stars!

Jeff answers:
   Well Gus, we’re all geniuses in hindsight and it probably was a mistake, but just as every actor wants to play Hamlet, and get peer respect, the same goes for musicians. Heavy music was the fashion and a combination of many factors influenced this decision to change direction. For me, as a writer it was also about spreading my wings, and not wanting to be typecast. At the moment I’m trying to get some songs to that well-known Australian Pop Idol contestant, Ray Chan, who I’m told can carry a tune!

Josh, UK, wrote:
   Why did the band produce such heavy songs on the For All Mankind album and yet continued to release commercial singles like Iron Horse and Everything's Gonna Be Alright? It seemed as if you thought you were going forward with the heavy sound, but then moved backward to the simpler stuff simply to sell more records?

Jeff answers:
   Well Josh, that’s a very reasonable assumption, but in truth record company and managerial pressure to keep selling singles was the price for experimental/heavy albums. Anyway I love to write songs, all kinds. It’s other people who want to put me in a little box marked Pop, Country, Rock, Heavy, or whatever. I once wrote a song for Sinatra called Sunday, and a song for Roy Orbison called All the Love, which neither of them heard as I changed my mind afterwards, but in later years wished that I would have sent the songs to them.

Dietmar H, Germany, wrote:
   The version of I'm Alive on the CD is different to the one that was originally available on the single. Where did the CD version come from? Was it specially re-recorded?

Jeff answers:
   For some reason, whoever was overseeing the re-mastering of I’m Alive omitted the string and cello sections plus some added guitar work, a sort of unplugged version is what featured on the CD version. There was no re-recording.

John Carr, Widnes, UK, wrote:
   What are some of the highs and lows in your career?

Jeff answers:
   As for highs, I’d have to say getting to numero uno in 26 countries, including my own, with a song that I wrote and recorded kind of hit the spot; also outdrawing Santana in Bogota, Columbia in ’73 was a bit special, but there have been many wonderful highs in my life as well as some awful lows, but life’s what you make it, don’t you think? You just got to keep moving, somehow. One of the biggest lows was Iron Horse not breaking the English top 30 due to some skulduggery. I Can See Clearly Now (Johnny Nash) and Iron Horse were sitting next to each other in the early 40’s (chartwise) and Iron Horse was really outselling Johnny Nash according to CBS’ sales returns, when instead of breaking the Top 30 as predicted, Iron Horse fell back, and eventually out of the top 50, while Johnny boy crashed into the top 30 and then the top 10. We knew we’d been sacrificed and the race fixed for Johnny, and no matter how much we complained to the relevant people it was a fait accompli and the consequences were far-reaching.

Matthew Spicer, Slough, UK, wrote:
   What brand of guitar do you play and what sort of strings? What amplifier?

Jeff answers:
   I have a Gibson Les Paul, Rickenbacker 12 string, Fender Stratocaster, Guild B38 Bass, that used to belong to my dear friend John Glascock (Carmen, and Jethro Tull) who’s no longer with us sadly. A Martin D28 acoustic, Yamaha 12 string acoustic, and a Washburn electric acoustic, and a battered old nylon string Spanish guitar given to me by CBS a long time ago, in the last century! To write more hits, quote unquote! I favour the Strat for live work and use the others for studio purposes, including the Strat. The amps are provided at the gigs, and I try to request Fender Twin Reverb, Marshall or Mesa Boogie. At home I have an old Johnson, and a Flextone Line 6. I use Ernie Ball Hybrid Slinky for electrics, and any good light gauge for acoustics. That just about covers it I guess.

Wilson Silva Alexandre, Brazil, wrote:
   We are too tired listening to a lot of bad rock'n'roll music today. I remember when we can listen to true music and true artist of rock like Jeff Christie. You still are a great star...and your light shines on too strong in the universe of music. Thank you, Jeff Christie, to make great songs for us.

Jeff answers:
   Obrigado, for your appreciation, and loyalty. I loved Brazil, Brazilian music, and Brazilian football. I once wrote a song for a Brazilian singer called Rosemary, called Nothing Has Changed which she recorded in 1974. I met Pele in Sao Paulo in 1970. I still hold a deep affection for Brazil, and its people for all their warmth and saudade, and the wonderful reception they gave to my band and me.

"1970’s Christie fan Nic", UK, wrote:
   Jeff, do you still perform in the UK today? If so, where and when? Thanks for great music which has stood the test of time and brings back great memories. A bit personal, but did you ever get married and are there any Jeff juniors?

Jeff answers:
   I very rarely gig in the UK now. I was married in ’78 and unmarried in ’83, no kids. It’s great to hear that you still have some good memories of my times and music. That makes two of us!

Sergei Zhukov, Moscow, wrote:
   Dear Jeff, no Beatles song, no Deep Purple song, nothing could compare to Yellow River. I had a Polish LP (hope it was licensed) that we played 'till it could not be played anymore. You should come over here and play one day — and, if possible, I would like to interview you for my friend's radio network.

Jeff answers:
   I played The Moscow Olympic Centre with my band on February 3, 2001, in a big 70’s show with other bands that were Slade, T Rex, The Glitter Band and Mungo Jerry. The following night we played St Petersburg. It was a great thrill for me to perform in Russia for the first time, and the audiences were fantastic. An unforgettable experience! Thank you for your kind words. To be able to touch people all over the world with my music and songs is such a special feeling, and when people tell me this, it invokes a great sense of pride and humility in me. Georgia’s always on my mind!

Johan Niclassen, Faroe Islands, wrote:
   I have for a long time been a admirer of you — as a songwriter and having very good voice. One of my target for the future is to be abel to see you and your band playing live. If that should happen in our lovely country The Faroe Islands, I am sure you would get a warm welcome.

Jeff answers:
   Dear Johan, I would love to visit the Faroe Islands someday with or without my band. You never can tell what’s round the corner, but don’t hold your breath! I’m delighted to hear that my music is still being played there, and happy for you and people like you who still like to hear my music on the radio.

Martin Heider, Germany, wrote:
   I discovered the song Yellow River from Jeff Christie on some of my old records and listened to the guitar chords and bass notes and wrote them down. We tried and played it several times until it sounded quite alright. We called ourselves the Yellow River Band, and today we play around Germany at various venues. We play mostly oldies in our repertoire, including of course Yellow River, and also San Bernadino.

Jeff answers:
   Keep doing the Duane Eddy thumb exercises, and remember the twang’s the thang.

Jimmy Ward, Belfast, wrote:
   I used to have Freewheelin' Man on a 45 single, and I played it so much I had to dump it due to scratches. Anyone who can write that type of song is my kind of writer.

Jeff answers:
   Freewheelin’ Man is still a big favourite of mine. I wish I could get hold of a decent copy myself, on CD preferably as I don’t have one unscratched copy either. Something we both have in common. The Repertoire CD version was cleaned up from a master tape. Maybe I should just re-record it again, but then again .. we’ll see.

Helle Mikkelson, Denmark, wrote:
   Did you ever release any 12" singles, any records with coloured vinyl or any limited edition sleeves?

Jeff answers:
   To my knowledge no 12" singles were released, and as to coloured vinyl, again I don’t think so, but I could be wrong. Skol.

Edvin Paulsen, Norway, wrote:
   I can still remember the exciting feeling that first album gave me, and my friends too, and we played every song almost every day for a long time. Christie was the best LP and my favorite musical group for years. I know that you have made a lot more songs than I have heard, and I see that Christie have made a concert in the nineties. I would really like to know if you are making more records, and if you ever are going to make a concert in Norway, I will be there for sure.

Jeff answers:
   Hi Edvin, I haven’t played in your beautiful country for quite some time, and would love to come visit again, work or play. I have many great memories of my touring days in Norway. I remember playing some festival way up north one time, Boden, I think, up in the Arctic Circle where it never got dark all night. What a party that was. Thanks for sharing your memories with me, it was very moving for me to read.

Dennis Kepler, address unknown, wrote:
   Hey Jeff, did you ever get married? Did you ever have any children? What are you doing with your life today? Are your children, if any, into music — either writing or playing in a band? Was Yellow River truly about a river in Vietnam???

Jeff answers:
   Hi Dennis, I was married in 1978 and divorced in 1983. I didn’t have kids, but still gig from time to time, the last one in Oldenburg, Germany earlier this year. Two memorable gigs a couple of years ago were in Moscow and St Petersburg, and recently I did a Dutch TV program about the story of Yellow River, to be shown in Holland and Belgium later in the year. I’m still writing, and record occasionally.
   Yellow River was a fictional place when I wrote it, but about nine years ago Scott Mackenzie told me it was the name of a transit camp for GI’s waiting to be shipped out to Vietnam. I’d heard that the song was regarded as a Vietnam song in the States, perhaps this was one of the reasons why it was so huge out there.