{{Short description|British vocalist and guitarist}} {{Use British English|date=December 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2026}} {{Infobox musical artist | image = | name = Bram Tchaikovsky | image_size = | alias = | birth_name = Peter Bramall | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1950|11|10|df=y}} | birth_place = Lincolnshire, England | genre = Power pop | years_active = 1977–1981<ref>{{cite web|url=http://rateyourmusic.com/artist/bram_tchaikovsky |title=Albums by Bram Tchaikovsky |publisher=Rate Your Music |date= |accessdate=2013-03-19}}</ref> | label = Radar Records (UK)<br />Polydor Records (US)<br />Arista Records<br />Tiger Eye | associated_acts = The Motors | website = }}

'''Peter Bramall'''<ref name="AMG">{{cite web|last=Woodstra |first=Chris |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/bram-tchaikovsky-mn0000934611 |title=Bram Tchaikovsky - Music Biography, Credits and Discography |publisher=AllMusic |date=1950-11-10 |accessdate=2013-03-19}}</ref><ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=http://www.unterzuber.com/bram.html |title=Bram Tchaikovsky |publisher=Unterzuber.com |date=1950-11-10 |accessdate=2013-03-19}}</ref> (born 10 November 1950 in Lincolnshire, England),<ref name="auto"/> stage name '''Bram Tchaikovsky''', is a British vocalist and guitarist from Lincolnshire. He was a member of The Motors from 1977 to 1978. His solo career included the album ''Strange Man, Changed Man'' and the single "Girl of My Dreams", which peaked in the top 40 in American charts in 1979.

== Career == He first came to prominence as a member of UK punk/pub rock band The Motors, whom he joined in 1977.<ref name="AMG" /> He was the band's guitarist from 1977 to 1978, leaving the group after a performance at the Reading Rock Festival on 28 August 1978.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Joe Geesin - Freelance Music Journalist › The Motors Sleevenotes |url=https://www.joegeesin.com/motors.htm |access-date=2025-10-09 |website=www.joegeesin.com}}</ref> After he left the Motors to make his own music, he led an eponymous power pop band, with Micky Broadbent (bass, keyboards) and Keith Boyce (drums).<ref name="AMG" /> He scored a US Top 40 hit single on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in 1979, with "Girl of My Dreams" (released February in the UK, June in the US).

In the Netherlands, "Sarah Smiles" was a minor hit, reaching number 32 in April 1979.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.top40.nl/bram-tchaikovsky/bram-tchaikovsky-sarah-smiles_11394|title=Bram Tchaikovsky - Sarah Smiles|publisher=Stichting Nederlandse Top 40|website=Top40.nl|accessdate=10 November 2017}}</ref> Nick Garvey, Keith Line and Denis Forbes were also involved in later band lineups.<ref name="AMG" /> In 1979 he played guitar for the Skids hit 'Into The Valley' on the BBC. After disappointing sales, the band split up in 1981 and Tchaikovsky later owned and ran a recording studio near Louth, Lincolnshire, called the Chapel. Tchaikovsky was also credited with co writing "Solid Ball of Rock", from the 1991 Saxon album of the same name.<ref>{{cite web|last=Rivadavia |first=Eduardo |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/solid-ball-of-rock-mw0000674617 |title=Solid Ball of Rock - Saxon : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards |website=AllMusic |date= |accessdate=2013-03-19}}</ref>

The drum break from a live performance of the song "Whiskey and Wine", a Motors track that he had covered, was used in the N.W.A's song "Fuck tha Police" in 1989.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Straight Outta Spalding: How a Lincolnshire power-pop legend ended up on a hip hop classic |url=https://www.noripcord.com/features/straight-outta-spalding-how-lincolnshire-power-pop-legend-ended-hip-hop-classic |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250612221343/https://www.noripcord.com/features/straight-outta-spalding-how-lincolnshire-power-pop-legend-ended-hip-hop-classic |archive-date=2025-06-12 |access-date=2025-10-09 |website=No Ripcord |language=en}}</ref>

In 1998, as part of a "British Rock" reissue series, WEA Japan rereleased both ''Strange Man, Changed Man'' and ''The Russians Are Coming'' albums on CD, using original master tapes and artwork. In addition to the original artwork and liner notes, each CD contained historical information, song lyrics and musical commentary (in Japanese). These CDs were only available in Japan and are now out of production.<ref name="unterzuber.com">{{cite web|title=Bram Tchaikovsky's Strange Man Changed Man|url=http://www.unterzuber.com/bram.html|website=Unterzuber.com|accessdate=27 December 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Bram Tchaikovsky – The Russians Are Coming|website=Discogs |date=1998 |url=http://www.discogs.com/Bram-Tchaikovsky-The-Russians-Are-Coming/release/919491|accessdate=27 December 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Bram Tchaikovsky 'Strange Man, Changed Man'|url=http://coolalbumreview.com/?p=25139|website=Coolalbumreview.com|accessdate=27 December 2013}}</ref>

''Strange Man, Changed Man'' was re-released with more tracks, including remastered tracks, live recordings and singles that didn't perform well commercially.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Official Heavy Metal Kids Website|url=http://www.heavymetalkids.co.uk/bram.htm|accessdate=27 December 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140102215442/http://www.heavymetalkids.co.uk/bram.htm|archive-date=2 January 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> In December 2007, ''Strange Man, Changed Man'' was issued in the US on the Hip-O Select label (ASIN: B000ZIZ0ZC) in digital sound and with full artwork. This CD release used the original master tapes sequenced for the original US release.<ref name="unterzuber.com" />

In February 2012, a live recording, ''Live at the Lochem Festival, 1979'', appeared on Tiger Eye with the songs "Sarah Smiles", "Robber", "Nobody Knows", "Turn on the Lights" and "Girl of My Dreams".<ref>{{cite web|title=Bram Tchaikovsky - Official Store - Live At the Lochem Festival, 1979|url=https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bram-Tchaikovsky-Official/201890943246493?id=201890943246493&sk=app_96687436973|publisher=Facebook|accessdate=27 December 2013}}</ref> In April 2018, Cherry Red Records released ''Bram Tchaikovsky: Strange Men, Changed Men: The Complete Recordings 1978 – 1981'', a 3-CD box set fully endorsed by Bram Tchaikovsky.<ref>{{cite web|title=Cherry Red Records - Bram Tchaikovsky: Strange Men, Changed Men: The Complete Recordings 1978 – 1981|url=https://www.cherryred.co.uk/product/bram-tchaikovsky-strange-men-changed-men-complete-recordings-1978-1981-3cd-boxset-edition/|publisher=Cherry Red Records|accessdate=27 April 2018}}</ref>

==Album discography== {| class="wikitable" |- ! style="text-align:left;"|Year ! style="text-align:left;"|Album ! style="text-align:center;"|US <br /> Billboard Top 200 ! style="text-align:center;"|AUS <br /> KMR<ref name=aus>{{cite book|last=Kent|first=David|authorlink=David Kent (historian)|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992|edition=illustrated|publisher=Australian Chart Book|location=St Ives, N.S.W.|year=1993|isbn=0-646-11917-6|page=306}}</ref> |- | style="text-align:left;"|1979 | style="text-align:left;"|''Strange Man, Changed Man'' | style="text-align:center;"| 36 | style="text-align:center;"| 92 |- | style="text-align:left;"|1980 | style="text-align:left;"|''The Russians are Coming''/''Pressure'' (US title) | style="text-align:center;"| 108 | style="text-align:center;"| - |- | style="text-align:left;"|1981 | style="text-align:left;"|''Funland'' | style="text-align:center;"| 158 | style="text-align:center;"| - |- | style="text-align:left;"|2012 | style="text-align:left;"|''Live at the Lochem Festival, 1979'' | style="text-align:center;"| | style="text-align:center;"| - |- | style="text-align:left;"|2018 | style="text-align:left;"|''Strange Men, Changed Men: The Complete Recordings 1978–1981'' | style="text-align:center;"| | style="text-align:center;"| - |}<ref name="AMG"/>

==Singles== {| class="wikitable" |- ! style="text-align:left;"|Year ! style="text-align:left;"|Name ! style="text-align:left;"|''Billboard'' Hot 100 |- | style="text-align:left;"|1978 | style="text-align:left;"|"Sarah Smiles" | style="text-align:center;"| - |- | rowspan="3" style="text-align:left;" |1979 | style="text-align:left;"|"Lullaby of Broadway" | style="text-align:center;"| - |- | style="text-align:left;"|"Girl of My Dreams" | style="text-align:center;"| 37 |- | style="text-align:left;"|"I'm The One That's Leaving" | style="text-align:center;"| - |- | style="text-align:left;"|1980 | style="text-align:left;"|"Let's Dance" | style="text-align:center;"| - |- | rowspan="2" style="text-align:left;" |1981 | style="text-align:left;"|"Stand & Deliver" | style="text-align:center;"| - |- | style="text-align:left;"|"Shall We Dance?" | style="text-align:center;"| 109 |}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20060108010855/http://punkmodpop.free.fr/bramt_pic.htm The Mod Pop Punk Archives: Bram Tchaikovsky] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20071009173545/http://www.heavymetalkids.co.uk/bram.htm Strange Man Changed Man] - Heavy Metal Kids website *[https://www.chapelstudios.com/ Chapel Studios]

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Tchaikovsky, Bram}} Category:1950 births Category:Living people Category:English rock guitarists Category:English male singers Category:Radar Records artists Category:Polydor Records artists Category:Arista Records artists Category:The Motors members Category:English male guitarists