For ten years, he’s been a prolific musician distilling his love for punk, traditional folk and psych pop in his songs, all cut through with seriously razor sharp lyrics.
Over the course of nine albums, numerous columns and appearances at music industry conferences, he’s attracted a loyal audience across Europe for his personality filled sound.
The Bear is Chris’s third album for label Xtra Mile Recordings and ninth from his musical career. Recorded with his band The Hoodrats, the group have left the introspection of 2010’s Love Is Not Rescue and created a full-on psych rock record with hints of Sebadoh and the garage rock of the Faces. Catch him on tour throughout May and June with fellow singer songwriter Mark McCabe and get to know him in our 30 seconds interview below…
I first started writing music because…
I got bored with the pieces I was given in piano lessons.
I have been making music since…
I was about eight - I started gigging in school bands, then made my first album in 1998.
My music is…
English folk meets American underground punk. Storytelling songs and psych wig-outs.
You'll like my music if you listen to...
Alternate tracks by Robyn Hitchcock and Sebadoh.
My favourite venue is…
Probably the Union Chapel in Islington. If it had a decent grand piano instead of a daft upright, it'd be the perfect space. Honestly I love anywhere with a good piano - there's one in Schiphol Airport you can just play.
Music is important because…
It's the original, primal art form and more than that, rock’n’roll is the canary for all culture. Whatever is going to happen to everyone else, happens to music makers first.
My biggest inspiration is…
Probably Springsteen, though part of me wants to answer Marx, Blake and Hayao Miyazaki.
My dream collaboration would be…
With Hayao Miyazaki or David Simon.
To try me out, listen to my song…
Gulls on The Bear (my ninth album) or the solo piano b-sides on my current single A Beaten Drum.
If I wasn’t making music I’d be…
An injured foreign correspondent, an acid casualty or a philosophy teacher in a minor American university.
In 10 years time I want to be...
Five years older, thanks to the miracle of nano-tech life extension. Doing what I do now on a more comfortable budget, or living in the woods with a crossbow and a bonfire.
christt.com
twitter.com/christt
xtramilerecordings.com
Over the course of nine albums, numerous columns and appearances at music industry conferences, he’s attracted a loyal audience across Europe for his personality filled sound.
The Bear is Chris’s third album for label Xtra Mile Recordings and ninth from his musical career. Recorded with his band The Hoodrats, the group have left the introspection of 2010’s Love Is Not Rescue and created a full-on psych rock record with hints of Sebadoh and the garage rock of the Faces. Catch him on tour throughout May and June with fellow singer songwriter Mark McCabe and get to know him in our 30 seconds interview below…
I first started writing music because…
I got bored with the pieces I was given in piano lessons.
I have been making music since…
I was about eight - I started gigging in school bands, then made my first album in 1998.
My music is…
English folk meets American underground punk. Storytelling songs and psych wig-outs.
You'll like my music if you listen to...
Alternate tracks by Robyn Hitchcock and Sebadoh.
My favourite venue is…
Probably the Union Chapel in Islington. If it had a decent grand piano instead of a daft upright, it'd be the perfect space. Honestly I love anywhere with a good piano - there's one in Schiphol Airport you can just play.
Music is important because…
It's the original, primal art form and more than that, rock’n’roll is the canary for all culture. Whatever is going to happen to everyone else, happens to music makers first.
My biggest inspiration is…
Probably Springsteen, though part of me wants to answer Marx, Blake and Hayao Miyazaki.
My dream collaboration would be…
With Hayao Miyazaki or David Simon.
To try me out, listen to my song…
Gulls on The Bear (my ninth album) or the solo piano b-sides on my current single A Beaten Drum.
If I wasn’t making music I’d be…
An injured foreign correspondent, an acid casualty or a philosophy teacher in a minor American university.
In 10 years time I want to be...
Five years older, thanks to the miracle of nano-tech life extension. Doing what I do now on a more comfortable budget, or living in the woods with a crossbow and a bonfire.
christt.com
twitter.com/christt
xtramilerecordings.com
