Chris Smyth is a musician and songwriter based in the UK. He is fast gaining a reputation as an exciting new talent on the British music scene and a musician with flair and subtlety. Recently Chris has been focussed on recording his second studio album, This Is Our Factory (Let's Make Good) as well as playing gigs with the likes of Chris Difford, Seth Lakeman, John Tams and Johnny Dickinson.
Born in Kent in 1980, Chris Smyth was brought up in a very musical Irish family. His parents had just moved to England from Belfast where his father was an underground record producer and produced numerous Irish rock bands. Including 'The Undertones' (Teenage Kicks EP), the late John Peel's favourite track of all time.
"I grew up listening to a lot of music. We had a fairly huge record collection at home and there were always a lot of musicians and
musical instruments around because my dad was usually recording. I was encouraged to play music from an early age. I think that because my parents valued creativity and thought that music was important I never thought it was a waste of time to spend hours learning to play."
By the age of 15 Chris had learnt piano, guitar and drums and began to play music with friends.
"I spent a lot of time, when I first started playing music, trying to copy my favourite recordings. I learnt a lot during that period about how a song goes together, about harmony and instrumentation. I think that knowing what has come before is one the best ways to try to create something different and unique"... "I was quite shy I suppose at university. Although there were probably lots of bands and musicians around if I had looked for them it took me a couple of years before I was confident enough to play my own songs in front of big audiences."
Over the following five years Chris wrote more and more songs and in 2002 he moved to Nottingham where he began to play his songs live as a solo artist in Nottingham's music venues. Within months he had built up a strong following and was regularly being asked for recorded material.
"I was surprised at the reaction, very quickly I started to get requests for my songs at gigs and other bands asking me to support them. I was asked to support Glen Tilbrook from Squeeze and the audience response was great."
Chris recorded his debut album Amber Lights in Spring/Summer 2004, playing all the instruments himself. The record was given airplay by FM radio stations in the UK and Chris also had a live performance recorded by BBC4 for use as part of the 2005 BBC Folk Awards Show.
"Things are going really well at the moment. I built up a good following with all the gigs I played last year and I think that honing the new songs through all those live performances has made the new album really strong."
This is Our Factory (Let's Make Good) is out now and available through the website www.chrissmyth.com .
