Chris Braid

AS a new father, Cobham pet-shop worker Chris Braid hopes his first album will make its mark on the British music scene.

But ambitious Braid has also got his sights set on a successful tour of America.

The 29-year-old, whose music is influenced by 70s Glam Rock, is preparing to release his first album in January by playing gigs in the South East during the coming months.

Braid works at Natureworld in Lushington Drive, Cobham, but has been on paternity leave after he and wife Katie celebrated the birth of Audrey.

And now he is keeping everything crossed that he will soon be able to give up the job in favour of a career in music.

He has been working on the album since last year, but a need to free himself from the contract he had with a small record label delayed its release.

“I finished the album at the beginning of this year but had to go through the lengthy process of leaving the record label,” Chris said.

“I managed to get out of the contract with the album and I secured a deal with Plastic Head distribution.

“I have a record and a distribution deal, I am not relying on any record label.

“When I finished my album with the record company, at the time they were moving into TV and I started to feel a little neglected.

“It is quite a common thing for artists to say. Perhaps we are a little too precious.

“I have learned that you should not rely on other people to do the work for you because no one can care more about it than you.”

His hero, David Bowie, and the likes of The Doors influence Braid’s music, but he fears the British music industry will only accept him if he fits into a genre or the scene at the time.

He said: “Currently, the English music scene is led by bands like The Hoosiers. It is a middle-of-the-road piano-based sound that I just can’t stand.

“On the other side of the coin there are skinny, jean-wearing indie bands who are based on style with no substance.

“You can only be knocked back so many times before you think something is wrong.”

As a consequence of this belief, after releasing the album Braid plans to head to America for a tour, where he says people are keen to see him perform.

With an American wife and record labels in the States telling him his sound will be popular, Braid believes the tour will be worth the risk.

But he added: “I very much want to crack the UK market, I am not giving up. I hope that when I release the album people will come to places we play.

“But there is something about the album that Americans like. It is quite quirky but has an English feel.”

Since completing the album — which was recorded with session musicians — Braid has established a band with brothers Ben (guitar), Tom (bass) and Sam Smith (drums). They will perform at the Star in Guildford on September 27 at 8pm.

Being a father has inspired Braid musically.

He and his pregnant wife gave up alcohol and Braid reflects that it made him more focused about his music.

The lyrics for one of the songs he is most proud of were written on the evening his daughter was born.

He said: “I don’t think there could be a time when I was more emotional.”

If this first album is a success, Braid promises it will feature on the follow up.

To find out more about Chris Braid and to hear his music, visit www.myspace.com/chrisbraid.
- Surrey Advertiser

A HEFTY slice of 70s Glam rock interspersed with some 90s Britpop could soon be gracing the British music charts – thanks to a Cobham pet shop worker.

Chris Braid, who works at Natureworld in Lushington Drive, Cobham, has received rave reviews from music critics and could be set to take the charts by storm.

Already featured on a leading music website alongside the likes of Justin Timberlake, Avril Lavigne, Norah Jones and the Dixie Chicks, Chris is certainly in the right company, and is tipped for the top.

Having started making music in his early 20s with Trace and touring the UK and America, Chris is now forging his own way in the industry.

“Trace did pretty well. We got a deal and recorded a single, but after a while I realised that it wasn’t going to happen so I quit the band,” he said. “Since I left, things have really taken off for me.”

Now 28, his debut album, Braid, is described as a guitar driven classic, offering a slice of 70s Glam, mixed with the best of today’s commercial pop and rock. “I sound a bit like David Bowie and I’m heavily influenced by his early work, the Glam of the 70s, and T-Rex,” said Chris.

“But I also wanted it to have more of a contemporary feel so it’s not too dated, so there’s a bit of Oasis and Suede in there, too.

“I wanted to record an album that had a cool, retro 70s vibe, but still sounded contemporary. It’s a slightly trashy rock-and-roll sound and I’m absolutely delighted with it.”

Despite being played on national radio stations XFM and TalkSport, support from leading record producers including Christian O’Connell’s producer, and a letter from the legendary Paul Gambaccini, Chris said breaking through into the mainstream and gaining valuable airtime was proving tough in a market dominated by the major labels.

“We have been offered a distribution deal and will be releasing an album on a major label sometime this summer, but, as things stand, as a small independent label we are really up against it.

“So what we need to do is create a buzz on the internet and get people saying ‘Who is this guy? I want his music’.”

Confident in his ability and his music, Chris said that, although the internet had brought with it illegal downloading, it had opened other doors.

“It’s given people a lot more access to music, too, so we are trying to harness the internet as a medium to get my music out there,” he said.

And, as a featured artist on spodtronic.com, alongside the likes of global superstars Justin Timberlake and Avril Lavigne, it must surely be just a matter of time before he becomes a familiar face — or at least a familiar sound.

To see and hear more of Chris, log on to www.myspace/chrisbraid, or visit www.spodtronic.com, where he is one of eight featured artists, and you can download a free copy of his single, Chemical Generation. Chris is also being featured on the website of Gibson Guitars, one of the biggest guitar companies in the world, where visitors may win a signed copy of the album – visit www.gibson.com/chrisbraideucontest.aspx.

Threshold Records at 53 High Street, Cobham, is the main stockist for the Chris Braid album, Braid.
- Guildford Advertiser

Guildford-based musician Chris Braid knows what he wants to do
with his life, and is in no mood for messing around.
We speak on a Monday lunchtime, when most people are just about
recovering from their weekend excesses and unwanted morning
wake-up call.
Braid, 29, talks about his band’s current activities with the
unabashed enthusiasm of a teenager who has just had an axewielding
revelation.
He admits that his formative years were pretty much like everybody
else’s.
“When I was in my teens I started to mess about with a guitar, playing songs by Oasis, Blur, Pulp, those kind of indie
bands,” he says.
“I was jamming with a couple of friends who were three years older than me, and had been playing guitar for quite a bit
longer.
“We were getting together quite a bit and although I wasn’t as good at them on the guitar, I realised I was getting pretty
good at singing.”
Braid formed his first proper band, ‘Trace’, in 2001, and immediate success followed, with radio airtime and considerable
media interest.
In 2005, realising the band could go no further, Braid recorded a solo album which he is hoping to release later this year.
“I spent a lot of time trying to find the right musicians, and as much as I enjoyed the experience of just getting whoever
was available at the time, I do prefer playing with an established band,” he says.
Braid (“like Bon Jovi or Van Halen”) are now on the hunt for a new bass player as slots at Guildfest and possibly even
Glastonbury loom on the horizon.
In keeping with Braid’s no-nonsense attitude, the band have already held a number of auditions, but are yet to unearth
the bass player of their dreams.
“Our search has been fairly fruitless so far,” he says.
“Image, attitude and talent are things that are all important to us.
“We need someone who is committed, and most importantly they have to be into our kind of music.
“Hopefully the next round of auditions will yield more positive results.”
Lets hope they find someone soon, as EMI have already registered their interest by inviting the band for a showcase.
Braid describes his music as “a cross between early 70s glam-rock and mid-90s indie.”
“I’m very influenced by David Bowie, Mott the Hoople, T-Rex, but also the stuff I grew up with which was Oasis, Suede,
the kind of stuff you associate with the 1990s.”
Like many other musicians from the area, he laments the lack of a real music scene around Guildford.
“There are plenty of bands in the area, but none of them have gone on to make it really big,” he says.
“Hopefully we can reverse that trend!”
When asked to describe his lyrics, Braid is at a loss to surmise what gets his creative juices flowing.
“There is no specific topic that I write about in my lyrics,” he says.
“I don’t really write love songs – maybe that’s because I’m married!
“I think to write songs you have to have felt real passion about the subject, and I have never had any bad experiences
with relationships.
“I write about ex-band members, ex-managers, going out and having a good time and just the day to day dealings I have
in the world.”
If all goes according to plan, Braid’s next few songs might be about the trials and tribulations of fame and fortune, but he
is keeping his feet on the ground for now.
“We just want to get this album released, and use it as a stepping stone to record another one,” he says.
For more information about gigs and auditions, contact Chris Braid on 07976 355 471, email chrisbraid@hotmail.com or
see www.myspace.com/chrisbraid
First printed in: Surrey Advertiser Online - London Eve Standard Music

'I'm going to keep watching with interest. You're nearing the "tipping point" ... where one further weight will tip the scales in your favour.

I like the sound of Chris Braid. He is one song away from success'. - BBC

'2009 will be Chris Braid's year' - Max Clifford