Chris Staig: a young songwriter who has written more than a hundred songs over the last twelve years and played guitar for the last seventeen. His music seeks to marry rock 'n' roll's rawest roots with modern, melodic pop song structures. He usually succeeds.
Chris Staig first gained notice in the Toronto music scene as the guitarist for Taxi Chain. His three year tenure with the bagpipe funksters was marked by incessant touring from Quebec to Texas. The 1996 release of BAGPIPE JUKEJOINT (Distribution Fusion III) gave many people their first taste of Staig's gritty guitar playing.
Staig's next major project was the pop-rock combo Rockboy. Their EP TURNTABLE scaled the charts of campus radio stations in the spring of '98. Chris was singled out especially for his "extremely well delivered imagery" (Annex Gleaner) and his "throat wrenching vocals" (Spill Magazine). Stymied by his Rockboy collaborators' indifference to additional live work and mystified by their growing interest in well paying day jobs and stable personal relationships, Staig hoisted the solo sail in 1999.
On stage and in the studio he has been reaping the rewards of collaborating with bassist Dennis Mohammed (Wild Strawberries), guitarist Ayron Mortley and drummer Josh Hicks (ex-Que Vida) for the past three years.
DEEPER WE'LL DREAM was Chris Staig's debut solo release. The response following its release in the summer of 2000 was immediate and overwhelmingly positive. "The surprise local discovery of the year, with strong tunes, class production and spirited performances" raved Kurt Swinghammer, while The Toronto Sun's Kieran Grant gave the CD a glowing lead review. The CD received regular play in Liverpool's Cavern Club and was heard on radio as far away as Gardena, California. Summer 2000 also saw the CD appearing on Canadian campus radio charts, and on the Top Ten Indie Chart at Toronto's HMV Superstore. In August 2000, the song "Frankie and Rita" went into regular rotation on "The River" (CHXL-FM 103.7), Eastern Ontario's premier rock station.
2001 brought the consistent nationwide support of DEEPER WE'LL DREAM on CBC radio, breathtaking Ontario live shows and demoing commencing for the follow up CD. Staig also found time to contribute lead guitar on the critically acclaimed CD DRAKE MOTEL by Greg Hobbs and join Hobbs for many an Ontario show. Early 2002 began with Staig and drummer Josh Hicks co-producing a CD for Parkdale legend Taxi John, titled AMERICAN MOVIE.
May 2002 saw Chris Staig and his band recording the basic tracks for his long awaited second CD at Toronto's well known Rogue Studios. The CD, DEATH OF ROMANCE, showcases Staig's talents as singer, lyricist and bandleader in more immediate, confident and commercial manner than any of his previous work. The CD was locally released on December 14th 2002, with shows and promotion to continue throughout 2003. 2003 has seen tracks played on campus radio and commercial radio play throughout Canada. CBC Radio's Bandwidth show lead off a broadcast in March with the song "Time To Shine". The host was moved to say "that song just makes you feel good, doesn't it?" Get DEATH OF ROMANCE now and start to feel better!
Read more...