Chris Traynor

Chris Traynor
Chris Traynor Epicenter 2010
Background information
Birth name	Christopher Thomas Traynor
Born	22 June 1973 (1973-06-22) (age 38) Brooklyn, New York, United States
Genres	Alternative rock, post-grunge, hard rock, grunge
Instruments	Guitar, vocals, bass
Labels	Interscope
Associated acts	Orange 9mm, Helmet, Bush, Rival Schools, Institute, Gavin Rossdale

Chris Traynor (born June 22, 1973, in Long Island, New York) is an American guitarist, bassist and studio musician. He has played with Orange 9mm, Helmet, Bush, Rival Schools and Gavin Rossdale.

Chris has performed live with the British pop band Blur, recorded bass and guitars on Katy Perry's "Use Your Love" with producer Junior Sanchez, and recorded guitars for Peter Green of Fleetwood Mac, producer Dave Stewart, and Pharrell of N*E*R*D. Traynor has also done studio soundtrack work with Blue Man Group, written and recorded with Grammy nominated artist Joseph Arthur, and with critically acclaimed indie rock band Rival Schools.

Other works listed amongst his writing/performance credits include multiple national television ads, including recent work for Vonage and Kohl's.

Chris has studied guitar with Mark Lonergan from Band of Susans, Richard Lloyd of the rock band Television, Robert Fripp's Guitar Craft, and bluegrass phenomenon Michael Daves.

Traynor is currently living in Los Angeles and working on upcoming album material and future productions with Bob Rock, Gavin Rossdale, Junior Sanchez, Brobot, Page Hamilton (Helmet), Joseph Arthur, and keyboardist Jamie Muhoberac. He is also continually writing for soundtrack and television music.

Chris Traynor 2009

Professional career

1992-1996 Orange 9mm

He cut his teeth in the early 90's post-hardcore scene. As a founding member of the highly influential band Orange 9mm, Traynor developed a unique style of guitar and bass in the studio. Alongside Chaka Malik, Chris went onto record 3 albums with the band including Orange 9mm, Driver Not Included and Tragic. Before the touring for their third album began Chris departed to play with another highly popular band Helmet.^[1]

1996–2006: Helmet

Traynor moved on to become an official member of the seminal rock band Helmet on their third studio record, Aftertaste. He was recruited for the supporting tour of Aftertaste which was recorded by their three remaining members prior to Traynor's arrival. He had worked on and off with the band for ten years throughout the band's breakup and reuniting before finally departing himself in 2006.^[2]

2001-2002 Bush

While on tour with Helmet, Chris was noticed by producer Dave Sardy, and recommended as replacement guitarist in 2001 for the multi-platinum selling rock band Bush. Bush's guitarist at the time, Nigel Pulsford, had backed out of their current tour midstream. Traynor came on board to help finish out the rest of the tour. After the tour Bush was put on the back burner until some time later when it was announced that Bush was no more.^[3]

2003 Rival Schools

In between Helmet's down time and the fall of Bush, Traynor joined up with Rival Schools. Rival Schools long time guitarist, Ian Love, had left the band in 2002 making way for Chris. They recorded a bunch of songs together, but never released an album. By September 2003 the band split and Chris along with fellow bandmate Cache Tolman headed off to do a new project with a familiar friend, Gavin Rossdale.^[4]

Chris Traynor 2009

2003-2005 Institute

After a year as a touring member of the band Bush, Traynor and singer Gavin Rossdale began writing songs for a different project; which would later become Institute. Their first and only studio album titled Distort Yourself received only mild success on the airwaves. They toured throughout the United States as well as Europe before finally calling it quits in 2005.^[5]

2005-2010 Gavin Rossdale

The culmination of the time Traynor spent with Rossdale resulted in the release of Rossdale's solo record WANDERlust, produced by Bob Rock and featuring the hit single "Love Remains The Same". WANDERlust had nationwide success in the United States. Chris toured in support of WANDERlust in 2008 and 2009.^[6]

2010 Bush

In June 2010, it was announced that Bush had reunited. Because Nigel Pulsford would not be returning for the reunion, Traynor once again took over as lead guitarist.^[7]

Equipment

Chris Traynor uses and whole heartedly endorses the following equipment:

Divided By13 Amps
Fractal Axe-Fx
Line 6 Products
Collings Guitars
Asher Guitars
Ernie Ball Strings
Jim Dunlop Picks
Fishman Acoustic Amplification
TonePros

Discography

With Orange 9mm

• 1994 Orange 9mm
• 1995 Driver Not Included
• 1996 Tragic

With Helmet

• 1997 (Live guitarist) Aftertaste
• 2004 Size Matters
• 2006 Monochrome
• 2010 "Seeing Eye Dog"
• 2010 "Helmet:Live in San Francisco"

With Institute

• 2005 Distort Yourself

With Gavin Rossdale

• 2008 WANDERlust

With Bush

• 2011 The Sea of Memories

with Fleetwood Mac

• 2002 "The Best Of Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac Albatross"

References

1. ^ http://onesecondbush.com/bush/biography/chris_traynor/
2. ^ http://onesecondbush.com/bush/biography/chris_traynor/
3. ^ http://onesecondbush.com/bush/biography/chris_traynor/
4. ^ http://onesecondbush.com/bush/biography/chris_traynor/
5. ^ http://onesecondbush.com/bush/biography/chris_traynor/
6. ^ http://onesecondbush.com/bush/biography/chris_traynor/
7. ^ http://onesecondbush.com/bush/biography/chris_traynor/

External links

• Bush Fansite
• Institute Fansite

Persondata
Name	Traynor, Chris
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	June 22, 1973
Place of birth
Date of death
Place of death