Chris Traynor

Chris Traynor (born June 22, 1973) is an American guitarist, bassist, and studio musician. He has played with Orange 9mm, Helmet, Bush, Rival Schools, Institute, Gavin Rossdale, and High Desert Fires.

Traynor has performed live with the British rock 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 and with indie rock band Rival Schools.

Traynor is currently living in Los Angeles and is touring with Bush. He is also in the process of releasing High Desert Fires' debut album Light is the Revelation. He continually writes for soundtrack and television music.

Career

Traynor 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.

1992–1996: Orange 9mm

He cut his teeth in the early 1990s post-hardcore scene. As a founding member of the band Orange 9mm, Traynor developed a unique style of guitar and bass in the studio. Alongside Chaka Malik, Traynor went on to record three albums with the band including ''Orange 9mm'', ''Driver Not Included'' and ''Tragic''. Before the touring for their third album began, Traynor departed to play with another popular band, Helmet.

1996–2006: Helmet

Traynor moved on to become an official member of Helmet on their fourth studio album, ''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.

2001–2002: Bush

While on tour with Helmet, Traynor was noticed by producer Dave Sardy and recommended as a potential new guitarist in 2002 for rock band Bush. Bush's original guitarist, Nigel Pulsford, had recently retired to spend more time with his family. Traynor joined the band and filled in for him on tour. Bush disbanded after the tour ended.

2003: Rival Schools

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

2003–2005: Institute

After touring as a member of 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.

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" that reached No. 2 on the US Adult Pop Songs (Billboard) and remained there for four weeks. The song was No. 1 on iTunes rock chart and sold nearly two million copies worldwide. ''WANDERlust'' had nationwide success in the United States. Traynor toured in support of the album in 2008 and 2009.

2010–present: Bush

In May 2010, it was announced that Bush had reunited, with Traynor rejoining. ''The Sea of Memories'' was released in 2011, featuring the single " The Sound of Winter" which achieved moderate commercial success on several North America charts. On October 18, 2011, it topped the Alternative Songs chart, knocking off "Walk" by the Foo Fighters. Not only was it the band's fifth No. 1 hit single on the chart (their first in 12 years, since 1999's "The Chemicals Between Us"), but it also became the first self-released single to reach No. 1 on the Alternative radio chart. On November 19, it topped the Rock Songs chart and became their first No. 1 song on the chart. In 2014, the band's sixth studio album, ''Man on the Run'', was released featuring the single " The Only Way Out" which peaked at No. 11 on the Active Rock Charts.

Discography

;With Orange 9mm
* 1994 ''Orange 9mm''
* 1995 ''Driver Not Included''
* 1996 ''Tragic''

;With Helmet
*1997 ''Aftertaste'' (live guitarist)
*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''
*2014 ''Man on the Run''
*2017 ''Black and White Rainbows''
*2020 '' The Kingdom''
*2022 '' The Art of Survival''

;With High Desert Fires
*2015 ''Light Is the Revelation''

;With Fleetwood Mac
*2002 ''The Best of Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac Albatross''

References

External links

Bush Fansite

Institute Fansite

{{DEFAULTSORT:Traynor, Chris
1973 births
American punk rock guitarists
American rock guitarists
American male guitarists
Bush (British band) members
Living people
People from Long Island
Helmet (band) members
21st-century American guitarists
21st-century American male musicians