Chris Grayston
Encyclopedia
Chris Grayston is a British
music promoter, event organizer, record producer
, musician
, label owner, and talent scout. He served as a music promoter in the early 1990s for acts such as Judge Jules
, DJ Spoony
, DJ Fabio
and Grooverider
, and promoted the massive "Fusion" raves across the United Kingdom
from Hastings Pier
, Bath Pavilion
, Milton Keynes Sanctuary
, and Wembley
. As a musician he's collaborated with SL2
and was a founding member of both Midas and Cynical Blend. Grayston was involved in the early years of Hardcore techno
in the UK, which was an extension of the Acid House
music movement from 1989 to 1990. Acid House later split to generate the genres of Breakbeat
/hardcore
, Drum and Bass
/Jungle
, and Techno
scenes collectively known as rave music
.
Grayston founded and directed the dance
label Hectic Records, and earlier releases from the label relied heavily on vocal hooks
along with piano and string dominated breakdowns. Tracks such as "Sunshine", "Heaven," and "Crowd Control" were known in the UK rave scene in the early 1990s. Hectic Records developed into four record labels; Hectic, Hectic Rewinds, Hect Tech and Fusion Records. Grayston founded the UK music competitions Live and Unsigned and Open Mic UK
, and is currently head of A&R
at Future Music Management.
. He organized a variety of tours and events for acts such as Darren Styles
, Carl Cox
, Andy C
, BBC Radio 1
’s Judge Jules
, DJ Spoony
, DJ Fabio
and Grooverider
.
.
After several years of organizing dance parties, one of the largest Fusion rave events took place in London
's Wembley Conference Centre
on May 25, 1996. There were over 12,000 attendees and three different arenas catering to different styles of dance. Two of the stages featured DJs from Drum and Bass
promoters One Nation and House
and Garage promoters Gism, with the third stage organized by Fusion in their traditional Happy Hardcore
style. Among Fusion's DJs at the event were Hixxy
, Force, Styles
, Sharkey
, Sy, Slipmatt
, Dougal
, and Seduction
.
Fusion Records released a variety of vinyl from 1995 up until the late 1990s, including releases by Dreamtripper, Mystic and Fire, Midas, Sunset Regime, Cheddar 4, and DJ Stompy.
The Fusion events helped establish hardcore music throughout the UK, and resulted in a number of copycat events such as Slammin Vinyl, Hardcore Heaven, United Dance, and influenced the line-ups of promoters such as Helter Skelter
and Dreamscape. In 1999 Grayston held the last of his Fusion promotions at Bath Pavilion
, leaving to concentrate on his music and act Cynical Blend. Later the Fusion events were resurrected by DJ Supreme (a short-time partner in Fusion), but Grayston had given no approval and has not had any involvement in the events.
in the happy hardcore
style. The label's first releases were in 1995. Hectic Records grew into four separate labels, and became known as one of the larger dance
labels in the United Kingdom. Overall they had over 100 singles with over a million record sales across the group, and released ten compilations and albums including artists such as Darren Styles
, DJ Unknown, and Krafty Kuts
. In the late 1990s the label was taken over in a buyout.
, Elap, and Central Station Records. He has collaborated with acts and producers from the United Kingdom
such as SL2
and The Wide Boys
.
His track "The Flow," a release on the happy hardcore label Just 4 U, was included on the 1995 compilation album Hardcore Happiness. He also contributed the track "Groove Control," a DJ Clarke'e remix created with long-term collaborator Vinylgroover, to the 1995 album Just 4 U Volume 2.
Grayston, operating under the name Ikon, also wrote and released the track "Give Yourself to Me". A remix was released on QSH006 by Quosh Records in 1995. A remix of "Give Yourself to Me" was also included as the first track on the 2007 album Best of Bonkers
, the best-selling hardcore compilation of all time. The track was released and licensed to worldwide to Ministry of Sound
.
In 1995 "Groove Control" was licensed to Central Station Records in Australia
, where the single achieved number 5 in the Australian charts.
Grayston worked through early and mid-nineties with engineer Jim Sullivan, helping build Sullivan's studio and introducing Sullivan to DJ Eddie Craig, who at the time ran VIP Records in Chichester
with his mother. Craig and Sullivan together brought out several releases on Grayston's Fusion Records before becoming known as the Wide Boys
.
-based label Pacific Time. He produced and played keyboard on their debut release Inverse Catch 22 Released on February 13, 2001, the album met with some international success on music charts, and led to a soundtrack deal for the comedy Blockbuster Grown Ups.
. Grayston regularly serves as Events Director and head judge for the competition. The competition annually attracts 10,000 participants, and after a series of live judging panels, ends with a summer National Grand Final at the Indig02 as part of Live Fest.
Through the competition Grayston has discovered a number of acts, including 2007 winners B-Kay and Kazz, who later achieved a top 30 hit in the UK charts with the single "You Know it's Right." He also discovered participant Josh Dubovie
in 2008, who went on to represent the United Kingdom at the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest
. In 2008 he also discovered Welsh
indie/electronic
band Kiddo360, who won the Grand Final and later went on to win a Vodafone
Award. Others include The Lottery Winners, Scottish
band The Detours, and Nathan Sykes from The Wanted in 2008, who met with chart success in 2010.
as a spin-off from the Live and Unsigned competition. The new competition resulted from the high number of solo singers and vocalist entrants to Live and Unsigned who were without original material. Open Mic UK immediately became the largest music competition in the United Kingdom for vocal groups and solo artists, with an annual participation of approximately 10,000 acts. Similar to Live and Unsigned, Grayston holds the National Grand Final at the IndigO2 in London
. It was described by Joel James of BBC
York & North Yorkshire as "one of the toughest competitions in the country."
Grayston regularly serves as head judge, and helped discover winners Birdy
, who won in 2008 at the age of 12. In 2011, her version of Bon Iver
's "Skinny Love
" reached the top twenty of the UK music charts. He also helped discover 2010 Under-18 winner Hatty Keane
, who later signed with BGM
and toured as the support for Britain's Got Talent
2010 winners Spelbound
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
music promoter, event organizer, record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
, label owner, and talent scout. He served as a music promoter in the early 1990s for acts such as Judge Jules
Judge Jules
Judge Jules is a British dance music DJ and producer, known for his DJ activities and popular radio show which achieved global success.-Education:...
, DJ Spoony
DJ Spoony
DJ Spoony is the stage name of Johnathan Joseph who is a British DJ, and former BBC Radio 1 presenter.-Radio and Dj career:...
, DJ Fabio
Fabio (DJ)
Fitzroy Heslop better known by his stage name of Fabio, is a drum and bass DJ and producer from the UK. Fabio has been described as one of the best DJ's of all time. He runs the Creative Source record label.-Biography:...
and Grooverider
Grooverider
Grooverider is a British drum and bass DJ.-Biography:Grooverider began his DJing at illegal raves and warehouse parties in the UK in the late 1980s, and rose to prominence with partner Fabio through his sets at nightclub nights such as 'Rage'. Grooverider was also on the London pirate radio...
, and promoted the massive "Fusion" raves across the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
from Hastings Pier
Hastings Pier
Hastings Pier was a pleasure pier in Hastings, East Sussex, England. Built in 1872 and enjoying its prime in the 1930s, though becoming a popular music venue in the 1960s, it received major storm damage in 1990, closed to the public between 1999 and 2002, then closed again from 2006. Efforts...
, Bath Pavilion
Recreation Ground (Bath)
The Recreation Ground is a large open space in the centre of Bath, England, next to the River Avon, used for recreational purposes by Bath residents and the public generally....
, Milton Keynes Sanctuary
Sanctuary Music Arena
The Sanctuary Music Arena was a 22,000 sq ft, 3,500 capacity music venue in Denbigh North, Milton Keynes in the UK. It opened its doors on December 6, 1991 to ESP promotions event called Dreamscape...
, and Wembley
Wembley Conference Centre
Wembley Conference Centre was a conference centre near Wembley Stadium, Wembley, in London, England.-History:Opened in 1977, it was the first purpose built Conference Centre in the UK. Events included conferences, corporate hospitality, annual general meetings, banquets and sports events including...
. As a musician he's collaborated with SL2
SL2
SL2 was the name of a hardcore/rave music act in the early 1990s from London, England. They also recorded, remixed or produced under the names Slipmatt & Lime and T.H.C.-Background:...
and was a founding member of both Midas and Cynical Blend. Grayston was involved in the early years of Hardcore techno
Hardcore techno
Hardcore techno is a type of electronic music typified by the rhythmic use of distorted and atonal industrial-like beats and samples...
in the UK, which was an extension of the Acid House
Acid house
Acid house is a sub-genre of house music that emphasizes a repetitive, hypnotic and trance-like style, often with samples or spoken lines rather than sung lyrics. Acid house's core electronic squelch sounds were developed around the mid-1980s, particularly by DJs from Chicago who experimented with...
music movement from 1989 to 1990. Acid House later split to generate the genres of Breakbeat
Breakbeat
In 1992, a new style called "jungalistic hardcore" emerged, and for many ravers it was too funky to dance to. Josh Lawford of Ravescene prophesied that the breakbeat was "the death-knell of rave" because the ever changing drumbeat patterns of breakbeat music didn't allow for the same zoned out,...
/hardcore
Hardcore techno
Hardcore techno is a type of electronic music typified by the rhythmic use of distorted and atonal industrial-like beats and samples...
, Drum and Bass
Drum and bass
Drum and bass is a type of electronic music which emerged in the late 1980s. The genre is characterized by fast breakbeats , with heavy bass and sub-bass lines...
/Jungle
Jungle music
Jungle music can mean:* A style of music prominently featuring the "Amen break"* Drum and bass, a form of rave music that has bassline and drum influence, but does not contain much influence from the "Amen break"...
, and Techno
Techno
Techno is a form of electronic dance music that emerged in Detroit, Michigan in the United States during the mid to late 1980s. The first recorded use of the word techno, in reference to a genre of music, was in 1988...
scenes collectively known as rave music
Rave music
Rave music may either refer the late 1980s genre or any genre of electronic dance music that may be played at an electronic dance party such as a rave. Very rarely, the term is used to refer to less electronic related genres glam, powerpop, psychedelic rock and dub music parties...
.
Grayston founded and directed the dance
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
label Hectic Records, and earlier releases from the label relied heavily on vocal hooks
Hook (music)
A hook is a musical idea, often a short riff, passage, or phrase, that is used in popular music to make a song appealing and to "catch the ear of the listener". The term generally applies to popular music, especially rock music, hip hop, dance music, and pop. In these genres, the hook is often...
along with piano and string dominated breakdowns. Tracks such as "Sunshine", "Heaven," and "Crowd Control" were known in the UK rave scene in the early 1990s. Hectic Records developed into four record labels; Hectic, Hectic Rewinds, Hect Tech and Fusion Records. Grayston founded the UK music competitions Live and Unsigned and Open Mic UK
Open Mic UK
Open Mic UK is a live music competition in the UK for singers, vocalists and solo artists. Acts compete at regional auditions to get the chance to perform live at live music showcases to reach an annual national final, which is held at the IndigO2 in London as part of Live Fest...
, and is currently head of A&R
A&R
Artists and repertoire is the division of a record label that is responsible for talent scouting and overseeing the artistic development of recording artists. It also acts as a liaison between artists and the record label.- Finding talent :...
at Future Music Management.
Early career
In the early 1990s Grayston started his career as a music promoter in the United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. He organized a variety of tours and events for acts such as Darren Styles
Darren Styles
Darren James Mew , better known as Darren Styles, is a British record producer, disc jockey and singer-songwriter from Colchester, England. Originally a member of the breakbeat hardcore group DJ Force & The Evolution, Darren found success during the 1990s as one half of Force & Styles...
, Carl Cox
Carl Cox
Carl Cox is a British techno and house music DJ.-Biography:Cox grew up in Oldham, Lancashire, before attending Glastonbury High Boys secondary modern school on Glastonbury Road in Morden. Cox began his career as a hardcore and rave DJ in the mid 1980s...
, Andy C
Andy C
Andy C , born Andrew John Clarke, is an English DJ and producer and co-founder of the RAM Recording Studio. He is the son of Mick Clarke, bass player and founder member of the Rubettes, who had hits in the seventies like Sugar Baby Love, Tonight and I Can Do It.He is considered a pioneering force...
, BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
’s Judge Jules
Judge Jules
Judge Jules is a British dance music DJ and producer, known for his DJ activities and popular radio show which achieved global success.-Education:...
, DJ Spoony
DJ Spoony
DJ Spoony is the stage name of Johnathan Joseph who is a British DJ, and former BBC Radio 1 presenter.-Radio and Dj career:...
, DJ Fabio
Fabio (DJ)
Fitzroy Heslop better known by his stage name of Fabio, is a drum and bass DJ and producer from the UK. Fabio has been described as one of the best DJ's of all time. He runs the Creative Source record label.-Biography:...
and Grooverider
Grooverider
Grooverider is a British drum and bass DJ.-Biography:Grooverider began his DJing at illegal raves and warehouse parties in the UK in the late 1980s, and rose to prominence with partner Fabio through his sets at nightclub nights such as 'Rage'. Grooverider was also on the London pirate radio...
.
Fusion
Grayston produced and promoted massive raves in the early 1990's, with the events morphing into the promotion organization "Fusion" in 1992. Grayston expanded Fusion to serve both as a label and a record shop in PortsmouthPortsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
.
After several years of organizing dance parties, one of the largest Fusion rave events took place in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
's Wembley Conference Centre
Wembley Conference Centre
Wembley Conference Centre was a conference centre near Wembley Stadium, Wembley, in London, England.-History:Opened in 1977, it was the first purpose built Conference Centre in the UK. Events included conferences, corporate hospitality, annual general meetings, banquets and sports events including...
on May 25, 1996. There were over 12,000 attendees and three different arenas catering to different styles of dance. Two of the stages featured DJs from Drum and Bass
Drum and bass
Drum and bass is a type of electronic music which emerged in the late 1980s. The genre is characterized by fast breakbeats , with heavy bass and sub-bass lines...
promoters One Nation and House
House music
House music is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago, Illinois, United States in the early 1980s. It was initially popularized in mid-1980s discothèques catering to the African-American, Latino American, and gay communities; first in Chicago circa 1984, then in other...
and Garage promoters Gism, with the third stage organized by Fusion in their traditional Happy Hardcore
Happy hardcore
Happy hardcore, also known as happycore, is a genre of music typified by a very fast tempo , often coupled with solo vocals and sentimental lyrics. Its characteristically 4/4 beat "happy" sound distinguishes it from most other forms of hardcore techno, which tend to be "darker". It is typically in...
style. Among Fusion's DJs at the event were Hixxy
Hixxy
Hixxy or DJ Hixxy, born Ian Hicks, is a British UK Hardcore and previously happy hardcore DJ and musician from Portsmouth, England....
, Force, Styles
Darren Styles
Darren James Mew , better known as Darren Styles, is a British record producer, disc jockey and singer-songwriter from Colchester, England. Originally a member of the breakbeat hardcore group DJ Force & The Evolution, Darren found success during the 1990s as one half of Force & Styles...
, Sharkey
DJ Sharkey
Sharkey is a British record producer, disc jockey, and rapper. Sharkey co-created a style of hardcore techno known as freeform or freeform hardcore.-Career:...
, Sy, Slipmatt
Slipmatt
Slipmatt is an English happy hardcore producer and DJ based in Essex, England. He was one half of rave act SL2, who had a 1992 UK hit with "On A Ragga Tip".-History:...
, Dougal
DJ Dougal
DJ Dougal is a British UK Hardcore and happy hardcore artist and DJ.He first became involved with the dance music scene at the age of 15, while setting up sound systems for some of the first acid house parties, as part of work experience assignment to a music shop.His style is a mix of euphoric...
, and Seduction
Maximum Impact
Maximum Impact is a UK hardcore record label founded by DJ Seduction in 2003. All releases on this label to date have been on 12" vinyl records, though recently the label has also started to distribute its releases as digital downloads via a number of popular happy hardcore download sites.The...
.
Fusion Records released a variety of vinyl from 1995 up until the late 1990s, including releases by Dreamtripper, Mystic and Fire, Midas, Sunset Regime, Cheddar 4, and DJ Stompy.
The Fusion events helped establish hardcore music throughout the UK, and resulted in a number of copycat events such as Slammin Vinyl, Hardcore Heaven, United Dance, and influenced the line-ups of promoters such as Helter Skelter
Helter Skelter Rave
Helter Skelter are one of the longest running dance music promoters in the UK. They are one of the few remaining rave music brands who promote early underground styles of electronic dance music, as opposed to the more mainstream house clubs that followed during the 1990s.-History:The organization...
and Dreamscape. In 1999 Grayston held the last of his Fusion promotions at Bath Pavilion
Recreation Ground (Bath)
The Recreation Ground is a large open space in the centre of Bath, England, next to the River Avon, used for recreational purposes by Bath residents and the public generally....
, leaving to concentrate on his music and act Cynical Blend. Later the Fusion events were resurrected by DJ Supreme (a short-time partner in Fusion), but Grayston had given no approval and has not had any involvement in the events.
Hectic Records
After working for some time as a concert promoter and Fusion organizer, Grayston was increasingly approached by new musicians looking for him to release their tracks. This led Grayston to found Hectic Records, his own record label that initially catered to technoTechno
Techno is a form of electronic dance music that emerged in Detroit, Michigan in the United States during the mid to late 1980s. The first recorded use of the word techno, in reference to a genre of music, was in 1988...
in the happy hardcore
Happy hardcore
Happy hardcore, also known as happycore, is a genre of music typified by a very fast tempo , often coupled with solo vocals and sentimental lyrics. Its characteristically 4/4 beat "happy" sound distinguishes it from most other forms of hardcore techno, which tend to be "darker". It is typically in...
style. The label's first releases were in 1995. Hectic Records grew into four separate labels, and became known as one of the larger dance
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
labels in the United Kingdom. Overall they had over 100 singles with over a million record sales across the group, and released ten compilations and albums including artists such as Darren Styles
Darren Styles
Darren James Mew , better known as Darren Styles, is a British record producer, disc jockey and singer-songwriter from Colchester, England. Originally a member of the breakbeat hardcore group DJ Force & The Evolution, Darren found success during the 1990s as one half of Force & Styles...
, DJ Unknown, and Krafty Kuts
Krafty Kuts
Krafty Kuts is an English electronic music, dance music and breakbeat producer and DJ.His Debut album - Freakshow was released in 2006 on his Against The Grain label and contains guest artists Tim Deluxe and Ashley Slater from the UK band Freak Power...
. In the late 1990s the label was taken over in a buyout.
Musical career
Grayston has written and co-produced a variety of his own music, in most cases using the moniker C. Grayston. He has also signed with several international labels including SonySony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
, Elap, and Central Station Records. He has collaborated with acts and producers from the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
such as SL2
SL2
SL2 was the name of a hardcore/rave music act in the early 1990s from London, England. They also recorded, remixed or produced under the names Slipmatt & Lime and T.H.C.-Background:...
and The Wide Boys
Wideboys
The Wideboys are UK house, Bassline and UK garage Record producers and remixers.The Wideboys are managed by Matt Waterhouse from MWR/Hyperactive. In 2008, they signed to Sony ATV Music Publishing. Prior to this, The Wideboys had been signed in various deals with the likes of Warner, Univeral and...
.
His track "The Flow," a release on the happy hardcore label Just 4 U, was included on the 1995 compilation album Hardcore Happiness. He also contributed the track "Groove Control," a DJ Clarke'e remix created with long-term collaborator Vinylgroover, to the 1995 album Just 4 U Volume 2.
Grayston, operating under the name Ikon, also wrote and released the track "Give Yourself to Me". A remix was released on QSH006 by Quosh Records in 1995. A remix of "Give Yourself to Me" was also included as the first track on the 2007 album Best of Bonkers
Best of Bonkers
Best of Bonkers is the first "best of" set in the Bonkers series of happy hardcore compilation albums, which has become the best-selling hardcore compilation series of all time...
, the best-selling hardcore compilation of all time. The track was released and licensed to worldwide to Ministry of Sound
Ministry of Sound
Ministry of Sound London, commonly referred to as simply Ministry of Sound or MoS, is a nightclub based in London, United Kingdom and an associated record label. It was ranked fourth in the 2010 DJ Magazine top 100 clubs poll 2010. As well as the nightclub in London, there is another in Egypt and...
.
Midas
Scott Attril, a happy hardcore DJ known as Vinylgroover, began working for Grayston in the Fusion record store. Vinylgroover went on to set up several of his own record labels, and also released a number of records as "Midas" in collaboration with Grayston. In 1994 the duo released Midas with the tracks "Groove Control" and "SpinBlitz." On Fusion Records they released FUS001 in 1995, FUS004 in 1996, and FUS008 in 1996 (with David Edge contributing). The duo's releases also include Midas and Dougal in 1995 and Midas and Sunset Regime in 1996, both on Hectic Records.In 1995 "Groove Control" was licensed to Central Station Records in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, where the single achieved number 5 in the Australian charts.
Grayston worked through early and mid-nineties with engineer Jim Sullivan, helping build Sullivan's studio and introducing Sullivan to DJ Eddie Craig, who at the time ran VIP Records in Chichester
Chichester
Chichester is a cathedral city in West Sussex, within the historic County of Sussex, South-East England. It has a long history as a settlement; its Roman past and its subsequent importance in Anglo-Saxon times are only its beginnings...
with his mother. Craig and Sullivan together brought out several releases on Grayston's Fusion Records before becoming known as the Wide Boys
Wideboys
The Wideboys are UK house, Bassline and UK garage Record producers and remixers.The Wideboys are managed by Matt Waterhouse from MWR/Hyperactive. In 2008, they signed to Sony ATV Music Publishing. Prior to this, The Wideboys had been signed in various deals with the likes of Warner, Univeral and...
.
Cynical Blend
After some time producing his own music, Grayston became a member in the new band Cynical Blend, who were signed to the New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
-based label Pacific Time. He produced and played keyboard on their debut release Inverse Catch 22 Released on February 13, 2001, the album met with some international success on music charts, and led to a soundtrack deal for the comedy Blockbuster Grown Ups.
Live and Unsigned
In 2007 Grayston organized and co-founded Live and Unsigned, an annual music competition for unsigned acts in the United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Grayston regularly serves as Events Director and head judge for the competition. The competition annually attracts 10,000 participants, and after a series of live judging panels, ends with a summer National Grand Final at the Indig02 as part of Live Fest.
Through the competition Grayston has discovered a number of acts, including 2007 winners B-Kay and Kazz, who later achieved a top 30 hit in the UK charts with the single "You Know it's Right." He also discovered participant Josh Dubovie
Josh Dubovie
Josh James Dubovie is a British singer. He represented the UK at the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest, held in Oslo, Norway in May 2010, finishing last with his performance of "That Sounds Good to Me", written by writers and producers Mike Stock and Pete Waterman of Stock Aitken Waterman and Steve...
in 2008, who went on to represent the United Kingdom at the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest
United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 2010
The United Kingdom participated at the Eurovision Song Contest 2010, held in Oslo, Norway in May. The BBC announced on 29 January after months of speculation that British record producer and songwriter Pete Waterman would write the UK entry for the 2010 Contest...
. In 2008 he also discovered Welsh
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
indie/electronic
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
band Kiddo360, who won the Grand Final and later went on to win a Vodafone
Vodafone
Vodafone Group Plc is a global telecommunications company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world's largest mobile telecommunications company measured by revenues and the world's second-largest measured by subscribers , with around 341 million proportionate subscribers as of...
Award. Others include The Lottery Winners, Scottish
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
band The Detours, and Nathan Sykes from The Wanted in 2008, who met with chart success in 2010.
Open Mic UK
In 2008 Grayston devised Open Mic UKOpen Mic UK
Open Mic UK is a live music competition in the UK for singers, vocalists and solo artists. Acts compete at regional auditions to get the chance to perform live at live music showcases to reach an annual national final, which is held at the IndigO2 in London as part of Live Fest...
as a spin-off from the Live and Unsigned competition. The new competition resulted from the high number of solo singers and vocalist entrants to Live and Unsigned who were without original material. Open Mic UK immediately became the largest music competition in the United Kingdom for vocal groups and solo artists, with an annual participation of approximately 10,000 acts. Similar to Live and Unsigned, Grayston holds the National Grand Final at the IndigO2 in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. It was described by Joel James of BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
York & North Yorkshire as "one of the toughest competitions in the country."
Grayston regularly serves as head judge, and helped discover winners Birdy
Birdy (musician)
Jasmine van den Bogaerde, also known by her stage name Birdy, is an English musician known for winning the music competition Open Mic UK in 2008, at the age of 12. Her version of Bon Iver's "Skinny Love" was released in January 2011, peaking inside the top twenty of the UK Singles Chart and in...
, who won in 2008 at the age of 12. In 2011, her version of Bon Iver
Bon Iver
Bon Iver is a Grammy nominated folk band founded in 2007 by American indie folk singer-songwriter Justin Vernon. It includes Michael Noyce, Sean Carey, and Matthew McCaughan. Vernon released Bon Iver's debut album, For Emma, Forever Ago independently in July 2007. The majority of that album was...
's "Skinny Love
Skinny Love
"Skinny Love" is a song by American indie folk band Bon Iver. The song was released as single in the United Kingdom on 28 April 2008. It was the first single released from their 2007 debut album For Emma, Forever Ago.-Birdy version:...
" reached the top twenty of the UK music charts. He also helped discover 2010 Under-18 winner Hatty Keane
Hatty Keane
Hatty Keane is an English R&B and pop singer. In January 2011 she won the under-18 category of Open Mic UK at the age of 16. She signed to BGM and Future Music shortly afterwards. In June 2011 she performed alongside Tinchy Stryder at Live Fest at the O2 in London, and in November 2011 performed...
, who later signed with BGM
BGM
BGM can mean:*Greater Binghamton Airport serving Binghamton, New York *Background music*an abbreviation for the former Bell Globemedia, now Bell Media*BGM , Japanese band YMO's album*Bonnier Gazell Music...
and toured as the support for Britain's Got Talent
Britain's Got Talent (series 4)
The fourth series of Britain's Got Talent was broadcast on ITV from 17 April 2010 to 5 June 2010. It was presented by Ant & Dec and won by gymnastic troupe Spelbound. Judges Simon Cowell, Piers Morgan and Amanda Holden returned for the televised auditions on 18 January at the Clyde Auditorium in...
2010 winners Spelbound
Spelbound
Spelbound are a gymnastic troupe from the United Kingdom who rose to fame in 2010, winning the fourth series of Britain's Got Talent. The prize was £100,000 and the opportunity to appear at the 2010 Royal Variety Performance. They also performed in the Britain's Got Talent Live tour...
.
Future Music Management
Grayston currently runs Future Music Management, where he is head of A & R (Artists and Repertoire). He has signed a number of Live and Unsigned and Open Mic UK participants and winners to Future Music, including Hatty Keane, B-Kay and Kazz, and Kiddo360.Singles
- 1994: Midas Volume 1 by Midas
- 1995: QSH006 "Give Yourself to Me by Midas" (Quosh Records)
- 1995: FUS001 by Midas (Fusion Records)
- 1995: RAR010 by Midas Imperial March (Slammin Vinyl records)
- 1995: Midas and Dougal by Midas (Hectic Records)
- 1995: HVR006 You Take Me Away by Midas (Happy Vibes Recordings)
- 1996: FUS004 by Midas (Fusion Records)
- 1996: FUS008 by Midas (Fusion Records)
- 1996: MDMA002 Midas Volume 2 by Midas
- 1996: Midas and Sunset Regime by Midas (Hectic Records)
- 1997: HR001 Doesn't Have to Be by Ikon (Hectic Rewinds Records)
Compilations
- 1995: "Groove Control" (DJ Clarke'e Remix) on Just 4 U Vol. 2
- 1995: "The Flow" on Hardcore
- 2007: "Give Yourself to Me" on Best of BonkersBest of BonkersBest of Bonkers is the first "best of" set in the Bonkers series of happy hardcore compilation albums, which has become the best-selling hardcore compilation series of all time...
Further reading
- Midas - VinylGroover and C. Grayston on YoutubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
(Fusion Records) - DJ Fuggz Old Skool Happy Hardcore Speed Mix on YoutubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
External links
- Chris Grayston on FacebookFacebookFacebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
- Chris Grayston on DiscogsDiscogsDiscogs, short for discographies, is a website and database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. The Discogs servers, currently hosted under the domain name discogs.com, are owned by Zink Media, Inc., and are...