Chris Tait
Encyclopedia
Chris Tait is a Canadian
singer–songwriter
and producer
, best known as the lead singer and guitarist for the rock band Chalk Circle
and later the group Big Faith.
and his first band was called "The Casualties". After a few years in various bands he formed the group Chalk Circle (named after Bertolt Brecht
's play The Caucasian Chalk Circle
) with Brad Hopkins on bass and Derrick Murphy on drums. The new band recorded a demo single "The World" and played around Toronto
, eventually winning a CASBY Award
for "Most Promising Non-Recording Group" in 1985.
Chalk Circle signed a recording deal with Duke Street Records
and released three albums with Tait on lead vocals and guitar: The Great Lake
(1986), Mending Wall
(1987) and As the Crow Flies (1989). The band had a Top 10 hit in Canada with their first single "April Fool
" and another Canadian hit with their cover of T.Rex's "20th Century Boy
".
In 2006, Tait and Chalk Circle briefly reunited for the release of their greatest hits collection.
, Fergus Marsh and Mike Sloski. Big Faith released two independent albums and subsequently broke-up.
and promotion with a company that produced jingles. Tait has written music for various ads including the BMW
MINI
when it was re-launched in Canada in 2002.
In 2003, Tait released a solo album entitled Hello… my name is Chris Tait, which he produced independently in Canada. In 2004, he wrote a song titled "A Little Music" for the annual Coalition For Music Education in Canada promotion "Music Monday". That same year, Tait co-wrote and produced a demo for the band Oliver Black.
With Big Faith:
Solo:
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
singer–songwriter
Singer–songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
and 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...
, best known as the lead singer and guitarist for the rock band Chalk Circle
Chalk Circle
Chalk Circle was a Canadian college rock band in the 1980s. The band consisted of lead singer and guitarist Chris Tait, bassist Brad Hopkins, keyboardist Tad Winklarz and drummer Derrick Murphy.-History:...
and later the group Big Faith.
Chalk Circle
Tait grew up in Newcastle, OntarioNewcastle, Ontario
Newcastle is a community in the Municipality of Clarington in Durham Region, Ontario, Canada. The Town of Newcastle was also the original name of what is now Clarington....
and his first band was called "The Casualties". After a few years in various bands he formed the group Chalk Circle (named after Bertolt Brecht
Bertolt Brecht
Bertolt Brecht was a German poet, playwright, and theatre director.An influential theatre practitioner of the 20th century, Brecht made equally significant contributions to dramaturgy and theatrical production, the latter particularly through the seismic impact of the tours undertaken by the...
's play The Caucasian Chalk Circle
The Caucasian Chalk Circle
The Caucasian Chalk Circle is a play by the German modernist playwright Bertolt Brecht. An example of Brecht's epic theatre, the play is a parable about a peasant girl who rescues a baby and becomes a better mother than its natural parents....
) with Brad Hopkins on bass and Derrick Murphy on drums. The new band recorded a demo single "The World" and played around Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, eventually winning a CASBY Award
CASBY Award
The CASBY Award is a Canadian award for independent and alternative music, presented annually by Toronto, Ontario radio station CFNY, currently branded as 102.1 The Edge. The name CASBY stands for Canadian Artists Selected By You....
for "Most Promising Non-Recording Group" in 1985.
Chalk Circle signed a recording deal with Duke Street Records
Duke Street Records
Duke Street Records was a Canadian independent record label. The label was established in 1984 by Andrew Hermant and ceased operations in 1994. The Universal Music Group took over the label when it disappeared....
and released three albums with Tait on lead vocals and guitar: The Great Lake
The Great Lake
The Great Lake is the debut EP by Chalk Circle released in 1986. The original release of the EP only featured six tracks. It was later re-released with three additional tracks on CD....
(1986), Mending Wall
Mending Wall (album)
Mending Wall is the first full length album by Toronto-based band Chalk Circle. Named after a Robert Frost poem, it was released in 1987 by Duke Street Records.Many of the album's songs dealt with issues that were big news makers of the day...
(1987) and As the Crow Flies (1989). The band had a Top 10 hit in Canada with their first single "April Fool
April Fool (song)
"April Fool" is the second single from Canadian band Chalk Circle and the first from their debut EP, The Great Lake.The single was available on 7" and 12" singles...
" and another Canadian hit with their cover of T.Rex's "20th Century Boy
20th Century Boy
"20th Century Boy" is a song by T. Rex, written by Marc Bolan. It was released as a single in 1973 and reached #3 in the UK Singles Chart. The song did not feature on an original studio album but was included as a bonus track on a reissue of 1973 album Tanx.It later returned to the UK Top 20 in...
".
In 2006, Tait and Chalk Circle briefly reunited for the release of their greatest hits collection.
Big Faith
After Chalk Circle broke up around 1990, Tait formed the group Big Faith with Ken GreerKen Greer
Ken Greer is a Canadian guitarist and keyboardist. He was one of the founding members of the Canadian rock band Red Rider. He is the pedal steel guitarist whose soaring, searing lines give Red Rider its distinctive sound.-Biography:...
, Fergus Marsh and Mike Sloski. Big Faith released two independent albums and subsequently broke-up.
Other projects
After the breakup of Big Faith, Tait pursued a career in advertisingAdvertising
Advertising is a form of communication used to persuade an audience to take some action with respect to products, ideas, or services. Most commonly, the desired result is to drive consumer behavior with respect to a commercial offering, although political and ideological advertising is also common...
and promotion with a company that produced jingles. Tait has written music for various ads including the BMW
BMW
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands...
MINI
MINI (BMW)
Mini is a British automotive marque owned by BMW which specialises in small cars.Mini originated as a specific vehicle, a small car originally known as the Morris Mini-Minor and the Austin Seven, launched by the British Motor Corporation in 1959, and developed into a brand encompassing a range of...
when it was re-launched in Canada in 2002.
In 2003, Tait released a solo album entitled Hello… my name is Chris Tait, which he produced independently in Canada. In 2004, he wrote a song titled "A Little Music" for the annual Coalition For Music Education in Canada promotion "Music Monday". That same year, Tait co-wrote and produced a demo for the band Oliver Black.
Discography
With Chalk Circle:- The Great LakeThe Great LakeThe Great Lake is the debut EP by Chalk Circle released in 1986. The original release of the EP only featured six tracks. It was later re-released with three additional tracks on CD....
(EP) - 1986 - Mending WallMending Wall (album)Mending Wall is the first full length album by Toronto-based band Chalk Circle. Named after a Robert Frost poem, it was released in 1987 by Duke Street Records.Many of the album's songs dealt with issues that were big news makers of the day...
- 1987 - As the Crow Flies - 1989
- The Best of Chalk CircleThe Best of Chalk CircleThe Best Of Chalk Circle is a greatest hits compilation from Chalk Circle. It was released in 2006 by Universal Music Canada as part of their 20th Century Masters series....
- 2006
With Big Faith:
- Grounded - 1992
- Undertow - 1994
Solo:
- Hello… my name is Chris Tait - 2003
External links
- Official Website
- Pirate productions - Tait's production firm