CUTTINGS QUOTES PHOTOS FAQ
Who is he then?
Chris T-T is an English songwriter. Since 1999, he’s released four
studio albums, one live collection and a pile of singles and EPs.
In 2003 Chris quit his day job of six years (at the Press Association)
to make music full time, following the success of his fourth album
London Is Sinking. There are only so many sickies you can pull.
Chris upped sticks and left London, after seven years in the city.
He now lives in Brighton on the south coast.
The last two albums, The 253 (2001) and London Is Sinking (2003)
formed two-thirds of a trilogy about London.
Do people like him?
Critics like him a lot and he's got strong alternative radio support.
He’s played sessions on BBC Radio 1, BBC6Music, Resonance FM,
LBC, Selector for the British Council and various regional stations.
Steve Lamacq, Paul Ross and Tom Robinson have all annoyed their
producers by singing along audibly, while Tom invited Chris to join
the Tom Robinson Band, for his annual Castaway Party show at the
beginning of 2004.
Jack Osbourne doesn’t like him much though. Reviewing Chris's 2003
near-hit single 'Eminem Is Gay' in Kerrang!, Jack took offense on
Slim Shady's behalf and shouted "Chris T-T’s an idiot!" before sadly
going into rehab shortly afterwards. Pre-teen Americans regularly email
us to complain about the single.
Gigs?
Chris plays solo and with a full-volume backing band. He’s supported
Ben Folds, British Sea Power, Divine Comedy, Elbow, Tom Robinson,
Electric Soft Parade, Ricky Ross (Deacon Blue), Ed Harcourt, Quasi,
Robyn Hitchcock, Madrugada, Jimbob (Carter USM), Hefner, Turin Brakes
The Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster and others.
He regularly headlines shows across the UK and has played on the U.S.
east coast, including a showcase at 2003’s CMJ Seminar in New York.
With his band, Chris has written and performed a live soundtrack
to cult Japanese movie Battle Royale at Soho's Other Cinema.
He's also been commissioned to write music for an exhibit at the
Natural History Museum and he recently introduced a line-up of new
documentaries at Greenwich Film Festival.
What are Chris T-T songs like?
Chris T-T is known for two types of song. Rabble-rousing sarcastic
rants like 'Drink Beer' and 'Eminem Is Gay' contrast starkly with his
more serious, darkly inventive album work. T-T songs are fiercely literate,
brimful of unique perspective and underpinned by a strong sense of place.
But then we would say that.
What’s he doing now?
Last time we asked, Chris was finishing off an acoustic mini-album
of folk-protest music called Red Songs, which he wants to release in
time for the UK General Election. It’s a distraction from his main aim
for 2005 – he’s supposed to be recording the final part of his London
trilogy, which should be out before the end of the year. It has a working
title of Capital.
What does the 'T-T' stand for?
It’s his abbreviated surname and was originally a stage name. Chris’s
great-grandfather was an actor and invented a double-barrelled stage
name for himself in the late 19th century. But then his family disowned
him and he was forced to take the invented name as his own. Not telling you.