Chris Connelly
Encyclopedia
Chris Connelly is a Scottish musician who became famous for his industrial music
work of the late 1980s and early 1990s, particularly his involvement with the Revolting Cocks
and Ministry
. He has since established himself as a talented alternative singer-songwriter
. His vocal style is often compared to that of Scott Walker
and David Bowie
.
In 2008, Connelly published a memoir of his early years in the music industry, Concrete, Bulletproof, Invisible, and Fried: My Life As A Revolting Cock (ISBN 0946719950). It describes his professional debut in Finitribe
; meeting Al Jourgensen in London; his involvement with the Cocks, Ministry, PTP
, Acid Horse
, Killing Joke
, and Pigface
; and the development of his solo career.
Connelly currently serves as the manager of Reckless Records, a record store in West Town, Chicago
.
Industrial music
Industrial music is a style of experimental music that draws on transgressive and provocative themes. The term was coined in the mid-1970s with the founding of Industrial Records by the band Throbbing Gristle, and the creation of the slogan "industrial music for industrial people". In general, the...
work of the late 1980s and early 1990s, particularly his involvement with the Revolting Cocks
Revolting Cocks
Revolting Cocks, also known as RevCo, is an American–Belgian industrial rock band and sometime supergroup that began as a musical side-project for Richard 23 of Front 242, Luc Van Acker, and Al Jourgensen of Ministry.-History:...
and Ministry
Ministry (band)
Ministry is an American industrial metal band founded by lead singer Al Jourgensen in 1981. Originally a synthpop outfit, Ministry changed its style to industrial metal in the late 1980s. Ministry found mainstream success in the early 1990s with its most successful album Psalm 69: The Way to...
. He has since established himself as a talented alternative 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...
. His vocal style is often compared to that of Scott Walker
Scott Walker (singer)
Scott Walker, born Noel Scott Engel on January 9, 1943 is an American singer-songwriter, musician, record producer, and the former lead singer of The Walker Brothers. Despite being American born, Walker's chart success has largely come in the United Kingdom, where his first four solo albums...
and David Bowie
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
.
In 2008, Connelly published a memoir of his early years in the music industry, Concrete, Bulletproof, Invisible, and Fried: My Life As A Revolting Cock (ISBN 0946719950). It describes his professional debut in Finitribe
Finitribe
Finitribe was a dance music band from Edinburgh, Scotland. The group is sometimes also referred to as Fini Tribe. The name was taken from finny tribe, a term used by the Rosicrucians to describe the fishes....
; meeting Al Jourgensen in London; his involvement with the Cocks, Ministry, PTP
PTP (band)
The industrial band PTP was a short-lived side project of Ministry's Alain Jourgensen. The band's total recorded legacy consists of three songs....
, Acid Horse
Acid Horse
Acid Horse was a one-off collaborative side project between two industrial music pioneers, Ministry and Cabaret Voltaire. Only one single, "No Name, No Slogan", was released in 1989 on Wax Trax! records...
, Killing Joke
Killing Joke
Killing Joke are an English post-punk band formed in October 1978 in Notting Hill, London, England; other sources report the band formed in early 1979.Related news articles: Founding members Jaz Coleman and Geordie Walker have been the only constant members.A key influence on industrial rock,...
, and Pigface
Pigface
Pigface is an industrial rock supergroup formed in 1990 by Martin Atkins and William Rieflin.-History:Pigface was formed from Ministry's The Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste tour, which produced the In Case You Didn't Feel Like Showing Up live album and video. For the tour, Al Jourgensen brought...
; and the development of his solo career.
Connelly currently serves as the manager of Reckless Records, a record store in West Town, Chicago
West Town, Chicago
West Town, located in Chicago, Illinois, northwest of the Loop, is one of 77 officially designated Chicago community areas. Its name may refer to Western Avenue, which was the city's western boundary at the time of West Town's settlement, but more likely was a convenient abstraction by the creators...
.
Band affiliations
- Acid HorseAcid HorseAcid Horse was a one-off collaborative side project between two industrial music pioneers, Ministry and Cabaret Voltaire. Only one single, "No Name, No Slogan", was released in 1989 on Wax Trax! records...
- Chris Connelly and The Bells (not to be confused with the 1970s Canadian band The BellsThe Bells (band)The Bells were a Canadian rock band from Montreal that had two hit singles in the early 1970s. Featuring South African natives Anne and Jackie Ralph as well as Cliff Edwards, Doug Gravelle and Gordie McLeod, the group started in 1965 as The Five Bells....
) - CatherineCatherine (alternative rock band)Catherine was an alternative rock band from Chicago, Illinois that was active from 1985 to 1998. They were signed to TVT Records.-Early years:...
- Chainsuck
- The Damage ManualThe Damage ManualThe Damage Manual is an industrial supergroup that originally formed in 2000. It featured Martin Atkins on drums and loops, Chris Connelly on vocals, Geordie Walker on guitar and Jah Wobble on bass.-History:...
- Die WarzauDie WarzauDie Warzau was an industrial music band formed in 1987 by performance artists Jim Marcus and Van Christie.-History:...
- EveryonedEveryonedEveryoned is a supergroup side project of Chicago-area musicians. Everyoned consists of Chris Connelly , Tim Kinsella , Brent Gutzeit , Liz Payne , and Ben Vida . Everyoned have released one record, Everyoned, in 2004 on Brilliante Records....
- FinitribeFinitribeFinitribe was a dance music band from Edinburgh, Scotland. The group is sometimes also referred to as Fini Tribe. The name was taken from finny tribe, a term used by the Rosicrucians to describe the fishes....
- The High Confessions
- KMFDMKMFDMKMFDM is an industrial band led by German multi-instrumentalist Sascha Konietzko, who founded the group in 1984 as a performance art project...
- ThanatosThanatos (US band)Thanatos is a darkwave band whose recordings are distributed by Projekt Records.They released their first album, This Endless Night Inside in 1993, a second, An Embassy to Gais and a final recording Blisters . Another record by the band, under the name Illegalteenagebikini appeared in 2002...
- The Love InterestThe Love InterestThe Love Interest was a short-lived collaborative musical project between musicians Martin Atkins and Chris Connelly...
- The Final CutThe Final CutThe Final Cut may refer to:*The Final Cut , a 1983 album by Pink Floyd*"The Final Cut" , a song by Pink Floyd*The Final Cut , a 1983 "video EP" by Pink Floyd*The Final Cut , an industrial music group...
- MinistryMinistry (band)Ministry is an American industrial metal band founded by lead singer Al Jourgensen in 1981. Originally a synthpop outfit, Ministry changed its style to industrial metal in the late 1980s. Ministry found mainstream success in the early 1990s with its most successful album Psalm 69: The Way to...
- Murder, Inc.Murder, Inc. (band)Murder, Inc. was a short-lived industrial metal supergroup formed in 1991, featuring members of Killing Joke and vocalist Chris Connelly. Murder, Inc. consisted of Connelly; Killing Joke members Geordie Walker, Paul Raven, and Martin Atkins; former Killing Joke drummer "Big Paul" Ferguson; and...
- PigfacePigfacePigface is an industrial rock supergroup formed in 1990 by Martin Atkins and William Rieflin.-History:Pigface was formed from Ministry's The Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste tour, which produced the In Case You Didn't Feel Like Showing Up live album and video. For the tour, Al Jourgensen brought...
- PTPPTP (band)The industrial band PTP was a short-lived side project of Ministry's Alain Jourgensen. The band's total recorded legacy consists of three songs....
- The Revolting CocksRevolting CocksRevolting Cocks, also known as RevCo, is an American–Belgian industrial rock band and sometime supergroup that began as a musical side-project for Richard 23 of Front 242, Luc Van Acker, and Al Jourgensen of Ministry.-History:...
Solo discography
- Whiplash Boychild (1991)
- Phenobarb Bambalam (1992)
- Shipwreck (1994)
- Songs for Swinging Junkies with William TuckerWilliam Tucker (musician)William Tucker was a guitarist whose credits included work with Ministry, My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult, Pigface, Chemlab, and Chris Connelly. He grew up in New Jersey where he formed Regressive Aid with Andrew Weiss and Sim Cain...
(1994) - The Ultimate Seaside Companion with The Bells (1997)
- Blonde Exodus with The Bells (2001)
- Largo with Bill Rieflin (2001)
- Private Education (2002)
- Initials C.C., a collection of rarities and Connelly's personal favorites (2002)
- Night of Your Life (2004)
- The Episodes (2007)
- Forgiveness & Exile (2008)
- Pentland Firth Howl (2009)
- How This Ends (2010)
- Artificial Madness (2011)
Compilation appearances
- "Desperado" on 'Welcome to Our Nightmare: a Tribute to Alice Cooper' (1993)
- "A Mutual Friend" on 'Whore: Various Artists Play Wire' (1996)
- "Hard Hearted Alice" on Mutations - A Tribute To Alice Cooper (2002)
- "What's Left But Solid Gold?" on ...It Just Is (2005)
- "Don't Make Me Go" on Cash From Chaos - A Tribute to the Man In Black, Johnny Cash (2005)
- "Looking For A River" on Whispers From the Offing (A Tribute to Kevin Coyne) (2007)