Chris Von Sneidern
Encyclopedia
Chris Von Sneidern, born Syracuse, New York
, is an American
singer/songwriter. He earned a cult following with a string of indie releases during the 1990s and 2000s.
, including the Lost Patrol and The Sneetches
(the latter as bassist), before joining Flying Color as guitarist in 1987. After Flying Color broke up in 1990, Von Sneidern hit the road with former Beat leader Paul Collins
and lived for a short time in New York before returning to San Francisco to pursue a solo career.
Von Sneidern issued his self-produced debut album, Sight & Sound, on the Heyday label
in 1993. In addition to winning rave reviews from power-pop fans, it also featured a guest appearance from John Wesley Harding
, with whom von Sneidern would collaborate frequently in the years to come. The follow-up, Big White Lies, appeared in 1994, and as word of Von Sneidern's music spread in the pop underground
, he picked up more production work in addition to his own recordings, and opened his own Bay Area recording studio.
When von Sneidern released his third album, Go!, in 1996, he was on the local indie label
Mod Lang; that label also released the follow-up, 1998's Wood + Wire. For his next project, von Sneidern formed a soul
/R&B
-influenced outfit called the Sportsmen, which also featured pianist Khoi-San, guitarist Dave "Shaggy" Gleason, bassist Teenage Rob and drummer Derek Ritchie. Their debut album, Spirited, was released by the Japanese Lazy Cat label in 1999. Von Sneidern subsequently formed his own label, which allowed him to release several idiosyncratic projects in 2000. First among these was London Payne (subtitled Searching the Muse: Memoirs Across America), which set poetry by John R. Dykes to music; it was followed by 2-cute 2-be 4-gotten, a similar exercise that drew from poetry written by teenage girls. Finally, there was an additional live album spanning 1998-2000, Live Start Lifting.
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer/songwriter. He earned a cult following with a string of indie releases during the 1990s and 2000s.
Career
Von Sneidern played in a local band called the U-Turns in the early 1980s before relocating to San Francisco in 1985. In the Bay Area he played with several locally based power-pop bandsBand (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
, including the Lost Patrol and The Sneetches
The Sneetches (band)
The Sneetches was an indie pop/power pop band formed in San Francisco, California in 1985, who released several albums before splitting up in the mid-1990s...
(the latter as bassist), before joining Flying Color as guitarist in 1987. After Flying Color broke up in 1990, Von Sneidern hit the road with former Beat leader Paul Collins
Paul Collins
-Athletes:* Paul Collins , American football player* Paul Collins , Canadian long-distance runner* Paul Collins , Australian rugby union international...
and lived for a short time in New York before returning to San Francisco to pursue a solo career.
Von Sneidern issued his self-produced debut album, Sight & Sound, on the Heyday label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
in 1993. In addition to winning rave reviews from power-pop fans, it also featured a guest appearance from John Wesley Harding
John Wesley Harding (singer)
Wesley Stace is a folk/pop singer-songwriter and author who goes by the stage name John Wesley Harding. He has called his style of music folk noir and gangsta folk...
, with whom von Sneidern would collaborate frequently in the years to come. The follow-up, Big White Lies, appeared in 1994, and as word of Von Sneidern's music spread in the pop underground
Underground music
Underground music comprises a range of different musical genres that operate outside of mainstream culture. Such music can typically share common values, such as the valuing of sincerity and intimacy; an emphasis on freedom of creative expression; an appreciation of artistic creativity...
, he picked up more production work in addition to his own recordings, and opened his own Bay Area recording studio.
When von Sneidern released his third album, Go!, in 1996, he was on the local indie label
Independent record label
An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...
Mod Lang; that label also released the follow-up, 1998's Wood + Wire. For his next project, von Sneidern formed a soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
/R&B
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
-influenced outfit called the Sportsmen, which also featured pianist Khoi-San, guitarist Dave "Shaggy" Gleason, bassist Teenage Rob and drummer Derek Ritchie. Their debut album, Spirited, was released by the Japanese Lazy Cat label in 1999. Von Sneidern subsequently formed his own label, which allowed him to release several idiosyncratic projects in 2000. First among these was London Payne (subtitled Searching the Muse: Memoirs Across America), which set poetry by John R. Dykes to music; it was followed by 2-cute 2-be 4-gotten, a similar exercise that drew from poetry written by teenage girls. Finally, there was an additional live album spanning 1998-2000, Live Start Lifting.