Chris Seefried

Chris Seefried
Recording at Phantom Vox
Background information
Also known as	Bullfrog (producer)
Born	(1966-10-20) October 20, 1966 New York City, New York
Genres	Rock, folk, pop
Occupation(s)	Singer, songwriter, composer
Instruments	Vocals, guitar
Years active	1980–present
Labels	Warner Bros. Records Geffen Hear Music E Pluribus Unum Chrysalis Records
Associated acts	Gods Child Joe 90 Rosanne Cash Low Stars Counting Crows Joe Purdy Fitz and the Tantrums
Website	http://www.chrisseefried.com/

Chris Seefried is an American artist, record producer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, best known as the lead vocalist and frontman of the bands Gods Child, Joe 90, and Low Stars, and as producer and co-writer for the neo-soul band Fitz and the Tantrums.

Career

Gods Child (1992–1996)

Seefried's U.S. career started when a cassette tape of "Everybody's 1" was heard by Prince, who stopped the song midway through, ejected the tape and declared "this is mine". That song and four other psychedelic rock & soul tracks found their way to legendary artist, producer, musician and then record company president Quincy Jones and his A & R man Hugo Burnham, drummer from premiere English punk band Gang Of Four. After flying to N.Y.C. to see Gods Child perform one of many shows at New Yorks CBGB's, they signed the band to Warner Bros. Records via Quincy's imprint label Qwest. Their first record Everybody was written and produced by Seefried with band mate Gary DeRosa under the pseudonym "Bullfrog and the Elephant". Single "Everybodys 1" charted in two Billboard charts simultaneously, peaking at #18 on the Mainstream Rock chart and #25 on the Modern Rock chart. While making video's for songs "Everybody's 1", "Stone Horses" and "Slide", Gods Child toured nationally headlining shows in NYC at Irving Plaza and Roseland Ballroom and also performed "Everybodys 1" on NBC's Late Night with Conan O'Brien. Second record Aluminum, produced by Tim Palmer, was critically acclaimed but singles "Female Elvis" and "This Is the Real World?" only charted regionally. The song "Need" was featured in the Fox Network television series Melrose Place.

Joe 90 (1996–2000)

After two albums with Warner Bros., Chris moved to LA and changed the name from Gods Child to Joe 90 adding Adam Hamilton to the mix. Adam Duritz of Counting Crows^[1] signed the group to his imprint through Geffen Records. Their debut record Dream This includes the hit song "Drive", which Duritz sings on. Seefried returned the favor guesting on "I Wish I Was a Girl"' and hit song "Hangin Around" from This Desert Life. Joe 90 performed this song live with Counting Crows on Late Night with Conan O'Brien. Their second album A Raccoons Lunch features the Laura Nyro song "And When I Die", which was the end title for the New Line Cinema film Final Destination and "When You Arrive" from the soundtrack for the film Boys and Girls. Their third record remains unreleased.

Solo/Low Stars (2000–present)

Seefried recorded solo debut Denim Blue in between touring as Rosanne Cash's guitar player. The record was recorded in studios in New York City and Los Angeles and includes a cast of friends, Gary DeRosa (Gods Child, Joe 90), Tony Shanahan (Patty Smith), Richard Lloyd (Television) as well as co-producers David Immergluck (Counting Crows) and Rich Pagano (Fab Faux). Denim Blue, completed in 2005, was held back because Chris started southern California rock band Low Stars whose debut album used tracks "Child", "Tracks In the Rain" and "L.A. Forever", previously slotted for Denim Blue. Low Stars eponymous debut album was produced by George Drakoulias and released in 2007 at Starbucks stores all over the country through Hear Music. Low Stars performed songs "Calling All friends", the theme song that appears at the beginning of each episode of J. J. Abrams' show What About Brian and "Child" on Last Call with Carson Daly while capping a national tour with a performance of "One Step Up" at Carnegie Hall to celebrate the music of Bruce Springsteen.

Denim Blue was released through Seefried's record label "Gnome Alone" in 2008. The songs "Hand of Fate" and "You Make Me" were included in the Tomothy Bogart film Touched.

Production, Songwriting, Scoring

Chris produced and co-wrote Fitz and The Tantrums ep Songs for a Breakup, Vol. 1 and full length debut Pickin' Up the Pieces. The album reached #1 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart.^[2] On January 12, 2011, Fitz and The Tantrums performed Seefried co-writes "MoneyGrabber" and "Don't Gotta Work It Out" on ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live! in Los Angeles. On February 28, 2011, they performed "MoneyGrabber" on TBS' Conan and on April 5, 2011, on NBC's The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Most recently they performed new single "Don't Gotta Work It Out" on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon on February 3, 2012. In 2011, the group's music video for the song "MoneyGrabber" was incorporated into the opening scene of a sixth season episode of the CBS crime-drama Criminal Minds entitled "Safe Haven".

In March 2011, Seefried co-wrote "News 4 U", which was used for the promo for the seventh season of Desperate Housewives.

On February 3, 2012, Fitz and The Tantrums performed the song "Don't Gotta Work It Out" on NBC's Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, Episode 581, taped for broadcast at the Hilbert Circle Theatre in Indianapolis. Seefried composed four songs on the Fitz and The Tantrums release, More Than Just a Dream, released May 7, 2013 on Electra/Atlantic records.

Seefried co-wrote the song "Good Boy" for Red, the debut studio album of American singer-songwriter Dia Frampton, released on December 6, 2011, under Universal Republic Records. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard Top Heatseekers. It also debuted at number 103 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart, selling a little over 10,000 copies in its first week.

In the seventh episode of the first season of Lost, the producers contacted Los Angeles-based singer/songwriters Jude and Chris Seefried to write a full version of the song "You All Everybody". The song is sung by Chris Seefried, on the episode.^[3]

Michael Cuesta's latest Magnolia Pictures film Roadie, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in April 2011, includes a score by Chris Seefried and an end title by Counting Crows.

Haley Reinhart, who finished third on the tenth season of American Idol, released her debut album, Listen Up!, on May 22, 2012. Seefried co-wrote and produced song "Wonderland" for the album that debuted at number 17 on the Billboard 200 chart.

Jessica Sager of Pop Crush wrote, "three unreleased Lana Del Rey songs have also emerged. 'Boarding School', co-written and produced by Chris Seefried, has a 1960s vibe and describes, in vivid detail, Del Rey's past alcohol and drug use — she even describes "smoking crack in the back". To say it's as dark as her new hair color is an understatement, but the tune and melody are actually laidback and fun, which makes the track all the more intriguing and effective. It perfectly encompasses the 'gangsta Nancy Sinatra' Del Rey longs to embody."

Joseph Arthur's release, The Ballad of Boogie Christ, features the orchestral rock and roll doo wop song "Currency of Love", produced by Chris Seefried.

Discography

In popular culture

• The end title for the film Final Destination is the Laura Nyro song "And When I Die" is performed by Joe 90.
• The end title for the New Line Cinema film Body Shots is the Joe 90 song "Cars Go By".
• Joe 90 can be seen performing songs "Shame And Scandle" as well as Gods Child song "Reachin" in the opening of film Tales From the Crypt Presents: Ritual the third and final film spin-off from Tales from the Crypt.
• Seefried wrote "You All Everybody" for "The Moth", the seventh episode of the first season of Lost, with Jude.
• The theme song for the TV series What About Brian is "Calling All Friends", co-written by Seefried and performed by Low Stars.

References

External links

• Chris Seefried Official Website
• Chris Seefried at the Internet Movie Database