Chris Seefried

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 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

Chris Seefried produced and co-wrote Fitz and The Tantrums ep Songs for a Breakup, Vol. 1 which was recorded during the first half of 2009 at Fitzpatrick's home in Los Angeles. He also produced and co-wrote their debut studio album, Pickin' Up the Pieces, released in August 2010, received critical acclaim and reached No. 1 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart. They were heralded as a "band to watch" in an April 2011 profile in Rolling Stone.

In 2012 Seefried produced Anderson East's self-released debut album, Flowers of the Broken Hearted. The album was released on vinyl and was made up of two records: one record which he recorded in Los Angeles with session players Charlie Gillingham, Don Heffington and Rob Wasserman and a second record recorded in Nashville with Tim Brennan and Daniel Scobey. The record is a 15 songs long, and is made up of two albums each with their own music genre: The White disc, which is mostly Seefried co-writes and productions is made up of a progressive soul and Americana vibe, while the Red disc is darker and has more of a rock sound.

Seefried composed four songs on the Fitz and The Tantrums release, More Than Just a Dream, released May 7, 2013 on Electra/Atlantic records.

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."

Seefried co-wrote two songs and produced one on Cheers to the Fall the first studio album from Andra Day. Warner Bros. Records alongside Buskin Records released the album on August 28, 2015. She worked with Adrian Gurvitz, Raphael Saadiq and Seefried in the production of this album. The album was nominated for Best R&B Album at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards.

For 2017’s Parking Lot Symphony, New Orleans singer, songwriter and brass wizard Troy Andrews (aka Trombone Shorty), pairs with producer Chris Seefried (Fitz & the Tantrums, Andra Day), on his fourth studio effort and first for Blue Note Records. Here he fully embraces the organic '70s-style R&B, diving into the sound full-force on a set of songs that bring to mind the earthy, vinyl-laden vibe of '70s artists like New Orleans own "The Meters". Heralding this vintage approach are several well-chosen covers, like the Meters' 1974 Santana-style groover "It Ain't No Use," and AllenToussaint's New Orleans funk jammer "Here Come the Girls" (originally recorded in 1970 by Ernie K. Doe). The vibrant jazz- and brass-infused arrangements don't so much reimagine the originals as re-energize them with a live-in-the-studio vibe and a youthful zeal. Even his originals here, like the joyous, choir-backed title track "Parking Lot Symphony" and the yearning, organ-steeped ballad "No Good Time," find him working in the nuanced harmonic colors and hip-swaying lyricism of band's like Earth, Wind & Fire and Stevie Wonder. He also hasn't abandoned his crossover, hip-hop-inflected sound, just integrated it deftly into songs like the buzz-bass heavy "Familiar" and minor key-tinged "Where It At?," tracks that nobody would think twice about hearing churn out of the car stereo in 1977. Also, as with past Trombone Shorty albums, he leaves plenty of room for enthusiastic, mid-song trombone and trumpet improvisations. Andrews even ambitiously bookends the album with two New Orleans funeral parade marches, showcasing his bluesy phrasing and clarion brass tone.

In popular culture