Since 1993, Chris von Sneidern (CvS) has
released twelve critically acclaimed, self-produced albums: Sight & Sound (1993), Big White Lies (1994), Go!(1996), Wood + Wire (1998), The Sportsmen Spirited (1999); London
Payne, 2-cute 2-be 4-gotten, Live Start Lifting (2000), The knight of lines and proses (2001), The
Wild Horse (2001), Headful of Words (2003), and California
Redemption Value (2004).
The warmth and grace of CvS' music has been
recognized by fans and critics alike. Goldmine
has compared him to Big Star and Badfinger, while renown music critic Michael
Goldberg has declared in the San
Francisco Chronicle: "If the remaining ex-Beatles had any guts, they'd
seek out von Sneidern to participate in a Beatles reunion. The guy is that
good." Option's Lisa Gidley
opined, "most of these songs could kick Jakob Dylan's ass with one
guitar tied behind their back."
Although CvS has called San Francisco his
home for nearly twenty years, he moved to Seattle for the past 18 months. While
there, he landed a publishing deal and has placed a song in “Line Of Fire” on
ABC Television. In that dark and rainy Pacific Northwest tenure, he spent his
time writing and recording his latest album, California Redemption Value. The songs are introspective, yet also a
joyful celebration of his eventual return to San Francisco. CvS has spent the
latter half of 2005 touring the USA as a solo singer, with his 12-string
guitar.
The Wild Horse,
released in Spain, the USA, and now in Japan, returns to a more traditional CvS
singer-songwriter form, the CD features originals in the pop rock style his
fans have come to know and expect, with guest appearances by Neko Case
(The New Pornographers), and Kelly Hogan.
Chris released three titles in 2000. London Payne (Searching The Muse: Memoirs
Across America) was a departure from the usual CvS pop formula. Comical at
times, musically adventurous otherwise, it brings poet John Dykes' (A/K/A London
Pain) work to life in sound. This year Pain penned another book, The
Gentle Dream, which is also being transformed by CvS into songs.
CvS was inspired to apply the same
treatment to the poems of teenage girls he'd received over the years as fan
letters, titled 2-cute 2-be 4-gotten.
The unique point of view at that age (13-17 years), combined with his music
style and production, is a perfect match, and a joy to hear. Both of the
"poetry" titles were released on Chris' Mastromonia label. He then
edited the best of his live show recordings and released Live Start Lifting.
The Sportsmen is an ongoing side band
project in which he's writing, singing and performing songs that are centered
in the traditions of soul, blues, and rock 'n' roll. The 1999 Sportsmen album, Spirited, was released in Japan, where
CvS had a successful two week tour.
The
knight of lines and proses, a retrospective of his first five
albums, was accompanied by a two-week tour of Spain, backed by a four-piece
band. Another “best-of” collection, Headful of Words, is a US release on
Innerstate Records, is a definitive account of his musical output from 1990-97,
compiled and remastered, with extensive liner notes by CvS.
When he's not busy with his own recordings,
CvS runs his studio, Ordophon, where he serves as producer, mixer and engineer.
Working with Badfinger biographer Dan Matovina, he has lent his expertise to Golders Green, and 7 Park Avenue, adding instrumentation to demo material from the late
Pete Ham of the 70s band Badfinger.
In, and out of the Ordophon, CvS has worked
with a variety of artists, such as E (Eels), Ryan Adams, Paula
Cole and Jewel. CvS joined Neko Case on guitar in her kitchen for a
track on the homespun CD, Canadian Amp.
He’s been on the road with John Wesley
Harding's backing band, the Radical Gentlemen, promoting his CD, The Confessions of St.Ace. CvS co-wrote
two songs and recorded with JWH for his album Adam’s Apple.
He has also made a cameo appearance, playing
himself in Lynn Hershman Leeson's independent film Conceiving Ada, screened at Sundance Film Festival, and distributed
nationally.