Chris Traynor

Chris Traynor (born June 22, 1973, in Long Island, New York) is an American guitarist, bassist and studio musician. He has played with Orange 9mm, Helmet, Bush, Rival Schools, Institute, Gavin Rossdale, and High Desert Fires.

Chris has performed live with the British rock band Blur, recorded bass and guitars on Katy Perry's "Use Your Love" with producer Junior Sanchez, and recorded guitars for Peter Green of Fleetwood Mac, producer Dave Stewart, and Pharrell of N*E*R*D. Traynor has also done studio soundtrack work with Blue Man Group, and with critically acclaimed indie rock band Rival Schools.

Chris has studied guitar with Mark Lonergan from Band of Susans, Richard Lloyd of the rock band Television, Robert Fripp's Guitar Craft, and bluegrass phenomenon Michael Daves.

Traynor is currently living in Los Angeles and is touring with Bush. He is also in the process of releasing High Desert Fires' debut album Light is the Revelation. He continually writes for soundtrack and television music.

1992-1996 Orange 9mm

He cut his teeth in the early 90's post-hardcore scene. As a founding member of the highly influential band Orange 9mm, Traynor developed a unique style of guitar and bass in the studio. Alongside Chaka Malik, Chris went on to record 3 albums with the band including Orange 9mm, Driver Not Included and Tragic. Before the touring for their third album began Chris departed to play with another highly popular band Helmet.

1996–2006: Helmet

Traynor moved on to become an official member of the seminal rock band Helmet on their third studio record, Aftertaste. He was recruited for the supporting tour of Aftertaste which was recorded by their three remaining members prior to Traynor's arrival. He had worked on and off with the band for ten years throughout the band's breakup and reuniting before finally departing himself in 2006.

2001-2002 Bush

While on tour with Helmet, Chris was noticed by producer Dave Sardy, and recommended as replacement guitarist in 2001 for the multi-platinum selling rock band Bush. Bush's guitarist at the time, Nigel Pulsford, had backed out of their current tour midstream. Traynor came on board to help finish out the rest of the tour. After the tour Bush was put on the back burner until some time later when it was announced that Bush was no more.

2003 Rival Schools

In between Helmet's down time and the fall of Bush, Traynor joined up with Rival Schools. Rival Schools longtime guitarist, Ian Love, had left the band in 2002 making way for Chris. They recorded a bunch of songs together, but never released an album. By September 2003 the band split and Chris along with bandmate Cache Tolman headed off to do a new project with a familiar friend, Gavin Rossdale.

2003-2005 Institute

After a year as a touring member of the band Bush, Traynor and singer Gavin Rossdale began writing songs for a different project, which would later become Institute. Their first and only studio album titled Distort Yourself received only mild success on the airwaves. They toured throughout the United States as well as Europe before finally calling it quits in 2005.

2005-2010 Gavin Rossdale

The culmination of the time Traynor spent with Rossdale resulted in the release of Rossdale's solo record WANDERlust, produced by Bob Rock and featuring the hit single "Love Remains The Same" that reached number 2 on the US Adult Pop Songs (Billboard) and remained there for 4 weeks. The song was number 1 on iTunes rock chart and sold nearly 2 million copies worldwide. WANDERlust had nationwide success in the United States. Chris toured in support of WANDERlust in 2008 and 2009.

2010-Present Bush

In June 2010, it was announced that Bush had reunited. Traynor once again took over as lead guitarist. The Sea of Memories was released in 2011 featuring the hit single The Sound of Winter. "The Sound of Winter" achieved great commercial success on several North America charts. On 18 October 2011 it topped the Alternative Songs chart knocking off "Walk" by the Foo Fighters. Not only was it the band's fifth #1 hit single on the chart (their first in 12 years, since 1999's "The Chemicals Between Us"), but it also became the first self-released single to reach #1 on the Alternative radio chart.[5][6] On 19 November it topped the Rock Songs chart, becoming their first #1 song on the chart.[7] In 2014 the band's 6th studio album, Man on the Run, was released featuring the hit single "The Only Way Out" which peaked at #11 on the Active Rock Charts.

• 1994 Orange 9mm
• 1995 Driver Not Included
• 1996 Tragic

• 1997 (Live guitarist) Aftertaste
• 2004 Size Matters
• 2006 Monochrome
• 2010 "Seeing Eye Dog"
• 2010 "Helmet:Live in San Francisco"

• 2005 Distort Yourself

• 2008 WANDERlust

• 2011 The Sea of Memories
• 2014 Man on the Run

• 2015 Light is the Revelation

• 2002 The Best Of Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac Albatross