For today’s Faces of Tamworth we are throwing our horns up to guitar ripping heavy metal maniac, and all round nice guy, Chris Butler. Earlier this year his band Massic dropped a highly acclaimed debut album, Redshift, before heading off on a tour of the eastern seaboard. \m/
Ever since hearing the “brown sound” notes emanating from Eddie Van Halen’s guitar as a child, Tamworth’s Chris Butler has been obsessed with making music.
Now the former Farrer and Tamworth High student has realised a dream, after his Brisbane based band, Massic, released their solo album, Redshift, and ripped into an extensive east coast tour.
While not a sound traditionally associated with the Tamworth region, the hardcore groove metal band have taken the Brisbane and east coast local heavy metal scene by storm over the last few years.
A few people in Tamworth might remember Mr Butler from his days playing local gigs with Metallica cover band Misconception, although since hanging up the guitar in the late 1990’s it was a chance encounter picking up his children form daycare that led to the forming of Massic, in 2015.
“I have alway created music in some format for as long as I can remember,” he said.
“But I hadn’t played with a band for over 15 years.
“One day I ran into (lead singer) Simon (Russell-White) at my kids’ daycare and he said that his band needed a bass player, so I picked it up and got back into it.”
While that band didn’t last too long, Russell White and Butler creatively hit it off straight away, breaking away to form Massic, in 2015.
They have now settled in with fellow band members Shayne Patch, Gavin King and Rashid Alkamraikhi.
Butler, who admittedly “goes a bit stir crazy” when he is not creating songs has been a driving force behind the creation of their debut album.
“I write a song in its entirety, laying down the guitar and drums to put down a demo,” Butler said.
I then give it to the boys to check out - they tweak it, change it, and learn it - and then Simon does the lyrics.
“There are nine songs on the album, but we have another 18 written and in the pipeline.”
While the band only do live shows and gigs every couple of months, their on stage presence is huge, and often their reputation for powerful live performances precedes them.
Redshift was officially released on March 30.
