Hello and welcome to my website! I’m a guitarist, bassist, singer, songwriter, and music producer. I try to create bold, thematic, imaginative music. My body of work includes rock albums, original scores, and soundtracks, featuring stirring melodies and rich, expansive soundscapes.
I was born in Oregon in 1982, and grew up in Wasilla, Alaska. When I was very young I listened exclusively to classical music (I was super popular with the cool kids!), but that all changed when I fell in love with the album “2112” by Rush. Through Rush, I became enamored of prog rock and electric guitars. Later, when I discovered Eddie Van Halen’s “Eruption,” my fate was sealed and I asked my Mom for a guitar for my 16th birthday. I quickly became obsessed.
I self-produced my first album, a collection of guitar-focused instrumental tracks titled “Photon Life,” and released it in 2003. In 2004 I formed a band with some friends, which we named Red Penguin. Over a period of years we played a mix of originals and covers in just about every venue around south-central Alaska, and released an eponymous EP.
In 2008 I moved to Portland, Oregon and joined Noir City, a rock group with sultry jazz influences, which was active from about 2008 to 2012. This eventually led to working on the soundtrack for the indie sci-fi action film, “Ambrosia,” which was written, directed, and produced by Noir City’s keyboardist, Eric Waetjen.
In 2014 I formed a new band, Sleep Rebellion, and produced my first full-length album in over 10 years, a sci-fi concept album titled “Empire of Lies.” Over the next few years I worked on some additional film projects and commercials, including “Outlaw Origins,” a fan-produced short film based on the video game League of Legends.
I have been working on my most recent album, “Reason and Romance,” which will be released before the end of 2020.
I am available to commission for projects that require original music. Please send inquiries to chris@chrismcgraw.com.
IMDb Profile: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5079278/