Chris Boudreaux picked up a pair of drumsticks and was in his first professional recording session by the age of twelve. Chris has been playing music professionally for over forty years, recording over three hundred songs with many talented artists. Chris has worked with both well-known and established artists and many unknown musicians. He has also created lasting bonds and friendships with celebrities, athletes, and musicians through his music, sports, business, and charitable endeavors.
Growing up, Chris was widely known as a very talented and capable drummer. He was known for his massive kit and the jazz and progressive rock background that taught him to use absolutely all of it. Out of high school, Chris played gigs around the state of Utah as a drummer and also picked up work as a consultant and actor on an upcoming Scott Baio movie where he would meet many people that would be a part of his life for years to come. Chris however was very dissatisfied with the sporadic and sometimes long spaces in between studio work and shows with his band. Chris had done quite a few dances in a band as a drummer and also worked as a mobile disc jockey around Utah. The nightlife in the young age demographic however was owned by two clubs primarily, the Front Page Discotheque and The Broadway club. Both clubs catered to the younger 18 and older non-drinking (this is Utah we are talking about) group. Chris walked into The Broadway and was taken back by the mystic of the three-night-a-week crowd and the respect and almost groupie-type entourage given to the D.J. D.J. Aaron Thatcher (The Broadway DJ) called Chris and invited him down for the following week and much to Chris’s surprise, Aaron pulled him up to the D.J. booth and Chris did a song set and it was electric! This was the birth of one of the most successful and well known D.J. pairs with the “Chris and Aaron Show.” The duet would actually be approached by the Valentinis after they had invested hundreds of thousands to renovate The Front Page club into what would become the marquis club from Wyoming to Nevada—Xenon. When the Valentinis arrived from New York to Salt Lake City, a replication of the New York Xenon is all that would be accepted. One large stumbling block remained—the crowd! The Broadway, with its modest lights and sound, was still the hot spot mostly due to the duet and show of Chris and Aaron. Their contrast of “Rock” (Chris) and “Funk/Soul” (Aaron) was becoming so well known that Xenon would now spend and entice with whatever it took to secure the ultimate crowd for the ultimate club. Aaron was offered the car of his dreams and pay that would secure his contract. Chris however continued to show loyalty to The Broadway. The pressure however on the owner of The Broadway was soon too much and he and Chris parted ways, and the Broadway ended up closing its doors. Once again “The Chris and Aaron Show” was reunited and became the hottest D.J. show in town with the marquis club of the western region at their fingertips. Chris continued to play and record with the band as well as publish set mixes for various clubs in the “Rocky Mountain Record Pool.” He also compiled nationally used 12” vinyl mixes of top artists like MICHAEL JACKSON, BILLY IDOL, GAP BAND, PRINCE, and so on. This increased Chris’s reputation and band marketability as a live D.J. It would not be long until the music biz, record biz, managers, etc. enticed Chris with bigger dreams in Los Angeles, California. If these dreams were to materialize, his exit from Xenon and his Utah life was inevitable. At the time, Chris was recording with John Verner (AMBROSIA, KISS) who had just left LOIS LANE. John had help from David Foster to help expedite the recording. Due to Chris’s charismatic demeanor, he was on a definite path of becoming a frontman. Chris was continually invited to take part in local entertainment reports on shows such as “P.M. Magazine,” “Weekend Watch,” “Salt Lake Music Television,” and all NBC, CBS and ABC local affiliate news, combined with his guest radio spots along with his DJ work with the largest live dance audience 3 times a week at club Xenon. It seemed Chris had gone as far as the local markets could offer. Chris was transplanted to Los Angeles, California, in the Hollywood area while fronting and recording with his band SOLDIER, where they played many of the Sunset Strip's iconic clubs including Gazzarri's, Whisky A Go Go and the Troubadour. Due to differing opinions within the band, Chris was told by current SOLDIER drummer Tod Burr (ROCKNEE, TUFF, CRIMINAL MINDS, BLACK, PRETTY BOY FLOYD, SHAMELESS, SUBSTANCE D, W.A.S.P.) that he didn’t see things changing in that band and both Chris and Tod departed. Leaving SOLDIER and the friendship they shared was one of the hardest decisions Chris had ever made. Chris would continue to stay in touch and go on to record with former SOLDIER bandmate Brian Kirby on several tracks that would end up on Chris’s solo albums. In 1988, Chris used his wisdom and resources to open a recording studio called C.B. Studios (Chris Boudreaux Studios). The creation of C.B. Studios served to not only expand Chris as an artist, but to connect many artists and musicians together in a rare opportunity to collaborate. C.B. Studios quickly created “buzz” in the Los Angeles music circles because relatively unknown musicians were being supported and joined by well-known names and vice versa. In this era, signed artists often recorded a basic four track demo and submitted it to the label who then determined if and when they would invest in a full recording. Then the label controlled and directed when and where recordings would take place. C.B. Studios turned “the tables on the labels” and empowered artists to make their own decisions. Consequently, musicians spread the word about the musician-owned and ran studio in Northridge, California. Many well-known musicians frequented C.B. Studios including Lemmy Kilmister (HAWKWIND, MOTORHEAD), Tracy Guns (GUNS ‘N ROSES, SIOUXICIDE, L.A. GUNS), Chuck Behler (MEGADETH, THE MEANIES, SINCLAIR), Tod Burr, Todd “Chase” Chaisson (TUFF, SUBSTANCE D), Jeff Poole (LEGS DIAMOND, STARS N BARS), Peter Criss (KISS), Lita Ford (THE RUNAWAYS), Gary Wright [Dream Weaver] (PLAYER, LESLIE WEST), GOO GOO DOLLS and various members of XYZ and THE CULT. One of Chris’s treasured relationships during this period was with Eddie Van Halen. Eddie was just a regular guy trapped by his fame. It wasn’t one bit out of character for him to stop by to just talk or to look through the magazines. He loved to go and check out bands without them knowing he was there. Chris states, “I am sworn to secrecy about something, but parts of it were aired on 95.5 KLOS Radio about something so amazing he did one day for a disabled little child. This guy will never ever be replaced, just missed.” Chris wanted to continue to play out and record, so he went on the hunt to join a band. Chris tried out for several bands and was offered the newly vacant spot in the band RESTLESS BREED after the departure of their previous vocalist Jeff Scott Soto (L.A. ROXX, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, CARRERA, KUNI, EYES, TALISMAN, TAKARA, AXEL RUDI PELL, JOURNEY, W.E.T., SONS OF APOLLO). This venture was short-lived as Chris moved onto a band called HUNTER. Chris quickly found chemistry with drummer Lionel Barton (FLESH N’ BLOOD, SLIK N’ WIKKED, THE GREG LEON INVASION) who studied under Jeff Porcaro (TOTO) and was tutored by both Bill Bruford (YES, KING CRIMSON, U.K.) and Chester Thompson (GENESIS, STEVE HACKETT, SANTANA). HUNTER featured guitarist Michael Taris (TARIS, ACASHIA), nicknamed “595” by Eddie Van Halen, who loved Michael’s super-fast guitar playing. The band worked on many original songs including the song “Hunters in the Night.” The band practiced and started to gain momentum, but there was a bit of a civil war when keyboardist Brooke Hansen (NERVOUS ENERGY, BOAST, TAKARA) and bassist Dave Acashia (TARIS, ACASHIA) decided they wanted to find a new vocalist. They went as far as auditioning new vocalists in Chris’s own studio. Chris, Mike, and Lionel departed the band, picked up bassist Mike Regan, and formed the band BOUDREAUX. Chris wanted to add keyboards to their music and brought in Thom Dorren (LOU GRAMM). This lineup would tour the western United States. This, the first version of the band BOUDREAUX, would last only about a year and a half, when some creative differences caused the band to split. Chris was on the hunt again to find a band and a good fit where he could thrive. Chris put the feelers out through a manager and even accepted a drumming audition with one of the bands Chris knew nothing about. He remembered: “I knew when I walked in and sat down to play on the kit they provided and looked around me, you could feel and realize, this band was anything but typical.” The audition was for the recently vacated spot as drummer for DARK ANGEL after Gene Hoglan departed to join the band DEATH. Even though it was a flattering and challenging process, he was not what they needed and his search continued. Chris’s manager continued to funnel him more auditions. The biggest audition that Chris went out for was the open spot in KISS when Chris’s friend Eric Carr had to depart the band due to health conditions. Chris and Eric shared many good times including the last concert that Eric would attend (VAN HALEN in Orange County). They spent the majority of the show backstage conversing and sharing scars. There were also some bigger and well-known acts such as ARMORED SAINT, SHOT SIMON, as well as some very talented, but lesser-known acts like FICTION ALLEY and 1000 MONA LISAS. Chris couldn’t fight the feeling that he wasn’t done being out front with a mic in his hand. Though Chris would record many more songs behind the kit (including songs on this album and the “Who Made Who” album), Chris was now looking to join a band as lead vocalist. Chris began getting calls for auditions and return auditions right away. Chris recalls his first drive out to Orange County to meet with the guys from LEATHERWOLF, as they were in search of a new singer after a name change to HAIL MARY. When Chris walked in and met the guys, he was instantly called “Bon Jovi.” The band had definitely changed looks by heading more into the Doc Martins and flannel period. But what a cool and professional group of guys they were. Chris recalls having to scream his ass off with these guys and coming home with such an incredible demo of new material. Michael Olivieri (LEATHERWOLF) returned to the band and Chris was again back out looking for the right fit. Chris was soon recording at Paramount in Los Angeles and had a strong lineup in the studio with him, including Chuck Behler (ERBUS, STREET ELITE, MEGADETH, NIGHTMARE, THE MEANIES, KILLING MACHINE [Tracii Guns band]) on drums, Eddie “Van” Hillman (EREBUS, NIGHTMARE, THE MEANIES) on guitar and Bill “Kozy” Koziatek (MEANIES, KILLING MACHINE) on bass. Chris laid the initial recordings down and was not completely sold on the depth or direction of his music. Chris searched for a style and feel on his song “Who Made Who” similar to his favorite song by DONNIE IRIS (“Ah! Leah!”). On the phone that night from his house in Burbank, Chris spoke at length about his feelings, concerns, and yet the strong chemistry coming from the Paramount Studios sessions. Larry explained that for various reasons he was placing a pause on Paramount Studios and he wanted to make some calls and inquiries. Chris would later tell a magazine reporter that, “I knew my conversation hit home and struck a chord with Larry.” Within a few days Larry reached out to Chris again with news that he would be flying him to Virginia for pre-production and then onto Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to record a single along with a B-side second offering. Chris accepted the challenge and change in contract, studio, and supporting cast, which also included a new producer and a couple surrounding guests to really bring the so called “Donnie Iris Ah! Leah!” feel to the “Who Made Who” title track. After pre-production in Virginia with multi-talented and acclaimed guitarist Rick Witkowski (CRACK THE SKY, B.E. TYALOR GROUP, THE STAND), Chris was quickly on his way to Pittsburgh’s Alpha Star Studios, along with Rick and a full cast of seasoned musicians, including B.E. Taylor (B.E. TAYLOR GROUP, THE JAMES PROJECT), Pete Hewlett (NOVO, COMBO, BILLY JOEL), Nat Kerr (B.E. TAYLOR GROUP, THE STAND, DARIO AND THE CLEAR), and one very special surprise. At the recording session, the vocals lacked the chemistry and Donnie Iris feel Chris kept insisting on. Finally, Chris’s frustration reached a boiling point when they still had not built the section of the song he had targeted as the song’s staple and signature. Nason Geig, the producer, gave the guys a much-needed break and Larry sent lunch from Los Angeles. Chris seemed confused when photographers and journalists appeared at the studio. And then came the missing piece to give “Who Made Who” the right feel. Larry called the studio from L.A. and said, “I think I found out how to get you what you need, and he’s walking into the studio in 2 minutes!” Yes, you guessed it, Donnie Iris walked in, put on the headphones, and told Chris, “I love this track!” Donnie and the other guys had amazing chemistry. They bonded over the music, jokes, and amazing impressions (mainly Pete Hewlett [musical director and vocalist for BILLY JOEL]) as they recorded. The song “Who Made Who” contained multiple counter melodies, multiple harmonies, all that somehow came together as one, even though they were sang by Pete Hewlett, B.E. Taylor, Donnie Iris, and Chris Boudreaux. The entire body of work felt and sounded like they had worked together for years. Chris has (to this very day) talked about how, “the message I wanted to deliver could not have been created by a better group of friends. (Rest in peace B.E. Taylor, I could not have done it without you. You are so widely missed. God speed.)” Other relationships are also imbedded into the fabric of this body of music and the album “Beside Myself.” One of these relationships Chris forged with FATES WARNING guitarist Frank Aresti (DEMONAX, ARCH/MATHEOS). Frank and Chris quickly connected over diverse conversations, debates, musical differences, and a very common and quirky sense of humor. Frank’s first involvement with Chris in the studio was on the song, “Time To Be Young,” which Frank identified as a song that “makes [him] want to skip.” The song was recorded at S.T.S. Studios in North Hollywood, California. A few years later, Chris showed a piano ballad he had written and not finished recording to Frank and told him that it was a song that he started for his dad but did not know how his dad would react if he showed it to him. Shortly thereafter, Frank heard that Chris’s dad had passed away. Frank took action. He reached out to get whatever information he could in support of his friend. After receiving hours and hours of old super 8 movie footage from Chris’s grandmother of a young Chris and his family, Frank identified the footage to use as “cut ins” for the video presentation of “3 Words,” co-starring and directed by Frank Aresti himself. The video might be slightly reminiscent of the FATES WARNING video “Through Different Eyes,” but the footage identified by Frank and his assistant director Body Scallion made the video a melodic love letter to Chris’s father and created an offering that won the Telli award in New York. Word of the video created by Chris and Frank caught the attention of Grammy Award winner Brian Dobbs, who worked with notable bands such as METALLICA, BON JOVI, MOTLEY CRUE and AC/DC. Brian and Chris began working together in Hollywood at Woodland Ranch Studios where Chris was executive producer of his son Chant’s band. The chemistry with Brian was immediate. Chris showed Brian a couple of piano and guitar rooted songs he had recently written and Brian told him that he would like to continue to work together on two of the songs (“Back to Me” and “Still Think About You”). While at Woodland Ranch, Brian also produced the re-recorded version of “Young Girls in Love” that Chris had originally recorded with his old band THE TAKE off their “Get Taken” album. Ian Crawford of PANIC AT THE DISCO played the acoustic guitar solo on the track “Back to Me.” Brian worked with Chris on every aspect of the songs, very similar to the method he used when he created “She’s So High” with Tal Bachman and “Thunderstruck” with AC/DC. Their work together led to a lifelong friendship. Chris was ready to be back in a band and he decided to put the BOUDREAUX band back together with all new members. Chris first recruited New York guitarist Johnny Hart. The pair would tryout several drummers while recording, including Paul Monroe (XYZ, RUMBLEDOG) and Marc Droubay (SURVIVOR). But it was British drummer Ramsay Bishara (SAVANNAH NIX, STRAIGHT JACKET, CUT THROAT) that showed them he was the guy for the job. The band was not fully set yet, but with C.B. Studios at their fingertips, they recorded a few songs including “Pretend You Cry” and “Why Did Our Love Go Away.” Shortly after these recordings, the band would recruit Justin Juknelis (FALLOUT, SUNSET 101, ROCKABYE, TALOR MADE, SCARLET BLUE) on bass. Johnny Hart would soon get married and depart the band. Chris reached out to Ken Snyder (CUT THROAT) who he had previously met while recording the first demo version of the song “Fallen Angel” with Ken’s band ROKKIN’ HORSE. This lineup would record the “Fallen Angel” album not officially released until 2021. During the mixing and mastering phase, the band would add a second guitarist, Darwin DeVitis (MICKEY RAT, HARKEN, CUT THROAT, CARBON 9, LAST DAY RISING). When Metallic Blue Records set out to sign Chris to the label, Chris had shifted so much of his life into charity work with kids and youth (especially surrounding sports). The label found out that back in the late 1980s Chris was brought into training camp with the L.A. Rams after a friend and agent of his from Beverly Hills had contacted both the Raiders and Rams organizations to tell them: “you can’t believe the speed of this guy and he has a thunder foot!” Chris was paid to workout with the L.A. Rams and would not miss practice, charity games, or any of the charity events put on and hosted by a youth charity named “Athletes For Youth.” Chris met co-founders Todd Christensen (BYU, 2x Super Bowl Champion with the L.A. Raiders); Christian Okoye (1988 rushing leader, 2x Pro-Bowl); Randall Cunningham (4x Pro-Bowl, 1988 1st Team All-Pro); and his best friend (and a current board member of his youth charity, National Youth Alliance), 1979 NFL first round draft pick Jerry Robinson (1st Team All-Pro 1981, Pro-Bowl). Jerry can be seen on the album cover next to Donnie Iris, symbolically guarding Chris’s life. Jerry and a man by the name of Joe Phillips would, later in Chris’s life, would be crucial to his decision to put down the bottle and pick up the music after the unfortunate and unexpected deaths of almost all of Chris’s family and siblings. Due to Chris’s busy schedule with his yearly youth football tournament (“Pigskin,” the largest youth football championship tournament in the world), delays resulted in his work with Metallic Blue Records. The label was adamant about signing Chris and the several projects he was involved with (BOUDREAUX, SOLDIER, THE TAKE, and his solo material). Chris’s old bandmate Clayton Austin (PALACE, SOLDIER) told the label that, “Hell will freeze over before Chris lets go of his masters and releases his music.” Metallic Blue Records set up a meeting in Las Vegas, Nevada, to offer Chris a record deal. Both parties were very impressed with both the record deal and the body of work being offered. It was easy to sign the deal to bring forth many great albums at the hand of Chris Boudreaux and the amazing musicians he has worked with over the years. Chris recorded several new songs including tracks with accomplished guitarists Erik Nelson (VEKTOR) and others with musicians and old friendships. The genuine chemistry from the old recordings has returned to the new records (“Who Made Who” and “Beside Myself”). These albums really show that you may leave the music for a while, but when you are a true musician, the music never leaves you. |