Channing, Chad

Early years

Channing was born January 31, 1967 in Santa Rosa, California, in the family of Wayne and Burnis Channing ^[2] . Wayne Channing worked as a DJ, and the family constantly moved across the country due to the various jobs offered to him. Chad said: “Our slogan was:“ Six months later - on the road. ” Therefore, of all the friends that I had, I knew only one thing - they are temporary. Everything was temporary. It seemed pretty wild. You don’t communicate with people just because you just don’t need to make friends, since you are leaving soon ” ^[3] .

Chad wanted to become a professional American football player, but at the age of thirteen he broke his thigh. It took an operation and seven years of rehabilitation procedures. Over the years of rehabilitation and operations, he discovered music for himself, starting to play the bass guitar that his parents bought him. Bass playing filled Chad's time as he couldn't go to school. When he got rid of the cast, his parents bought him a drum kit to strengthen his legs. Chad began jamming with friends, including joining Stonecrow where the future Nirvana guitarist Jason Everman played.

Like Kurt, Chad dropped out of school in his final year because he was simply unable to catch up due to illness. In addition, he dreamed of becoming a musician and did not see much point in getting a diploma.

In 1982, Channing and his family moved briefly to Baltimore, Maryland, and he joined the Child'ƨ Play group, which also included Larry Hinshaw, Brian Jack, Jimmy Shafer and Phil Weiser. A few months later, Channing left and left the group. Later, working as a sauté cook in Bainbridge, Washington ^[4] , Channing formed the Tick-Dolly-Row band with Chris Carr, John Heard and Bainbridge resident Ben Shepard, who later became Soundgarden bassist. Tick-Dolly-Row played with the band Bliss, which then changed its name to Nirvana. A mutual friend introduced Channing to Kurt Cobain and Krista Novoselic , who were looking for a drummer. The three of them gathered for jam sessions several times before they started giving concerts.

Nirvana

In June 1988, just a couple of months after Channing joined Nirvana, they recorded their first single, “ Love Buzz, ” making their debut in Sub Pop . On Christmas Eve 1988, the band began recording Bleach , ending recording by the end of January 1989. Jason Everman, a friend of the group, agreed to pay money for the record ^[2] . Everman had known Channing since the fifth grade, and they played together in groups in high school. Bleach was released on June 15, 1989. The album includes songs “Floyd the Barber”, “Paper Cuts” and “Downer” with Dale Krover behind the drums, recorded before Channing joined the group.

In April 1990, Nirvana recorded eight songs at Smart Studios with producer Butch Wiig , which ended when Cobain plucked his voice. During the sessions, Cobain and Novoselic were disappointed in Channing’s drumming, and Channing was disappointed that he wasn’t actively involved in songwriting. These differences led to the departure of Channing, which was a mutual decision of the members of the group. By the time Nirvana made the next attempt to record the metal, they had hired Dave Grohl as their new drummer, who however used Chenning's many drum arrangements for songs played during his time in the band. The version of the song “ Polly ”, which the group recorded with Channing, nevertheless entered the album Nevermind , becoming the only song in the album recorded during the previous session, although Chenig’s participation was not noted in the booklet.

The massive popularity that Nirvana won after Channing left, aroused interest in the old works of the group. The 1992 compilation, Incesticide , included the Big Long Now, Stain and Dive tracks, recorded with Channing on drums. The live versions of Polly and Breed, also with Channing, appeared on the 1996 album The From The Muddy Banks of the Wishkah . The 2004 boxing set With The Lights Out included a Nirvana rehearsal DVD in December 1988, as well as seven songs with Channing on drums scattered across the first two discs in this box set.

After Nirvana

After leaving the Nirvana group, Channing formed Fire Ants, which released EP Stripped on Dekema Records in 1992. The producer was Jack Andino , who produced Bleach. Fire Ants included Brian Wood (vocals) and Kevin Wood (guitars), brothers of the late Andrew Wood and bassist Dan MacDonald. Channing and MacDonald again collaborated in 1998 with John Heard and Eric Spicer, forming the band The Methodists, who released the album Cookie .

In June 2006, Chad Channing formed his own band - Before Cars. Channing in the new group changed the role of drummer to the position of vocalist and bass player, rhythm guitarist. The newly formed team has already managed to release their debut single "Old Chair" on the label Flotation Records, with a total of 500 copies. The record is being produced by the same person who was responsible for the release of Nirvana's debut album, Jack Andino. With him, Channing is going to “record some songs this spring, and then we can put the pieces together into a normal album.” Channing admits that he is happy that he can play his music and that people like it.

They released their debut album, Walk Back, in 2008, again produced by Jack Andino. Channing sings and plays bass on all tracks, and also plays acoustic guitar in some tracks ^[5] .

Tic dolly row

• Live demo (1987)

Nirvana

Fire ants

• Ant Acid 7 "(1992)
• Stripped EP (1992)

The methodists

• Cookie (1998)

Before cars

• Old Chair EP (2006)
• Walk Back (2008)
• How We Run (2013)

• Official MySpace for Chad Channing and Before Cars