Hiya RGM, thanks for having me in the virtual RGM lounge! Grabbed my brew and pulled up a chair…
Thanks for joining us today… Tell us a bit about where you are from and how you got into music?
Yes! I’m originally from Australia, although I’ve lived in London for over 20 years.
Music was a huge part of my childhood. I started learning classical guitar when I was about nine and began writing songs around the same time. By my early teens, I’d figured out my creative process through a lot of learning and experimentation.
I studied briefly at the Australian Institute of Music when I was 19, but then left and went to university to follow a much more conventional path.
And at that point, I basically stopped making music, for all of about three decades!
A few years ago, I started wondering what might happen if I picked up the guitar again. Initially, I thought I’d just refine a bunch of old songs and then get them recorded properly for posterity. Instead, some new songs emerged and then a song a week, until eventually it got very out-of-hand as Mister Chorister began to reveal himself.
And, I don’t think I’m necessarily an unusual emerging artist arriving after spending most of my adult life doing something completely different. I’ve noticed a few more elder emerging artists starting to show themselves now too.
What’s the live music scene like in London right now?
London is one of those amazing places where there always seems to be something happening. There are so many venues, open mics, small gigs and emerging artists that you could easily find something incredible every night of the week.
When I came back to music, I made a conscious decision to immerse myself. I set myself a challenge to get out to a gig every week and jumped back into the open mic circuit to get match-ready for Mister Chorister.
The last couple of years have been an absolute blast, but I’ve also seen how much the culture has shifted from 30 years ago. People aren’t going out to see as much grassroots live music. Stadium tours and mega-venues seem to dominate attention, while the old habit of simply going down to the local pub for a casual gig feels very different now.
When you walk into an open mic, it can be surprisingly subdued compared with the photos on pub walls from thirty, forty or more years ago, when places were packed to the rafters.
That said, if you know where to look, the heartbeat of the city is still there. The sheer volume of raw talent is staggering.
I went to the Hanwell Hootie this year and was incredibly impressed by the lineup, from completely unknown gems to the almost-knowns like Tiny and Sam Foster-Smith. There’s also a phenomenal contemporary jazz and soul scene happening across East London, with people like Rob Malarkey and Deschanel Gordon.
And playing my first Mister Chorister gig at the Amersham Arms in April was a real privilege. Hearing that a band like Suede had played there gives it a fantastic history and community feel. I’ve been to see a few gigs at the Gladstone Arms and Green Note which remind you that music doesn’t need to happen on a massive, high-production stage to be meaningful.
The intimacy, community and unpredictability of London’s smaller rooms are still what makes the scene unique.
Anyone we should be looking out for (bar you, of course)?
There are loads of examples of course, which makes this such a dangerous question!
By keeping to smaller gigs, I’ve come across some really interesting emerging artists and have been adding them all to my playlists.
I’d shout out to Alex Czapla, who I met at my very first London open mic and aired on BBC Introducing recently, Dave Clark, who is a fantastic writer, and I’ve also really enjoyed the raw energy of singer-songwriters Joe G, Cat Elliot & Sophie Sutton, the range of Tiny, and Sam Foster-Smith. And of course the list wouldn’t be complete without my vocal coach Malin Andersson who is in the process of releasing her new album.
Also, I saw Highdrive and Laughter at the Shackwell Arms in August. They were brilliant, and I really want to see more of what they’re doing. Also, checking out the talent on Michael K Barnes’ breakfast show at Hoxton Radio. Michael prides himself on showcasing Independent talent, and he does it very well!
Of course as a songwriter and musician there’s a selfish element to this gig-going and music appreciation challenge. I’m a big believer in looking beyond the obvious places for unique musical influences that can help bring colour to the Mister Chorister project.
So, yeah, there’s a huge amount of interesting music being made right now. If you look past the mainstream then you’ll pretty easily find what you’re looking for… [U2 reference 🙂].
Do you think it’s easy to become a victim of our surroundings sometimes?
We are all influenced by the environments we grow up in, the people around us and the expectations that come with them. I recently heard a great quote from Jimmy Carr: “95% of your life is how you look at it; 5% is what happens to you.”
That really resonated with me.
Returning to music, this idea of ‘how you look at it’ was one of the biggest things I had to acknowledge. I’d spent decades believing there was a secure and sensible path I needed to follow: university, career, responsibility, all the usual stuff. I studied briefly at the Australian Institute of Music, but ultimately let that ‘security’ mentality derail my creative side.
Perhaps in another environment I’d have made different decisions. But I always felt I had the agency to make my own choices. I just chose security instead.
So I guess you can be aware of your environment and still make different decisions. Be mindful and understand the cost of playing it safe.
This is one of the central ideas running through Mister Chorister: sometimes the voice telling you what you should do might be fighting another voice telling you to go somewhere else.
It’s a concept I try to capture in “You’re Not Listening”. There’s not just one voice inside your head. We might romanticise the angel and devil sitting on each shoulder, but those competing voices are really expectations, doubts, instincts and responsibilities. They interpret our environment, but ultimately we have the agency to decide what’s best for ourselves.
What are your ambitions for the band?
Currently, Mister Chorister is a solo project, although it is clearly not a solo effort. I’ve made sure to involve other creatives where I don’t have the skills, and I’d like the project to develop beyond the studio as it grows.
The long-term ambition is definitely to build a band and take a show on tour, if there’s demand for it.
For now, I’m releasing the songs as individual chapters. The first three are out: “Brave”, “Spark” and “You’re Not Listening”. The fourth, “Missionary Girl”, is mostly recorded and there are plenty more songs behind it.
What started as an idea for an EP has gradually grown into something that could become an album, with a wider narrative around creativity, belief, relationships, responsibility, identity and the choices we make.
The interesting thing is that I didn’t sit down and decide to write an interconnected narrative. The songs came first. The connections came afterwards.
That’s become one of the things I love most about Mister Chorister. It feels less like I’m imposing a story on the music and more like I’m revealing one that was already there.
What’s your favourite social media platform to use and why?
Hmmm… favourite is a strong word.
I come from a land before time where social media was considered a poster for a band or festival. With today’s social media, there’s so much competition for attention, and people are constantly being told to post every day. Although it may work, that whole “post every day for a year and watch your account blow up” strategy sounds like terrible advice to me.
I have to say I don’t find social media very social. I find it tedious and inane, but addictive, so I’ll spend far too much time on YouTube, Instagram or Facebook.
Facebook probably takes most of my time, although with Mister Chorister, Instagram is catching up.
I’ve started looking at how to position the project, particularly its visual side, while sharing more of the character that is Mister Chorister. Secretly, I’m enjoying bringing that world alive, although it takes a lot of time that I’d rather spend creating.
We believe it’s essential to have a presence on Facebook, Instagram and X… What’s your thoughts on that?
I think, like most artists, social media was a bit of an afterthought. But it’s frustratingly important to understand. It’s your vehicle for getting the message out. Sadly, some do it really well, while for others it’s just a massive distraction. Either way, it’s a huge time drain that must be managed attentively.
Initially, you probably do need to try being everywhere to work out where your ‘tribe’ is and what actually gets a response. But you don’t necessarily need to stay everywhere forever.
I think it’s important to understand which platforms matter.
For me, I agree. Facebook and Instagram have been the obvious two. I’ve not had great success with TikTok, YouTube and X. But like I suggested earlier, haven’t stuck with it for long enough at this stage. And that’s because I do find social media a struggle. It could very easily become another full-time job. And as an independent musician, there’s already a lot to do. There’s a real temptation to take shortcuts if you feel that it’s unrelated to your art…
So there’s this game of compromise being played constantly asking how do I get back to focusing on the art. I think the most successful artists doing this at the moment are posting their artist story to their socials in the format of their art. Go check out what Edgar Allan Poets are doing.
What’s your view on the music industry today?
It’s an incredibly strange time to be making music, but it’s also really exciting.
The barriers to creating and releasing music have fallen enormously. Someone can make a record, release it internationally and potentially find an audience on the other side of the world from their bedroom. I’ve done some of that myself.
But everyone else can do exactly the same thing, so getting noticed is incredibly difficult. Emerging artists increasingly need to be a jack of all trades, covering everything from songwriting and musicianship to recording, production, social media, marketing and PR.
I heard a great quote recently: “Don’t get into the music industry, get into the music business.” That was a real eye opener for me.
The industry is a behemoth trying to find a way to survive. Don’t let it eat you up. Get smart, understand the business of music and work around the industry so you can make it work for your project.
Keep creating, but educate yourself on how to maximise your opportunities in an increasingly competitive space.
What’s your thoughts on AI-generated music?
It’s an interesting one because I see both sides.
The reality is that AI-generated music is here, probably isn’t going away and will become increasingly capable. There are undoubtedly useful applications for it, whether that’s production tools or generating entire songs.
But the possibility that AI-generated music could create the same sense of connection as human-generated music genuinely fills me with despair.
For me, music and art are about the human experience: the decisions, mistakes, collaborations and emotions that go into making it. Real stories.
Returning to music has meant so much to me precisely because it has been a human process. I’ve worked with other people, made decisions I wouldn’t have made alone, followed strange ideas and made mistakes that somehow worked.
I like knowing the origin of every element in the songs I produce, from the life experience that forged the song through to the performances of the people whose contributions become part of the final production.
I’ve found that involving other musicians has resulted in a far more enriching experience, both personally and musically. I don’t think I’d want to remove those human elements.
My aim is to ensure the Mister Chorister project remains a human-made and humane enterprise.
What’s the biggest thing you have learned recently as you progress with your music?
That you don’t necessarily need to know where you’re going before you start moving.
When I first returned to songwriting, I thought I needed to understand what a song was about before I could make progress. I’ve gradually realised that songs often tell you what they’re about and, if you listen closely, what they need next.
I now think of creativity as a quest, a journey of discovery, with uncertain outcomes that require you to pass through undefined waypoints. You follow one, then another, and eventually suddenly realise, as you look back, that you’ve uncovered a path connecting them all. A path that you hadn’t originally intended to take. Still, you look forward again and are no clearer on the route ahead. But once you start a quest you must go on.
And so for me therein lies the joy of our creative toil, of experiencing this life in full, not knowing where we’re going. The wider Mister Chorister story emerged from this space. The songs came first. The connections appeared between them afterwards.
In a strange way, that’s also become a metaphor for my return to music. I didn’t know where I was going when I picked up the guitar again. I knew I wanted to record some old songs and just needed to take the first step. But the destination slowly changed the more steps that I took.
What’s currently in your ears and on rotation?
I’m always listening to a fairly ridiculous mixture of things.
I’ve been listening to a lot of independent and emerging artists, many of whom I’ve met through musician communities and open mics, but I also keep going back to older favourites. I saw Duran Duran, Scissor Sisters, Sammy Hagar with Joe Satriani, The D.A.M. Trio and WAR over the summer.
I’ve also been listening to my own playlists because I’m constantly discovering new artists through them.
On social media I came across Scott Helman’s “Mr Record Label”. What a great groove, and such a fitting anthem for independent artists who secretly want the love of a label. It reminds me of Driver 67’s “Hey Mr Record Man”. I’m keen to write something along the lines of that groove and attitude.
What was your worst experience on stage? Any funny stories to share?
I don’t really have enough terrible stage experiences to compete with touring musicians! I’m relatively new to performing Mister Chorister live, so most of my memorable experiences have been positive.
One favourite moment was playing the Amersham Arms and realising people were genuinely responding to these songs.
I was also asked for a signature on one of the bespoke Mister Chorister coasters I’d put around the pub. I decided to use my name, but not my real signature. Instead, I tried to mimic a Donald Trump-style signature.
So it’s the only coaster out there with Mister Chorister trying to sign as Chris Brammer. It will soon be worth millions!
Speaking of millions, I commissioned the full Mister Chorister red coat and fedora. Best £700 I ever spent. Looks great, but my son’s inheritance is looking pretty slim.
Got any fun, funny stories from life on the road?
Most of my musical adventures so far have involved recording studios, spare bedrooms, computers and cups of coffee. No tour buses yet!
The closest story is the time I had to leave the UK for a day to validate a work permit. I took the hovercraft from Dover to Calais and met a British Legionnaire. My dad is ex-military, so we started having a good natter over rounds of Leffe Blonde.
By 4pm I realised I was suddenly quite sick. I remember lying comatose outside the hovercraft terminal before being awoken by two guards and an Alsatian.
I missed the last ferry and ended up sleeping at the terminal. A guy came in with his dog and a guitar and played for what seemed like an eternity. He was pretty good, though.
The next morning, passport control stopped me.
“Are you wanting to enter the UK?”
“Yes, I live and work there.”
“Are you sure you want to enter the UK?”
My visa wasn’t valid, so I stayed in Calais until I could contact my employer and the lawyers who sent me to Paris for three days while they sorted it out. It was Easter bank holiday weekend, so I had a lovely holiday walking the streets of Paris and definitely avoiding all the Parisian bars.
I hear you have new music. What can you tell us about it?
Indeed! “You’re Not Listening” is the third chapter of the Mister Chorister story.
The song started with the fairly ordinary frustration of not being heard by a colleague. But while writing it, I looked at the situation from their perspective and realised I wasn’t completely blameless.
That led to a more uncomfortable question: what if the person we’re not listening to is actually ourselves?
The song and that idea came more than a year before Mister Chorister existed. In writing it, I rediscovered how much I loved being creative and realised I may have been suppressing a part of myself.
Then the Mister Chorister idea arrived in December 2025.
The concept of competing voices has become central to the project. There’s Christopher, there’s Mister Chorister, and there are all those other voices we carry around: expectations, doubts, instincts, responsibilities and everything we tell ourselves we should be doing.
“You’re Not Listening” is about acknowledging those voices rather than simply accusing someone else of not listening.
The official music video premieres 18 September and is becoming an important part of the project too. I’m increasingly interested in the relationship between the songs and visuals, and how each can change the way you experience the other.
The visual world is no longer simply illustrating the music. It’s becoming part of the storytelling.
What was the recording process like?
Very collaborative. We tracked much of the song between home and studio environments. With Billy Crabbe on production, we went to Chris Castellitto’s bespoke ‘under the arches’ studio in West London to record the live drums, then back to East London for other parts, with much of the recording taking place in Billy’s apartment.
Billy is particularly good at creating an environment where you can try ideas that might sound ridiculous when you first suggest them. Some of the strangest things ended up being the most important.
The vocal production was deliberately experimental because I wanted the different vocal sounds to feel like competing voices inside the same head. We experimented with delays, megaphone effects, harmonies and guitar textures.
The song changed a lot during recording. That iterative process is now a big part of how I like to work. It’s less about arriving with a perfect blueprint and more about asking: what’s best for the song?
Would you change anything now it’s finished?
Nothing, ha! I’m sure if I opened the session tomorrow that I wouldn’t find another guitar part to tweak. I recall telling Billy, “You’ve pretty much replicated exactly what’s going on inside my head.”
However, early feedback on the release is mixed if I’m honest, and so it’s hard not to consider whether changes could work. There’s a point at which you hit diminishing returns, and it’s time to let it go and accept that you’ve done everything you can with the abilities in the room.
It’s a philosophy that I picked up from Rick Rubin’s The Creative Act: let it go and move on to the next project so you can implement what you’ve learned.
There’s always more learning in the mistakes you’ve left behind.
For me, this production feels like an honest representation of where the project has reached today. I’ve achieved everything I needed to on this release, and now I’m ready to move on to the next challenge, which will include learning some things I couldn’t on this one.
Is there anything else you would like to share with the world?
I’d really like to draw your readers’ attention to the final lyric in “You’re Not Listening”: It’s never too late, one step is all that it takes …. That’s all you need to get out of your head and make a fresh start. It might not be a physical step that’s required.
We all know this, but still it’s a massive challenge. I’ve spent a large part of my life believing that the opportunity to make music had passed me by. It hadn’t.
The first three Mister Chorister chapters have each taught me something different. “Brave” was about having the courage to begin. “Spark” was about reconnecting with the creativity I’d ignored for many years. “You’re Not Listening” turns that idea inward and asks what happens when you actually start listening to the voice you’ve been ignoring.
And I think that’s the bigger story behind Mister Chorister.
Sometimes we spend years listening to everybody else: what we’re supposed to do, what is sensible, what is realistic, what we should have achieved by now. Until eventually we stop listening to ourselves.
I’ve spent at least thirty years doing exactly that. But the time has finally come to listen, understand and act.
There are plenty more chapters to come. I have some idea of the thread, but I don’t completely know where the story is going yet.
And honestly, I’m quite happy and excited about that.
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