Musicians
Cris Martin – Guitar
“What Cris Martin does comes straight from the heart and soul, with the emotion flowing through the fingers. He has the ability to compete with any of the flash, hard riding guitar heroes who litter the world.” – Malcolm Dome Journeyman guitarist Cris Martin grew up in south London in the 1970s learning guitar and committed to playing songs from his favourite bands: Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Thin Lizzy and Rush. He joined metal band Destroyer who released one single “Evil Place”. In 1982 he was then picked from one hundred applicants to join NWBHM cult band Thunderstick. With Thunderstick he recorded an EP ‘Feel Like Rock & Roll?’ and an album ‘Beauty & the Beasts’ and also played on a second unreleased album. Following his time in Thunderstick, Cris worked as a session guitarist and also performed with his own bands. These included Master, a power metal outfit with whom he recorded an album, and also a female- fronted four-piece band called Fired Up. In spite of numerous headline gigs at the iconic Marquee club the band failed to secure a record deal and Cris quit the music business for several years. In 2016 Cris returned with a critically-acclaimed semi-instrumental album ‘Rock Dawn’ which featured ex-Iron Maiden vocalist Blaze Bayley and also his former Thunderstick bandmate Barry Graham Purkis on drums. Cris played all guitars, acoustic guitars, 4 & 5 string bass guitars, mandolin and electronic drum programming on Heretic, Harmonic Crunch and The Calling. Cris Martin’s Rock Dawn performed at the 2017 Burrfest festival in London. In 2018, Cris relocated to Staffordshire and kept a relatively low profile. In 2020 Cris controversially recorded a charity single to help promote the case of Jeremy Bamber who he believes was wrongly convicted and jailed for crimes he did not commit. In 2021, Cris put together a new touring lineup which featured former Thunderstick vocalist Lucie V but this failed to get off the ground mainly due to the singer’s lack of availability and the band subsequently folded. Around this time Cris began to experience problems with his wrists and in 2021, he was diagnosed with trapped nerves and issues with the Carpal Tunnel in his wrists. Cris continues with regular physio and medication to mitigate the effects on his playing.