Chris Bangs
Chris Bangs, originally named Floyd Christopher Bangs Jr., was born on
June 25,
1967 in
New Orleans,
Louisiana. He has been a singer, songwriter, writer, and poet.
Chris Bangs was the lead singer for Bacchanal, a band that would later become
Dust for Life. When Bangs left Bacchanal,
Dust for Life was formed by Hughes and two other members of Bacchanal,
guitarist Tim Fowler and keyboard/vocalist Mac Gurley.
Dust for Life's most notable accomplishments were the #10
Billboard Magazine Hit "Seed" and #40
Billboard Magazine Hit "Step Into The Light". Dust for Life was instrumental in establishing the career of
Evanescence and singer
Amy Lee.
Chris Bangs was the lead singer and lyricist of several bands starting at the age of 14 when he formed a
Doors cover band named Mojo Risin.
Bangs had an uncanny ability to imitate
Jim Morrison and his
baritone voice at 14 gained plenty of attention. "Sneaking out of the house to practice and play small gigs while pretending to be getting tutored was a hard thing to pull off, but we never got caught." says Bangs, "My parents heard about the band but with the wig and glasses nobody knew it was me." At 16 Bangs joined a local Louisiana band named ICE, the band never really got off of the ground so Bangs suggested they become a Kiss cover band, ICE broke up after 1 year of tribute success. At the age of 17, Bangs married his childhood sweetheart Deborah. The marriage ended after just 6 months. At the age of 18, Bangs joined the United States
Coast Guard reserves and attended Radio School in
Petaluma,
California. Bangs began producing his own music in his studio apartment on Independence Ave. in Metairie, LA. (now David DeFunk's Studio)
1982 - Bangs studied Opera under Charles Paddock at Loyola University in New Orleans and acting and directing under Stocker Fontelieu of La Petite Theatre New Orleans. Bangs worked on a number of films including "
Hobson's Choice", a play adapted for the American audience in the 1983 TV version starring Jack Warden, Sharon Gless and
Richard Thomas, as
Richard Thomas' stand end. Bangs also does several musicals in theaters in and around
New Orleans, including "
Auntie Mame" at the La Petite Theatre in New Orleans.
1984 - Chris obtained an Associate's Degree in Computer Science and became the first Suma Cum Lade Computer Science graduate of Phillips Junior College, New Orleans. Bangs was awarded the College Departmental Award for Computer Science and was on the President's list for 1983 and 1984. Chris would go on to Major in Business Administration and Advertising / Minor Mathematics earning a BS in Business Administration in 1987.
Although Bangs was primed for the business world of technology, in 1987 he decided to pursue a professional career as a musician.
1987 - Bangs met Jason Hughes a Stock Broker for Hilliard Lions Brokerage in Memphis, Hughes had heard of Bangs and asked him to join his band "Southbound". Southbound began with nothing but a small, windowless storage room studio at a Memphis Storage USA, and their dreams. After picking up drummer Jay Campbell and Lead Guitar Tom Bronsen and with the support of their manager, Talysin Music, the unit began playing the club scene in and around
Memphis.
1988 - Southbound would become Bacchanal and the music would change from Southern Rock to
Grunge. The personnel musical chairs began as Tom and Jay left the band for other ventures and were replaced, only to eventually return to reform the original lineup. By April
1989, less than two years after the band's inception, Bacchanal was showcasing for major labels and enjoying a strong following in Tennessee. Bacchanal certainly seemed to be on the road to stardom when relationship problems between Bangs, Hughes, and Bangs' new wife, Mechelle flared up. Bangs would leave the band. Jason Hughes went on to form the
Billboard Magazine charting band
Dust for Life with the fragmented pieces of Bacchanal and a new even more talented line-up.
1996 - Chris was instrumental co-founding and forming The Independent Musician's Guild, and Band Utopia. (a free musician's resource)
1997 - Chris Bangs founded Lenderhost, Inc., a hosting company that specializes in providing technical services to the banking industry.
1998 - Bangs funded and inked a deal between Indiegroup, Band Utopia, and Freeservers.com to provide musician Web Sites to any musician or band free of charge.
2005 Chris Bangs became involved in the
ONE Campaign and founded the Jazz4Life charity project.
2006 Chris Bangs is the CEO of Lenderhost, Inc. and is a renowned speaker and instructor in the banking industry.
Currently Chris Bangs produces and arranges music for soundtracks, relaxation programs, seminar products, and new age self help materials.
