Chris Traynor

Chris Traynor (born June 22, 1973) is an American musician, best known as the lead guitarist of the rock band Bush, since 2001. He was previously active in the post-hardcore group Orange 9mm, and he had an on-and-off stint with Helmet while working with Gavin Rossdale in Bush, Institute, as well as on Rossdale's solo album. He has also played with his partner Sibyl Buck in the band High Desert Fires.

Traynor has performed live with the British rock band Blur and done studio work with Katy Perry, Peter Green, Blue Man Group, and Rival Schools.

Early life Traynor grew up in Queens, New York. His parents enrolled him in the first Suzuki method music program in New York City, where he studied the violin.

Helmet (1997–1998; 2004–2006; 2010) Traynor originally joined Helmet as a touring guitarist in support of their fourth studio album, Aftertaste (1997). "Going to Helmet was an amazing move for me. I just played with the band and we did a week of rehearsals and he [Page Hamilton] showed up for the last one. Then we flew to Austria to play a huge festival with Tricky in Ebensee. I knew those songs and I felt like they were in my blood and Page was happy to not have to pay attention so much to what I was doing. He felt comfortable with me." They have released one album, Light Is the Revelation, in 2015.

Equipment

Traynor's first guitar was a pre-Gibson Epiphone Devon arch-top that originally belonged to his great-grandfather.

Musical influences As an early teen, Traynor enjoyed the music of King Crimson, Pat Metheny, Jane's Addiction, the Beatles, and Jimi Hendrix, among others.