Singer-songwriter Chris T-T releases his ‘Best Of’ double CD on May 19th – celebrating 20 years in music – after a tour that includes All Hallows Church, Leeds on May 5th.

May 2017 marks Chris T-T’s 20th anniversary making music. The same week in 1997 that Tony Blair came to power, Chris moved to London and before the end of May he’d played his first solo gigs (Chris that is, not Tony) and self-released his debut 7” single.

Shortly after, Chris home recorded and self-released his debut album Beatverse (years before this became commonplace) on a MiniDisc four-track with no computer. Beatverse was barely distributed but won Chris label interest and Radio 1 plays from Steve Lamacq, who championed the song ‘Shit From All Angles’ on the Evening Session. By Christmas, Chris was guesting live on the show.

Over two decades since then, Chris T-T has always walked his own path, with visionary psych pop, startling humour and unflinching, sometimes discomforting radicalism. He’s released 10 solo albums to consistent praise and played over 2,300 shows worldwide. Ten years ago he joined the Xtra Mile Recordings family, signing in 2007 on the suggestion of fast-rising young singer and fan Frank Turner. He has released four albums with Xtra Mile; Capital (2008), Love Is Not Rescue (2010), The Bear (2013) and last year’s 9 Green Songs.

So this May, let’s celebrate Chris T-T’s 20 years of loyal dissent with a first ever career retrospective: the imaginatively titled double CD Best Of. For the first time Chris will also compile his song lyrics into a book, published to coincide. DISC #1 focuses on Chris’s most loved songs from over the years and DISC #2 is a rarities collection of Chris’s favourite studio recordings that haven’t been released on CD before. Full track-listing below.

Charlie Caplowe, MD of Xtra Mile Recordings says this about Chris T-T and the Best Of release:

“From the very start it’s been an absolute pleasure to work with Chris both in a business and social sense.  We’re really proud to have been along for the ride for at least half of his amazing 20 year career. Here’s to another 20!”

Chris is also doing a short run of ‘Best Of’ concerts in the UK as well as playing his first appearance at the illustrious Cambridge Folk Festival. Full dates announced so far are:

Chris T-T 20th Anniversary ‘Best Of’ Concerts:

APRIL

Sat 15 CARDIFF Wales Goes Pop! Festival

Fri 28 TROWBRIDGE Town Hall Arts

Sat 29 WARWICK Wild Boar

Sun 30 BARNSLEY May Day Festival Of Solidarity

MAY

Fri 5 LEEDS All Hallows Church

Sat 6 MANCHESTER Anthony Burgess Centre – The Engine Room

Fri 12 ABERDEEN The Lemon Tree

Fri 19 CAMBRIDGE Unitarian Church

Sat 20 BRISTOL Café Kino

Tue 23 BRIGHTON Komedia

Still busy as ever, in the past year Chris has released grief-stricken ecology record 9 Green Songs (sequel to 2005’s 9 Red Songs), been sole musician (piano accompanist) on the Jim Bob (Carter USM) album Jim Bob Sings Again, completed a set of narrative folk ballads as Creative Fellow at the National Trust Workhouse, Southwell, and played more guest piano on fellow Xtra Mile artist Non Canon’s debut. Meanwhile his weekly late night folk music show Midnight Campfire on Sussex radio station Juice 107.2 has a growing loyal following.