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Chris Knox
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<h2 id="career">Career</h2> <p>At the 2001 <a href="/facts/New_Zealand_Music_Awards/LxhN33bp">New Zealand Music Awards</a> Knox's ballad "<a href="/facts/Not_Given_Lightly/kWQRfrjk">Not Given Lightly</a>" (1990) was announced as New Zealand's thirteenth best song of all time, as voted by <a href="/facts/Australasian_Performing_Right_Association/1fU63RQX">APRA</a> members.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:1" href="#fn:1"><sup>1</sup></a> A love song written for "John and Liesha's mother"—his then-partner Barbara—this track never scaled commercial heights though it has belatedly generated some income for the songwriter through its use in TV advertising (notably for Vogel's bread). </p><p>Knox has played live in front of audiences all around New Zealand, winning a reputation for his sometimes confrontational style, and performed annually at Wellington's <a href="/facts/Bar_Bodega/YGz0Qg19">Bar Bodega</a>. He has also extensively toured internationally. His swing through the US in 1995 included, among others, stops in Seattle to play the <a href="/facts/Crocodile_Cafe/2CU7lAfX">Crocodile Cafe</a>. His minimalist, <a href="/facts/DIY/C2Gf8VJW">DIY</a> sound played well to ears then-focused on <a href="/facts/Grunge/X7CbpRLF">grunge</a>, with its retro-punk stylings. </p><p>A long-time resident of <a href="/facts/Auckland/wRcayHa2">Auckland</a>, Knox spent time as a newspaper columnist and film reviewer for Real Groove. In 1986-1987, he edited and published three issues of a New Zealand comics anthology <i>Jesus on a Stick</i>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:2" href="#fn:2"><sup>2</sup></a> Starting in 1987, his satirical comic strip <i>Max Media</i> appeared in <i><a href="/facts/The_New_Zealand_Herald/YB9ledeR">The New Zealand Herald</a></i> every week until 2009. He has also been an occasional television film reviewer, hosted a <a href="/facts/Television_New_Zealand/mgvf4yf0">Television New Zealand</a> season of classic movies 'The Vault', and presented two seasons of arts series New Artland. </p><p>Knox launched his own label 'A Major Records' in 2006 to release the album <i>Chris Knox and the Nothing</i>. This was the first album Knox recorded in a professional studio, rather than in his trademark DIY style, since his time with Toy Love. </p><p>Knox's "It's Love", from the 2000 album <i>Beat</i>, has been used in "Share the Good", a <a href="/facts/Heineken_Premium_Light/H8ore8Vx">Heineken Premium Light</a> commercial directed by <a href="/facts/Todd_Haynes/EDIHWEmt">Todd Haynes</a> and cinematographed by <a href="/facts/Edward_Lachman/W7IhHQrH">Edward Lachman</a>. </p><p>In 2009 Knox was awarded a New Zealand Arts Foundation Arts Laureate Award.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a> </p><p>On 11 June 2009 Knox was admitted to Auckland Hospital suffering from a stroke.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a> The album <i><a href="/facts/Stroke:_Songs_for_Chris_Knox/7c0rGcyf">Stroke: Songs for Chris Knox</a></i> was released in New Zealand on 16 November 2009. It features 33 artists performing Knox's songs. The album is a way for Knox's fans to contribute to the costs of his rehabilitation. All artists contributed their time and talent without charge. Artists include <a href="/facts/Jay_Reatard/IVKGzgSw">Jay Reatard</a>, <a href="/facts/David_Kilgour_(musician)/6exUqcMK">David Kilgour</a>, <a href="/facts/The_Mint_Chicks/oMKeg8pc">The Mint Chicks</a>, <a href="/facts/Shayne_Carter/qUm5x9kk">Shayne Carter</a>, <a href="/facts/Yo_La_Tengo/BRzSdFHX">Yo La Tengo</a>, <a href="/facts/Bonnie_%27Prince%27_Billy/dBAzspWs">Bonnie 'Prince' Billy</a>, <a href="/facts/Bill_Callahan_(musician)/SuE1FY6c">Bill Callahan</a>, <a href="/facts/The_Mountain_Goats/E5bfYndG">The Mountain Goats</a>, <a href="/facts/The_Bats_(New_Zealand_band)/QTNpJA7x">The Bats</a>, <a href="/facts/The_Chills/IUXvV5nn">The Chills</a>, <a href="/facts/The_Verlaines/PXUVDRCe">The Verlaines</a>, <a href="/facts/Jeff_Mangum/b3qwIdUD">Jeff Mangum</a>, The Nothing (including Chris), Tall Dwarfs and <a href="/facts/Lou_Barlow/tYdAolyo">Lou Barlow</a>. </p><p>The <a href="/facts/Greenwich_Village/yqbBHchP">Greenwich Village</a> arts venue Le Poisson Rouge hosted a benefit concert for Knox on 6 May 2010.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a> Artists included Jeff Mangum and Yo La Tengo, who both participated in the 2009 benefit album for Knox. </p><p>Since his stroke, Knox has done a very small number of live appearances, for instance at the presentation of <i>Stroke – Songs For Chris Knox</i> in November 2009,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a> on 22 April 2012,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a> on 29 September 2012 in Auckland, with Rackets, as Knoxious<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a> and in support of <a href="/facts/Neutral_Milk_Hotel/CLVebgML">Neutral Milk Hotel</a> on 23 and 24 of November, 2013.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9"><sup>9</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="discography">Discography</h2> <h3>LPs</h3> <table><tbody><tr><th rowspan="2">Year</th><th rowspan="2">Title</th><th rowspan="2">Details</th><th>Peak chartpositions</th></tr><tr><th><a href="/facts/Official_New_Zealand_Music_Chart/Ukp3oqXG">NZ</a></th></tr><tr><td>1981</td><td><i>Songs for Cleaning Guppies</i></td><td><ul><li>Label: Flying Nun</li><li>Catalogue: ME 1</li></ul></td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td>1988</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Seizure_(album)/mwYLMzE1">Seizure</a></i></td><td><ul><li>Label: Flying Nun</li><li>Catalogue: FN125</li></ul></td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td>1991</td><td><i>Croaker</i></td><td><ul><li>Label: Flying Nun</li><li>Catalogue: FN165</li></ul></td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td>1993</td><td><i>Polyfoto, Duck-Shaped Pain and Gum</i></td><td><ul><li>"Polyfoto" (introduction), <i>Duck-Shaped Pain</i> (LP), "Gum" (bonus EP)</li><li>Label: Flying Nun</li><li>Catalogue: FN249</li></ul></td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td>1995</td><td><i>Songs of You And Me</i></td><td><ul><li>Double album – <i>Hanging Out for Time to Cure Birth</i> and <i>A Stranger's Iron Shore</i></li><li>Label: Flying Nun</li><li>Catalogue: FN313</li></ul></td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td>1997</td><td><i>Yes!!</i></td><td><ul><li>Released: 23 September 1997</li><li>Label: Flying Nun</li><li>Catalogue: FN400</li></ul></td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td>2000</td><td><i>Beat</i></td><td><ul><li>Released: 22 August 2000</li><li>Label: Flying Nun</li><li>Catalogue: FN444</li></ul></td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td>2002</td><td><i>Inaccuracies & Omissions</i></td><td><ul><li>Released as Friend</li><li>Released: 31 March 2003</li><li>Label: Flying Nun</li><li>Catalogue: FN471</li></ul></td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td>2005</td><td><i>Chris Knox & The Nothing</i></td><td><ul><li>Released as Chris Knox & The Nothing</li><li>Label: A Major Label</li><li>sometimes called <i>Play Loud for Best Results</i></li></ul></td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td>2008</td><td><i>A Warm Gun</i></td><td><ul><li>Released as The Nothing</li><li>Label: A Major Label</li><li>Catalogue: AMAJ001</li></ul></td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td colspan="4">"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.</td></tr></tbody></table> <h3>Compilations</h3> <table><tbody><tr><th rowspan="2">Year</th><th rowspan="2">Title</th><th rowspan="2">Details</th><th>Peak chartpositions</th></tr><tr><th><a href="/facts/Official_New_Zealand_Music_Chart/Ukp3oqXG">NZ</a></th></tr><tr><td>1993</td><td><i>Meat</i></td><td><ul><li>Compilation of tracks from <i>Seizure</i> and <i>Croaker</i></li><li>Label: Communion</li><li>Catalogue: COMM 28-2</li></ul></td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td>1999</td><td><i>Almost</i></td><td><ul><li>Bonus CD with <i>Yes!!</i></li><li>Label: Dark Beloved Cloud</li><li>Catalogue: DBC 220</li></ul></td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td colspan="4">"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.</td></tr></tbody></table> <h3>Tribute albums</h3> <table><tbody><tr><th rowspan="2">Year</th><th rowspan="2">Title</th><th rowspan="2">Details</th><th>Peak chartpositions</th></tr><tr><th><a href="/facts/Official_New_Zealand_Music_Chart/Ukp3oqXG">NZ</a></th></tr><tr><td>2009</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Stroke:_Songs_for_Chris_Knox/7c0rGcyf">Stroke: Songs for Chris Knox</a></i></td><td><ul><li>Various artists</li><li>Released: 15 November 2009</li><li>Label: Merge Records</li><li>Catalogue: AMAJ002</li></ul></td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td colspan="4">"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.</td></tr></tbody></table> <h3>Singles and EPs</h3> <table><tbody><tr><th rowspan="2">Year</th><th rowspan="2">Title</th><th rowspan="2">Details</th><th>Peak chartpositions</th></tr><tr><th><a href="/facts/Official_New_Zealand_Music_Chart/Ukp3oqXG">NZ</a></th></tr><tr><td>1989</td><td>"<a href="/facts/Not_Given_Lightly/kWQRfrjk">Not Given Lightly</a>" / <i>Guppiplus</i></td><td><ul><li>Label: Flying Nun</li><li>Catalogue: FN127</li></ul></td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td>1990</td><td>"Not Given Lightly"</td><td><ul><li>Label: Flying Nun</li><li>Catalogue: FN152</li></ul></td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td>1990</td><td><i>Song For 1990</i></td><td><ul><li>Label: Flying Nun</li><li>Catalogue: FN155</li></ul></td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td>1993</td><td>"Under The Influence"</td><td><ul><li>Label: Flying Nun</li><li>Catalogue: FN266</li></ul></td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td>1993</td><td>Chris Knox/Tall Dwarfs split</td><td><ul><li>Label: Forced Exposure</li><li>Catalogue: FE-031</li></ul></td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td>1993</td><td>"Not Given Lightly"</td><td><ul><li>Label: Communion</li><li>Catalogue: COMM 26-1</li></ul></td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td>1995</td><td><i>One Fell Swoop</i></td><td><ul><li>Label: FN316</li><li>Catalogue: Flying Nun</li></ul></td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td>1996</td><td><i>Songs From 1990</i></td><td><ul><li>Label: Caroline</li><li>Catalogue: CAR 7528</li></ul></td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td>1996</td><td>15th Anniversary Etching</td><td><ul><li>Label: Flying Nun</li><li>Catalogue: FN372</li></ul></td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td>1998</td><td>"Not Given Lightly"</td><td><ul><li>Label: Curveball</li><li>Catalogue: Curve 3CD</li></ul></td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td colspan="4">"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.</td></tr></tbody></table> <h3>See also</h3> <p class="note">For a more comprehensive list, see <a href="/facts/Toy_Love/aIPG4zKI">Toy Love</a>.</p> <p class="note">For a more comprehensive list, see <a href="/facts/Tall_Dwarfs/7bR9QnXn">Tall Dwarfs</a>.</p> <ul><li>Category:Albums produced by Chris Knox</li></ul> <h2 id="awards">Awards</h2> <h3>Aotearoa Music Awards</h3> <p>The <a href="/facts/Aotearoa_Music_Awards/LxhN33bp">Aotearoa Music Awards</a> (previously known as <i>New Zealand Music Awards</i> (NZMA)) are an annual awards night celebrating excellence in <a href="/facts/Music_in_New_Zealand/Rj8R3gBE">New Zealand music</a> and have been presented annually since 1965. </p> <table><tbody><tr><th scope="col">Year</th><th scope="col">Nominee / work</th><th scope="col">Award</th><th scope="col">Result</th><th>Ref.</th></tr><tr><td>1993</td><td>Chris Knox for <i>Duck Shaped Pain and Gum</i></td><td>Album Cover of the Year</td><td>Nominated</td><td rowspan="4"><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10"><sup>10</sup></a></td></tr><tr><td>1994</td><td>Chris Knox for <i><a href="/facts/3_EPs/16HHw5dC">3 EPs</a></i> by <a href="/facts/Tall_Dwarfs/7bR9QnXn">Tall Dwarfs</a></td><td>Album Cover of the Year</td><td>Nominated</td></tr><tr><td>1995</td><td>Chris Knox for <i>Songs of You and Me</i></td><td>Album Cover of the Year</td><td>Nominated</td></tr><tr><td>2006</td><td>Chris Knox for <i>As Sweet As Sin</i> (Bleeders)</td><td>Album Cover of the Year</td><td>Won</td></tr><tr><td>2012</td><td>Chris Knox (as part of Toy Love)</td><td><a href="/facts/New_Zealand_Music_Hall_of_Fame/clc8LwEX">New Zealand Music Hall of Fame</a></td><td>inductee</td><td><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11"><sup>11</sup></a></td></tr></tbody></table> <h2 id="external-links">External links</h2> <ul><li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20051129214112/http://www.listener.co.nz/default,2247.sm">NZ Listener Interview with Chris Knox</a> ()</li> <li><a href="https://www.audioculture.co.nz/people/chris-knox">Audio Culture Profile on Chris Knox including artwork and video collection</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.myspace.com/chrisknoxandthenothing">Chris Knox + 0</a> – official MySpace site</li> <li><a href="http://www.nzonscreen.com/collection/chrisknox">NZOnScreen collection of Chris Knox's music videos</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.nzonscreen.com/person/chris-knox/biography">NZOnScreen biography</a></li> <li>Interview with Knox by Roger Shepherd <a href="http://screentalk.nzonscreen.com/interviews/roger-shepherd-talks-to-chris-knox">Part 1</a> and <a href="http://screentalk.nzonscreen.com/interviews/roger-shepherd-talks-to-chris-knox-part-2">Part 2</a></li> <li><a href="https://tiaki.natlib.govt.nz/#details=ecatalogue.1006724">Chris Knox master tape archive</a> at the <a href="/facts/National_Library_of_New_Zealand/LRToWlVY">Alexander Turnbull Library</a></li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>Chris Knox, "Not Given Lightly", The Listener 194(3352), 7–13 August 2004. <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>Kinnaird, Adrian (2013). From Earth's End: The Best of New Zealand Comics. Auckland, New Zealand: Random House New Zealand. p. 55. ISBN 9781869799953. <a href="9781869799953" target="_blank">9781869799953</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>Herrick, Linda (17 November 2009). "Arts award brightens trying time". New Zealand Herald. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 25 January 2019. <a href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10609980" target="_blank">https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10609980</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>"Radio New Zealand : News : Story Not Found". www.radionz.co.nz. Archived from the original on 22 February 2012. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120222060714/http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/stories/2009/06/13/1245b5db98e0" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20120222060714/http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/stories/2009/06/13/1245b5db98e0</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>"Jeff Mangum Announces Rare Performance at Chris Knox Benefit". Pitchfork. 26 March 2010. Retrieved 29 March 2010. <a href="http://pitchfork.com/news/38295-jeff-mangum-announces-rare-performance-at-chris-knox-benefit/" target="_blank">http://pitchfork.com/news/38295-jeff-mangum-announces-rare-performance-at-chris-knox-benefit/</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>Gilchrist, Shane (28 November 2009). "Local legends rally for Knox (page 1) | Otago Daily Times Online News : Otago, South Island, New Zealand & International News". Otago Daily Times. Retrieved 13 December 2012. <a href="http://www.odt.co.nz/entertainment/music/83750/local-legends-rally-knox?page=0%2C0" target="_blank">http://www.odt.co.nz/entertainment/music/83750/local-legends-rally-knox?page=0%2C0</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>Marika Hill (21 April 2012). "Rock Legend Chris Knox Returns to the Stage". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 13 December 2012. <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/music/6786958/Chris-Knox-returns-to-the-stage" target="_blank">http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/music/6786958/Chris-Knox-returns-to-the-stage</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:8"><p>"Rackets Announce Auckland Show With Chris Knox – Music News at Undertheradar". Undertheradar.co.nz. 18 September 2012. Retrieved 21 November 2013. <a href="http://www.undertheradar.co.nz/news/5777/Rackets-Announce-Auckland-Show-With-Chris-Knox.utr" target="_blank">http://www.undertheradar.co.nz/news/5777/Rackets-Announce-Auckland-Show-With-Chris-Knox.utr</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:9"><p>"Two Little Birds: Jeff Mangum, Chris Knox and how broken nerves get better". The Lumière Reader. 16 December 2013. Retrieved 13 January 2019. <a href="http://lumiere.net.nz/index.php/two-little-birds-jeff-mangum-chris-knox-neutral-milk-hotel/" target="_blank">http://lumiere.net.nz/index.php/two-little-birds-jeff-mangum-chris-knox-neutral-milk-hotel/</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:10"><p>"Aotearoa Music Awards". aotearoamusicawards.nz. Archived from the original on 25 October 2020. Retrieved 18 August 2021. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20201025201023/https://aotearoamusicawards.nz/award-history/" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20201025201023/https://aotearoamusicawards.nz/award-history/</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:11"><p>"HOME INDUCTEES". www.musichall.co.nz. Retrieved 16 August 2021. <a href="https://www.musichall.co.nz/home/inductees/" target="_blank">https://www.musichall.co.nz/home/inductees/</a> <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>