CJ Wilson

Last time we spoke with Chris Wilson, in July last year, he was about to launch his first EP, Grace To Begin, at the Brass Monkey in Cronulla.
He has plenty to showor the time that has passed since then, having clocked up more than 50 solid performances in and around sydney and managing to distrubute the 500 copies of his first CD.
Now Chris is ready to launch his second EP 'Pieces of an Overhead View', and to celebrate he has announced his first full-band show at the Brass Monkey.
He reckons that, thanks to the help he has had from various professional musicians, this is a vastly superior effort to that first EP he recorded by himself in early 2005.
'My first release was really just to get out there and get amongst the scene;however, this time round i really wanted to create something of market standard quality, and i think i've succeded with that,' Chris said.
But 'Pieces of an Overhead View' is not really an EP more of a promotion of the full length album he plans on releasing in 2007.
It will be titled 'Overhead View' and these songs will appear on the album.
Chris says he will use the time between now and then to generate interest.
Chris will launch his EP tonight at the Brass Monkey.
Tickets are $8 Pre-sale $10 at the door.
Doors open at 7pm. - Sutherland Shire Leader (by Maria Galnovic) 12/10/06

These days, when Chris Wilson answers his phone, there is a note of uncertainty in his tone.
Where there would have been a crisp 'Chris speaking' there is somewhat a hesitant 'hello'.
This is probably because he is trying to decide which name to use - his new name, Dylan Thomas, or the name on his birth certificate. Such is the nature of show-business.
Chris, 25, of Cronulla, has been around for a while as a professional musician - as a teacher, solo artist and as part of a band. Just like every musician worth his guitar, he wants to extend his fan base and progress up the ladder of success.
But there already is a Chris Wilson - an older and quite well established blues muso from Melbourne known for his harmonica playing.
'I found a promoter interested in working with me to promote my new EP ' Pieces of an Overhead View', but after putting together the campaign he thought it would be better if i changed my name so people in the media and general public don't get confused'.
'I was a bit worried about pumping all this money into promotion and have the general public and the music industry people think it was someone else.'
The name Dylan Thomas came about quite naturally. His father is a MAD Bob Dylan fan, which was always being playing around the house, and they both enjoy reading the Welsh born poet Dylan Thomas.
And, as a child, Chris wanted to change his name to Dylan. Somewhere in there Tom Petty also gets a mention as a source of inspiration, as do his Hungarian great-grandparents, one of whom was a poet.
Chris is also a poet, writing his own verse from his life's experiences and setting them to music.
He will start promoting his CD in August and, given lots of luck and radio play, he hopes to be touring later in the year. In the meantime, if you see Chris Wilson at the Brass Monkey or anywhere else, don't forget to call him Dylan Thomas. - Sutherland Shire Leader by Maria Galinovic

Dylan Thomas is not afraid to talk up his competitors.
His melodic pop ballads immediately recall contemporaries such as josh pyke, lior and pete murray, and he has nothing but praise for them.
'Just to see someone like Lior who has come from an absolutely grass roots is really inspiring', Thomas says. 'I play lior songs and try to sound like him'.
'I look at pete murray and if anything hes made it easier for guys like me.'
Thomas is unsigned and has been doing the solo thing for nearly four years now, building a steady following at his local. The Brass Monkey Cronulla.
'I want to be doing this for a long time', he said. 'Thats one thing i realised a long time ago.'
Dylan Thomas launches his new EP with a full band at the Sandrigham Hotel, 387 King Street Newtown on August 22nd. - Vanessa Santer - MX Newspaper (1/8/07)

Back in March, Michael Smith, reviewed an EP, Pieces of an Overhead View, by a young local indie singer-songwriter. Five months later the same EP turns up with a different name attached - Dylan Thomas.
'I had so many problems with my old name,' the artist formerly known as a Chris Wilson laughs. 'I kept on sending stuff out and the more known i got, the more issues i had with people getting confused. It kept on causing me problems so i thought i probably should change it.'
Obviously the confusion was prompted by the existance of a certain Melbourne-based, harmonica-blowing, leather-lunged bluesman, but Wilson's choice of a dead Welsh poet's name as an alternative was basically random.
He'd always liked the name Dylan but has never read any of Thomas' poetry and was unaware that another singer/songwriter name Zimmerman back in the early 60's was inspired to change his name to Dylan by that poetry. Odd really since it was Wilson's passion for poetry as much as anything that got him into the singer/songwriter game in the first place.

'For awhile I was a guitar player in cover bands. I have to admit when i was younger the guitar playing was always a very private thing to me. It was never something i'd show off to my friends. It was something i did in my bedroom, kind of like a therapy. But i was always interested in writing poetry, even before i started playing guitar. I think guitar playing for me is a natural thing, but singing is more of an applied science. Its really just a vehicle to use my writing,' he says.

On Pieces of an Overhead View, Wilson wraps that writing with bright, light-infused acoustic pop and just a hint of rock edge. 'Alot of the music was written about the first time i went overseas. The first song on the EP, Duluth Street, is about a street of that name in Montreal - Canada, and i jsut had the most experience over there. The other songs i guess are a morphing of all kinds of different bands that i liked when i was younger.'

There was an earlier EP, Grace to Begin, which Wilson/Thomas had recorded at home in his bedroom, something he cringes about now. 'It got me out there abd ut was something i could hand out to people but it wasn't what i'd hoped it could be, so it was obvious i had to find someone who could see my vision for the music. I met ten or 11 different producers but i met Lindsay Rimes just by chance really abd even then i wasn't sure, but he had a good vibe so i went for it.'

WHO - Dylan Thomas
WHAT - Pieces of an Overhead View (MGM)
WHEN + WHERE Wed 22nd August, Sandringham Hotel, Newtown - Michael Smith - Drum Media (21/8/07)

It’s all falling into place for Sydney singer-songwriter CJ Wilson. His brand of acoustic pop features Wilsons' sweet skyward melodies and beautiful arrangements. His voice, one that that defies limits and, like his idols John Mayer and Jamie Cullum, effortlessly oozes sincerity and charm.

It’s a coming of age story that sees Wilson leaving his surfside suburban bedroom, where he recorded his first EP ‘Grace To Begin’ back in 05.

In 06 he heads into the city to record with a full band and orchestra. Thomas sought the services of Lindsay Rimes at Songrimes Studio. “It was really such a blast to work with some great session players, and have all these people on board working towards the goal, which was my vision. I knew exactly what I wanted the whole time, and my intuition on something never let me down once. So it was a really satisfying experience.”

Now 07 his new EP Pieces of an Overhead View is ready to be launched at the

Sandringham Hotel in Newtown on Saturday August 22, 2007.

No stranger to playing live, Wilson has honed his skills on the open mic and club circuit playing more than 200 shows in over 50 different venues, and regularly selling out his local - the Brass Monkey in Cronulla. Sure, he’s played to his fair share of empty rooms. But some really satisfying performances come to mind. Sydney’s Fashion Week, and some supports with the likes of Sarah McLeod (SuperJesus), IOTA, Carus and the True Believers, and Monique Brumby.

- Monique Lisa (8/07)

The Australian Pearl Jam Show is undoubtedly a little poorer since Chris Wilson left to pursue a solo career. A talented and comitted musican he has gone out on his own to focus on original music.

"I want to do this without a shadow of a doubt," he said when launching his first CD.
Chris, 23, from Cronulla has been working towards this part of his life since he was 15 and playing in bands while attending Cronulla High School. In 2002, he formed an acoustic covers duo, playing guitar and providing backup vocals. In 2004 he moved to the Pearl Jam Show, playing more than 50 shows, some in various parts of Australia.
Around this time he started performing original material which led to recording the EP 'Grace To Begin', getting more fans along with more solo work.

Chris believes he has something unique to offer and delivers moving and heartfelt performances each time he picks up his guitar, drawing comparisons to the likes of John Mayer and Ben Lee. His songs are not only well-crafted and catchy they also offer a picture into his view of the world.

Chris will launch his CD at the Brass Monkey this Saturday. Doors Open 7pm - $12. - St. George/Sutherland Shire Leader (by Maria Galinovic) 20/06/05