Chris “Dudley” Thompson is an acoustic singer/songwriter from Oxford, well he’s from Dudley originally, hence the name.
He first started playing the guitar at 15. Apparently he used to nick his mum’s acoustic and belt out Nirvana tunes on it.
After leaving school Chris and some mates formed their first band called Reverb. In his own words, ‘It was a rubbish name but we thought we were the dogs sausage’. After lying their way into a student battle of the bands competition, and coming second they decided to quit while they were ahead and split up.
Since then, he spent a brief period playing bass for Oxford band Law Abiding Citizens, but decided that it wasn’t for him so is now continuing along the path of acoustic solo artist. It is a good choice as you can hear by visiting myspace.com/dudleymusic78.
Such tunes as “For A Friend” and “Someday” give me goose bumps when I listen to them because of the honesty and openness in Chris’s deliverance of the music. There is a clarity in the way he plays and sings which is rare to find around here.
You can see Chris busking on Cornmarket Street in Oxford town centre if it isn’t raining and the sun is in the right place. When not there then you will most certainly see him at some of the open mic sessions around the town, like at The Cape Of Good Hope on a Wednesday night on the Cowley Road. When you find him demand that he sells you a copy of his 4 track EP which would be a very good purchase in this day and age.
So go forth and enjoy what this charming young man exudes. You will not be disappointed if you happen by him one afternoon under the dreaming spires of Oxford.
For music and more, go to:
Chris “Dudley” Thompson MySpace
By: Dave Tommo