Dominic Chad (born 5 June 1972 in Exeter, Devon, England)[1] is an English musician, formerly the lead guitarist, backing vocalist, arranger and co-writer of the rock band Mansun.[2][3]

Dominic Chad
Birth nameDominic Chad
Born (1972-06-05) 5 June 1972 (age 51)
Exeter, Devon, England
GenresAlternative rock, indie rock, Britpop, progressive rock
Occupation(s)Musician, songwriter
Instrument(s)Guitar, vocals, keyboards, piano, synthesizers, bass
Years active1991–present

Biography edit

Early days edit

Born in Exeter, Devon, Chad grew up in Maidstone, Kent[4] where he attended Maidstone Grammar School. Dominic went on to study French and Russian at Bangor University, where he met bassist Mark Howard. They formed the band "Floating Bear" in 1991 with Lance Paine, Pete James and Iain Jenner and released a five-track cassette entitled "Barely Real".[5] The band regularly played at the university's student bar including an Amnesty benefit gig, and also played at Pontardawe Festival.[6]

Mansun edit

After being kicked off his degree at the end of the second year,[7] Chad re-located to Chester where he worked as a barman at the Fat Cat Cafe Bar on Watergate Street and met Stove King and Paul Draper, with whom he formed Mansun.[8] Whilst in Mansun, Chad worked as an arranger and songwriter, and co-wrote several of Mansun's songs with Draper as well as writing and performing a number of B-sides himself. He also took lead vocals on some of Mansun's songs, such as "Golden Stone", a B-side to "I Can Only Disappoint U" and a live cover of the Magazine single "Shot by Both Sides".

After nearly eight years together, Mansun broke up in 2003 whilst working on their fourth studio album.[9]

Post-Mansun career edit

Chad has since gone on to work as a support worker, supporting people with learning difficulties, physical disabilities and brain injuries.[10] From 2005 to 2010, he worked as an ambulance medic in the London Ambulance Service. Chad studied at the Oxford School of Sports Massage completing their Level 5 BTEC diploma, and also works as a therapist. He also volunteers as a RNLI Lifeboat Crew member in his spare time[11] and in 2016 participated in Team Trailtriker, "4 women and 4 men from the UK aiming to raise as much money for Oxfam whilst raising awareness of those battling cancer and widening awareness of a rare illness called POEMS Syndrome".

Chad also composed and performed the music for the short film The Man on the Moor, directed by his friend Steven Rosam.[12] He has also written and co-written episodes for Wussywat The Clumsy Cat, a children's TV show screened on CBeebies from June 2015.[13]

As of 2019, Chad is working as an area manager with people who have learning difficulties.

List of Mansun songs composed by Dominic Chad edit

Composed alone
Year Title Release
1998 "Face in the Crowd" "Legacy" (single)
"Inverse Midas" Six
"Witness to a Murder (Part Two)"
2000 "Golden Stone" "I Can Only Disappoint U" (single)
2003 "Slipping Away" (Instrumental Coda) Kleptomania
Composed with Paul Draper (and others)
Year Title Release Notes
1997 "The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail" "She Makes My Nose Bleed" (single)
"The Impending Collapse of it All" "Taxloss" (single)
"K.I.Double.S.I.N.G" "Closed for Business" (single) with Paul Draper and Stove King
"Everyone Must Win" with Howard Devoto and Paul Draper
1998 "Can't Afford to Die" "Legacy" (single)
"Spasm of Identity"
"Check Under the Bed"
"GSOH"
"Hideout" "Being a Girl (Part One)" (single) with Paul Draper and Stove King
"Been Here Before"
"Negative" Six with Paul Draper, Stove King and Andie Rathbone
"Shotgun"
"Television"
"When the Wind Blows" "Negative" (single)
"King of Beauty"
"I Deserve What I Get"
1999 "Church of the Drive Thru Elvis" "Six" (single)
"But the Trains Run on Time"
"What It's Like to Be Hated"
2000 "Butterfly (A New Beginning)" Little Kix
"I Can Only Disappoint U"
"Soundtrack 4 2 Lovers"
"Decisions, Decisions" "I Can Only Disappoint U" (single)
"Repair Man"
"My Idea of Fun"
"The Apartment" "Electric Man" (single)
2001 "Black Infinite Space "Fool" (single)

References edit

  1. ^ "findmypast.co.uk". Search.findmypast.co.uk. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
  2. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Biography: Mansum". AMG. Retrieved 8 May 2010.
  3. ^ Holmes, David (26 July 2014). "Mansun man in wide open creative space". Chesterchronicle. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  4. ^ "MANSUN". Rock-the-world.com. Retrieved 31 August 2012.
  5. ^ "www.lancepaine.me.uk". lancepaine.me.uk. Archived from the original on 26 April 2012. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  6. ^ "Seren" (PDF). Seren.bangor.ac.uk. 4 May 1993. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  7. ^ "St Chad's welcomes *You". 15 February 2005. Archived from the original on 15 February 2005. Retrieved 31 August 2012.
  8. ^ "The Fat Cat, Chester - The Cat's whiskers". Chesterchronicle.co.uk. Retrieved 1 September 2012.
  9. ^ "Mansun To Split". NME. 2 May 2003. Retrieved 16 March 2011.
  10. ^ "Meet the team | Basingstoke". Charlottemcdonald.co.uk. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  11. ^ "Therapist - Dominic Chad - the Wellbeing Space". wellbeingspace.co.uk. Archived from the original on 21 November 2016. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  12. ^ "The Man on the Moor (2013) - IMDb". IMDb. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  13. ^ "Wussywat the Clumsy Cat (TV Series 2015– ) - IMDb". IMDb.com. Retrieved 14 July 2020.