Thank you so much for listening to this music.  I feel privileged that in the din of the thousands of songs released every day, the back-catalogue of millions of songs that came before, and the influx of AI-generated “stuff” that continues to propagate across streaming platforms, you have managed to discover this work.  

The project started in mid 2021.  I had previously given up playing and writing music for roughly the 10 years prior to focus on work and family priorities.  Some life changes prompted me to start playing guitar again, and with this newfound inspiration I set out to make an album that would, at least in terms of quality of songwriting, not feel out of place next to some of my favourites.

Over the following 2 years I wrote roughly 170 pieces of music brought to various stages of completion.  This collection of 10 is what I consider the best of that work, and I present it to you here.

I hope that you find something in this collection of songs that you’ll enjoy as regular listening going forward and that, in some small way, this work adds something meaningful to your life.

Working Class Outcast - this album is for the working class folks who feel they’ve been cast aside in this world.  The under-appreciated; the underpaid; those who feel stuck; those looking for meaning; those looking for direction; those seeking a simple life with some modicum of happiness; those looking out for their own well-being as well as that of their families in the face of tremendous uncertainty. 

Thanks: 

My wife Deanna, and our 2 daughters Madison & Chelsea,
Mom, and Dad (who passed away in late 2023) who taught me my first guitar chords and with whom I shared a passion and appreciation for music.  Unfortunately he did not hear any of this work.
My friends and colleagues at Tony’s Music Box

Additional thanks to those you have touched my life from afar:

These are individuals or groups (most of whom I'll likely never meet) who have influenced and inspired me over the years. Without you this project would never have been possible:

Noel Gallagher, Sloan, Stone Temple Pilots, The Beatles, Soundgarden, Nirvana, Queens of the Stone Age, The Police, Gordon Lightfoot;  
YouTubers: Rick Beato, Mary Spender, and Colin Cross; Author: Seth Godin.

For the Gearheads:

The production on this album was very simple - recorded in the basement of my home with a simple audio interface and computer. 
Gear used:
Audio Technica AT2035 (vocals and acoustic guitar),
Modified Epiphone Noel Gallagher Riviera,
An Unmodified Epiphone Noel Gallagher Riviera,
Squire Classic Vibe Mustang Bass,
Yamaha FG830 Acoustic Guitar,
Logic Pro Drums, converted to midi and customized,
Recorded using a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 audio interface
DAW: Logic Pro; all plugins were stock using customizations of its amp modelling and drums.
No AI was used in the writing, recording, mixing or mastering of this work.

All songs written and performed by Chris Collette
Recorded, produced, mixed, and mastered by Chris Collette
Advisor Matt Blanchard
Recorded at my home just outside of Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada

Thanks again for listening. - Chris.