IF you’re on the local music circuit, you would have most likely seen Chris Davison perform as double bass player in folk-punk festival favourites Deferred Sucess and singer/guitarist in Silvertruth.

But despite a busy collaborative career to date, he has just taken his first steps as a solo recording artist, releasing his debut album, Antidote to Rock and Roll.

The cover of this entirely acoustic offering shows him walking along Canvey sea wall with Chris Fenwick, manager of local legends Dr Feelgood.

It speaks volumes about the concept, inspired by, Chris says, “the stories of the south Essexpunk scene of the Seventies, with a walk along Canvey Island sea wall being the ‘Antidote To Rock And Roll’ needed after too many nights of drink, drugs and deafening gigs”.

He explains: “It was three years ago when I went on a Canvey Island tour run by Chris Fenwick. He told us about his days with Dr Feelgood, and how he loved that life but it would do his head in a bit, so he’d go for a walk along the seawall. It was his antidote to being on tour.

“I made a note of that and thought it was an interesting concept.

The photo was taken by someone of me, on that tour, walking behind Chris. It wasn’t posed at all, but afterwards I looked at it and thought it looked like a good album cover.”

The album was recorded in Slamdoor Studios in Billericay, with the super-talented multi-instrumentalist Ed Rome featuring on keys, melodeon and banjo. Chris met Ed some years back, through his role in Deferred Sucess.

Chris has built up a great friendship, aswell as working relationship with former the frontman of ska band the Big over the years, and was pretty thrilled to have his input.

“One night, when I was playing with Deferred Sucess at the Chequers, in Billericay, I was approached by a very big bearded man named Ed Rome,” Chris explains.

“He shook my hand and asked me if I’d like to be involved in his new reggae band, who had been offered a deal with ska label Rockers Revolt Records. I said yes, as I’d seen the Big a few times and was a fan of his solo ‘Innocent Civilian’ projects, which are some of the finest records I’ve ever heard. Before I knewit,Iwas in rehearsals for a two-week national tour with contemporary reggae band the Easy Star All Stars, a special one-off gig supporting the legendary Toots and the Maytals at the Kentish Town Forum, a festival warm-up slot for Neville Staple of the Specials, and a couple of slots at Glastonbury!”

Chris started his foray into the world of music years before then, when he started a course in music production at Southend College in 2006. He gave up his fulltime job working for an insurance company and “got stuck into the Southend music scene.”

One of the people Chris came to know was Doozer McDooze, the other sound man for Sundown at the time, and singer in Deferred Sucess.

“I did a handful of gigs supporting them as a solo singer-songwriter,”

says Chris. “At one such gig, at the Kings Head, in Rochford, their drummer/bassist at the time, Carl Logan, was off on paternity leave and they were short of a member.

I was invited onstage to play bass by Doozer and I was a f u l l - t i m e member of the band by the end of the gig!

“Playing bass for Deferred Sucess has taken me to gigs, festivals and venues all across the UK, and we have been lucky to do gigs with some legendary bands, including Carter USM, Inspiral Carpets and Dodgy. I’ve made some great friends all over the country as a result of being in this band and had many great road trips.”

Antidote to Rock and Roll was launched last week at a gig in the Chequers, Billericay.

You can next hear Chris locally when he headlines at the SqueezeboxFolk Club at the Squeeze Cafe in Leigh on Friday, March 28. You can download Antidote to Rock and Roll at chrisdavison.bandcamp.com