About

Craig Else

Craig Else, guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, sound engineer and music producer.

Born in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada in 1964, into a musical family, Craig started playing piano as a child.

In 1978 after years of music lessons given by his Grandmother, Craig discovered punk rock and formed his first band, Twisted Minds. They were among the first wave of punk bands in western Canada. The scene is documented in the film, "Somewhere to Go" and the book/CD set "All Your Ears Can Hear".

In December '81 his family moved to Durban, South Africa where he began his career as a studio guitarist and sound engineer at C&G Studios. He played with Ivy and the Creepers and released one record. It was during a recording session where Ivy that he attracted the attention of the legendary Steve Fataar of The Flames and joined his band.

Craig moved to Johannesburg in '84 and joined Petit Cheval.

Petit Cheval enjoyed great success in the 1980's. Spearheading the new romantic movement, they had two number one singles, a number two and several other hits, winning the Sarie Award (South Africa's equivalent of a Grammy) for Best Contemporary Artist,

After leaving Petit Cheval in 1987 he returned to session work playing on many jingles including Ford, Coke, Sprite, BMW, KFC, Porsche, and many others. Craig eventually moved to Los Angeles, California to work with Geffen Records artists Vincent Rocco and Little Steven Van Zandt, then joined Tribe After Tribe with fellow South African rock legend Robbi Robb of South African band Asylum Kids and Three Fish. In 1992 he joined Roadhouse with Guy Erez of Alan Parsons Project, playing five nights a week, five forty-five minute sets a night for five years. During this time he recorded with D.H. Peligro from Dead Kennedys on the albums "Peligro", "Welcome to America" and "The Virus that Would Not Die" . He appeared on many other records including Taylor Dayne's "Naked Without You" and Pure Sugar's eponymous debut album, along with numerous commercials and movie trailers including Men Who Stare at Goats, Iron Man, Captain America, Spiderman, and many others.

In 2000 Craig joined Bay City Rollers, appearing with them in Las Vegas at the Aladdin, the Flamingo, the Silverton and at numerous "Rollerfests". They embarked on "The Original Idols Tour" in 2007 along with Leif Garrett, Barry Williams, The Cowsills, and Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods, also appearing with the Family Stone, the Guess Who, and Nelson. Craig left the Bay City Rollers in 2008 and joined Leif Garrett, releasing several singles. He released several singles with Duncan Faure, former lead singer of Bay City Rollers and Rabbitt. Craig continues to create music in Los Angeles, CA.

Craig has always maintained his career as a sound engineer for which he's won two Emmy's and a Golden Mic Award.

Musicians he's worked with on live TV broadcasts include; Eli Young Band, Kenny Loggins, The Motels, Thomas Dolby, Rick Springfield, Stevie Wonder, Grand Funk Railroad, Orianthi, Billy Sheehan, Pink Martini, America, St Motel, Quarrymen, Dorothy, Jefferson Starship, Lizzie and the Triggermen, Micky Dolenz, Smash Mouth, The Sweet, Vintage Trouble, Donovan, John Lydon, Joe Perry, Mary Wilson, Englebert Humperdink, Tower of Power, Jody Watley, Tommy Tutone, Mickey Dolenz, The Vamps, Flock of Seagulls, Harry Connick Jr, NCT 17, Ratt, Dorothy, Fox Wilde, Fitz and the Tantrums, Chris Daughtry, Jon Anderson, Jimmy Webb, Randy Newman, Halo Circus, Allison Iraheta, Lee Sklaar, Kenny Aronoff, Youngr, The Struts, Mitch Perry, Sean McNabb and many more.