Chris Green is on vacation with his family right now but he sent this for all of you to read:
Letter to the Tyketto fans from Chris
To me life is a series of doors, some open up to wonderful opportunities, some slam you in the backside harshly on your way out, some are chained slightly open for you to take a peek at what could be without leaving the comfort of your own zone. When Danny called me in late 2013 asking me if I’d play guitar in Tyketto I was a ‘chain on the door’ kind of guy, I didn’t really like leaving my comfort zone. I don’t know what it was that gave me the gentle nudge to take a chance and hit the road again but I’m always going to be thankful for that unseen force that spurred me to say “YES” so bloody quickly.
8 years on a true rollercoaster of highs and lows, from the 25,000 screaming people in the blistering sun at Barcelona Fest, to the rubber glove treatment in Stuttgart airport. From the live DVD recording in Milan, Italy where we captured Don’t Come Easy in one take with no rehearsals, to the horrific jet-lag where you feel unbalanced for weeks. From the Monsters of Rock cruises where we cut our teeth, earned their respect and went on to slay the main stages in front our peers, to the bitter cold of a transit van in the middle of a Bavarian winter, somehow even the lows never really seemed that bad. With all these wonderful memories for me to reminisce upon I unfortunately have to tell you all that my time is up with this wonderful band, it’s my time to step down and pass the baton. If you’ll indulge me, I’ll explain why.
I don’t think I need to explain the extremely negative impact this pandemic has had on people, for myself it’s taken me to some dark places that I didn’t know existed inside of me, questioning myself and my real purpose in life. It’s a lonely place when you're suddenly stripped of your job and social life at the same time, I’m sure many if not all of you understand what I’m saying here.
With the touring dried up and a multitude of musicians battling for airtime on social media platforms I took an unlikely detour and started a booking agency with a very close friend of mine here in Atlanta, thus Classic Kingdom Entertainment was born. As things started to open up in the South East I was thrilled that our new venture was actually gaining momentum, two years later it’s at the point where it needs my full time attention, well, as much time as I can offer outside of my family which is my number one priority.
And that brings me to the other side of why I feel I need to stay rooted in Atlanta. My son Sullivan is at a very important age, a defining time for the growth of his personality and how he’s going to view the big bad world outside our cozy unit. A recent moment regarding some potential bullying at school reminded me that I just can’t be an effective parent to him from 4000 miles away on a month long tour, it needs hugs, kisses, eye contact, tactile empathy, and not only do I need to be there, I want to be there for every moment of his growth.
I also want to take this opportunity to assure all of you that the band have been nothing but supportive to my decision, we still talk, we still have a text thread where we send silly memes and dad jokes to each other, it’s still the family it’s always been to me and I want to thank Danny, Mike, Ged, & Greg for being so patient and empathetic with me through my darkest times, and ultimately even more supportive as I wander on into unchartered territories. There was no arguments, no firing, no grievances, just 5 adults discussing the good times, how we’ll miss each other, and how we wish each other great success with whatever comes next in our lives.
So with that, I want to say a HUGE thank you, to ALL of you for such immense acceptance over the years, I will miss your faces and certainly miss the roar of your voices across the many countries Tyketto visits. Please stay strong, stay safe, and stay loyal to the Tyketto family as they navigate this difficult transition. This band has always been a Titan among Titans and whomever is granted duties on guitar will no doubt melt faces and burst eardrums across the world.
I leave you with a simple picture that I took when I was sitting in my car pondering my decision, the garage door opened, I looked up, and realized this is where I need to be, with my family.
Love and peace to you all, Chris xx
