Keyboard Player with The Atrix Chris Green Has Died

Updated Hot Press is saddened to learn of the death of Chris Green (to the rear of the Hot Press cover pic), who was keyboard player with the legendary Dublin new wave outfit The Atrix. Chris died earlier this week, in the care of the Mater Hospital, Dublin.

Formed in 1978, the band were among the most exciting outfits in Ireland in the late 1970s. The original line-up featured Green (keyboards), Alex Finney (bass), Hugh Friel (drums) and John Borrowman (vocals and guitar). Finney was soon replaced by Dick Conroy, to form what was the band’s definitive line-up.

Close contemporaries of U2, like the famous Northside four-piece, they also released their first single – titled 'The Moon Is Puce’ – late in 1979, on the Mulligan Label. The powerful track was produced by Philip Chevron, then of The Radiators From Space and later of The Pogues.

The name The Atrix was, of course, a pun – and there was a strong dramatic and theatrical flavour to the band’s often exuberant music, with Borrowman leading from the front with an undoubted literary flair. His first book of poetry Weak Ends was published in 1977, followed by Master of None (1984).

In February 1980, the band travelled to London as part of the Sense of Ireland festival line-up, and John Borrowman was one of the Class of '80 – which also included Bono, Brian Freeze of Berlin, various Virgin Prunes and Damien Gunn of D.C. Nien – who appeared together on the cover of Hot Press in advance of that epic adventure.

That same year, The Atrix signed to Double Dee Records, run by Dave Dee (aka David John Harman), formerly of the UK hit-making outfit Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich, who had a British No.1 with ‘The Legend of Xanadu’. The Atrix’s second single ‘Treasure On The Wasteland’ was produced by Midge Ure, who was then the lead singer with Ultravox. An earlier version of the song had been included on the Just For Kicks album of Irish rock, released in 1979. Among other strong Irish connections, Midge Ure also played with Thin Lizzy and went on to launch the Band Aid and Live Aid projects with Bob Geldof.

The Atrix toured the UK supporting The Boomtown Rats on a four-week stint that ended on 18 January 1981 – and finally released their debut album, Procession in 1981. It was, it turned out, to be their only album. They released an EP (Triad) in 1982 on the Scoff label, and two other singles, ‘Very Much In Love’ (1986) and ‘Your Halo Is Burning’ (1986). But things subsequently became increasingly complicated, with John Borrowman gigging both as Very Much In Love and The Atrix, while also releasing ‘Very Much In Love’ in Denmark as Afghan Trucks. He moved to Copenhagen, Denmark, and lived there till his death in 1998.

Chris Green was hugely important to The Atrix sound, providing the keyboards which lent the music its strongly theatrical, part-Brechtian feel.

“The Atrix were a brilliant band, one of the great might-have-beens of the post-punk era,” Hot Press editor Niall Stokes said. “And Chris Green was integral to their sound, playing keyboards in a way that might have owed a bit to The Doors and The Stranglers, but always had a unique Atrix-Chris-Green feel. I remember watching the band live and deciding that Chris was a great musician. He was also a quiet and unassuming character, who never took his talent for granted. He made a unique and lasting contribution to Irish music, and so it is very sad to hear the news of his death.”

A Celebration of Life Service will take place next Tuesday, at 2.20 in Glasnevin Crematorium Chapel. He is survived by his wife Angie, daughters Elsa and Sophie, sisters Bernie and Brenda, brother David, nieces, nephews, extended family and friends.

• The Hot Press cover from 1980 features The Atrix, with (l to r) Hugh Friel, Chris Green, John Borrowman and Dick Conroy.