The legacy of late ATC Live agent Chris Meredith

Friends and former colleagues of the late ATC agent Chris Meredith have reflected on his legacy on the fifth anniversary of his death.

The much-loved Meredith passed away at the age of 37 in September 2019 after suffering from depression. He worked with artists including We Are Scientists, Sleeper, Fazerdaze and the Veils in his role at ATC Live, and was also festival director at Kent’s Neverworld.

The Christopher Meredith Foundation (CMF) was set up by his family in his memory.

ATC Live founder and MD Alex Bruford tells IQ the organisation’s work, which sees it partner with specialist charities and organisations within the music industry to support those facing mental health challenges, is a fitting tribute to Meredith, whose desire to help others was “so strong”.

“Chris taught me the biggest lesson in life, for which I thank him regularly, about what is important and what is not,” says Bruford. “Too often in our business hard-working, well-intentioned people are chastised for small lapses or mistakes that were out of their control, or for simply doing their job.  If they are doing their best that’s all you can ask – the health and well-being of all is so much more important.

“Chris was part of a generation of agents who prioritised values – respect, support, inclusivity and partnership were so important to him. These are values that we and many others now prioritise within their businesses.”

“His battle with depression highlighted to me the struggle many in our industry face to be able to step away from the job and not feel like you are losing part of your identity”

Ex-ATC agent Matt Hanner, who founded independent UK booking agency Runway Artists in 2020, says he often wonders what path Meredith would have taken had he still been alive through the pandemic.

“He was the entrepreneurial type that would have undoubtedly managed to forge something positive from within the challenges our industry faced,” notes Hanner. “I like to think that he may have joined Steve [Backman] and I on the journey Runway was embarking on and hopefully we have managed to hold onto the values Chris had of working hard particularly for emerging artists and embracing people from all walks of life.

“His battle with depression highlighted to me the struggle many in our industry face to be able to step away from the job and not feel like you are losing part of your identity, and emphasising work-life balance is a key part of how we work as a company – making sure they know they can take breaks and get the support they need when the time comes.

“The work his family are doing to highlight and support mental health challenges is invaluable and I hope that Chris’ legacy continues to be centred around having a positive impact on people as individuals, as he did.”

Jess Kinn of One Fiinix Live remembers Meredith as “funny, witty, charming, kind and generous to a fault”.

“I miss Chris tremendously,” she says. “He was completely committed to everything he did, would drop anything to be there for his friends and family, and found endless joy in the success of others. He was one of the most interesting and inquisitive people I’ve ever met – a deep thinker, extremely intelligent and someone who truly did it for the right reasons.

“I still remember how proud he’d be when he booked a band for the first time, signed a new artist or launched a new venture. Chris had a wicked sense of humour, was a master of the one-liner and his stories would often leave me crying with laughter.

“The music industry can be a tough and lonely place and that’s something that Chris struggled with. This should be a reminder for us all: look after those around us, check in on friends and do the thing most of us neglect – look after ourselves.”

“It is amazing to see the work being done by the Christopher Meredith Foundation to continue his legacy of care for artists and fellow music professionals”

Big Life Management’s Kat Kennedy first encountered Meredith after taking on We Are Scientists as clients.

“He quickly became one of my favourite people thanks to his sense of humour, enthusiasm and creativity and I admired the deeply thoughtful way in which he strategised for his artists,” reflects Kennedy. “It was Chris’s energy and belief that inspired us to achieve We Are Scientists’ biggest London headine show in over a decade in 2019, although he sadly wasn’t there to see it.

“I miss Chris and think of him often. It is amazing to see the work being done by the Christopher Meredith Foundation to continue his legacy of care for artists and fellow music professionals.”

The Pad Presents’ Gareth Barber, director and head booker for Esquires in Bedford, says Meredith was “one of the very good guys”.

“With Esquires being his home venue and Chris being an agent, he’d always send us stuff that we really shouldn’t have had, but I was always really grateful for,” he laughs. “I think about him often and always find myself wondering, ‘What would Chris think about this?’ I just wish I could still ask him.

“His legacy lives on with me in those moments and to now see CMF set up in his name to support his passions is a beautiful thing. I just wish more agents were like Chris and the way he was so personable with everyone he came into contact with.”

Ed Pearson of Academy Events recalls introducing Meredith to Sleeper after their reunion.

“Attending their headline show at O2 Institute Birmingham together, he was so excited to be there, to see his teenage crush Louise [Wener, singer] who he had a poster of up on his bedroom wall as a teenager,” smiles Pearson. “He subsequently became their agent, and we had many more brilliant shows together.

“For me, his legacy reminds me that you can be kind and warm in this business, it doesn’t need to be so ‘dog eat dog’. And what the foundation is doing now is amazing: supporting young underprivileged musicians who need a leg up, as well as giving support to anyone in the music industry who is struggling with mental health issues.

“It has opened up the conversation around mental health and constantly reminds me that no one should ever suffer alone. It’s certainly taught me that I should find the help I need at every opportunity.”

“When I think about Chris, the first thing I see is his mischievous smile and a twinkle in his eyes, and then I immediately remember his kindness and generosity”

In the months after Meredith’s passing, Sleeper, Shame, Ider and Whenyoung performed an intimate memorial concert at O2 Academy Islington in support of two mental health charities: Calm (the Campaign Against Living Miserably) and Mind. Nick Gaunt, the CMF’s head of marketing, says that Meredith’s positive impact on the industry is clear to see.

“From going above and beyond to make sure the artists he was working with could perform, to supporting local venues and maintaining a beautifully unassuming nature with everything between, Chris simply loved music and people,” he says. “The Christopher Meredith Foundation seeks to continue this, as Chris’ legacy, whilst also addressing the industry’s mental health challenges in the hope that one day we will have a music industry where everyone thrives.”

“When I think about Chris, the first thing I see is his mischievous smile and a twinkle in his eyes, and then I immediately remember his kindness and generosity,” adds Bruford, in closing. “He would help anyone out, anyway he could. We recently caught up with his Mum, Sadie, who reminded us, with laughter, how often he’d bring random international bands and their crew back to stay at the family home when they couldn’t afford hotels – this was Chris through and through.

“Amy Taylor, the brilliant lead singer of Amyl and The Sniffers, gave the keynote speech at the Big Sound Conference in Brisbane last week. She ended with ‘Bitch, this is the entertainment industry. Don’t think about it too much.’ Chris would have loved that.”

• Click on the links for more information on the Christopher Meredith Foundation’s key partners Tonic Music, Music Support and Music Minds Matter.

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