Specializing in straightforward, hooky pop-punk tunes married to lyrics focused on women, popular culture, and broad humor, Darlington is the abbreviated handle for guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter Christy Brigitte Darlington. Christy Darlington was born Chris Edward Zoys in Dallas, Texas on December 1, 1972. In 1991, around the time he completed high school, Zoys joined his first band, named T.B.A. T.B.A. broke up in 1993, and in 1994 Zoys joined a group called the Voyeurs, but they lasted a mere six months. In 1995 Zoys teamed up with bassist Ron Malippa and drummer Steve Visneau to form a punk band called Mess, using the stage name Cris Mess; Zoys' frantic performing style led The Dallas Observer to describe him as the Big D's answer to Johnny Rotten, and in 1997, after releasing a handful of singles and EPs, Mess issued their first full-length album, Pretty Ugly. However, later that same year, Mess were contacted by a Chicago-area band called the Mess, who held a copyright on the name. Zoys responded by abandoning the name Mess, changing his own name to Christy Brigitte Darlington, and using the name Darlington for his future projects. While he's performed with accompanists on occasion, Christy has identified Darlington as strictly a solo project, and though he's worked in the studio with some well-known talent (Jaret Reddick of Bowling for Soup and Deep Blue Something members Todd Pipes and Toby Pipes have produced recordings for Darlington), he most often plays solo on-stage, armed with an electric guitar. Christy's relentless self-promotion and tireless work ethic have helped him amass an impressive back catalog spread across dozens of labels, including 20 albums, eight vinyl 7"s, and 28 compilation tracks issued between 1995 and 2014. When Darlington isn't busy with his musical career, he has plenty of sidelines to keep him occupied, including working in the retail fashion industry, creating and displaying visual art, appearing on talk radio, and publishing his first novel, Babycakes, in 2012. ~ Mark Deming