Chad Fischer is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, composer and producer from Santa Monica, California, also known as the frontman of the band Lazlo Bane, and author of the graphic novel, UltraViolet: A Space Adventure.
Early years
Chad Fischer's early work was being a drummer for the band School of Fish founded by his college friend Josh Clayton-Felt. Fischer replaced the original drummer M.P. in 1991, however he did not play on the band's second album due to fallout with a producer and was replaced by Josh Freese. Nevertheless, Fischer still stayed with the band to perform live. The only official commercial School of Fish release that included his drumming was the single "Take Me Anywhere", which included two live tracks as b-sides."Take Me Anywhere" CD single liner notes
After School of Fish disbanded in 1994 Chad Fischer went on to build his own recording studio and started to write new material. He signed to Almo Sounds label and formed the band Lazlo Bane, whose debut album, 11 Transistor was released in January 1997.
During the early years Chad Fischer met Colin Hay with whom he became a close friend. Fisher played drums on Hay's 1994 album Topanga, while Hay contributed guitar and vocals to Lazlo Bane's cover of "Overkill" from their debut album. Since then Chad Fischer took part in recording most of Colin Hay's albums, with Fischer's role varying from session musician and songwriter to mixing engineer and co-producer.
Fischer was briefly a member of Don Piper's band A Don Piper Situation playing drums on the self-titled 1997 EP and producing and engineering the track "Ray Falls Down".
Work with Lazlo Bane
After Almo Sounds was bought by Universal Music Group in late 1990's Lazlo Bane continued their career as an independent band. Chad Fischer continued to produce Lazlo Bane albums which were recorded in his own studio and released through the self-established label both of which named Lookout Sound.
The band's second album All the Time in the World was released in 2002. It included the song "Superman", which became the Lazlo Bane's most recognizable song as it became a theme song for the popular American TV series Scrubs. Chad Fischer along with Lazlo Bane members Tim Bright and Chris Link as songwriters of "Superman" and Scrubs' composer Jan Stevens won BMI TV Music Award of 2003 and 2004.
Over the next decade Lazlo Bane released two more studio albums and one EP, all of them independently. Another album by the band, Big Spill, was released in 2013 and was credited to The Rage, Lazlo Bane's alter ego project.
In 2020's Lazlo Bane returned with new albums, Someday We'll Be Together (2021) and UltraViolet (2026).
Solo career In October 2019 Chad Fischer released his first non film and TV series related album of music titled National Parks which was dedicated to the American national parks and monuments.
In April 2020 Chad Fischer started releasing videos of music covers on a regular basis. The videos sometimes featured guest appearances by various musicians including long time Fischer's collaborators Larry Goldings, Colin Hay, and School of Fish band members among others. As of October 2021 Fischer released a total of eight videos. Seven songs from these recordings were included on Lazlo Bane album Someday We'll Be Together, which was released on 30 October 2021.
In early 2022 Chad Fischer participated in The Great Song Podcast and Dig Me Out podcast discussing his early musical career with School of Fish, Lazlo Bane, breakthrough of "Superman" as Scrubs theme song and recent video releases and Lazlo Bane reunion.
In July 2022 Fischer released a new video, the cover of The Jayhawks "Blue".
In May 2023 Fishcer took part in Abandoned Albums podcast.
Films and TV series scoring
Films
In the beginning of 2000s Chad Fischer started providing music and songs for various films and TV shows.
His first full-length film for which he provided the scores was Garden State, released in 2004. Both the film and its soundtrack proved to be critically and commercially acclaimed. Garden State also featured Fischer's original song called "Motorcycle Ride with Sam." It hasn't been officially released, but it is available to listen in the DVD menu of the film and on his Myspace page.Chad Fischer, on Myspace
2005's Little Manhattan featured new songs, both by Fischer and Lazlo Bane, that were written especially for the film. It also featured a cover of The Beatles' song "In My Life" produced by Fischer and performed by Matt Scannell. No soundtrack album was ever released, although one of Fischer's songs, "Map of My Heart", is available to listen on his Myspace page. However, promotional compilation of Chad Fischer's music from Garden State and Little Manhattan also featuring his production work was released circa 2005.
For the 2008 film The Rocker Chad Fischer wrote the score and a number of original songs which were performed by fictional bands A.D.D. and Vesuvius. The actual music was mostly performed by Chad Fischer himself with the vocals provided by Teddy Geiger (for A.D.D.) and Keith England (for Vesuvius). A soundtrack album that featured all the original material was also released in 2008.
In the 2009 film Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, Chad sings a version of Gilbert O'Sullivan's "Alone Again (Naturally)".
Other films for which Fischer wrote the score are 10 Years, Loosies, The Babysitters, Black Cloud and Chasing Mavericks.
In 2018, Fischer returned to film scores with Eat, Brains, Love directed by Rodman Flender.
Wildflower, a new film with score by Chad Fischer, premiered in 2022.
Aside from film scores Chad Fischer wrote and performed a number of songs for the films he worked on, however none of them were released on any soundtrack albums or elsewhere.
TV series Chad Fischer's early work on TV scores include shows My Guide to Becoming a Rock Star and The Class.
In 2007 Chad Fischer and Lazlo Bane guitarist Tim Bright started scoring American medical drama series Private Practice. During its run Fischer and Bright won BMI TV Music Award four times: in 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2012. The show concluded after six seasons in 2013.
After Private Practice Chad Fischer started providing music for another ABC's show, Scandal. For his work he won the BMI TV Music Award six times from 2013 to 2018.
In early 2018 the show's score album was released, consisting entirely of Chad Fischer's music. Scandal itself has also ended in 2018.
In 2016 Fischer started scoring yet another ABC's TV series The Catch. The show ended in 2017.
After ABC shows Chad Fischer scored the first season of the YouTube Premium original anthology 2019 series Weird City.
Record producer Chad Fischer started production work from the first Lazlo Bane album 11 Transistor and produced every subsequent album of the band.
After the death of Fischer's longtime friend and School of Fish bandmate Josh Clayton-Felt, he co-executive produced the release of Center of Six, the second Clayton-Felt's posthumous album. It included several tribute songs produced by Chad Fischer and recorded by Josh's friends.
Fischer's production career progressed as he produced the first recordings and helped develop the sound of Cary Brothers, Alexi Murdoch and Joshua Radin. All of them later became successful musical acts.
The highly acclaimed Garden State soundtrack, released in 2004, subsequently winning a Grammy Award in 2005 and receiving platinum certification, featured two songs produced by Chad Fischer: "Blue Eyes" performed by Cary Brothers and "Winding Road" performed by actress Bonnie Somerville.
Other musicians and bands Fischer did production for feature Everlast, Lisa Loeb, Colin Hay and The Good Luck Joes among others.
Discography
Studio albums Year Album details2019National Parks: An Instrumental Album Released: October 9, 2019
Soundtrack albums Year Album details2018Scandal: Original Television Series Soundtrack Released: January 19, 2018 Label: Hollywood Records
As featured artist YearSong Album2006 "Oye Como Va" My Super Ex-Girlfriend: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack2008 "The Rocker Score Suite" The Rocker: Music from the Motion Picture2009 "Alone Again" Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack2012 "10 Years Score Suite" 10 Years: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack "Chasing Mavericks Score Suite" Chasing Mavericks: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Songs written and performed for films + List of songs by Chad Fischer featured only in films and without a release anywhere else YearSong Film Notes2001 "Bright Shiny Theme Song" Bubble Boy Written by Kevin Hunter & Chad Fischer. Performed by Chad Fischer, Kevin Hunter and Rachel Robinson2002 "See the Day" The First $20 Million Is Always the Hardest2004 "Motorcycle Ride with Sam" Garden StateInstrumental2005 "Miserable Life" Little ManhattanWritten and performed by Chad Fischer and Lyle Workman "Map of My Heart" Available to listen at Chad Fischer's Myspace page2007 "Come On" Firehouse Dog "Bye Bye Bye" The BabysittersWritten and performed by Sia and Chad Fischer2010 "Frank & Beans" Furry Vengeance2012 "O'Hare Air Jingle" The Lorax
Music videos + List of music videos, showing year released Title Year Director Album "Tomorrow Never Comes" 2008 Brooke Sasick N/A "Yosemite" 2019 National Parks "Yellowstone" "Craters of the Moon" "Shenandoah" "Gates of the Arctic"2020 "A Life of Illusion" Chad FischerSomeday We'll Be together "Nature's Way" N/A "Dear God" Someday We'll Be together "3 Strange Days" "You've Got a Friend" "I'll Do Everything" "Big Shot" "Our House" 2021 "Blue" 2022 N/A As director + List of music videos, showing year released Title Year Artist "Send Somebody" 2011 Colin Hay "Love Is Eveywhere" 2022
With Lazlo Bane Studio albums Year Album details199711 Transistor Released: January 8, 1997 Label: Almo Sounds 2002All the Time in the World Released: September 27, 2002 Label: Self-released2006Back Sides Released: April 11, 2006 Label: Self-released2007Guitly Pleasures Released: July 10, 2007 Label: Lookout Sound2013Big Spill (The Rage) Released: April 23, 2013 Label: Lookout Mountain2021Someday We'll Be Together (Lazlo Bane & Friends) Released: October 30, 2021 Label: Self-released
EPs Year Album details1996Short Style Released: August 20, 1996 Label: Almo Sounds2012Guilty Pleasures the 80's Volume 1 Released: October 16, 2012 Label: Lookout Sound
With A Don Piper Situation EPs Year Album details1997A Don Piper Situation Released: 1997 Label: Scrimshaw Records
As producer, engineer, composer or session musician