Colin Cunningham, known by his professional stage name as Colin "Doc" Brittain, is an American multi-instrumentalist, producer, and songwriter, born on December 29, 1986. He has worked as producer and songwriter with a large variety of acts, including Papa Roach, 311, One OK Rock, and more. In 2024, he joined Linkin Park as co-producer and drummer.
Early Life
Colin Brittain was born in Pensacola, Florida and was raised in Nashville, Tennessee. His father was in a country band, introducing him to music early on in his life. Brittain's childhood was surrounded by music, with him picking up drums, guitar, and piano early on. While he was raised on country music, he claims that Rage Against The Machine changed his life and set him on a path of rock n' roll. He then discovered other artists like Nirvana, Blink-182, Incubus, and Tupac, slowly developing a sound based firmly in rock and hip-hop.[1]
Brittain would go on to learn to produce, though his main instrument was always the drums. He got his start by trying to recreate samples and sounds from other songs, including 'Faint' by Linkin Park.[2] He used to teach drums when not working on music after high school, after his band director had no one to conduct their drum line and asked Colin to take charge.
Career
Oh No Fiasco
While in high school, Brittain would often jam out with his friends, including his friend Thomas Boyd. Five years later, he would form the band Oh No Fiasco in Knoxville, Tennessee with his brother, Kamryn Cunningham, on keys, guitarist Seth Rowlette, Boyd on bass, bassist and singer Lindsey Stamey. The band became Brittain's creative outlet, claiming "I’d found it difficult to put together a creatively congruous group of individuals without some kind of friction—and this band is certainly an exception. Each of us pushes the other to reach further and further outside of our musical comfort zones, and because of that I’ve been able to take influences from several different genres."[3] The band's sound was based in pop rock, intertwined with elements of ska, dance, and more. The band was initially called "The Few" before changing their name to Oh No Fiasco shortly before their first EP was released.[4]
Oh No Fiasco released their debut EP, eponymously titled Oh No Fiasco, on May 10, 2011 independently. The track 'Stand In Lover' was released as its lead single, with a music video backing it. The band toured extensively up and down the east coast of the United States in support of the record in 2010 and 2011, opening for the likes of Sevendust, 10 Years, Finger 11, Red, Saliva, and more. Following a tour with Pierce The Veil in 2011, vocalist Lindsey Stamey entered the studio with the band in early 2012 to record vocals for their song 'Hold On Till May' that was eventually released as the last song from their Collide With The Sky album, released on July 17, 2012. During their promotion for the album, Oh No Fiasco signed to Five Seven Entertainment sometime in 2011.[5]
Oh No Fiasco's second EP, No One's Gotta Know, released on September 10, 2013. Lead single 'Down' received a music video, receiving critical acclaim from critics, including actress Margaret Cho, who claimed the music video was "wonderfully bizarre."[6] The band embarked on a U.S. Tour with Ghost Town from September 14, 2013 to October 29, 2013 in support of the record. The band's last show was at the Heart Of Austin festival in March 2013.
Production & Songwriting
Linkin Park
Discography
Linkin Park
- From Zero (2024)
Oh No Fiasco
- Oh No Fiasco (2011)
- No One's Gotta Know (2013)
Production Credits
- Dark Waves - 'Outsider' (2014) [producer, co-writer, mixer]
- 5 Seconds Of Summer - 'Never Be' (2014) [additional producer, engineer, mixer]
- 5 Seconds Of Summer - 'Tomorrow Never Dies' (2014) [additional producer, engineer, mixer]
- Beautiful Bodies - Battles (2014) [co-writer, additional production, engineer, mixer]
- Ghost Town - 'Evolution' (2015) [production, songwriter]
- ONE OK ROCK - 'Take Me To The Top' (2015) [producer, co-writer, mixer]
- ONE OK ROCK - 'Cry Out' (2015) [producer, co-writer, mixer]
- ONE OK ROCK - 'Good Goodbye' (2015) [producer, co-writer, mixer]
- Avicii - 'The Nights' (2015) [guitar]
- Aimer - 'Insane Dream' (2016) [arranger]
- Aimer - 'Closer' (2016) [arranger]
- Aimer - 'Falling Alone' (2016) [arranger]
- Hello Sleepwalkers - 'Eyes To The Skies' (2016) [producer, co-writer, co-composer]
- League Of Legends, Against The Current - 'Legends Never Die' (2017) [vocal producer]
- ONE OK ROCK - Ambitions (2017) [producer]
- Logan Henderson - 'Sleepwalker' (2017) [composer, writer, producer]
- Logan Henderson - 'Bite My Tongue' (2017) [composer, writer, producer]
- Logan Henderson - 'Speak Of The Devil' (2017) [composer, writer, producer]
- Papa Roach - Crooked Teeth (2017) [composer, producer, mixer]
- All Time Low - 'Dirty Laundry' (2017) [composer, producer, mixer]
- All Time Low - 'Nice2KnoU' (2017) [composer, producer, mixer]
- All Time Low - 'Afterglow' (2017) [composer, producer, mixer]
- All Time Low - 'Good Times' (2017) [composer, producer, mixer]
- Hands Like Houses - Anon. (2018) [composer, writer, producer]
- All Time Low - 'Everything Is Fine' (2018) [composer, producer, mixer]
- All Time Low - 'Birthday' (2018) [composer, producer, mixer]
- Basement - Beside Myself (2018) [producer, additional musician]
- From Ashes To New - 'Nowhere To Run' (2018) [composer, producer, mixer]
- Keith Wallen - 'Four Letter Words' (2018) [producer]
- Keith Wallen - 'Summer Sunday' (2018) [producer]
- Papa Roach - Who Do You Trust? (2019) [composer, writer, producer, mixer]
- ONE OK ROCK - 'Worst Of Me' (2019) [composer, producer, mixer]
- Dreamers - 'Vampire In The Sun' (2019) [composer, producer, mixer]
- A Day To Remember - You're Welcome (2019) [composer, producer, mixer]
- Keith Wallen - 'Blue' (2021) [co-writer]
- 5 Seconds Of Summer - 'You Don't Go To Parties' (2022) [composer, producer, mixer, writer]
- 5 Seconds Of Summer - 'TEARS!' (2022) [composer, producer, mixer, writer]
- FIVE NEW OLD - 'Happy Sad' (2022) [producer]
- FIVE NEW OLD - 'My New Me' (2022) [producer]
- Story Of The Year - Tear Me To Pieces (2023) [producer, co-writer]
- 311 - 'You're Gonna Get It' (2024) [producer, co-writer]
- 311 - 'Need Somebody' (2024) [producer, co-writer]
- 311 - 'Mountain Top' (2024) [producer, co-writer]
References
- ↑ Producer Colin Brittain Keeps Shining With New Hit Release By JoJo & Parson James – “Dirty Laundry” - CelebMix, May 13, 2021
- ↑ Colin Brittain Instagram Live (2024.9.27) - YouTube, September 28, 2024
- ↑ Colin Cunningham Of Oh No Fiasco - Modern Drummer, July 7, 2011
- ↑ Oh No Fiasco Set To Release Debut Album May 10th - Fame Magazine, April 25, 2011
- ↑ Oh No Fiasco to make tour stop at Speakeasy Lounge - Sun Sentinel, September 13, 2013
- ↑ Oh No Fiasco - The Quad, October 28, 2013