A founding member of Comet Gain, beginning in the early '90s David Christian made a name for himself as the eternally battered and bruised poet of the indie rock underground, releasing decades' worth of romping, politically and personally charged rockers and heartrending ballads suitable for play at the end of the world. Apart from a one-off supergroup (Cinema Red and Blue) in the early 2010s, Christian stayed true to his band until the 2021 release of his intimate, but suitably fiery, debut solo album, For Those We Met on the Way.

Christian formed Comet Gain in London in 1992, and their first appearance on vinyl came a year later. The group melded post-punk anger, Northern soul grooves, late-night melancholy, and indie pop poetry into a sound that carried them through lineup changes, record company shake-ups, and many years of releases. Their approach remained constant, with a balance of foot-stomping rockers and tear duct-emptying ballads filling each record. Christian found time in the early 2010s to form Cinema Red and Blue, a supergroup combining members of Comet Gain, Ladybug Transistor, and Crystal Stilts.

His main gig remained Comet Gain, and they continued to release albums. 2014's Paperback Ghosts achieved a high level of folk-rock autumnal wistfulness in particular, and it was this sound Christian harkened back to on his 2021 debut solo album. Recorded under the name David Christian Pinecone Orchestra, For Those We Met on the Way was recorded at a barn studio in France, where he had recently emigrated from England. The batch of introspective and nostalgic songs were tracked with the help of Mike Targett of the band Heist, Cosmic Neman of Herman Dune, and a cast of guests that included Lightships' Gerry Love on bass and vocals, the Clientele's Alasdair MacLean on guitar, and Joe Harvey-Whyte of Hanging Stars on pedal steel. Members of Comet Gain were also on board to help out, namely bassist James Hornsey, guitarist Ben Phillipson, and keyboardist Anne-Laure Guillain. After the album was made, and while awaiting its release, Christian issued a series of home-cooked, resolutely lo-fi albums on Bandcamp, highlighted by bedroom reimaginings of Comet Gain songs on David Christian Sings Comet Gain/Feckbook. The German label Tapete Records issued For Those We Met on the Way in November 2021. ~ Tim Sendra, Rovi