Polluteme.com - Polluted Ezine - Interview w/ Chris Brown

February Issue

POLLUTEME/POLLUTED EZINE/ Interview w/ Chris Brown

Interview w/ Chris Brown
written by: Jacob Robison

One of the most amazing frontmen on the local scene hails from Jackson, Tennessee, and anyone who has ever seen a show by the three-man band Lappdog knows who I'm talking about. Chris Brown supplies both the vocals and the guitar for the band. Seeing as how he lives damn near five hours away from me, the only way I could get in contact with him was via email. I managed to get him away from his busy schedule long enough for him to answer a few questions that I had for him, and this is what he had to say. This interview also marks the first in a hopefully long series of e-interviews for Polluteme.com.

How long have you been playing the guitar?
CB: I got my first guitar when I was about eleven. It sat in the closet for probably two years before I ever plucked a string on it. I thought the guitar was so boring when I got it because my amp was this little antique piece of junk that didn't have distortion. I really didn't know what distortion was until my uncle bought me this cheesy old overdrive pedal. If I heard that pedal now I'd probably laugh and throw it in the trash but at that time I'd thought I'd found God!!! From there on out I knew it was love!!!!

It's been said that one of the hardest things to do musically is play the guitar and sing at the same time, yet you make it look easy. How long have you spent practicing, and what kinds of exercises did you have to do to develop such a wide vocal range?
CB: Wow I make it look easy huh???? I've played in many bands that I was just the guitar player of. It never failed that when we'd get our band going good the singers would always quit!!! Singers are strange people don't you think?? Anyway, about two years ago I got fed up with it, and set out to become a vocalist. It was then that I realized how hard it was to play and sing at the same time. No joke, playing and singing is like walking on water at first but just like anything else, when you do it enough you're bound to get good at it. We did 125 shows this year and practiced the same amount so I had plenty of time to hone my playing/singing skills. As far as my vocal range goes, I don't know any vocal exercises. I approached singing like this: I didn't want to sound like one person all the time. So I picked out four of my favorite singers, got a mic and speaker and locked myself in a room for four hours a day until I was happy with the results. I picked one singer for every mood of music. I picked Robert Flynn for his melodic intensity, Rob Thomas for his raw emotion, Bryan McSweeny (Seven day jesus) for his vocal beauty and Maynard James Keenen for just being bad ass.

What role has the internet played in the success of Lappdog?
CB: The internet has played a great role with us. We're averaging about 2000 hits a month on our site and half of those hits are outside the US. Also it really helped us sell our E.P. We just broke 1000 copies in the sales department and I don't think that would be possible without keeping in touch with people through emails and so forth. Thank God for email!!!! Musicians are way too broke to be makeing long distance calls.

When you first started playing out in front of people, were you nervous at all? If so, what did you do to get over the stage fright?
CB: I'm a strange person when it comes to that. I'm the person that if you put me in a crowd I'm really quiet. If you put me in front of a crowd I can't shut up. I've always felt comfortable on the stage.

Who would you credit for being your biggest influences, both vocally and musically?
CB: My biggest influences will probably freak you out. I play and write this really heavy music but I rarely listen to it. I'd have to say that my biggest influence vocally would have to be Scott Trotter from Lowboy (just kidding). It's a rule that you can't do an interview with Jacob without saying Lowboy (editor's note: not really. It just happens that way). My biggest vocal influence believe it or not is Rob Thomas from Matchbox 20. Don't throw rocks at me at the next show because I got into these guys in 1996 WAY before they were pop icons. The emotion and thought that he puts into his vocals are unbelievable!! Musically my biggest influence is Machinehead for sure. I'll take tasteful music over technical music any day.

When can we expect another CD from Lappdog, and how many tracks will be on it?
CB: Last night we finished the last track. We'll have it for sale no later than February. There'll be 9 tracks on it and I have to say that it's pretty good. A lot more mature than the first one.

Describe the first time that you heard one of your own songs on the radio.
CB: I was in Missouri driving home and I was singing along with a song that was playing real low. It really didn't dawn on me through the first verse that it was on the radio. I thought it was just the CD player. It then hit me that the CD player wasn't on and IIIII was on the Radio. It is the best feeling in the world. No words can describe it.

Final question…is there anything that you would like to say to your fans who come out and show their support for your music?
CB: Yeah, boycott cover bands and support the bands that are out there putting their heart on the line. Anybody can learn music that someone else has written but it takes guts to get on a stage and play music that you wrote and sing lyrics that are your own thoughts and emotion. If you support the original bands then the club owners will book them and maybe one of these bad ass local bands that you have won't be local anymore. Thanks Jacob.

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