Chris Cheney Hits The Road
Author: Unknown
When did you decide that you wanted to be a musician and/or songwriter? How did you start going about it?
“I never really decided. It just kind of happened at the end of high school, we just played as much as we could and eventually we got a name for ourselves and it became fulltime.”
What’s the best advice you ever received about making music, and who was it from?
“Try and keep things interesting and moving and keep searching. I believe the Beatles taught us all that.”
Who’s an Australian musician you particularly admire? Can you tell us why?
“Tim Rogers – great writer, performer, and player. I just love the songs and he has a real passion and real talent.”
What would be your dream local line-up for a gig, and why:
“You Am I, Eskimo Joe, The Fireballs, Hoodoo Gurus.”
Are you looking forward to heading back out on the road with In The Grey? What do you do to get prepared for a tour?
“Yes. Touring and playing live is a big part of this band’s existence. I can’t imagine not touring and having live audiences. Getting prepared consists of rehearsal and eating fruit more often.”
What do you want people to get out of seeing the band live? What constitutes a good gig for you?
“I want people to lose themselves in the music and let go. Enjoy it anyhow they wish. A good gig is when you get a connection with the audience.”
What was the biggest challenge you faced when writing & recording your latest album?
“The biggest challenge is always getting the reccording to sound honest, spontaneous, and for it to have the right mood when hearing it back. Being in Amercia was not a settled experience.”
What do you think is unique about the Aussie music scene as opposed to the rest of the world?
“We have a little more variety and originality in each band because I think we like to mix things up, like genres etc. The greatest Aussie bands always have a rawness to them, not over slick.”
Lastly, what’s the best thing about being part of the Australian music industry? The worst?
“Best thing is we have some seriously great talent despite a smaller population. The worst is getting overseas seems to be a constant struggle financially.”