Brian Sumner's Interview with Chris Conley

by Brian Sumner with Chris Conley

Los Angeles, California

Brian: Ok so every once in awhile something comes along that has a real feeling about it, your lyrics have this feeling. for how young you are I would like to know where you write from?

Chris: The inner place, 90% of the songs are made up from this overwhelming feeling, and it just has to come out. people come up to me and they really believe I have lived all these experiences, they really believe that I have gone through all these things, that says something really immense to me. it just shows me how everything is connected, I havent lived these things but I lived something, there was a feeling. life is what it is and so these people are feeling these things that I have felt but for different reasons.

Brian: When did your discover your passion for music?

Chris: I think the moment it really dawned on me was when the drums kick in on stairway to heaven, the song goes on for like four minutes and then the drums just kick in. I would just rewind it literally like 20 times and I couldn't believe the feeling it would evoke in me. I looked over to my dad and asked for a drum set he said sure but for some reason I ended up getting an acoustic guitar. I played cello from when I was six until I was 13 but it was just something to do, I didn't love it, I didn't like playing other peoples compositions. I got my acoustic guitar an just instantly started writing songs, I didn't know how to play chords, I just put a few notes together, it was like something found me, like to you and skate boarding.

Brian: The kids reading this have this same feeling of passion from skate boarding, and it really is like that when you find each other, its just right, so many kids want to know how to get good but you just got to love something and you will get where you need to be.

Chris: Yes, it's the real you trying to get out, whatever it is. still now every time I get a spare moment I literally run to a guitar. there are moments when I am so there and when it stops I just look up and I can be in my bedroom like where the hell am I, just been lost for a few hours.

Brian: Of the albums release each one had its own feel , not in a big way just a tint different, do you think that is to do with what you were listening to at the time or was it intentional?

Chris: It has never ever been deliberate, never thought I am going to write a song that sounds like Led Zepplin or whoever, shaggy. but, I am like a sponge so what ever goes in has to come out somewhere. so what I am listening to at the time and how I am interpreting them comes out the way it does, like you for example interpret our songs completely different than most people do. so it just comes out. thats the album.

Brian: The Smiths or Morrissey

Chris: The Smiths, I love Morrissey though too. when I was 17 to 19 I had all the cds and then when our van was broken into they were all stolen . he was the biggest lyrical influence in my life, you can see it in so many of our songs.

Brian: So what about the new album, what is it to you?

Chris: The album to me basically means acceptance.

Brian: Now that you guys have the chance to be a lot more mainstream, coming out from the new jersey hardcore scene having the chance to reach everyone, what do you see of the industry out there?

Chris: Well it has its ups and downs, it's a double edged sword if we are talking about serious success.

Brian: Well I cant see any of these bands around right now even being remembered in twenty years but with saves the music reaches out more so I could see that happening.

Chris: Well like I said the music isn't deliberate but it jumps into my head and screams to get out so no matter what its coming out, I cant stop its happening, whether or not people listen to us or hate us, it really isn't important, we just want to play the music, music has been the only motive the whole time. so I don't care, I don't write songs for anyone but me.

Brian: Some music just doesn't make any sense but the people singing are millionaires, like a backstreet boys song, something like don't care who you are what you did,where your from as long as you love me, what the fuck does that mean, if your ben laden and your from hell and you kill people I love you, do people even hear what they are singing?

Chris: You wanna know the real story behind the backstreet boys?

Brian: They were castrated.

Chris: Haha we went to the studio where they had done some vocal tracks and the guy who engineered the session told us that they had brought in a real singing group, they sang the song and recorded them in perfect harmonies, then the backstreet boys came in and listened to each individual part and literally mimicked what those people just sang. so it really is just some pretty package singing someone else's lyrics.

Brian: I gotta go to the restroom

Chris: Yes I'm gonna piss my pants