CHRIS VAN DAHL
"AN INTERVIEW WITH A BASSPIRE" BY : UROTSUKIDOJI
U- I am going to ask you some "get to know you questions" for those Love/Hate fans out there that are not familiar with your work. You were a member of L.A.
Guns (vocals on "American Hardcore"), how long were you in the band?
CHRIS- I was in the band for about two and a half years give or take, Hardcore came out in 96 and I stuck it out for a while after that.
U- What other known (and unknown) bands have you played with?
CHRIS- Let's see. I moved out to LA from Detroit in 1989 and formed the band Cherry Street (sort of an AC/DC meets Motley Crue) We had a fair amount of success on a local level. Did one record with JRS/BMG. And spent a lot of time touring. Shortly afterwards I did a stint with a great but truly dysfunctional band called Boneyard. Drugs alcohol, chicks. More drugs more drinking oh yea and some music when it didn't interfere with the party. There we're two incarnations of that band, the second was more or less the initial union of Johnny Crypt and myself. Who by the way has been aptly nicknamed (Johnny Drag) cause of the cool way he runs his right hand over his strings when he's soloing. In any event the band truly self destructed! From there Johnny and I joined Guns.
U- How did you hook up with Johnny Crypt? and how did you meet Jizzy?
CHRIS- Johnny and I met through an add that had been placed in a local trade paper.
For whatever reason things didn't work out at the time but we kept in touch. A rare thing in this business! Later when I was in the process of putting Boneyard back together I called him and it just sorta clicked. We've been best friends ever since. I met Jiz for the first time at a namm convention. I was outside having a smoke when I noticed him hanging out, and since I'd been into Love/Hate for as long as I could remember I figured I'd introduce
myself and pay my respects to the king. We had a really cool conversation. He had just gone solo at the time and we talked shop and compared notes.(pun intended) We talked about alot of shit, Love/Hate L.A. Guns, the direction of music etc. And as it turned out we shared alot of the same view points and opinons. Who woulda thought? Lol.
U- Johnny said that you guys are in for the long haul, and that you're totally dedicated to Love/Hate now. Is this your feeling as well? Or are you waiting
for a call from Tracii Guns?
CHRIS- Johnny nailed it! I was dedicated to Hate since long before I became a member. I think I totaled a car to red room once. Don't worry though it wasn't mine. 'Haha'. Seriously though this band has opend a lot of doors for me in ways most people could only imagine. As a musican it's pushed me harder and faster then anything I have ever done in my life. And I'm fairly intense so I get off on the challenge. Not to mention that the music fuckin rules!!! And it's stayed true to what it is. A heavy funky, hypnotic, rhythm driven monster. As far as Guns goes I have three (loves) in my life right
now.1.Love/Hate 2. Playing bass for Love/Hate and 3. My new Epiphone LesPaul bass(<-endorsment plug) which I play in Love/Hate. So in the unlikely event that Tracii or 'Steve' did call, I'd have to say thanks but no.
U- You are going to have some mighty big bass shoes to fill, as people view Skid as some sort of bass god, that should be made offerings of Bud on the high
holy days. So, are you up to the challenge?
CHRIS- I'd like to think so because I've definitely done my homework. I know that there will be comparisons drawn between Skid and I, especially by the
hard-core Love/Hate fans' But as long as everyone realizes that Skid himself fully supports what we're doing and is still a vital part of the band, and considering that people are willing to give this a chance I think that they'll be plenty blown away! So try to think of it this way. Lord Skid himself has decreed that we carry on to continue getting his twisted message to the masses...
U- It has been said that Skid will still help write some tunes for the next CD, will he be involved in any other form?
CHRIS- Probably. Once we get a little closer to having a completed record Skid will most likely come in and work with us on the preproduction. In other words
he'll make suggestions about the song structures etc. Although pretty much anything he contributes is welcome. As far as I'm personally concerned any time he wants to sit down and work on new ideas I'm up for it. And it's definitely not out of the question...
U- Would you rather be doing vocals and fronting a band, or are you happy as the "basspire"?
CHRIS- Lol! I am the BASSPIRE W^W. It's really sort of strange I've always wanted to play rather then sing but I somehow always managed to end up in that frontman position. Kinda like 'you're the crazy one so you have to be the lead guy' Then the bands I've been with in the past never wanted me strapped down to an instrument for fear I might lose some of that psycho quality. I'm here to tell you that's definitely not the case if anything I've found something to
channel all that aggression thru. And I fuckin dig it! So the bass for me has become my weapon of choice. As far as fronting a band goes leave it to Jizzy he's far better then I ever thought of being, there are plenty of backup vocals to keep me busy and we may (I said may) even decide to do something off of American Hardcore.
U- Before joining the new Love/Hate were you a fan? Or are these tunes new to
you?
CHRIS- Yes definetly! I think i was the first guy in Detroit to own Blackout in the red room and I've followed them pretty closley ever since. No small irony
that I used to drive Steve and Tracii nuts by playing there cd's on the bus and saying shit like 'why don't we do stuff more like this?' And then Jizzy ends up in the band after I leave. All's well that ends well I guess.
U- Love/Hate always billed themselves as the "Stupidest Band In The World". And made debauchery an art form. Will this still be the image of the band?
CHRIS- Although there seems to be some incredibly steep competition I think it's fair to say.................................... What was the question?
U- Do you guys have a record label lined up for your new CD, or will you have to push a demo to all the A&R idiots, that are given' Korn a "trombone" (for
the uneducated, this is gettin' your ass eaten while being jerked off at the same time).
CHRIS- There are no now; nor will there ever be any brass instruments in Love/Hate! We are however being courted by a pianist and a couple of ukulele players...
U- If you had your choice, would you rather be touring all the time, or locked in the studio, layin' down tracks?
CHRIS- Touring! Touring! Touring! It's great to be in the studio stroking you're own
and each others egos and the creative process is cool. But. The fans are where it's at. There's nothing like playing in front of a packed house, the adrenaline rush is the greatest high in the fuckin world! When you put it out there live and the people respond it's like having the power to collectively move mountains.
U- What are you like playing live? Are you more of a laid back just feelin' the groove player, or are you a stage-divin, beer bottle-bashin' kind of guy, that will get arrested at the first live show?
CHRIS- Pure monster! There's no room for the human being in me when I'm on stage! If
you don't wanna get wet stay out of the first five rows. If you don't wanna get bashed don't fuck with the band. If you wanna have a good time and cut lose come to the shows, because that's why we're there in the first place. I know that in saying this there's an element of risk involved because there's always gonna be some idiot out there that's gonna wanna test it. All I can
say to that is, try not to forget I'm more stupid then you are!!!
U- What's your response to people who will say "this is not Love/Hate, this is L.A. Guns Version 2.0"
CHRIS- 2.0' is already taken. Lol! I think people are gonna say what ever they want
regardless. The question is will they accept it? from what I've heard and seen most people seem to be predominately distracted with Skids absence to which I say again. 'Skid always has and will be a part of this', he knows the members, has offered his help and support and wants it to move forward. And anybody that would fuckin dare try to tell Jizzy that he doesn't have the
right to continue his career with the band that he helped pioneer just because he spent a little time making a living with Guns deserves to be smacked in the mouth.
U- L.A. Guns fans will know the story, but not us Love/Hate followers... were you kicked out of L.A. Guns like Jizzy, or was it you, that told them to get
bent?
CHRIS- (Nutshell version) I quit. Was asked back 'agreed" And then I got kicked out.
Lol!
U- What's the worst job you ever did to earn $ to support your music career?
CHRIS- "Oh god'. Let's see. Well the one thing that comes to mind off the top of my
head is. I did psychic hotline shit for about three months $4.99 a minute. I averaged like $300 bucks an hour for the CO. You would not believe the idiots that called in! All I can tell you is that the people that you see on the Jerry Springer show are real and we're all on the phone with me...hahaha
U- What are your musical influences? Those from when you started, and those that inspire you today.
CHRIS- Tough question. I've always listened to a lot of different stuff. I can still
remember when I was a little kid going thru my older brothers record collection when he wasn't home Zepplin, Kiss, kansas, Sabbath, DeepPurple, Bad CO etc. And I think that's were it all started for me. I was a little shadow rockstar And it never changed. Today it's still a lot of the same, although I dig a lot of the newer artists too. Manson, NIN, KId Rock And I of course reinvented myself with Motley Crue back in the day but then who didn't? Anyway there are to many to list. Did I mention Love/Hate?
U- What CDs do you play when you are on your own, and no one is around to hear? Any secrets?
CHRIS- Secrets huh? "OK" When I was a little kid I used to imagine what it was like to be an Osmond brother. Just wait'll Metal Sludge gets a hold of this.
Groan! Lol. no other really shocking revelations unless you count Morrison's American prayer.
U- What's the most embarrassing thing to ever happen to you on tour?
CHRIS- I don't think it's happend yet. But I have a feeling it's coming!
U- What's the best thing to ever happen to you on the road?
CHRIS- See answer #18 (above)
U- If you could snap your fingers and have one band/singer/performer erased from history, who would it be?
CHRIS- Whoever it was that started that fucking flannel trend, it's comfortable enough when it's cold out, "But come on". Who wants to pay $20 to see a
lumberjack with a microphone? Haha.
U- What's your favourite beer/drink? And give us your best "drunk rock guy" story.
CHRIS- Crown Royal. I know I know, (Jack Danials) but Royal's smoother. And again please refer to answer#18 thank you.
U- I'm going to name a band, you tell me your thoughts in 5 words or
less:
L.A. Guns (today) : Survivors
London After Midnight : Cool posters
Poison : Survivors/winners
Slayer : Fuckin loud survivors
Powerman 5000 : So far so good
LIT : Good friends good band deserving
Circus of Power : Where'd they go?
Rage Against The Machine : innovative
U- Any message you want to give to the Love/Hate or L.A. Guns fans?
CHRIS- Yea. Thanks for the support U RULE!!!!!! See you on tour. CVD
- - -
AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH JOHNNY CRYPT!
AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH JON E. LOVE!
AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH SKID!
AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH JIZZY PEARL!
IF YOU THINK CHRIS VAN DAHL SUCKS, CLICK HERE!
LOVE/HATE HOME PAGE
KING JIZZO'S HOME PAGE
BUY SOME L.A. GUNS CRAP
© 1997 urotsukidoji_1@yahoo.com
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