The Chris Curry Band

His music career started with watching Saturday morning cartoons. Something spoke to him during School House Rock. Now new performer Chris Curry, armed with an old Fender Stratocaster, has recorded his first independent album, Jive Candy. If you like blues guitar riffs and hip hop beats you certainly won't be disappointed in what Curry brings. Recently HP sat down with the upcoming artist to try and find out what he's all about:

HP: What are you all about?

CC: Wow. What a question. So many places I could go with that.

HP: Sorry, let me fine tune the question a little bit. What's your album Jive Candy all about?

CC: You know, so many things, but I'll sum it up with this: The Beastie Boys had one of the best albums ever made.

HP: You're going to say "Paul's Boutique".

CC: Yes! It was so good because they used music from so many genres and so many eras.

HP: Something for everybody.

CC: Yeah, and that's what I wanted to make. Something that everybody could get down to.

HP: Not much classical on the album though.

CC: I actually recorded a song that had some orchestra on it but we decided not to put it on this upcoming album.

HP: Really? Why not?

CC: It was about someone and I wasn't really sure if that person was ready to hear it. It's more of a joke song, but still. I'll save it.

HP: What song on the album do you like performing most?

CC: Manimal is a great audience grabber.

HP: Especially with the cougar roar in the song.

CC: Yeah, something very hoakie about having that roar in there, but it's nerd rock and in nerd rock hoakie is what you're trying to achieve.

HP: How did you decide to put a roar in the song in the first place?

CC: I was listening to that song after I first recorded the main guitar part and thought 'it needs a roar in it right here'.

HP: So you went to the zoo and got a cougar to roar on it?

CC: Geeze, I wish. That would make this interview so much more interesting but sadly, no. I found a roar on a sound effects CD I had and it fit perfectly.

HP: It goes with the song, too. What is that song about anyway?

CC: It's about being at the top of the food chain and not apologizing for it, yet not obliterating every creature on earth either. It's about finding the perfect balance. You know, just because we're carnivores doesn't mean we can't act responsible.

HP: Absolutely.

CC: In fact, by being carnivores, in some cases you're actually helping our natural world.

HP: How do you figure that?

CC: Well think about it. If you go fishing and you take away the biggest fish in the lake, that fish consumes around 10 other fish a day. Without it more fish live. The death of one will save the lives of countless others.

HP: Do you fish much?

CC: Never. Can we get back to talking about rock n' roll?

HP: Yeah, sorry, tell me about your video for Action News Team. (Action News Team video can be seen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2ZnO6xmx5E)

CC: Oh, yeah! What fun that was! The song Action News Team is of course a satire on local action news stations. I thought it would be funny to write really lame action news team opening music but use it for the song.

HP: Where did the idea for the video come from?

CC: I sat down with some students at Regent University, Robin Watkins and Aaron Holeman, and I told them my idea and they wrote a script for it.

HP: Who is the girl in the video?

CC: That's the very lovely, Carla Brown! She came all the way from the UK to be in the video. I always get comments about her.

HP: Was she a fan of your music?

CC: No, I don't think she had ever heard of me. I found her online. She runs a striptease site.

HP: Really?

CC: Yeah, I was surfing online one day and saw her picture.

HP: What were you surfing for?

CC: Uhmmm...[laughs] you're momma. Now, I had seen her and thought she was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. She had a site at the time called onlycarla.com, so I never knew her last name. Later when we were casting for the video I wanted a total knockout for the coanchor so I spent all day looking for her last name and trying to contact her.

HP: Wow. And you found it.

CC: I found her e-mail address and she contacted me like two hours later.

HP: Very cool.

CC: She even came back for another video we haven't released yet. She's awesome. Everyone loves working with her.

HP: So..., she came over here. Anything else happen?

CC: [laughs] No... She's way too classy for me. But seriously I'll e-mail her, we keep in touch.

HP: Well, moving on, your guitar playing is sure to attract some attention. You've got a an amazing style and feel for the blues.

CC: Thanks. I just play what feels natural.

HP: Do you always play that stratocaster?

CC: Always. I never play anything else. I like the idea of me and my guitar against the world.

HP: Is that a custom?

CC: It's three guitars made into one. The neck came from a left handed strat. The body was from the 80's and the pickups are custom. Their some of the best pickups I've ever heard in a strat. I don't want to use anything else.

HP: It looks like it's been worse for wear.

CC: It's worse for wear but it's wearing it well.

HP: Do you- [cut off]

CC: I also like playing an instrument that looks like it has a story to tell. I want something that has seen the pain, you know?

HP: Well said.

CC: I'm not of fan of brand new guitars. They're great but not for me and my style. I like something that's seen some action.

HP: What's next for The Chris Curry Band?

CC: Live shows. We're taking it on the road. Hopefully we'll get picked up by some festivals.

HP: Before you recorded this album you were a Pulitzer Prize winning photojournalist.

CC: Well, I was part of the investigative team that did a story on a private military contractor and we were named Pulitzer finalists. We lost to the LA Times. They did a story on water. Whatever.

HP: Seems like military contractors would be more interesting than water.

CC: You should be a Pulitzer judge.

HP: But you also won many other awards as a photographer.

CC: Well, I still am a photographer. I shoot for magazines and my work is represented by Zuma Press.

HP: You've been in Newsweek, Time and other news magazines.

CC: I always wanted to work an assignment for National Geographic but never got there.

HP: Maybe you will.

CC: Maybe I will.

Look for Chris Curry on iTunes, Songcast or visit www.myspace.com/thechriscurryband - Houston Press