Killing The Dream - Interview with Chris Chase

"Phil can tell you about the super efficient and powerful hot sauce he purchased in Japan on our first trip"

August 9, 2008, 01:28 PM

What's the story behind the formation of the band?
Me, Isaac, and Christopher have been friends forever. Chris and Isaac had a sweet band called Guiltripp in high school, and a couple years after they broke up, we decided we needed to do a band. We had always wanted to do a melodic hardcore band, so we got with our pal joel, who had been listening to a lot of carry on, rented a practice room, covered a Kid Dynamite song, and the jams started flowing like wine.


You played Japan as part of your follow up to the 'In Place Apart' release. Tell us about that trip.
Japan is wonderful. I can't say enough good things about that country or the people that live there. They are just so welcoming and hospitable, and really make you feel like they appreciate that you're there, when really it should be the other way around. We all feel incredibly lucky that we have been able to go there twice.

Our buddy Phil can tell you about the super efficient and powerful hot sauce he purchased there on our first trip and how it led to a kid having to go the hospital, but that's another story altogether!


You came to England on your Europe tour – what did you think of London?
London was beautiful! we had a whole day to walk around and see the sights...you know, all the typical tourist stuff. Luckily we had our pals in THE LEGACY (check out their new record- 'Beyond Hurt, Beyond Hell') to show us around and make sure we didn't get into too much trouble. The show was great. We played at the underground, which reminded me of a place that the foot clan from ninja turtles would hang out at hahahaha. Tons of games and different stuff to eat, and it was across the street from a delicious vegetarian chinese restaurant. I really hope we get to play there again.


Who would you most like to tour with and why?
Oh man...probably Jay-Z, I shouldn't really have to give a reason- he just rules hahaha. I'm definitely the only one in the band who would say that. DJ would probably pick Down or Converge or something like that. Isaac would say U2. Chris would say The Pogues, and Patches would pick DC Talk or Jars of Clay...both have had a huge impact on both his life and his music.


The artwork for your music is beautiful – who does that for you?
That would be Mr.Jake Bannon. Definitely a perk of being on Deathwish haha!


The lyrics to 34 seconds are very personal. Can you tell us the story behind them?
Honestly, it's a really personal song and i don't want to go into it too much. Basically it's just about being labeled as a certain thing by a person/people who have no right to be labeling anyone or anything.

When I say 'you are who you fuck,' i'm really not talking about sex as much as I am other things.


Please tell us more about 'drunken Phil catching garter belts' – sounds like a good story! Hahaha a couple years ago, we were on tour and we had a show booked in Las Vegas. About halfway through the tour, we found out that it had been cancelled, but DJ told us that we had to still go because he had planned to marry his girlfriend (now wife) Stacey there...which was a COMPLETE surprise to all of us.

Basically, we celebrated their union appropriately, the beer flowed like wine, and by the time it got down to throwing/catching garter belts...Phil and Chris had gotten extra festive. Stacey's son Von was like 7 at the time, and i think everyone but Phil knew that he really wanted to catch the garter. Stacey threw it up, and Phil pummeled Von (including a textbook forearm shiver to Von's seven year old face), made the grab, and the garter belt was his!

Von cried, Phil felt terrible (we all made him feel worse), and then we all enjoyed a classy buffet somewhere.

To be fair to Phil, I probably would have caught it if i had been closer to it. Not sure about the ruthless forearm shiver though.


What's the weirdest thing a fan has ever sent/done to you? (and did you like it!!)
Some kids we know gave me a schrute buck as a present (if you watch the US version of the office, you'll understand what a schrute buck is haha)...of course i liked it!

Ummm, nothing else really comes to mind, i think a couple times i've jokingly asked for kids to bring me cookies or other treats, and they've actually done it. i always end up feeling bad that they thought i was being serious. Not bad enough to not enjoy the delicious treats though!


If you could be stuck in a lift with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be?
Easy. Special Agent Jack Bauer. But he is unavailable, fictional, and overqualified. Second choice is also easy.....Vanessa Simmons.


Describe the band to a complete Killing the Dream novice, in 3 words.
pets.parties.pizza.


What can Killing the Dream fans expect to see and hear over the next 12 months?
Shows, shows, shows. Probably a few bulletins about pizza and/or puppies. Definitely nothing about frogs...frogs man.

Thanks for the interview!

Shout out to our homies THE LEGACY and DEAD SWANS!!! Also, shout out to wunderbars, crunchie, and the other fine candies the United Kingdom has to offer. See you on the road!!!