Chris Murray: The Full Interview
by Ricky Vigil [ricky@slugmag.com]
Online Exclusive / Posted December 6, 2008 More Exclusives
Here’s the complete text of my interview with Chris Murray, Head over to chrismurray.net for more info on the prolific one-man ska band and check out unstrictlyroots.com to learn more about Murray’s record label. Be sure to check out the feature on Murray in the December 2008 issue of SLUG and catch his performance with the English Beat at The Depot on December 9th.
SLUG: Growing up, I always thought of LA as kind of a ska mecca. As someoneinvolved with the current LA ska scene, how would you describe it?
Chris Murray: Right now I'd say there are multiple ska scenes in LA. I'm mostinvolved in what I'd call the rock steady scene that started withbandslike Hepcat and Jump With Joey. There has been a strong following forthis kind of music in LA for almost 20 years now.
Perhaps the most thriving LA ska scene is known as the mexiska scene,which is basically hispanic bands. Some of these bands cross overintoother scenes, but many of them play only mexiska events. There's astrong backyard party scene for mexiska bands. This is by far themostgrass roots and active scene locally at the moment.
Beyond these, there's also a loose scene that involves, for lack ofbetter descriptive term, post-Reel Big Fish acts. This used to be amuch bigger scene, but I believe it's still doing pretty well innearbyOrange County. I'm somewhat out of the loop with this scene.
All these scenes tend to cross over somewhat, or at least certain actswill, but there is definitely a bit of self-imposed segregation aswellthat comes from people in each scene knowing other people in thosescenes and being into the same music.
SLUG: How did you first become interested in ska? What drew you to themusic?
CM: The first ska I remember hearing was the Madness version of One StepBeyond. I became a huge Two Tone fan back in the day, and this wasactually a great way to learn about ska as all the Two Tone actscovered original era Jamaican songs as well as writing their ownmaterial, this opening the door to a huge body of music that youngpeople of my time were not familiar with at all. Two Tone was a veryspecial moment for ska in my opinion. The music was fresh but alsofirmly rooted, and many of the songs had very strong political orsocial messages.
SLUG: You're known largely for your stripped-down solo recordings. How didyoucome to perform ska and reggae music acoustically?
CM: Well, even in the King Apparatus days I was writing material for theband on acoustic guitar and making 4-track demos to introduce newsongsto the band. When King Apparatus ended I continued to write, more andmore in an authentic ska style, and to make 4-track recordings of thetunes I was composing.
Once I'd arranged the release of The 4-Track Adventures through Moon,Istarted performing solo acoustic.
SLUG: How did the Bluebeat Lounge come about? What made you want to start aweeklyska and reggae showcase in a time when ska is so far off themainstreamradar?
CM: John Pantle, a huge ska fan who used to be the main agent at KnittingFactory, offered me a weekly residency in the small room at KF back atthe end of 2002. My approach is to say yes first when opportunityknocks then ask questions, so I started Bluebeat Lounge at thebeginning of 2003.
There has always been a strong ska scene in LA, so things started offwell for Bluebeat Lounge and we're now approaching the six year mark!
That ska is off the mainstream radar has never been much of a factorinmy decision making process. In some ways, ska being off the beatenpath makes it more suited to being a "scene" stye of music. Thepeoplewho are into ska tend to be very into it, and tend to like that showshave similar minded people in the crowd. This has been both a goodandbad thing for ska music over the years.
SLUG: Growing up, I always thought of LA as kind of a ska mecca. As someoneinvolved with the current LA ska scene, how would you describe it?
Chris Murray: Right now I'd say there are multiple ska scenes in LA. I'm mostinvolved in what I'd call the rock steady scene that started withbandslike Hepcat and Jump With Joey. There has been a strong following forthis kind of music in LA for almost 20 years now.
Perhaps the most thriving LA ska scene is known as the mexiska scene,which is basically hispanic bands. Some of these bands cross overintoother scenes, but many of them play only mexiska events. There's astrong backyard party scene for mexiska bands. This is by far themostgrass roots and active scene locally at the moment.
Beyond these, there's also a loose scene that involves, for lack ofbetter descriptive term, post-Reel Big Fish acts. This used to be amuch bigger scene, but I believe it's still doing pretty well innearbyOrange County. I'm somewhat out of the loop with this scene.
All these scenes tend to cross over somewhat, or at least certain actswill, but there is definitely a bit of self-imposed segregation aswellthat comes from people in each scene knowing other people in thosescenes and being into the same music.
SLUG: How did you first become interested in ska? What drew you to themusic?
CM: The first ska I remember hearing was the Madness version of One StepBeyond. I became a huge Two Tone fan back in the day, and this wasactually a great way to learn about ska as all the Two Tone actscovered original era Jamaican songs as well as writing their ownmaterial, this opening the door to a huge body of music that youngpeople of my time were not familiar with at all. Two Tone was a veryspecial moment for ska in my opinion. The music was fresh but alsofirmly rooted, and many of the songs had very strong political orsocial messages.
SLUG: You're known largely for your stripped-down solo recordings. How didyoucome to perform ska and reggae music acoustically?
CM: Well, even in the King Apparatus days I was writing material for theband on acoustic guitar and making 4-track demos to introduce newsongsto the band. When King Apparatus ended I continued to write, more andmore in an authentic ska style, and to make 4-track recordings of thetunes I was composing.
Once I'd arranged the release of The 4-Track Adventures through Moon,Istarted performing solo acoustic.
SLUG: How did the Bluebeat Lounge come about? What made you want to start aweeklyska and reggae showcase in a time when ska is so far off themainstreamradar?
CM: John Pantle, a huge ska fan who used to be the main agent at KnittingFactory, offered me a weekly residency in the small room at KF back atthe end of 2002. My approach is to say yes first when opportunityknocks then ask questions, so I started Bluebeat Lounge at thebeginning of 2003.
There has always been a strong ska scene in LA, so things started offwell for Bluebeat Lounge and we're now approaching the six year mark!
That ska is off the mainstream radar has never been much of a factorinmy decision making process. In some ways, ska being off the beatenpath makes it more suited to being a "scene" stye of music. Thepeoplewho are into ska tend to be very into it, and tend to like that showshave similar minded people in the crowd. This has been both a goodandbad thing for ska music over the years.
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