An Interview with Chris Garneau
Chris Garneau was kind enough to find some time in his busy schedule to answer a few questions for Fend. His new album, El Radio, was just released last Tuesday, July 7th.
Fend: Your songs are equally appealing both lyrically and instrumentally. In the writing process what usually comes first?
Chris Garneau: It usually begins with a little piece of torn paper and a few words which then generates a musical snippet which tends to become a skeleton of the song. Then from there it can go in any direction. It usually takes me a bit more time to complete the entire lyric though.
Fend: Word on the street is you collect lampshades. For you, what is the allure?
Chris Garneau: My great grandfather in Quebec collected lampshades his whole life. When my grandfather passed away, I was going through things before having a yard sale and came across the lampshade. A few years later, when I first moved to New York, I started collecting ones I would find here and there. I love a good lamp. They make me feel safe somehow.
Fend: Do you have any pre-show rituals?
Chris Garneau: My bandmates and I usually get in a circle and lick one mango from the sea, one time each. Then we exfoliate our skin with apple-cinnamon butter. Then we have a whiskey.
Fend: The musicians that played with you at Bargemusic were great. How did you meet them and are they permanent members? If not, how is it that you find people you would have play with you at your shows?
Chris Garneau: My beautiful cello girls are close friends and have been playing with me for a few years. The other two sweet ones from Scary Mansion, we just started playing together recently. In fact that was our first show together. They are quickly becoming very close friends of mine. And we hope to continue playing together as much as possible. The other guys who played trumpet and harmonica will jump in here and there at NY shows. Everyone is amazing, I am so grateful for them.
Fend: Your new album, El Radio, is quite magical. Do you have any personal favorites?
Chris Garneau: Thanks so much! I’ve been enjoying playing the new songs finally. Hometown Girls and No More Pirates have been fun to play live. Hands on the Radio is a one of the more important songs on the record for me. Also re-creating some songs for live shows has been really interesting for us, especially for songs like Pirates Reprise and Cats & Kids.
Fend: When can we see you again? And what do your foresee for yourself after the launch of the new album?
Chris Garneau: I will be playing at Poisson Rouge this Thursday, July 9, with aforementioned Scary Mansion and also another great band who are friends, The Lisps. This summer we are playing some shows around the US a bit, a bit in Europe and possibly Brazil. This fall however will be more heavy touring. Come November I will be bacK in the studio recording the next record.
