Interview with Chris Ride
by Christian Lamitschka for Country Music News International Magazine & Radio Show
Christian Lamitschka: Country Music has many new fans in Europe, who may be hearing about you for the first time. How would you describe yourself and the music you play to someone who has never seen or heard you before.
Chris Ride: I am excited to have this opportunity to reach out to the European community. my father Jim smelgus was born in Germany and my grand mother madin name zierl is German. We still have family living in the regensburg area. One of the songs we did on the American dream cd has a line in German in it. My music was influenced while growing up, my father listened to Beatles, eagles, aerosmith and mostly adult contemporary music, while my mom liked country most pop and other music. As a kid I liked it all. I kind of knew that I had the music in me at a young age. the music I play now are songs people can relate to. My parents got me a guitar for Xmas when I was 16 and I taught myself how to play. Shortly after that I started composing my own guitar licks and my father and I found out we could write lyrics together.
Christian Lamitschka: How was the last year for you? What were the highlights?
Chris Ride: last year was the starting point for me it was totally by accident. My friends and I got together started a small band (on the rocks) we put together seven or eight songs that we thought were good and wanted to record them at a local studio just to have are own cd that we could listen to. After searching we ended up at the power plant studio in Hampton VA. Owned by Doc holiday. He agreed to do the cd for us. During the recording process doc heard something in me even thru our inexperience that he liked and took me under his wing so to speak. And we’ve spent the last year recording mostly new material
Christian Lamitschka: What’s your latest CD and how’s it doing?
Chris Ride: our new cd is called ( Messages ) we recorded it in Nashville at QUAD studios with the legendary Doc Holiday producing with his „A“ Team of studio Players in March of 2011
Christian Lamitschka: How did you choose the title for the CD, is there a story behind it?
Chris Ride: Messages is one of the tracks on the cd. It was the first song we wrote out of the 12 songs on the cd and actually it kind of fits all the songs on, because they all have certain messages about love, and Life.
Christian Lamitschka.: Do you write the songs yourself and if not, how do you go about finding the songs for the your CD?
Chris Ride: some of the material I have done myself. When I come up with a new guitar rift my father and I write the lyrics. Doc Holiday comes up with most of the music and the arrangements. Its a team effort that seems to work the best.
Christian Lamitschka: Please tell us about the songs on your album.
Chris Ride: Acting Bad was the first cd we did, being a new comer we thought it was a good idea to show the versatility of our music range. The cd had a little country some rock, adult contemporary and ballads but because of that wide diversity of music we found out that it was difficult to pin point an audience, so with „Messages“ we took Americana, Country and a little rock edge and put them all together in each song, and now I feel like we finally came up with a Chris Ride sound..
Christian Lamitschka: What’s the difference between your last CD and the current one?
Chris Ride: The new cd Messages is more Americana with a twist of songs that will fit more into my singing range plus they go much deeper into the music as well as the lyrics.
Christian Lamitschka: Your current single is being played by radio. What do you thing is special about this song that makes people what to hear it?
Chris Ride: I think and hope it’s because I have my own sound and the lyrics are about everyday life
Christian Lamitschka: What kind of songs do you like to record the most?
Chris Ride: Songs that send a message to the listener, everyday life experiences. upbeat
Christian Lamitschka: What’s your favorite song among all the songs you’ve recorded and what’s the story behind it?
Chris Ride: Its hard to say. I like all the songs on the new cd. If I had to pick just one I think it would be SENSES ON FIRE to me it really has a lot of drive. The story behind it is its a pick up song with class
Christian Lamitschka: Who do you look up musically and how deep do your musical roots run?
Chris Ride: I love Eric Clapton, Beatles and Eagles.
Christian Lamitschka: As an artist you have to do so many different things such as recording, touring, doing interviews etc. What do you like best, what’s your favorite activity?
Chris Ride: I like the recording process. When I need to loosen up I get out and throw the football around with my friends
Christian Lamitschka: Are you doing anything to take country music beyond it’s current borders or are you happy where it is?
Chris Ride: no. We are just trying to push the envelope
For more information on Chris Ride visit www.1chrisride.com
Christian Lamitschka ( Ch.Lamitschka@t-online.de )