At Warped Tour, my NeverShoutNever! interview was with a group, like a press conference. Cigarette in hand, he decided that he was going to do his interview early, causing me to miss my Anarbor interview. I was disappointed, but you have to grab opportunities while you can
Before anything, he stepped up into a forklift, asked for a lighter and then said we could start. Those in attendance did not indentify themselves or their publications. I will use XX for their questions.
XX; describe Warped Tour so far in one word.
Chris said “Fun.”
I then asked how he came across the video of Kia and his fans drinking muddy water to meet him. If you recall, we reported on this story just a couple days before the Hartford Warped- Ingle calling it “inhumane”.
He said “You know, I heard there was some fucked up shit going on before I got there, the signings, like, they would make kids like, drink water and do things like that, but, you know, when it really comes down to it, I heard people talking about it on the Internet. Like on Twitter and things like that, you know, it really bummed me out that that was going on. And I went over there and it was going on, and just, I don’t know, it just bummed me out, I had to get out of there. It just felt wrong.”
XX: what has been the most exciting moment in your musical career? The band Artist Vs. Poet starts their set on the stage up front.
Chris: “Probably right now, cuz I’ve always wanted to be in one of these things and take it for a spin(the forklift), so after this interview, I’m going to take it for a ride. I’m excited.”
XX: how do you think youv’ve progressed through albums.
Chris said “You know, with What Is Love? I wasn’t really satisfied with it. I experimented a lot on it, tried out a lot of new sounds, it was really cool. But with Harmony, like, I want to make a record for the fans, as well as, like, try out some stuff I wanted to do but in a very old-school NeverShout sort of way. Just cuz a lot of fans have been waiting for a long time and they deserve a record that they can relate with, you know, so I wanted to write a record like that for them.”
XX: Which is your favourite tattoo? ( considering he’s covered.)
When he couldn’t answer right away, the guy asked him what his first tattoo was.
“This one. It’s “faith” in Hebrew. I got it at a trailer park when I was about 16. It was ridiculous. But then I got the peace sign, and I just went crazy.”
XX: What is love to you?
He said “You know, I’m still trying to figure that out. What I’ve found out so far is that love is more than just a word, it’s more than just an emotion. It’s like the energy. I think love is a positive energy and hate is a negative energy that’s floating around and I guess love is positivity.”
I asked him, as he was lighting the cigarette, how his fans had reacted to his image change. He started out as a squeaky clean artist and under “influences” on Myspace, it was Jesus, and now it’s medical marijuana.
Chris said “I mean, I guess just how a sibling would. Kind of like when their older brother grows up. I think that’s the best way to look at it. My sister’s the same way. Just part of growing up. We all go through phases, and I’m just gonna keep going through my phases. Keep writing songs just cuz it’s fun. But I’m not gonna let my fans change my thought process and try to make me a kid forever, cuz then I’ll turn out like Michael Jackson.”
XX: Whats your inspiration for your latest album?
“I guess it’s just life. It’s about being away from home a lot, and seeing the viewpoint from that. Seeing the world from that viewpoint. I don’t know. Some about love, some about breakups, some peace anthems, a song about label, telling them what’s up.”
XX: What artists do you look up to?.
Chris: “I grew up listening to whatever on the radio, just like every regular kid, then at about 14, I got into Bon Jovi, Bob Dylan, musical artists that are different. That had a stand, had something to say. Ever since I listened to those, I try to listen to music that has something to say, something to change the world with. Just getting your statemen
t out.”
t out.”
XX Compare your life to now as opposed to if you finished school .
“I mean, I guess I’m just excited. I get to travel around, play music, I can do what I love, my passion. I just feel blessed because it was a big risk, and I got a lot of shit from my parents and my family and my friends even, you know, and it worked out, better than ever. And I get to do what I love, and I’m happy.”
XX do you have advice for someone who may want to drop out of school to pursue music.
“Just be confident. Have confidence in yourself. Also just practice. Practice is honestly the most important part of any art or any practice that you have in your life. Practice and you’ll get better.”
(As Artist Vs. Poet is playing their song “Adorable”), I asked him how long he was been a vegan and why.
He said “I’ve been a vegetarian for about two and a half years now, and I’ve been on and off vegan, trying to do that thing, and it’s very very difficult on the road, just trying to get food and trying to stay healthy. I try to have energy, because I’m kind of a hyper person and if I don’t have energy I’m kind of like ehh. Couch potato. And no one wants to be around me because I’m grumpy and weird. I sometimes fall into the realm of cheese every once and a while because it’s so good. Cheese pizza. But for two and a half years I’ve just been on and off. More like vegetarian with vegan tendencies.”
XX whats your number one most played song on your iPod?
“I don’t have an iPod, but I do have an iTunes. It’s probably up there with “It Ain’t Me Babe” by Bob Dylan, and “Sweet Carolina” by Ryan Adams, “Come Pick Me Up” by Ryan Adams. I’ve just been through a breakup, I mean, it’s been a while, it’s been a year, but I’m still kind of in that transitional period, you know, so sad songs kind of get me through that kind of stuff.”
XX: Is dating on tour difficult?
“For sure. That’s one of the reasons I broke up with one of my girlfriends in the first place. We were together for like three years, on and off, but it’s so difficult. You wanna be the best you can be, but it’s so difficult when you can only see that person, like, once every couple months. It’s difficult to stay connected online or over the phone. As time goes on, I just want to date very casually for fun. Just to try to grow in a relationship kind of way. Try to learn more about girls.”
XX So whats your Warped Tour style?
Chris: “I guess, just, clumsy. Clumsy and drunkeness. Drunken style. Just because I feel like Warped Tour is a time to let loose. Just like summer camp. You do stupid stuff you don’t usually do and you just be a crazy person try to make new friends. This Warped Tour, I’m trying to have this little persona about me of just not caring and just having fun. Probably the fall though, I’ll go school shopping and figure out what I’m gonna be doing then. But for now, I’m just going to be a party animal.”
XX Do you ever get to just walk around the Warped Tour grounds?
“A little bit. I mean, it can get sometimes a little crazy, it’s okay, I like people.”
XX What do you hope your fans take away with them from an NSN show?
Chris: “I guess just happiness, escape, a relief from your life. Real life right now is a very sad place, we’re reminded everyday of horrible realities in the world, and I hope a NeverShoutNever! show can make you happy for 30 minutes to an hour. To just have fun and let go.”
I asked him why he decided to have NevershoutNever! and EatmewhileI’mhot! because they’re huge contrasts from eachother.
Chris said “I thought hardcore was the shit growing up, I was so into it, so into just taking a stand. Just really fun. And I can kind of do those vocals, sort of, so I just had fun with it. I love playing that kind of music, and jam it all the time. I actually starting playing hardcore music really before I started playing acoustic. I got a girlfriend and started playing acoustic, because that’s, like, my job as a boyfriend so I don’t know. It’s just another escape. Just another musical escape.”
XX Would you rather play basketball against LeBron James or Obama?
He said “Obama. I’d whoop his ass. No I’m just kidding. I can’t even make a layup. I can kind of shoot free throws pretty good, cuz we played it as kids a lot, and that was like my choice.”
The same person asked him if he would rather eat the nasty chocolate cake from Matilda, which he didn’t know what it was and someone had to explain it to him, or a week old hot dog.
Chris: “I’d probably eat the cake. Just get some soy ice cream on the side and just douse it in it. Get some whipped cream act
ion goin’ on. Some cherries on top. Could probably make it pretty good.”
ion goin’ on. Some cherries on top. Could probably make it pretty good.”
XX who would you collaborate with if you got the chance.
“Alive? Probably Bob Dylan. Just get in the studio for a couple days and try to figure out what’s going on in his crazy mind and just try to pull his secrets from him and try to figure out what he’s all about. That’d be so fun.”
XX Do you see a difference in the crowd with festival tours vs. personal tours.
He said “Definitely. This is way more diverse, a lot more guys, which is kinda cool. I like playing to dudes, girls are awesome, just it’s fun to see a dude in the crowd getting into it and you’re like “yes! I’m doing something right.” I don’t know. It’s older too, a lot older. Older people, which is kind of nice too. It’s just more diverse. I can be a nut that way. Cuz everyone loves to watch a crazy person, you know, so I just try to get insane on stage, which is fun.”
I asked him an embarrassing or unexpected song on his iTunes.
“(after a long pause) I think the Brady Bunch theme song is on there. That one’s kind of embarrassing. I just like it because I remember as a kid watching that and having all the faces pop up. Like when you’re stoned, hearing that and imagining all the faces popping up.”
Someone asked him what his ringtone was, and if he would ever have himself as his ringtone.
“Just one of the standards(imitates ringtone). And never. Why would I do that, no. I’d be a dumbass if I did that. I’m just like standing trying to make new friends with all these bands and my phone goes off with my own song and I’m just like “(in deep man voice) Whaddup?” You know what I mean, acting like a badass.”
Getting a picture with him, then walking away with no different opinion of Chris Ingle of NeverShoutNever!, my last interview of the day, I was just excited to be finished with ‘work’ and get back to the music!