A Chat with Chris Knaggs (02.06.20)
After performing with London-based band Some Kids as a singer and guitarist, multi-instrumentalist Chris Knaggs is ready to break out on his own. Born and bred in Liverpool, Knaggs is influenced by The Beatles; however, he also shows an inclination to Pink Floyd, Radiohead and Pearl Jam. We spoke with Knaggs (CK) about his solo project, his debut single ‘Sunlight’ and celebrity crushes.
OSR: Why did you decide to become a musician?
CK: After my family, music is the thing which gives me the most pleasure. Who wouldn’t want to do what they enjoy for as much of their life as they can? I wouldn’t say I decided to become a musician though. It was more that after I first picked up a guitar I couldn’t and didn’t put it down for years until I had lots of songs under my belt. I’ve probably been writing and performing songs for 20 years now, so it’s part of who I am.
OSR: Describe your music in a single sentence.
CK: Rock with influences ranging from classical music to ’80s rock aiming to evoke bittersweet emotions.
OSR: What can you tell us about your new single ‘Sunlight’?
CK: ‘Sunlight’ is my first solo single, having previously been in a band called Some Kids. It was written at the end of a significant event in my life when I felt both sadness at the ending but also excitement about new possibilities. It was also at a time when I was particularly experimenting with classically influenced piano riffs. I wrote ‘Sunlight’ to capture those complex emotions through what I thought was appropriately ‘epic’ sounding piano motifs and chord progressions.
OSR: Did you face any challenges when composing and recording ‘Sunlight’?
CK: The writing of ‘Sunlight’ flowed quite smoothly; it was one which just poured out of me. The recording was more complex because I was doing it on my own for the first time. This meant that I had to layer each track which was more difficult, but also had nobody to consult with which meant I had to try to remain objective. Sometimes, I would have to step away from the recording for a day or two because I got too ‘close’. I missed just asking someone else ‘what do you think?’
OSR: Who would you love to collaborate with?
CK: Too many! If I have to choose, I think my music could benefit from someone who adds additional atmospheric sounds and creative touches. Jonny Greenwood from Radiohead is an absolute genius at this, so he would be my dream collaboration. I imagine there’s a queue.
OSR: How have you been dealing with the Covid-19 lockdown?
CK: My day job is a clinical psychology doctoral trainee in the NHS, so I have been continuing to work. Lockdown hasn’t affected me so much, but being on the wards has been challenging. I have continued to feel useful which has helped me to cope, plus we have had a round of applause every week in the UK which doesn’t hurt! On the weekends, when I am unable to go out much like everyone else, I play with my two-year-old and take every opportunity I can to touch up my recordings. Making music has been absolutely vital for maintaining my wellbeing.
OSR: How do you think this global pandemic will affect musicians and the musical landscape?
CK: I see a lot of changes already with more home recording and online promotion, as well as bands creatively performing via Zoom across multiple locations. I can’t help but feel that there will be a void until proper live performances are up and running again, but who can predict how the pandemic will progress from here. My hope is that the global pandemic will not affect musicians and the musical landscape in the long-term. If it is here to stay though, it might mean a golden age for primarily studio musicians.
OSR: How do you stay motivated, particularly during this pandemic?
CK: I feel motivated by my day job, which helps me to combat the pandemic directly and feel a sense of worth. I also have an opportunity to work on some new recordings, such as ‘Sunlight’, with the increased time at home when not working. My two-year-old boy also always keeps me motivated, whether I want to be or not!
OSR: Who inspires you on a professional and personal level to keep creating music?
CK: I am hopelessly addicted to trying to create an album as beautiful and original as OK Computer or Sergeant Pepper’s, so Radiohead and the Beatles are my aspirational inspirations. I don’t think I will ever be happy until I create an album as great as those two, so I’ll be inspired in this way for the rest of my life I suspect! Personally, when I write a song which makes my wife’s eyes light up or my son dances around to, I am inspired to do that again.
OSR: Who was your celebrity crush as a teenager assuming you had one?
CK: I don’t know if anyone will know her now, but Katy Hill – the Blue Peter presenter from the ’90s.
OSR: What’s the best advice you’ve received regarding your music career?
CK: A session guitarist family friend who came to stay with my parents when I was a teenager told me to keep enjoying music and not make it a chore. This has stuck with me and I make sure that whatever I do, whether it’s writing, performing or recording, I do it because I want to and not because I feel obliged. Music is fundamentally meant to be enjoyed, so other people won’t enjoy what you’re doing if you aren’t.
OSR: What is next for Chris Knaggs?
CK: Following ‘Sunlight’, I have four more songs ready for release. As the Covid situation develops I will also look at ways to start gigging again for the first time as a solo artist, so it will all be very interesting.
OSR: Do you have a message for our readers?
CK: As a musician and as a mental health practitioner, I am very aware of the power of music to stimulate, give meaning and pleasure, and create and maintain social ties. Music has never been more important than now for our wellbeing and being part of the music culture is more than an interest or hobby. As Nietzche said ‘without music, life would be a mistake’.
Thanks to Chris Knaggs for chatting with us! You can find out more about him on his Spotify and Soundcloud.
