The Dreaming
The very first time I heard The Dreaming, was their song "Beautiful" on the Elektra movie soundtrack. It was easily the best song on the soundtrack. After being addicted to the song, I started researching the band because the voice sounded familiar. It was the best surprise ever. One of the most brilliant minds in music had started a new band. I've always ranked Christopher Hall up there in my top two or three as far as being just an amazing lyricist & vocalist. Stabbing Westward, Hall's previous band, had so many hits and impacted the radio waves and tons of fans worldwide. To see him back with The Dreaming was a dream come true. After picking up one EP, then another, and then an acoustic EP, and seeing them live on the Congress of Corruption tour late last year, my faith in original music is back. And I had the chance to interview Christopher Hall of The Dreaming as the band is getting ready to release their debut full-length album.
Asif: Hey bro, how's it
going? How is 2007 treating you so far?
Chris: Awesome so far!
Asif:
The last time I spoke to you guys, you were on the Congress of Corruption
tour with Ill Nino back in October '06. Since then you guys recorded the
album Etched In Blood [set to be released June 19th],
and are going to be doing a summer tour. That is awesome man! Tell me more
about you guys finding a label.
Chris: We decided to
release our album with Cement Shoes/Universal Records. The owner, Dan, is
a good friend of ours and has so much belief in our band that it's
humbling. He is the one who put us on the Ill Nino tour when we weren't
even on his label yet, just to give us a chance to get out and play.
Asif: That is awesome to hear bro! How was the Congress of Corruption tour
for you guys?
Chris: The COC tour was awesome! Great fun was had by all.
Asif: It seems like you already had a huge underground following…did the fan base just grow from that tour?
Chris: It was cool to get to play for our fans and make a lot of new ones!
Asif: Do you possibly feel cheated because you guys may be partially carrying over a fan base from your previous bands?
Chris: ... I'm not sure what you mean by feel cheated. I feel we have all worked hard in the past and just like anything in life it is cumulative. I'm glad we have fans from Stabbing Westward still following us.
Asif: Alright, my bad. "Cheated" was the wrong word to use. But you got what I was saying! I know I was talking to Johnny back in October and he mentioned that you guys try to get some different drum tempos into songs. Is that because you guys will look at other drummers and be like "hey, anyone can do that, why not be different?" or is it really not a conscious effort to be different, you guys just like the different drum tempos?
Chris: If you were to analyze all the Stabbing Westward songs you would find that 80% of them were 80-88 BPM and almost exactly the same beat.
Asif: Okay…
Chris: Compare
"Sometimes It Hurts", "What Do I Have to Do", "So Far Away", and you will
hear the beat
I refer to.
Asif: Will do!
Chris: We find it more exciting to write dramatically different songs and tempos. Plus most of our songs are over 140 with "Sticks and Stones" clocking in at 210 being the fastest. We only have 2 mid-tempo songs. "Let it Burn" and "Disconnected". Everything else is super high energy - just the way we like it!
Asif: That is awesome man! Different is good! It is original! It is what this world of music is lacking today! Anyway, back in October when we were sharing a beer you told me that you were a huge Bono [lead singer of U2] fan. That caught me by surprise – in a good way! Obviously I know another influence is The Cure, but are there any unknown musical influences in your music that maybe the casual fan may not know about?
Chris: I think I am
constantly influenced. A lot of great bands from the past, but just as
much by AFI and My Chemical Romance and lots of new music as well.
Asif: Is there a band or artist and you may not like musically, but you
respect as a performer?
Chris: There are too many to list! (laughs). Music is such a subjective art that one person's opinion is completely pointless. There's lot's of great music that I don't like… and lot's of music I like that few would consider great.
Asif: Very true bro, very true. So, who are you listening to right now that the rest of the country should be listening to or will know about soon if they don't already?
Chris:
Hmmmm…probably nothing new. Brent listens to music all the time. I don't
really listen to that much. Only when I am running and I tend to listen to
the same stuff over and over again.
Asif: What do you guys like to do to unwind and have some fun?
Chris: I like to snowboard, surf, play video games and watch the Cartoon Network.
Asif: Sweet! What games are you playing right now or what are you addicted to?
Chris: On PS2 I play SSX Tricky, Vice City, Operation Desert Storm, Karaoke Revolution…but I am currently addicted to my new PSP I got for Christmas. I am playing SOCOM Fire Team Bravo. I have Grand Theft Auto, Star Wars, and some Vintage arcade games for it too but haven't even opened them yet.
Asif: You playing Karaoke Revolution? I'd love to see that! What's your favorite show to watch on the Cartoon Network?
Chris: Naruto and Bleach.
Asif: Cool. Anything else occupy your time?
Chris: I like to
hangout with my girl. The other guys like to go to the Rainbow and have
some drinks. But mostly, we just rehearse all the time!
Asif: Back to the music. For the most part, the topics you guys address seem to be on the darker side of human emotions. Do you ever sit down and think to yourself, "I'm going to write a super happy song about how great life is, complete with an accordion and a saxophone?" or decide at the next show you will do a cover of Jimmy Buffet's "Margaritaville"?
Chris: Nope!
Asif: (laughs) Good! That would be weird! Anyway, thanks a lot for you time. The album is coming out very soon, a summer tour is on the way. How awesome! I know all The Dreaming fans out there are looking forward to an amazing 2007 for you guys!
Chris: Thanks bro!
PHOTOS: Asif and courtesy of The Dreaming
