INTERVIEW WITH CHRIS BROKAW

Chris Brokaw doesn't need any introduction at all.Former member of legendary bands like Codeine and Come; he's one of the most important and respected musicians of american underground music. Cielo Líquido appreciates his honest, sincere and straight answers.

1.How and when did you get involved with music? Who/What did inspire you at the beginning?

I started playing guitar when I was 12, drums when I was 13. The first 3 bands I got really into were The Jeff Beck Group, The New York Dolls, and Kiss. Then I got totally into punk rock.

2.What were your expectations when you started doing music?

None!

3.After all these years? Are you happy with everything you've achieved? Are you pleased with where you are now? Would you have liked to have gone further? What would have to happen for you to be able to think "I've made it now"?

I feel like I've been really lucky to have had all the opportunities I've had to play with all the amazing musicians I have, make records exactly the way
we wanted to make them, travel the world. I feel very successful, and very excited for more.

4.I know that you're currently involved in several projects/bands apart from releasing solo albums.Would you tell us a little bit about it.

I play drums with The New Year; I also play electric guitar with The Empty House Cooperative.Neither band plays very often but I love the music and the people in those groups. I'm starting a new band right now with Doug McCombs and Elliot Dicks, 2 guys in Chicago.

5.Most of the critics (and even the fans) think of you as one of the most relevant underground musicians in the last, say, 15 years...

That is very flattering.

6.What are your views on the state of independent music or the music industry in general?

It's kind of a mess. There's too much music. Too much bad music.

7.How do you see the future of music?

I think it'll be fine. I'm curious to see what happens with the industry.

8.A tough one? What is Music for you?

It's something I continue to be obsessed with. I don't know why, I don't understand it. That's okay.

9.What kind of a role has the internet regarding music?

It's helped. In some ways it's cool that you can find anything, immediately. Other times I miss the time when you had to put some more effort into it.

10. Is there any kind of community that you feel linked to? Do you feel part of a scene? Are there any kind of like-minded artists or bands?

I feel like I have several communities - some that have nothing to do with music - in Boston, New York, Chicago, Berlin. And I have a worldwide
community of music people - bands, labels, writers, fans. - I don't really feel part of a scene, but I know and recognize fellows who have dedicated their lives to being artists, and all the easy and difficult choices that come with that.

11.Unfortunately I have not had the chance to see you playing live until now. How is your live set in comparison with your recordings?

Right now I alternate between playing solo acoustic, and electric with Jeff Goddard on bass and Kevin Coultas on drums. I think they're different, but both powerful, engaging. With the band it tends to be a bit louder and a little more aggressive, maybe, than the records. I like the dynamic of the 3 piece band; it's different from 'Incredible Love' (the new album), I think.

12.What does it mean some genre-tags like emo, posthardcore, indie, etc to you?.

Nothing.

13.How do you go about writing songs? Where do you find your inspiration? What are your lyrics about?

The songs usually take a long time for me to write. They're often drawn from my own life, but I'm trying to make them open-ended enough that people can make their own interpretations of them. The lyrics really have to go in tandem with the music, they have to be integrated.

14.Listening all your albums I notice a lot of differences amongst them.If you agree with that, could you explain us something yourself?

Wel.It was not really deliberate, but, I am glad that each solo album has been kind of different. They all sound like me, but they're each a different
approach that seemed like the right thing to do at the time. I'm proud of all of them. I don't think that they're inconsistent. There are a lot of things I want to do with music.

15.Where do you usually live? What is your local scene? Is there anything good about where you live?

I live in Boston, or actually in Cambridge, which is right next door. It's really pretty, it's pretty mellow, there are a lot of good universities around
and it's a pretty intelligent environment.

16.Is there a good musical activity? Would you recommend some bands?

I'm always terrible at describing the local scene. Some of my favorite music right now is being made by: Lungfish, Pig Destroyer, Converge, Azita, Peter Brotzmann, Thomas Brinkman, Chris Smither, Deerhoof, Fennesz.

17.Do you think people have their own opinions/tastes or the big media still have too much influence?

Big media still has way too much effect on people, but they do have a lot more opportunities to seek things out. It's so easy now!

18.What does it mean to be independent these days?

I'm not sure how to answer that.

19.What would it be the motivation of doing rock today?

You have to do it because you're obsessed with it.

20.What do you think are the best ways for an independent artist/band to gain exposure to a crowd that cares? Which is your way of getting press and media coverage? Do you have any particular policy?

I try to leave that up to the experts.

21.Is your music marketable?

I think some of what I do could be marketable, but I think I'm probably too restless to become really popular.I like to do too many different things.

22. What is selling out for you? Why your stuff or similar kind of music don't reach wider audiences?

I don't know. It doesn't really matter to me.

23.What are both the boring and funny parts of being a musician like you?

Really long drives from one gig to the next can get really boring. Sometimes you feel more like a truckdriver than a musician.Explaining what I do for a living, and how that works, can be funny. I don't know. I really like what I do. I'm really happy with it.

24.I love to talk about music so, What other things do you like musically? What are you listening lately? What were the last records you bought?

Besides the things I mentioned earlier, I've been listening to a lot of older blues stuff recently - Reverend Gary Davis, Blind Blake, Lightning Hopkins.
Geoff Farina and I are talking about doing a record of this kind of stuff. Also, I continue to listen to a lot of Chet Baker. He recorded a ton of records in the last 10 years of his life and I'm trying to find them all. Not all of them are great but most are amazing, especially the trios without drummers (trumpet, guitar, bass, for example).

25.Has there ever been a time when you felt like calling it a day, that all music-related things were too much trouble? What makes you carry on? Do you see yourself keep doing this for another ten years?

You know, i've just kept doing it. I've always been playing, since i was 12. I hope it continues. I never expected to make a living from it, but for the last few years I have, and it's been great; it's my favorite job ever. I feel like I've been lucky. I feel like I'm just getting started!

26.What are your upcoming plans?

More touring, solo and with the band. Writing more songs. playing with Doug and Elliot in Chicago.Hopefully more film scores; I've done 2 and really
enjoyed it. Hopefully more work with dance companies;i just did music for a modern dance company in Ireland and it was really cool. I might produce a band in Belgium this summer. Also, I've been getting really into photography, it's my hobby and I've been having a lot of fun with it.

If you want to know more about Chris Brokaw check his website www.chrisbrokaw.com

Interview by Fernando Pérez Herrero