Talking with Brian Chris about the Christmas album, the book that goes with it, and the origins of the song. Introducing Chris Collins, Brian’s producer. Talking about Brian’s trip to Nashville, and the song he performed there, Now Or Never.
Chris Collins performs the vocals on Now Or Never. Talking about Chris’s studio, Sonic Alley Studios. Discussing Brian’s process for writing songs, and producing them.
Talking about live performances, needing an agent, connections in the music industry. Chris Collins has written music too, but hasn’t recorded any. Working with other artists, like rapper Li’l White Lie. Shoutout to Street Hop for local Hip Hop music. Talking about some of Brian’s older music. Introducing Something About Christmas.
Talking about Brian and Chris’s musical background. Brian’s musical instrument collection and album and CD collection. Learning music from the Internet. “Practice makes permanent. Perfect practice makes perfect.” Chris has been collecting instruments in his studio, and keeps stuff like lava lamps around for inspiration. Brian gets inspiration from everywhere.
37m00s
Talking about Brian’s books. They’re inspirational books for kids. Brian reads an excerpt from Play Your Way, illustrated by Brian’s wife, Brittany Barr. The Broken String is the first book Brian wrote. Brian gives a synopsis of the story, and his aspirations as an author.
Chris’s son heard the lyrics “It’s the worst time of the year” and didn’t realize that it was a joke. But Brian says Christmas is tough, and hopes this song resonates with that feeling. Introducing Special Stuff, and Bob gives the end credits.
This week I’m playing KWCon music, that is, music by local musicians from Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge, Wellesley, Wilmot, and Woolwich (and maybe some who have friends and relations in the area)… This is all new music from 2021, or newly discovered in 2021. Sadly, I’ve only got an hour, which covers barely half of the KWCon musicians I discovered this year. So that means there’s not enough time to provide bios or background information.
I hope this Covid is done soon. I want to bring all these musicians into the studio for interviews and maybe a Live, On-Air, In-Studio performance.
And for any musicians in Waterloo Region I’ve missed, drop us a line at office@radiowaterloo.ca with an MP3 of your music or a link to a download site, and we’ll get your songs on the air. I’m about six months behind in replying to e-mail, so please be patient. Or even better, join Radio Waterloo as a member, Start Your Own Show, and put Waterloo Region’s music on the air!