Chris Ballew Mini-Interview #2 by pusabase.com

Hot and melting summer keeps on going, but thanks to few cooler days I managed to do something, and here is the pusabase’s second Chris Ballew mini-interview.:

PUSABASE: New Caspar Babypants album is coming up with special appearances. How cool is that? and how did you get permission to do Sliver, and get Krist (Novoselic) to play?

CB: It is EXTREMELY UNcool! HA! I mean it is not cool in the traditional sense…it is FREE of the SHACKLES of COOL! It is so cool its HOT. I just asked the publisher and they were really great about helping me get the paperwork together. Krist is a friend and I just asked him and he was really into it. He recorded it at his house way out in the woods and emailed it over. Actually he had Jack Endino (who recorded Bleach etc) help him with the technology.

PUSABASE: You been talking about turning some of the PUSA songs into Caspar Babypants songs. How about turning Caspar Babypants songs into PUSA songs?

CB: You just never know do you?!? Could happen. The PUSA can be a complicated beast with the expense of recording in a real studio and schedules and things. Way more likely that PUSA tracks will get Caspar-ized in the future but for now I have enough new ideas that neither translation will happen anytime soon.

PUSABASE: Is there a place in Seattle you haven’t played? Or a place you would want to play?

CB: The main branch of the downtown library! Its beautiful and central (I do a ton of shows in the outlying areas of Seattle which are great). AND I WILL! on November 7th I will do my record release show there as part of a KINDIEPENDENT show that I am involved in. KINDIEPENDENT is a collective of like minded kids musicians. Check it out… http://www.kindiependent.com/

PUSABASE: How do you find the time to do all the recording, promoting, playing shows?

CB: Its tough. I am EXTREMELY busy this summer. It freaks me out a little. I need the phone to ring and have it be a partner that can take on some of the day to dayness but for now I actually LOVE the one man operation because if I decide to do something I ask NOBODY for permission!

PUSABASE: Babypantsmusic.com doesn’t have a blog anymore. Is Facebook taking over all the other digital promotion?

Yes. Facebook IS my blog. Too much time to do both. I will be putting more opinion and helpful parenting links on Facebook as time goes on too…

PUSABASE: How many different ways you’re name can be misspelled?

Balloo. Balew. Bellaw. Bullew. Caspur. Casper. Caspor. Khris. Quriz. Chriz. (Pusabase.com additions: Bellew and Ballow (Both has been used on official releases) 🙂

PUSABASE: I’ve heard that there’s a new TFH (The Feeling Hijackers) material coming up?

YES! When I dont know but a compilation is in the works of songs from both records and new material. Stay tunes I guess for more info on that. Outtasite is the man behind the curtain on this one. You should ask him!

PUSABASE: Alrighteous…. Let’s ask it from Outtasite:

PUSABASE: Chris said there would be a TFH compilation album coming up, and you would know more about it? Any details you can share?

Outtasite: Yes, it will be a record with 10 previously un-released songs (new songs)…. and 10 previously released songs from vol 1&2,…. So, 20 songs total. From what I can tell it will be Called “Superecord”

We have a new website www.thefeelingshijackers.com it’s still in the building stages as far as content, but it looks good

Oh yes! New TFH material! I can’t wait! Now back to Chris Ballew interview shall we…. 🙂

PUSABASE: ..and Subset?

CB: …and EGG?

PUSABASE: Subset is btw pretty usual search word how people find my site! and most of the emails i get are about Subset. It’s been more than ten years since the Subset days, and Mix is still getting asked about Subset in recent interviews. There had to be something special about it?

CB: For me it was a fun experiment and it taught me how to record with computers and started TFH and made a friend out of Mix but the common ground between the 5 of us was so TINY that it was too stressful. We all learned things but it was a quick burning flame.

PUSABASE: Presidents are known for their live shows. How come there isn’t any live albums or dvds? (Other than “World Tour DVD”)

CB: Cause its an expensive ball of work to make one!! But I would LOVE to leave a live DVD as a legacy to the difference between the live thing and the records. Its just who is going to pay for it and edit it and mix it and produce it and sell it and distribute it and promote it and and and and?????? Not me! Im at the beach if I have a free hour. 🙂

PUSABASE: Anything you want to say to pusabase.com readers?

CB: We love to play. You love to listen. Wanna get married?