Monday, March 23, 2009

My Interview With Chester French





So as stated before. I did indeed interview Chester French. Twas an experience to say the least. Initially I was disappointed because I could've done better, asked more insightful questions, talked less, listened more, but then I realized I'll only get better. My first interview with a band, was short, brief and impersonal, yet I was able to receive some insight into the thoughts and goals of Chester French.

Conducted over the phone, I was the first interviewer in a line of five for the day, and was given 15 minutes to chat with the band. One thing that I noticed about CF is their incredible self-awareness. They know they're good. They're also aware that they could be great. They probably really became aware once they became involved in an intense bidding war between Kanye, Pharrell & Jermaine Dupri to sign them. CF looked back at the process and commented on the improbable situation, "They were all amazing opportunities for us so we couldn't really go wrong. But Pharrell & Startrak were just a great fit creatively. Because the Neptunes have sat on this boundary of all these genres for a long time. And the fans that follow them and look out for their music are similarly open minded fans of creativity." With a record deal set, the group is currently touring the country, building a stronger fan base by connecting with fans at shows and impromptu autograph signings. When asked about achieving longevity within the industry D.H related the main objective, "The only thing that matters at the end of the day is how many people really support what you do and your ability to communicate with those people."

It seems as though this connection is what will truly matter in the years to come, as the role of the middle man (the record industry) falls by the wayside. IMO a much more authentic relationship is developing between musicians and fans, which previously might have been defined as a relationship between artists and consumers.

Often times I question those who travel off the beaten path to pursue their dreams. Before they have made it, what keeps them on track? What keeps them focused on their goals, and what compels them to continue when the light at the end of the tunnel is dim. To these questions, Max responded with a simple reality, "What we do is fun. So even if it sucks its ok."

When I asked the group about their upcoming projects, they told me about their most recent work, "Jacques Jams. We've got a mixtape coming out in the next week or two with DJ Clinton Sparks out of Boston. And its all original music, but instead of it just being us, we made it more of a hip hop mixtape where we produced beats and we've got collaborations with folks like Diddy Pharrell Travis Mccoy Talib JD and Janelle Monae. A bunch of artists who we really love." (I'm gonna holler at CF to try to get the mixtape early)

Chester French will win if they continue to get their music into the ears of like minded listeners. Finishing the interview, CF commented on the transcending quality of their music, and the diverse make up of their fan base, "In our culture people are so type casted. Ok so you dress like this so you have to listen to this kind of music. Or you have to talk with this kind of dialect. And its all kind of arbitrary to us. We like all different types of people, which makes our shows so fun for us. We've got skater kids and punks and gang members so its like a complete mix. It's really great."

For more information on the group visit their website chesterfrench.com


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