Page 8 - Black Velvet Rock Magazine Issue 110

BV110 pg 04-09 Kris Barras Band Interview.qxp_BV110 pg08 12/06/2024 21:54 Page 5

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That’s the first thing that we do. So, there’ll al- oing back to ‘Halo Effect’, there’s some he idea for ‘Unbreakable’ came from
ways be an element of that, but, deeper than Gquite heavy subject matter on the Tcertain setbacks, but rising up again. It
that, I definitely think we can be kinder to people album. In ‘Secrets’, Kris sings ‘I want to run is one of the more positive songs on the album,
in more situations of need. And, yeah, maybe away, a never-ending pain’. The singer, who with Kris singing, ‘I’ve risen from the dead’, ‘I’m
there’ll be a change up in government soon and wrote all the lyrics, says ‘Secrets’ is a song taking back control’ and ‘Now I’ve become un-
we’ll start to see it. Who knows.” about someone putting a burden on you, and breakable’. As humans, we go through experi-
the burden becoming your burden. “The song ences that help us grow and become stronger.
here’s a familiar quote, ‘Never look down uses the idea that it’s a secret. Someone’s told “It’s not always as easy as that, obviously, de-
Ton someone unless you’re helping them you a secret and you can’t tell anyone. That kind pending on what you go through,” Kris says,
up’, which we think more people should live by. of idea, but it might not be that clear-cut and that “but, I think that’s always the aim, to take these
It leads us nicely to how Kris has been helping black and white, like a direct secret, but it can setbacks. ‘Unbreakable’ is a song that’s about,
out others in need. Recently, the musician has be just a burden that someone has put on you yeah, you’ve been put down, you’ve been set
donated a signed guitar to raise funds for Matt and has put you in a situation, and you’re strug- back, you’ve been knocked back. It’s about
Long of blues rock band Catfish’s cancer treat- gling to feel like you can’t get out of it without coming back and being, ‘Well, actually, none of
ment. The band are also playing a show, ‘Stand compromising the other person.” that stuff bothers me anymore. I’m unbreakable
Together Against Cancer – The Concert For Are you good at keeping secrets? we ask now, so you can say what you want about me.
Matt Long’. Kris. It’s not going to affect me. I’m moving on regard-
Kris tells us, “Matt’s a great guy. Seeing ”Yeah, probably… I think so,” he replies. less’.”
what’s happened to him, it’s absolutely terrible.
He’s a lot younger than me, he’s a young lad. I he lyrics and subject matter on the andslide’, in complete contrast, is the
don’t know if he’s 30 yet. It’s terrible. He’s in a Talbum relate to a variety of other topics, ‘Lclosest to a ballad on the album and is
situation where his chances of surviving are ex- such as a failed relationship, being stuck in a one song that Kris thinks listeners may find in-
tremely slim, especially if he stays in the UK. So, toxic relationship, mental health battles, and spiration from. “That’s a song that’s really about
it’s a big push to raise some money so he can more. On the subject of mental health battles, mental health struggles and feeling like you’re
get treatment that’s not available on the NHS, Kris thinks that music helps mental health slipping away. Maybe more in the form of a re-
but it’s available in the States. But, as most peo- tremendously. lationship, where you know when your be-
ple will know, medication and things in the “I’m never happier than when I’m stood on haviour is being really destructive to the
States is not free. It’s definitely very, very expen- a stage playing music,” Kris says, “That’s the relationship, but you can’t help it. You feel like,
sive. It’s big business in the States. So, yeah, reason I started the band in the first place. So every time you take a step forward, you take two
there’s been a big push. I’ve done something yeah, that, for me, personally, is one of the best steps back. And again, I think a lot of people
very, very small. There are a lot of people that things that I can do in my life. But, music in gen- have kind of been in that kind of scenario, where
are doing things to raise some money. They had eral, yeah, for people that love music, it’s such you’ve got things going on in your life, and
a very successful GoFundMe, I can’t remember an emotional thing, right? I’m a music fan, first you’re having a tough time and you feel like
what the final amount was. The last time I saw and foremost. I wouldn’t have chosen to make you’re slipping away, and you can’t quite get to
it, it was £75,000. A lot of the blues and the rock music my career if I didn’t love it so much and grips with things, and, every time you come
community and the guitar community have ral- the effect that music and songs can have on close, you just end up slipping back. And that’s
lied around and raised a lot of money. Me do- you. If you’re having a bit of a crappy day and what ‘Landslide’’s about.”
nating one of my personal guitars that I wrote a you whack on some tunes, it can make you feel ‘Landslide’, and others on the album, have
lot of the earlier albums on, it’s the least I could better. I’m not sure it can cure deeper forms of become firm favourites with fans. And Kris loves
do, really, in that situation.” depression, but it can certainly help lift your when people can relate to them. “If people con-
Another cause that Kris has supported is mood on a down day.” nect with the lyrics, that’s amazing to me.” Fans
The Booking Hall in Dover, a live music venue We ask if he ever has a day when he’s not find their own meaning in the lyrics. “What a
set in a former train station, which is under threat working on music. song means to someone, individually, is pretty
of closure. Kris Barras Band have previous “Yeah, of course,” he replies. “I’m a normal cool. I see stuff online, people writing in our fan
played a sold-out show there, and have a one- person,” he laughs. “I have things to do. There group and stuff, about different songs and how
off show booked to support the venue. are days where I won’t be playing. Sometimes, much it means to them, and they’ll put up some
While Kris can’t help everyone and every I can go a couple of weeks without playing or stuff, and I’m ‘Well, I didn’t really write it to mean
cause, he says, “I’m not in a huge position of doing anything like that, depending on what’s that, but if they’ve taken that, then that’s great.’
power or wealth, but, yeah, something like this, going on in my life, at that time. I’ve just got back And, if the song helps them in some way or in-
helping a grassroots venue, is something that off holiday. I didn’t play for a week, but I’ve just spires them, then that’s fantastic. I don’t set out
we can do. We had a great show there last year. spent the past two days doing a lot of guitar to do anything like that, that’s not really what I
It was sold out. Bands need these venues. It’s playing. But, yeah, I think I probably listen to see my role as. It’s not what I try to do. But, if
tough. We could talk about reasons why all day music every day. I can’t imagine there being a that’s what happens, then great. I write songs
long, but music venues are struggling, particu- day go by where I don’t listen to music.” that I want to write. I write stuff that means
larly at a grassroots level. Bands coming He does say that he can come up with ideas something to me. And, if people connect with
through, every arena band you see, was a grass for songs while he’s on holiday. “Definitely. I’m that, then that’s a double bonus for me. I don’t
roots artist at some point, pretty much. Maybe always getting little ideas and things coming up set out and think, ‘Ah yeah, I’ll write this because
some of the pop acts weren’t. Guitar bands, rock all the time. Yeah. I’ve got quite a hyperactive people will feel this,’ do you know what I mean?
bands, they were touring around the country in mind, so I’m not very good at relaxing, so I’ve al- It’s just not what I’m like or what I wanna do. So
a beat-up old van, sleeping in the van, playing ways got something going on. And, actually, a yeah, but it’s great to see people connecting
to 50 people in the arse end of nowhere, doing holiday, where I’m just sat down, lounging by the with it. ‘Landslide’, that’s probably the one that
that for years before they made it. I’ve been pool or whatever, that’s actually not a time I’ve seen the most comments about online that
through all that and, whilst I’m a long way off where I relax, that’s not a relaxing situation for people have connected with. We did a piano
headlining arenas, I have moved up to a bigger me. That’s normally a time where I’ll be going version, Josiah and I, and that one, I don’t know
stage than some of the smaller grassroots through lots of different things in my head and if it quite went viral, but it had a lot of views on
venues… mid-sized, grassroots venues. Yeah, trying to come up with different plans and Facebook, more than our other stuff, and
so it’s cool. It’s great to go back to somewhere schemes and ideas and whatever else I’ve got seemed to attract a lot of new fans, and it was
like that and try and raise some money. I know going on. So, yeah, I’m always coming up with really nice seeing all the comments that people
Steve Harris from Iron Maiden has done it first. little melodies and little ideas and little lyrics and related with in that song. As I said, I don’t ever
I did announce mine first, so maybe he copied stuff, and I’ll jot them down in my Voice Memos write a song thinking, ‘Oh yeah, people will re-
me!” he laughs. “He saw that I was doing it, so or write them in my Notes in my phone. That’s late to this,’ I don’t think that’s a good viewpoint
he thought, ‘That’s a good idea,’ and decided to always been the case for me. And then, what I to have, I think it’s not sincere. I try to write stuff
jump on. He sold his out quicker than mine. kind of do is when it gets closer to the time of that means something to me and if people con-
Mine’s got about 20 tickets left, but it’s very close thinking about getting back writing properly and nect with it,then great.”
to selling out, it’s not there yet. But he has just collating things together to start putting an album One of Kris’s most personal songs was
sold it out. But he is in probably the biggest together, that’s when I kind of get all of these ‘Watching Over Me’, from 2018’s ‘The Divine
metal band in the world, so it’s hard to compete notes and different ideas together and try and and Dirty’ album. It was the first song Kris wrote
with that!” form them into songs.” when he started the band. He wrote it about los-
ing his dad, who had also been his guitar
teacher and inspiration for music. “The amount
KRIS BARRAS BAND