Page 11 - ISSUE 9

ROCKNATION ISSUE 9 PAGE 11
nobody’s business but I do support
the troops. They don’t have a choice;
they aren’t doing what they do for the
money.
Rocknation: Your last album debuted
on Billboard charts at #1, which is hard
to beat. Does that add any pressure
with this new album or is it more of a
"been there done that" kind of feeling?
Chris: Well of course we want it to
come in at number one but who really
knows. Record sales are so weird now,
what does it really mean at the end of
the day? Another plaque to hang on
the wall?
Rocknation: So no pressure?
Chris: No, I just want to be successful;
I don’t care if we’re number 1, number
5 or number 10. It’s all about sleeping
at night to me.
Rocknation: From the first day that the
band came together until this very day,
what has been your proudest moment to sleep. they sell. Its money coming from all dif- that kind of instrument so PRS made
as a member of 3 Doors Down? Rocknation: So did you rig the police ferent places, The National Guard and that kind of instrument for me. The
Chris: My proudest moment and I’m car and fire truck sirens to ring a 3 AIG are big contributors, people really guitars they built for me are the ones
sure there are other times when I’ve Doors Down tune? care. It really worked out. they sell, it’s the same thing all the way
been just as proud, but after Hurricane Chris: No but I guarantee I’ve got a Rocknation: I know you have your through and it’s really unheard of but I
Katrina hit we were able to do some get out of jail free card in that town. own signature guitar out now through just wanted to prove it to people. So if
really cool things for people that were Rocknation: And you were personally PRS Guitars. I read a story that a anybody has one and they want me to
affected by it. Not just once, several affected by Katrina as well so it’s pretty fan sent in to the band where he told play it bring it on out!
times, and not the same people, differ- admirable that you were looking out for about you playing his guitar during one Rocknation: Yeah I might buy one my-
ent people. One of the things we did everyone else while you went through of your shows before giving it back to self now just so I can get you to play it
that I was really proud to be a part of, your own hardships. him. I think it’s these kinds of things on stage for me!
the city of Waveland, MS was basically Chris: It was really a nightmare. It that really give fans a deep apprecia- Chris: I’ll sure do it. It’s going to sound
wiped off the face of the earth. The really did hit me. I couldn’t even get tion for what you do. With the level of great, it’s a great guitar, as a matter of
whole city was devastated, not just into my house because of the filth and success that you’ve experienced how fact, it’s a masterpiece!
a few houses, all of the houses, not the muck. I started in my garage and it do you not let it go to your head? Rocknation: What’s the one thing you
just a few buildings, every building, all took three or four days of just cleaning. Chris: I don’t know any other way. look back upon now with regards to
the schools, all the hospitals – gone. I had been on the road for basically That’s one of the reasons I play PRS the music industry and think, "If I only
They didn’t have any infrastructure two years straight and hadn’t seen my Guitars because of the way that the knew then what I know now?"
at all, they didn’t have any fire trucks kids and my family and that’s what I company is and the way that I am and Chris: All kinds of stuff. If I knew that
or police cars, telephones, comput- came home to. My family evacuated
ers nothing. The fire department was but we went from living in the home
basically sleeping on a cement slab where my kids were born and grew up
that had just been under ten feet of to living in a travel trailer and not even
water. It was filthy. They are trying to on our own property because it was
rescue people from the destruction and condemned from the salt water and
working twenty four hours a day trying the fuel and and all the bodies float-
to get people out alive and they didn’t ing around. It was just crazy. We had
even have a place to sleep. One of the to live in Alabama for three months
coolest things that we’ve ever done is and I drove back and forth each day
we bought them a fire truck. It wasn’t to clean. One day I just lost it. I was
a very cool one but it was functional, sitting in my house and the emotions
and they still own it. We bought them welled up and I couldn’t control it. It
three police cars and some computers was one of the worst experiences that
so they could get back on their feet I’ve ever had, I’ll say that.
and we gave them our tour bus for a Rocknation: Well, I think it’s great
month so they would have someplace how much awareness the band has
brought to the is-
sue through your
charitable events.
The band started the way I want my kids to be. It’s all downloading was coming I would have
The Better Life relative, be real and true and have a tried to prepare for that. Downloading
Foundation and good time and really there’s room for has slit some throats in this industry,
has raised over everyone to have fun here. And I think guys like us don’t feel it as much as
2 million dollars about how cool it would have been the little guys do but there are bands
since you started when I was a kid if my favorite guitar that don’t exist because of it now.
it. Can you tell us player played my guitar on stage. They don’t have a chance. When the
a little bit about Rocknation: Forget about when you business changes it takes years for it
that? were a kid, even now that’s pretty awe- to come around and for people to get
Chris: Better Life some. their feet back on the ground. There is
is what made the Chris: Yeah exactly. I gave Gary Ross- lot of good bands out there that people
fire trucks and po- ington one of my guitars to sign and he are never going to hear now, a lot of
lice cars possible. played it, not onstage, just backstage broken lives.
To this day we in the dressing room but still it was so Rocknation: The rumor is that there
still take a dollar cool. This was before I had my signa- will be a summer tour with 3 Doors
from every ticket ture but I said that if I ever was lucky Down, Staind and Hinder, can you
sold and Monster enough to get a signature guitar I want- confirm this?
Music donates ed to be a nice enough guitar where Chris: Yes. We’ll be all over North
ten dollars from someone could go and purchase it America, it’s going to be a good time,
every one of our in a music store and go right into the and we’re looking forward to it. I can’t
live DVDs that studio and work with it, I want it to be wait!