Having delivered a career highlight with 2023’s Voices, The Cold Stares aren’t resting on their laurels, having already returned to the studio to work on their seventh blues rock full-length.
Three, it turns out, isn’t a crowd for The Cold Stares. After a decade as a duo, 2023 saw the release of the band's excellent sixth album Voices – the dynamic Indiana blues rockers’ first as a power trio. Guitarist/vocalist Chris Tapp reckons the addition of an official bass player has been a game-changer. Lyrically as well as musically, he dug deep for some of the most personal songs in band’s history. Speaking from Memphis – where the band are already tracking new songs – Classic Rock caught up with Tapp to look back on an important year for him and The Cold Stares.
Do you think you learnt anything new about yourself this year?
My grandad worked his ass off, my dad worked his ass off, but even playing rock’n’roll, I’m still trying to apply the same blue collar work ethic that we have as a family. I’m only here for a limited time, so what am I gonna do with it? What can I do to leave a legacy of music, and a legacy for my kids? The last year I’ve been working on scheduling and discipline to accomplish the things I wanna get done. Having purpose and goals.
When Christmas comes around, are you able to switch off and relax?
I switch off, but songs are so precious. When that antenna is off, you never wanna miss something important. So if there’s something inspiring, it doesn’t really matter. I’ll usually make a note or an audio recording on my phone. They’re just precious, man! It’s too hard to come by. I’ll get my ass kicked by my wife sometimes if I don’t switch off and focus on family. I have a 16-year-old son and I wanna be a good dad to him. I never want him to look back and think his dad was always preoccupied.
The dust hasn’t really settled on the band’s sixth album, Voices, so what's it been like to dive straight into another album?
I think you have to do it now. There’s so much new material coming out, if you’re not dropping something every couple of months, it’s easy to be forgotten. I like that in the seventies people would put multiple albums out each year. I love writing songs. That’s the easy part, and our plan is to do two albums a year going forward.
From writing and recording or performing live, how has Bryce’s addition on bass changed the band’s dynamic?
As far as songwriting goes, I can write anything I want without worrying how to pull it off live. And going through the old catalogue live, it gives us an opportunity to either play the songs more like the album or expand and add some jam sections. It opens up the band’s creativity all around.
Could you expand further and become a quartet one day?
No, it
