EMQ’s with THE CHRIS ROLLING SQUAD

The Chris Rolling Squad Logo

EMQ’s with THE CHRIS ROLLING SQUAD

Hi everyone! Welcome to our new EMQ’s interview with La Roche-sur-Yon, France based, Angry Rock ‘N’ Roll band, The Chris Rolling Squad. Huge thanks to Chris for taking part.

What is your name, what do you play, and can you tell us a little bit about the history of the band?

We are The Chris Rolling Squad”, we play damn Rock ‘N’ Roll, fast, loud and angry one! We started in 2013, put out an EP in 2016, then “Spitfire” our 1st album in 2019 and here we are with the new one “Cannonball Holocaust”.

How did you come up with your band name?

10 years back I had a website called “Rolling Bastards”, about Rock ‘N’ Roll culture, B-movies and stuff, and I used to sign all the chronicles “Chris Rolling” as a nick name, then I made the band, keep the name and add “Squad” cause’ I hate “band” or “trio”, it sucks 😀

What Country/Region are you from and what is the Metal/Rock scene like there?

We’re from west of France (Atlantic coast, obviously, cause we got no east coast 😀 ), there are many great rock bands all over, from Metal to Punk, Psychobilly and so on, but I don’t know if we can call that a “scene”?

What is your latest release? (Album, EP, Single, Video)

“Cannonball Holocaust” (Cimex Records/Tvåtakt Records).

‘Trapped Inside’ (Video)

‘Hate 2000 Blues’ (Audio)

Who have been your greatest influences?

Mmmmm…tough one! If we go down to the roots and watching the kind of stuff we play, I’d say the more obvious would be AC/DC (Bon Scott era), Motörhead and the Ramones but there’re so many others! Some people put us in the same box than The Hellacopters, Zeke, Peter Pan Speedrock, Supersuckers and stuff, the kind of band that are not fully Hard Rock neither Punk, but in between, and I’m fine with that.

What first got you into music?

As long as I remember, in summer 1977, Elvis’ funeral on TV got me really impressed (especially some stock shots with screaming girls 😀 ), then I saw the Stray Cats and Van Halen on TV shows and later my mom bought me my 1st LP, AC/DC “Highway To Hell”, damages were done 😀

If you could collaborate with a current band or musician, who would it be?

Another tough one 😀 !!! I don’t know, cause I like many bands and musicians but I don’t know them personally, I mean I truly love their music but maybe they’re dicks as people, and I really don’t like dicks 😀 But obviously if someday I get a call or an offer by someone whose I love the music, we’ll have a talk, for sure!

If you could play any festival in the world, which would you choose and why?

“Helldorado” in Eindhoven, the mood seems pretty cool!

What’s the weirdest gift you have ever received from a fan?

Once, before a show someone came with a big painting of us, it was damn touching, we hung it in our rehearsal room.

If you had one message for your fans, what would it be?

Have fun, don’t take things too seriously, and last but not least, thank you, thank you all, whoever and wherever you are, really.

If you could bring one rock star back from the dead, who would it be?

Phil Lynott

What do you enjoy the most about being a musician? And what do you hate?

Live shows, playing live is the best thing ever, I love writing songs as well (when I’m inspired), rehearsing with the guys, that stuff, you start with a little riff and end up with a real song. What I hate ? Mmmmm let me think…I don’t know, I guess it’s like anything else, you know, there’s good sides and bad ones, I prefer to focus on good ones, at least I try.

If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?

Today, I guess I’d burn the whole thing to the ground! I’m a musician, not a businessman neither an “expert” on how that industry really works, so, there would certainly be plenty of things to change but which ones? Honestly, I don’t know! Many musicians are frustrated, especially when they make records and play a lot of gigs, after a while they’re disappointed cause they don’t get the money or the recognition they think they deserve for their work! So, you better do that for good reasons! Like any “art” there’s no guarantee, as good as you are, we all have seen amazing bands that didn’t make it and beside there’s many assholes rich and famous in the music business 😀 It’s never been a fair business…but what’s fair in life, huh? Life itself ain’t fair at all, it’s damn cruel!

Name one of your all-time favourite albums?

Mmmmm, I could name a well-known classic but this time I’d rather pick a more obscure one. I’d say “Saturday Night Fever” by The Devil Dogs.

What’s best? Vinyl, Cassettes, CD’s or Downloads?

Vinyl all the way! CD’s are cool (I got plenty as well) but I prefer the sound of vinyl, big sleeves and stuff, I grew up with vinyl, so!

What’s the best gig that you have played to date?

We had many great ones but one that really shaken us was in a little club in a city called “La Rochelle” in 2018, we were opening for “Delirium Tremens”, a Psychobilly band, almost no one had heard about us, the whole crowd was there for them, full of rock ‘n’ roll people, punks, metalheads, rockabilly rebels and stuff, and believe me, It was damn crazy! We had many other great ones but this one was really insane!

If you weren’t a musician, what else would you be doing?

Scientist or Gangster.

Which five people would you invite to a dinner party?

Nick Cave, Jaz Coleman, Naomi Klein, Jerry Seinfeld, Charlie Claesson

What’s next for the band?

To get back on stage asap, working on new music, and trying to stay alive as long as we can.

What Social Media/Website links do you use to get your music out to people?

www.chrisrolling.bandcamp.com/
www.facebook.com/thechrisrollingsquad/
www.instagram.com/thechrisrollingsquad/
www.open.spotify.com/artist/5ozr1o5rbTHdtOfbI4zgGE

Jaffa Cakes! Are they a cake or a biscuit?

😀 😀 😀 Guess I’m not enough British to answer this one, but anyway I ain’t a fan of these “Biscakes” 😀 😀 😀

Thank you for your time. Is there anything else that you would like to add?

Thanks to you!

The Chris Rolling Squad Promo Pic (Credit Jesse Pollet)
Photo by Jesse Pollet

Disclaimer: This interview is solely the property of Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this interview, unless you have the strict permission of said party. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.

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