Let's Talk Punk with CPG
Interview By Lisa-PunkrPrincess
Punk Globe: Hi Thanks for chatting with us, Who is CPG? and how did it start?
CPG: CPG is my self expression, where I am the only one responsible and therefore accountable. CPG might be: Chris Plays Guitar, Counting Purple Gorillas or Crocodiles Parrots Giraffes. CPG is: a one man band of myself, where I do all the music , lyrics and performance.
Punk Globe: How many releases have you had and how many on vinyl/CD?
CPG: I’ve had 4 releases as CPG. 4 on CD and my previous release , Elusive Asylum on vinyl. A vinyl release of my newest album, Visions is also planned.
Punk Globe: You just released a new album, can you tell us about it?
CPG: “Visions” is lyrically a look inside my brain for the past couple of years. Musically, it’s an ongoing look inside my brain for my entire life. I hold creative ideas for a long time, hoping they will find a place to shine. Some songs are more recent creations, while others, from limbo, reached their fruition on this album. It’s heavy and melodic and I hope people connect with the songs.
Punk Globe: What is your favorite track on the new album and why?
CPG: All are my children (of course) and I love them all, but as I’ve stated before, the title track “Visions of Pain” was a favorite. Recently I’ve held in high regard the song “Angel” . I think it’s definitely the epic song on the album and I love how it turned out. Musically, lyrically and emotionally. I’m very proud of it, it was challenging to get it to come together like it did.
Punk Globe: What/who is your biggest inspiration?
CPG: Playing guitar is my biggest inspiration. Ever since I started playing, it has been a way to express what I’m feeling inside. It never lets me down, it always gives me back what I need, when I need it. Unless I break a string then it’s an A hole. Haha.
Seriously though, my wife Paula is an inspiration to me. When someone is in your corner unconditionally, that is an inspiration to me. I can always feel it and it makes me shine. I do have other people in my life that are supportive and they inspire me creatively as well.
On the other side of things, people always show their true colors eventually, and that’s usually disappointing. My dogs love me unconditionally. That’s nice: they never disappoint.
Punk Globe: How long did it take to create the new album?
CPG: Since I did everything from start to finish on the album: writing, playing all the instruments, recording, mastering, graphic design, etc it was 3 months of living hell!!! No seriously, there were always challenges, but the results I’m happy with, so I can’t complain about the journey. It got me to this result.
Punk Globe: Where do you usually gather songwriting inspiration? What is your usual songwriting process?
CPG: I write a lot of guitar riffs. That alone can be the inspiration needed. Sometimes, it’s just a raw emotion that makes lyrics fly on the page. Frustration is a great motivator. To relieve stress about a subject that’s eating at you. Sometimes it’s love, which comes out in so many ways depending on who it is about. I have a real fascination with “love, hate”. I’m a hater of hate, and a lover of love. Both feelings drive me to write lyrics; probably more than anything else. The music comes first 99% of the time, then the lyrics start to take shape.
Punk Globe: Does the title “Visions” have any meaning behind it?
CPG: Originally it was “Visions of Pain” but I wanted it to be more vague I guess. The album covers a lot more angles, so I wanted it to be about opening our eyes to things. Sometimes we cut our noses off to spite our faces. I think at one time, we could hold different beliefs and sort through things that made sense and things that didn’t. Now, some people just stay on one line and can’t see what’s really important. There’s a line in one of my songs that says “speaking of futures we try to destroy” just seems counterproductive doesn’t it? This is how people talk now with everything. I guess Visions is just to say “look” at what’s important and don’t get lost in the BS. This album is my visions of humanity.
Punk Globe: Who are your favorite musicians? Groups? Albums?
CPG: I tend to like artists and bands that I connect with musically, lyrically and emotionally. I mean some people are drawn to an image etc. Myself it doesn’t need to be a certain genre or style, but it’s something intangible that connects to your mind or heart. For example, Monster Magnet I connect with lyrically , because he has a way of expressing his lyrics unconventionally and the topics he sings about I connect with. Other bands like Sabbath, Metallica, Punks have unconventional attitudes. Old school rock. Metal. Hardcore’s F you. If it touches me, I like it.
Punk Globe: Besides making music, what are some other things you like to do?
CPG: Camping. Outdoor stuff. Cars. Boating. Spending time on our deck enjoying life. Gardening. Home repairs, mechanical stuff. My wife says I’m always looking to do things and learn how to do things. It’s a curiosity, a DIY obsession.
Punk Globe: Who are some bands you have been listening to?
CPG: Everyone on Whatever68 Radio of course. I mostly listen to DJs on the radio stations that support Indie music. That comes a lot from the DJs themselves, as they are programming their own shows. I like hearing bands I have never heard of, it’s motivating, real raw inspiration.
Punk Globe: If you were to describe yourself in simple word choice.. what would you say?
CPG: Empathetic, pensive, creative, curious, supportive, and driven, according to Paula (my wife).
Punk Globe: What are some of your pet peeves?
CPG: Judgy people. Hypocrisy. Hate for the sake of hate. They haven’t invented a dog to human translator. Haha.
Punk Globe: What has been your biggest challenge? Have you been able to overcome that challenge? If so, how?
CPG: Always, the biggest challenge musically is getting people to give you the time of day. To be blunt, it’s still so much about who’s ass ya got to kiss. If you don’t fit in their box etc etc. The way I’ve got around it is to look elsewhere. To find people, magazines and stations that want to give bands of all styles a chance. Also DIY. Some of the greatest bands in the world couldn’t get arrested when they first started, no one would give them a chance. You would think people would learn, not to be judgy. Maybe they don’t relate to the band’s music, but someone else out there might. Give them a chance I say.
Punk Globe: What genre of music do you consider your work to be?
CPG: There’s so many genres and sub genres. I think I’m really just CPG at this point. My friends told me a long time ago they could recognize my sound and style, and I sounded like me. Of course, you can hear influences in my music, but I thought that was a huge compliment.
Punk Globe: Anything you want the readers to know?
CPG: Supporting independent artists isn’t just financial . It’s about sharing and telling your friends and others about their music and the band. It’s about wearing their T-Shirts, going out to listen to them live, telling the band how much you like them, and sharing a post. Supporting stations and venues that play independent bands. None of these bands are expecting to be millionaires, the most important thing for independent bands is exposure of any kind. Nothing is too small but everything you do is important to their existence.
Punk Globe: Besides Whatever68 Radio, where can we find your tunes?
CPG: Contact me on Facebook @cpgrocks. There are links to all other social media. Bandcamp I have releases on there. Look for CPG with the skull logo. Whatever68 Radio, Bulldogs Radio, Tripl3 Troubl3 Radio, QMR Radio. Some of the DJs are on about 30 stations. So follow them and find your favorites. It’s a big old family of content providers and like minded individuals.
Punk Globe: Any shout-outs?
CPG: All the DJs who play independent music. Mario, AB, Moe, Emu, Silver, Rich, BM, Kait, Carney, Gator, Dolla. I love all you who give your time to bands like CPG. I always try and give my time and support back to you when I can. Of course the biggest shout out to Lisa Punkrprincess, for everything you do and all you’ve done for me and all Indie bands. Forever in debt to you. Much Love. Big shout out to the listeners of independent music, the heart and soul is the people who listen to music off the beaten path. Who want something that isn’t spoonfed to them. Much Love and respect to you all.
Punk Globe: Thanks for chatting with us and thanks to all the readers.
CPG Thanks Lisa…. Much Love all.
