Chris Redburn
Spontaneity and
Discipline
Looking for the Perfect
Sound
Chris
Redburn is a local wunderkind who had a gift for beats and music at an early
age. He was able to maintain no position, no judgment and no pre-thought agenda
so what he said or did came natural. At times his paralinguistic prosody had
odd intonation, volume, rhythm and rate. As a rapper he would use pitch and
stress that alters the flow. He was on top of his game with a genuine gift for
words and he touched upon something very profound. He’s experienced incredible
heights of love with equal parts of pain. He found that part of himself that
was always hidden, that sense of being frail and small. The abyss was beckoning
but he fought back and became a champion for those who aren’t loved or valued.
He wrote the theme or Girls Gone Wild and hit the big time. He felt the
pleasure of tasting the apple. His passion was an emotional apparatus that
drove everything. He felt the deliciousness of that big energy and he filled
his space with anything that seemed worthwhile.
He would reframe bad things as a possibility. His default position is to
push it back up. Chris creates an Auntie Mame world that has nothing boring or
lackluster…when he’s onstage. He has left hip-hop for rock & roll and he
has a Yang energy that is active and creative. He is ready to explode!
The Interview
When did you discover your love for
music?
I discovered
my love for music when I was young, maybe around 7-8 years old. I feel in love
with the beats. It was something I could focus on at an early age. I was a audio type learner. Music never left my ears from that point. It got
real serious in high school and became a DJ. I became a DJ/promoter and my
ambition from sports took over in me, prevailing into the music scene.
Did your family influence your gift
for music and lyrics?
My family
actually supported me as a DJ because it brought in great money so I could
focus on college. But when I became a solo rapper it became an issue, not
focusing on “life”. Over all they believe in me as a person, so they respect my
decisions musically. One thing I
remember is my older brother predicting me to be a rapper when I was like 13. I
was in a gang and lived the lifestyle so I can see why he spoke on that. I
wasn’t a writer at that time so seeing it actually happen in my days was
shocking he could predict such a conclusion.
Did you have a mentor?
I had many
mentors in life and music. My biggest mentors in life were all my teachers and
sports coaches. I grasped the concept of wisdom being a primary drive for
success. In music, the biggest impact on me was MADONNA. I always respected her
drive, her creativeness, her attitude, her ability to stay in her own lane and
be herself. I think that is the most important quality in an artist,
originality is what people see and believe in within an artist/band. I was
always a realist so anybody who I felt was being true to themselves became
somewhat mentors in my life.
Did you have any formal training in
voice or instrumentation?
I have never
been trained in any way in music, everything has been hands on. My ambition
always got the best of me. I started writing as an outlet. Music became my
balance and form of therapy. It literally saved my life and made me a stronger
human being.
What music did you listen to when you
were a teenager?
When I was a
teenager it was mainly hip/hop but I became a rock fan in my later teens. I
respected local artists, Dayton Family, ICP, Dangerous D, ESHAM, SIMKEN
HEIGHTS, and TOP AUTHORITY. Nationally I liked Beastie Boys, Scarface, Spice 1,
Bone Thugs N Harmony, 2Pac, Notorious BIG. I also loved rock in my later teenage
days because I was a hockey player. Couldn’t warm up to rap music. Rock became
a new level of motivation. PANTERA, Rage Against The Machine, Metallica,
Megadeath, Alice n Chains. Music was surfaced depending on my mood, it was a
mood setter. I always took a great love for R&B music in my dating days.
Keith Sweat, Jodeci, Jon B, Boyz II Men, Shai, LSG, Silk, R Kelly. They don’t
make R&B music like they use to but I’m still a fan of the current scene.
Were you inspired by any artist in
particular?
I have been inspired by man artists because I
was a DJ, coming up as a teenager I became inspired by artist who kept the
music real, no gimmicks. As I got older I could only losten to artist I could
relate to. One of the biggest artists I could relate to was EMINEM & STAIND.
I experienced a lot of pain in the hay days in the music industry, so I could
really relate to these artists material/music. It was therapy to hear them go
through the same things. My situation with my ex-wife made Marshall Mathers
situation seem like a fairy tale. But his word helped my get through my
situation. Sometimes pain can be healed through knowing others have made it
though to a better tomorrow. That is my purpose in music, to let people know
you can make it through all pain. My inspiration is having writing and music
save me from my own struggles in life.
Tell me about your experiences with
other genres – rock, rap, soul, hip hop, jazz
Rap has
always touched me as a person because I grew up in urban areas of Saginaw. I
was in gangs, always was around it. I was surrounded by hip hop culture and
street mentality. I found a love for Rock music in my ice hockey days starting
at age 13. Music could only run “through” me, if I didn’t feel it, I couldn’t
enjoy it. R & B was my favorite listening as I got into dating. I was a
sucker for love so it became a part of me. Again if I wasn’t going through
something, I couldn’t enjoy music, it ultimately was always a theory.
You brought Girls Gone Wild to
Saginaw a few years back. Tell me about that experience.
The
experience was great, it show sold out before 11pm, left people wanting more
and it became a great success for my personally being the man behind the
monopoly. I didn’t care about all the
girls and lifestyle because I was so focused on the overall goal of money and
music. But I’m here to tell you, working for the company is just as good as
being a rock star.
How did you get involved? How long did it last? Did it open doors?
Well I had
written a song called Go Wild. It became a popular dance song as I was Dejayed
in clubs in Saginaw, Flint areas. It became a hit in a Genesee nightclub. I
never told anybody it was me; I just kept playing the song as if I was a radio
station. I made them like it. Then I needed a way to blow it up bigger. I felt,
I needed to define WILD. It was either shoot a video with the famous “Steve O”
or Get Girls Gone Wild behind it. I ended up booking the bus to come to Saginaw
and they ended up falling in love with not only the song, but all my music. We
were meant for one another. I was a party DJ for ten years and I had a love for
making party music as a solo artist. The song became the Girls Gone Wild
anthem, hitting info commercials, reality shows and nightclubs across the
country. It opened up a great financial door for me to move to a national
level. From royalty money to fame, it opened many doors. Since I was a booking
agent and promoter, I also filled those roles within the company. I was soon
buried with work in the brand. I was the only employee not from Los Angeles
which was cool because I had to fly out the Golden State and brainstorm on my
roles. I have never seen that kind of money in my life. It was a wake-up call.
It most defiantly worked out for me, although the touring part of the company
filed bankruptcy in 2012, I had a 4 year run, it put me on a national level. It
took me around the country to different places, markets, cultures. It opened my
thoughts to a wider and expanded state of mind.
You gained a certain notoriety. Can
you speak to that?
Well I
gained a higher status, having money, being around beautiful girls, being a
performer/DJ. But again I was focused on business I didn’t really enjoy what
most would. I had already gone through local fame as a DJ so girls were nothing
new to me. But the money most defiantly gave me power and presence when I
walked into a room as it does everybody. I like the money because it gave me
the ability to do what I wanted to do without waiting on others. It gave me my
own platform/bureaucracy.
Lately you have shifted your
interests to rock music. Why?
Well I have
always had a love for rock music, I actually wrote a few more rock felt songs
in my day. When I was introduced to instruments playing along side of my beats,
it fell head over heals in love and it felt like a home base. The rock scene is
very different. It doesn’t carry the stigma Hip Hop does. Hip Hop carries the
face of violence, problems. The context is more street driven. So rock gave me
a chance to be able to finally speak about the real issues I’ve had in my life.
It opened doors for me to be able to RAP to a rock sound. It has finally
defined who I am as an artist and musician. I would never leave this lane; it
is where I was meant to be. I have finally found who I am as a musician and artist.
I have nothing but respect for anyone who picks up an instrument. I think the
lane we sit in is more ROCK HOP vs HIP HOP ROCK. We are more Hip Hop then rock,
more lyrical, more street vs metal or rock. People are really feeling our music
and relating to it. We have had people come to us crying at shows, people
online saying our music have saved their lives. It’s amazing what testimonies
we have experienced.
It seems to provide you with another
voice. When did you form your rock band?
I just
happen to get a call from a promoter anting me to do a show with a band called
REHAB. So I not only brought my drummer, I organized a rehearsal with guitar
and keys. The band loved us and asked us to come on tour with then, we were
that good. Our music came ALIVE. We did three rehearsals and our 1st
show was on a 60 date tour in April 2014. We have been together for almost a
year now.
Who are the members?
Chris Redburn
– Lead Vocals/rapper; Stevie Lee Kinzer – Vocals; Don Ready Mason – Keys; Will
Hysted – Guitar; Josh Jekel – Bass; Todd Vesey – Drummer.
Stevie and I
sing both sing vocals and I rap all verses. We have been together almost a year. We
have recorded a cd but are currently working on brand new material; we have live
footage and performances on YouTube. We plan to release a new album in
Spring/Summer of 2015. We have
toured with the band Rehab, done shows with Powerman 5000, Lacs, Moonshine
Bandits, Uncle Kracker, Saving Abel, all in 2014.
Tell me about the experience. The experience was fun, nice to see
functioning national bands operate and conduct business. It has been a template
for us too use and learn from. The objective is to be on that level so it’s
always good to learn how the operation works. But in all, I’ve always believed
I had a gift so fitting in with any celebrity is easy in my book.
Did you make some national or
regional connections, bands, agents etc?
We have
connected with many agents, promoters, but as I already know from experience,
this operation takes time and patience is the keys in building a brand. Nothing
is more convincing then witnessing a live performance from this band so me
talking about myself can do no justice to an agent. I’ve always stayed well
connected in networks from booking agents to promoters.
How did the Rehab tour go?
The tour was
amazing for us, nothing but great feedback, even from the them, they always
told us “yall got something here” we made good money and of coarse gained many
new fans. It was most definitely a “finding our identity” phase. We learned how
each other were REAL FAST.
How was it to work with Uncle
Cracker? Unkle
Kracker was really humble, Stevie in our band went to high-school with his
guitarist so we hung with those guys a lot. Kracker is very humble, glad to be
making music and proud to be a Michigander, living the dream, happy.
What’s next?
Next we plan to grow regionally, work on being better
musicians, keep doing national tours, but most importantly build our online
presence, shoot videos, try and get on bigger shows, “its all about the grind”,
the fight for discovery is always on my mind as a leader.
Any last thoughts?
My only last
thoughts are to just let people know this band is very hard working, very
critical with everything we do, we are extremely serious and the music will
speak for itself, please do take a listen or catch a show. I can promise soon
you won’t be able to escape from the name.
NEW VIDEO -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQuFKK6ozC8&spfreload=10
Future shows
are on facebook page under “TOUR DATES” if you want to list the bigger ones or
local. We have a lot of pics on their also or I can email you high res ones.
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