Weekly > Interviews
Chuck Ragan
Chuck Ragan made his name as part of the American punk band Hot Water Music and since the bands hiatus / split he has pursued his own solo career as well as several other side projects. With a new album released late on in 2009, Chuck is touring the UK throughout March.
March Tour
15 – Newcastle – Northumbria Uni
16 – Edinburgh – Picture House
17 – Manchester – Academy
18 – Leeds – Academy
19 – Bristol – Academy
21 – Birmingham – Academy
22 – Norwich – Waterfront
23 – Portsmouth – Pyramids
24 – London – Roundhouse
We caught up with him for a quick chat in anticipation of these dates, to find out what the future holds for him and Hot Water Music and to dig a little deeper into the solo music career.
The split of Hot Water Music seems to have been pretty amicable; did you all just feel it had run its course?
In all honesty it was no question to take a hiatus at that point. Not that we felt we had run our course by any means. We’ve all felt and hoped that we’d be playing years upon years down the road. At that point back then, I simply felt completely exhausted and over it in terms of the life you lead in that realm and the lack of personal space and control that it leads to. I wanted to focus on my own life, my wife, my work, my family and feel right and solid again about why I was even playing music in the first place.
Can you see a point in the future where you may get back together either for live shows or further recordings?
We played over 2 dozen shows last year and plan on doing the same if not more this year and yes we’d love to work on another record. It’s just a matter of time with Chris Wollard doing the Shipthieves, Jason Black playing with Senses Fail, George Rebelo playing drums for Against Me! and myself and my wife handling my own music, our little mom and pop shop record label and The Revival Tour. We’ll get there one of these days.
Since then you’ve embarked upon a solo career, how does it feel stepping out on your own away from the comfort zone of a band?
It’s liberating. Challenging and not as safe as being encompassed in a group but I love the simplicity, independence and freedom of expression that comes with it.
Your music now is a big change from the HWM days although not far removed from the side project Rumbleseat, is this more folk based sound an area you’ve always had a passion for and where does it come from?
I have always had a passion for it and I think much of it comes from different influences I had growing up as a small kid. My folks raised us in a good ole baptist household in the southeastern regions of the States. So naturally I was raised around old time gospel, hymns, bluegrass, folk and country music.
I rebelled like most teens in those years when I found other music through skateboarding that scared me and sent me in another direction chasing that rush. I believe that one way or the other those different influences bleed out here and there whether we’re trying for them or not. If it’s there it’s there.
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Add to favouritesHow did you approach the songwriting in comparison to your days in the band, has this given you a bigger sense of freedom in the studio etc being solo?
Absolutely. Much of the personal songwriting has not changed a bit. Only the fact that I can completely play anything I want and not draw any lines on what will pass and what won’t. HWM is a collective and we all write individually before we all come together. Which there are pros and cons to. It’s great to be fully liberated when writing but at the same time more challenging at times when you don’t have your friends there to offer input or police each others ideas. That can go both ways.
You’ve got some dates coming up in the UK, what can fans expect from Chuck Ragan solo onstage?
I’m bringing two good friends, Jon Gaunt my fiddle player who has played on all of these recordings as well as digger Barnes our friend from Hamburg, Germany who will be playing stand-up bass with us. We’re just simply fired up and excited to come give it everything we’ve got and have a great time with each other playing folks some simple songs and stories.
Do you get chance to take in the various cities you play at on tour or is it a case of seeing the venue and a bar if you are lucky at each destination?
That’s pretty much the case worldwide unfortunately. It costs quite a bit of money to be away from home, rent vehicles, feed multiple members and crew as well as house them. So unfortunately days off are few are far between. It’s simply the nature of the beast.
You’ve had your album out fairly recently, what are your future writing and recording plans, is it a continuous process or do you do it in blocks?
I’m usually always working on something and every once in a while I take a break to tighten it all up or lay something down within a session. Right now the next project I’m focusing on mostly is a record that I’ve be writing, recording and producing with my friend Brian Fallon of The Gaslight Anthem for Side One Dummy. We’ve been writing since last October and we plan on recording in the month of May this year. That’s what I’m most excited about right now.
That as well as taking The Revival Tour international. We’ll be bring it to Australia in April and hopefully the UK, Europe and Canada in the fall. The next U.S. Revival dates may land sometime in the winter of 2011. We’re thrilled on the response and really look forward to keeping it going the best we can, anywhere we’re able. Thanks!!!
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