DIEGO ROOTS

RIS:  It seemed the momentum had just starting picking up for Diego Roots, with national radio play, national and international touring, appearances on TV, and then all the sudden you just to stop.  What happened?

Chris:  Well for the most part we did the hustle and bustle for about 9 years. Everyone in the band has a child now, I recently got married and had my son, who actually turns one tomorrow (May 22nd).  It was kind of a little step back, responsibility wise, maturity wise, and where we were within our lives.  I just wanted to take a year and regroup, and be the family man.  I wanted to put a little more time and effort into that side of my life.  As well as, really evaluating what we are doing as a band, rather than just aimlessly doing the local shows, I really wanted to take some time, and put some thought into what we were doing musically, creatively, and personally.  We never really decided to just stop, it kind of went its own course, we all just did our own thing, and regrouped our lives.  I think everybody is a little more comfortable where they are personally, and individually, so it makes for an easier combination as a group.

RIS:  Starting almost a decade ago, and taking time off.  Where do you go from here?

Chris: From here forward, I think our main goal, as always, is just to put out quality music. I know it’s sounds kind of a cliche’, but, quality vs quantity.  We really want to set ourselves aside from just being one of those bands just pumping out discs, pumping out discs, pumping out discs, without any thought or value, to what they are really doing.  It’s one thing from a marketing aspect, to get everything out, as much as you can, and just try to get as much exposure that way.  I think being where we are in our lives, and from hear forward, it really is just about pleasing ourselves, and what we’re doing as far as the music, and why we do it.  It’s more, or less than the whole ambiance of having the Rock Star lifestyle, or the center of attention spotlight, it’s more about putting out music that is what I like to think, timeless.  When I think of Bob, and Peter Tosh, Desmond Howard, and some of the greats, you listen to their music, and it’s so far ahead of their time, and yet at the same time, timeless.  We’re listing to songs that were written in the 60’s and 70’s as if it could have been written yesterday, it really has that timeless’esque feel to it. I think that’s kind of our goal here forward, is to put out good quality music and albums.  Rather than being this band that comes and slams out a million albums, but yet there’s no quality, You’re lucky if you get 1 or 2 songs out of 15 on the record that are good.  I really want you to be able to put in a disc of ours, and not want to skip a song, and when it’s over, just have it on repeat, because that’s how it should be.

RIS:  Now you guys have always been and independent band, are you going to keep it that way?

Chris:  Not necessarily, we’re looking for the right thing, and I think that’s what put us in the position we are in.  We’ve been approached to do different things, and we’ve passed on the different opportunities.  You see those overnight success stories, and most people’s mentalities are “oh you guys are so good, I can’t believe you haven’t made it.”  The music industry in general, is such a cut throat industry, you can sell yourself to the devil per-say, or you can do what you do, and do what you believe in, and hope you find that magical person that can exploit you for what you are, and not what they want you to be.

RIS:  Do you think it’s easier for bands now to promote more with internet, and all these avenues you just didn’t have when you started?

Chris:  Oh yeah, when we first started getting going, of coarse we had the internet, but MySpace wasn’t a big deal, Facebook wasn’t a big deal, and the concept of e-mail blasts, that’s all new.  As far as when we first basically got started, pounding the pavement, and getting out there and playing shows with who-ever, when-ever, for what-ever, was just the way we did it.  Shoot, I can remember the 1st show we ever did, we printed up 5000 fliers, and stood on the corners of Garnet Ave, and Felspar, and passed them out until 2 & 3 o’clock in the morning, then getting up the next day and walking the beaches for hours from Crystal Pier to the Jetty just handing out fliers.  That was the way you did it, It was a lot of legwork.  Bands have it a lot easier now, you record a 3 song demo, then you upload it to your MySpace page, then you put together a little electronic bio, and send it out to all the venues, or other managers, or other bands, and just try to piggy pack and network that way, as much as you can.  It’s definitely a blessing, but I think with that being said, it also floods not necessarily the market, but it floods the scene, with I wouldn’t say amateur, but just to the point where everybody, and anybody can do it, anybody can put together a record now, anybody can get on Myspace, and anybody can put their stuff up.  Instead of being 1 out of 40 bands that are playing local, and pounding the pavement, now you’re 1 and 500 bands on the internet in your little area. Which can be a great thing, it does make it easier to network your stuff across the states, and build your fan base outside of your hometown, but I think is does make it a more competitive industry.  So yeah, it has its pros and cons, it has definitely helped us with our fan base in general, outside of San Diego, and outside of California. That’s one thing about the record companies, they aren’t selling records anymore, it’s about the downloading itunes and MP3’s.

RIS:  I heard that vinyl sales are on the rise, what are your thoughts on how the industry, and consumers have changed?

Chris:  I prefer vinyl, I wish they still pressed vinyl.  There is something to be said about hearing the crackle of the needle skipping vinyl grooves, it’s just authentic to me.  If I go into a store and buy a record, I feel as a fan that I have supported that band, because I’ve taken not only just the music, but I’ve gotten into the whole identity, or the whole project, as far as what the band it doing, and it goes all the way from the artwork, to the CD, to the style.  I think when you look at the internet and downloads, ok you pay your 9 bucks and you download your 20 MP3’s, that to me, I feel all I’m doing is supporting corporate America, I don’t feel like I’m supporting the sweat and tears that the band has put into the record.  Overall, by downloading, sure it’s helping their cause, but being a fan, to tangibly hold a disc, and to be able to look through the CD, at the cover, and see some pictures and photo’s, and read the stories, it gives you more, and I think it makes it more personal.  I think society in general has gotten to distant from each other, you can send me 25 e-mails in a day, but you can’t call me on the phone and give me 5 minutes of your time.  I think it makes everything impersonal.  I think we all need to step back and remember what is real.

RIS:  You guys had an incredible experience on one of your tours, what happened?

Chris:  We were on the Miller Lite Live Taste of Music Tour, they took us over to Guam with a company called Phaki, which is a mixed martial arts company that was based in San Diego, they’re Chamorro which are the people of Guam.  They took us over there for 9 days.  While we were there, there was this catholic school, ironically enough that my mom used to teach at when I was a kid, it was in danger of closing.  So we did a spur of the moment thing, and booked another two shows, where the proceeds from those shows, and some of the proceeds from the main show that we were there for, went back to the school to keep it open.  They just didn’t have enough kids that were enrolling, so they didn’t have enough money to keep the school going.  Lucky for us that we could do, what we were able to do.  It was a very humbling and eye opening experience, I think we all came back different people.  I think humbled by what we thought was important, and eyes opened to the world, and we think is essential, which is caring and giving, and not taking.  There is so much to giving, give, give, give, I try to do that with every aspect of my life.  Sometimes in giving you get taken advantage of, and sometimes you get run over, but it’s better than feeling like a douche bag because you took, and didn’t give anything back.  There are people out there that are starving, and I see someone buy a $50. meal and just through it away, it blows my mind. If everyone just did one thing for someone else, I don’t think there would be as many people that are needy. Just do what you can, and as much as you can.

RIS:  Who has influenced you both in the past and present?

Chris:  I think just listing to everything, from the Beatles to the Clash, to the Rolling Stones to Led Zeppelin, to Metallica, to the local bands that have pushed us to do what we are doing, definitely Unwritten Law, Sprung Monkey, and Sublime, then going into the iconic bands like Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, and Beres Hammond.  It’s one thing to say you’re influenced, I think what it does, it sparks a fire in you, if you can have an appreciation for any kind of music, you can be influenced from everything, from church music to country.  It doesn’t really matter what you listen to, it’s just the fact that you have a common liking, or a common appreciation for music in general.  I mean you love music, you eat, sleep, breath, sing music.  Just in city life, you’re standing on the corner, you hear a bus go by, or the dude is shuffling through the trash for cans, life is music, it’s just whether or not you can stop and really hear it.  I have an appreciation and love for any kind of music.

RIS:  Anyone you would like to thank?

Chris:  Our families.  I can only imagine one day your son comes home and says “Hey look dad, I don’t want to go to school anymore, I just want to play music” and knowing that’s not what they want for you, but will stand behind you on any decision you might make.  Without the support of your friends and family it would make it hard to accomplish any goal you may have.  So the biggest THANKS has to go to our friends and family.  Grant it we’re not making million dollar paychecks, or traveling all over the world 8 months out of the year, but for me to be able to do what I have done, and see what I’ve seen, and the experiences in life I have had in the last 10 years, I owe to everybody else who was there for me when I was doing what I wanted to do. Helping me with my rent, helping me with my recording time, helping me with life in general so I could go out and try, try to be successful in music.