Interview with Chris Dadge

In a sentence how do you self-identify as a human/creator? 

• mmmm let's go with: "Calgary-based musician, composer, producer, engineer, and concert organizer."

more info can be found here: http://www.bugincision.com/chrisdadge

Is there anything under the sun you would like to say about recording, life, or topics of your choice? 

• In general I've really enjoyed the trajectory I've found myself on over the last couple years. The earlier part of my musical life involved a lot playing in a lot of bands and one-off projects, both live and in the studio, and about four or five years ago, my work recording and writing with Lab Coast led to a lot of requests from people and bands to help them make their albums too. I didn't necessarily plan this, or even consider myself very skilled at recording music, but both me and the people I've worked with seem to be pleased with the results, and I've since become pretty obsessed with the whole thing. From learning about gear and technical processes to the history and all the players involved, it's become a bit all-encompassing. It does mean I'm ultimately playing less drums (my main instrument) and spending more time turning digital knobs, but it's made me more aware and appreciative of the "nose to tail" aspect of making a recording. It's a continual challenge, very humbling, and an always-needed kick in the ass. Some highlights of these last years of work include albums I've made with Jom Comyn, Marlaena Moore, Sunglaciers, Hex Ray, Strip Mall, and the upcoming Samantha Savage Smith and Lab Coast albums.
  
  

• More specifically, I must say it was a treat to be invited to work on your album as well. Not only because I hold you in high regard, and am aware of the high calibre of people you consistently choose to work with, but also because I've always admired your music and am happy to count you as a longtime friend, collaborator, and colleague. Plus, the rest of the crew you assembled for this album was nothing short of stellar, and I got to work with folks who I'm always eager to do more with (Graham, Brock) and also become acquainted with some new badasses (Jarrett, Kevin) along the way. Sometimes in a recording session or collaborative situation one feels themselves pulling the others along, or feeling the need to actively take the lead, but there were no slouches involved here. The high levels musicianship and studio savvy of those involved instead lifted me up and made for an extremely rich working environment. All I had to do was keep up! I'm very excited for people to hear the finished album. 

What do you love about working on records?

• Well, first and foremost I am a fan of records, I find it endlessly exciting to be involved with making these things that I happen to love so much. As someone obsessed with all the small details in the creation and (hopefully) subsequent enjoyment of a record, it's awesome to be the one making these details happen, and seeing what people find in them once it's out in the world. Having a tangible result at the end of a long process of work is rewarding, knowing the potential for what these things can mean to people is a tasty carrot to be dangling in front of oneself. Making records for bands and other people is also a cool chance to witness a multitude of band and interpersonal dynamics, and it's fun and challenging to navigate all the different ways folks approach their music. I usually come out at the end of a project with some new skill or perspective, and I'd love to think I could impart the same things to others.

I'd love to know if there’s anything creative you’re excited to be working on or just enjoying right now

• Here's a couple in-progress and finished things I'm excited about moving to the next realm:

  • new Lab Coast album: it's called "Here You're Nowhere", and has been in the can for a little while now. When Covid hit we'd just started our search for release outlets, and kinda put it on hold since then, so hopefully it'll see the light of day sometime this new year... fingers crossed. I'm excited for people to hear it - we've played some of the songs live, but most of it will be brand new, and it's by far the most elaborate of our productions, a deeper studio dive, while still hopefully retaining the things people seem to like about us. We also have a little EP of cover recordings we've made over the last 10 years, and we'll be rolling those out over the first little bit of this year.

  • In February I recorded a follow-up to my album "Close Enough For Comfort". It's a continuation of the loose compositional process I used for that album, which is based on the natural sustain/decay of different string and percussion instruments. This one expands the harmonic aspect of the pieces, and sounds way better. Monty Munro helped me out with the recording, and his prowess of various instruments went a long way. It also kinda got temporarily shelved during Covid times, but I'm in the process of planning its release now. 

  • One of the few things I was able to work on with others last year was a new project with Jeff MacLeod (Florida BC, Cape May) and Nina Nastasia, one of my all-time favourite songwriters and musicians. I helped Jeff record tracks here in Calgary and then we flew them back and forth to Nina in Chicago. Clinton St. John is also on some of it. The album is finished now, but I'll leave it to them to say any more about it. 

  • Last month I started working on another solo album, this time a collection of songs I've written and half-written over the last decade or so, which I'll be doing mostly all by myself over the next couple months. Before the era of Lab Coast (my other (co-)writing outlet), I had a band where I sang my songs (and we made a record with Jay Crocker and Monty Munro), but I haven't really done anything of my own since the last show of that band in 2012. I'm in the process of figuring out what kind shape it's taking at the moment. Should be done by spring. 

  • Last year I started some work on the new Alvvays album (again halted due to Covid), and it's sounding great, and I'm excited to dive back into that whenever we can. 

  • And I'm stoked to see the unreleased productions I've worked on make it out into the world too - Samantha Savage Smith, The Dead Fibres, Uncanny Valley, Beta Boys, and Kid Cali.