10 Quick Ones with CHRIS MUSSER of A LIFE TO LIVE – May 2018

According to a recent press release: “A Life To Live, featuring former members of From Ashes To New, have released their emotionally impactful tribute video to Chester Bennington with a cover of Linkin Park’s song “One More Light”. The band, who had been working on the video since January, were waiting for the right time to release it. The one year anniversary of Linkin Park’s album, One More Light is on May 19th and they felt this would be an appropriate time for the video’s release. The band is currently writing their first independent LP with producer Rick Lander (Flaw, Dead Horse Trauma). The yet-to-be-titled LP is expected to surface later this year, but you can count on new material emerging as we progress through 2018.” We get Chris Musser to discuss new music, influences, and more in our 10 Quick Ones…

1. Tell us a little about your latest release.  What might a fan or listener not grab the first or second time they listen through?  Are there any hidden nuggets the band put in the material or that only diehard fans might find?

We just started a new band called A Life To Live. A simple band name with the simple but powerful meaning of living your life to the fullest. Went down to Florida to begin recording songs with our amazing producer Rick and we sort of got the idea of doing a tribute to Chester Bennington, in my past band I was flattered because a lot of fans always said I sounded a lot like him and conspired us. So we ended up busting out “One More Light” luckily The owner of the studio Harry was an amazing piano player and he was willing to help us out. We still stayed true to the song but we did changed a few things here and there with the melody as we went. It was so much fun, that was my first time sitting down and writing with a piano player, a piano player with a grand piano, it was an great experience.

2. What got you into music, and can you tell us about the moment you realized you wanted to be a musician?

I can’t tell you the exact moment I wanted to be a musician because I have been sing since I was little kid singing to what ever my parents and family had playing. But I wanted to start a band after listening to Korn and hearing / seeing them put out that raw emotion! I’ve never been good at showing  and or talking out my feels so much so it’s very appealing to write and sing them.

3. Who would be your main five musical influences?

I have no idea, there are so many that I don’t know how i could narrowed them down to just  five but a few of musical influences that got me into music would have to be Korn, Sevendust, Alexisonfire, 36 Crazyfists, Deftones, Killswitch Engage, Snot, Static X, Taproot and Tool just to name a few lol.

4. If you could call in any one collaborator to do a song with, who would it be?

It would probably have to be Dallas Green, guitarist singer from Alexisonfire and City and Color. His songs and lyrics or just put together so poetically, song you can just sit back and contemplate life!

5. How would you describe your music to someone who’d never listened to you before?

Well we are definitely going to be bringing out our heavier influences on this one but have a very diverse tastes between all of us.  Since we are free of any restrictions on how or what to write, we are going to explore all of them and just write whatever the hell we feel like.

6. What’s the best thing about being a musician?

I just like to always be creating, no matter if it’s music, art, or carpentry I just like and have this need to make something with the tools that I have. To create these things that make somebody feel something. And with music you make these songs and people can relate, and these songs can help them, get them through whatever it is they’re going through, that’s a great feeling.

7. When the band are all hanging out together, who cooks; who gets the drinks in; and who is first to crack out the acoustic guitars for a singalong?

Tim would definitely be the cook, but we all get the drinks in.

8. If you weren’t a musician, what would be your dream job?

Professional beer taster… or beach chair tester outer, take different chairs to the beach and test them out while having drinks… That’s a job right?… It’s got be.

9. Looking back over your career, is there a single moment or situation you feel was a misstep or you would like to have a “do over”?

This one time years ago when I was young and uneducated, I ended up buying skittles instead of M&M’s. I really regret that, you always go with chocolate …what was I thinking?

10. If you could magically go back in time and be a part of the recording sessions for any one record in history, which would you choose – and what does that record mean to you?

I think I have to pick Korn’s self-titled album. That album was a game changer and a staple for me growing up so I would love to have sat in on the making of that album.

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Category: Interviews