Meet the rock star next door

By Leann Ray
Poca High School

Chris Clark, a versatile musician, is a member of SimpleFolk and Distorted View.

Whoa, Nelly! It’s time for the fifth installment in this ongoing series about area musicians.

This month, the spotlight focuses on Chris Clark, a 17-year-old student at St. Albans High School. He plays tenor saxophone for the marching and concert bands, and bass guitar for the jazz ensemble and show choir. When he’s not busy with school bands, Clark plays sax for SimpleFolk. He also provides bass guitar and backup vocals for Distorted View.

FlipSide: What got you into writing and playing music?

Chris Clark: Well, I’ve always really been into music. Even when I was little, my mom would play the radio or have the TV on VH1. I started playing my horn for band in sixth grade, and I’ve been doing that ever since.

I came to the bass later. I had a friend who was starting a band and needed a bass player, and everyone told me my hands were too big to play guitar. So I bought a bass. I started teaching myself how to play, and I learned some songs from bands I liked listening to.

Writing came later, after I developed more as a player. I just started writing as a creative and emotional outlet. People are into violence and partying to get those things out. I was into music.

FlipSide: Do you have any musical role models?

CC: Most definitely. I listen to a lot of different music — all sorts of rock, jazz, classical and even some bluegrass. My first real influence was The Smashing Pumpkins. They were the first band that I wanted to learn their songs. Later on, as I started listening a larger variety of music, people like Victor Wooten from The Flecktones, Jaco Pastorius, Marcus Miller and Les Claypool influenced my playing. A lot of the classical stuff I listen to and bands like Tool and A Perfect Circle have tended to influence my writing.

FlipSide: What local bands do you dig?

CC: Scarlett Threshold, Point System, 69 Fingers, a band that no longer exists called Bummer, any band Chris Allen is involved with, and Fade to Fall. Self-Inflicted Culture, too.

FlipSide: What do you do to improve your playing?

CC: Practice. Practice. Practice. The old saying goes. I love playing, so it’s not like work. I wouldn’t play if I didn’t enjoy it. I don’t play to be better than anyone. If I become good, that’s nice. I do it for me, really. It’s kind of selfish.

FlipSide: Tell me about your past band experiences.

CC: Well, the first semi-serious band I was in was called Screamin’ Green Meanies. It was with Greg McGowan from Fade to Fall (he played drums) and a guitarist named Luke. We never did any shows, but it was still fun. I was in Alternate Confusion for a while, but I left for creative and personal reasons. I learned a lot about what not to do in a band.

Then I joined SimpleFolk. They had already established themselves and wanted to expand their sound. So, they asked me to play sax for them. It has been a great experience so far, and we’re in the process of recording an album.

More recently, I re-met a few of my friends from junior high who had a band and no bassist. So, I jammed with them and it became what is now Distorted View. It’s still in its infancy, our guitarist and I have been writing quite a bit. We’re hoping to have some shows in the near future.

FlipSide: Any tips for the people out there who want to start a band?

CC: It’s like just about every commitment you’ll have to make. Don’t commit until you have really thought about it and are good with the people in the band. I know what it’s like to be in a band where sides are taken and there are fights about the creative process. It’s not a pleasant experience.

If you can’t find yourself a band, keep playing until you do, and don’t settle for less than you want. Otherwise, it will be torture. You’ll know when you’re playing with the right people. Everything will just click.

FlipSide: Anything else you would like to add?

CC: Go to local shows. There are a lot of good bands out there that play to empty venues, and that’s not a fun experience. Support the 304 scene. Otherwise, the world will be full of the shallow stuff they play on TRL [on MTV] and nothing with any substance.