Don’t miss Five Finger Death Punch bassist Chris Kael on Todd Dammit Kerns’ podcast talking everything from 5FDP, KISS, playing the Clarinet and training to be an elemetary school teacher.
In the near hour long podcast, Chris covers a wide-range of topics from studying at University in Kentucky to become a teacher to playing onstage with Todd Kerns before joining Five Five Finger Death Punch.
Chris also talks about the bands that inspired him growing up and he counts KISS, Poison, Motley Crue, Metallica, Slayer, Napalm Death, Obituary, Misfits, Bad Religion and Alice In Chains amongst bands that he enjoys.
On A Life-Changing System Of A Down Concert
Before joining Five Finger Death Punch, Chris considered giving up music despite it being his dream. He recalls cutting his beard, selling his basses and amps on Craigslist with the aim to open up a small hotel by the beach in Belize.
“One night I went to go and see System Of A Down at The Palms and I used to always do this thing where I would look at the band and look at the crowd and be like ‘Some day that crowd is going to be mine”.
“That night, back when I was drinking, half liqured up on crown royal, and was like “Motherfucker, you haven’t gone after this thing.”
“I had found out Death Punch was looking for a bassist for about six months before that and just never heard anything. They were doing the American Capitalist (2011) record and they were going to do the record first and then find a bass player. I didn’t know that [at the time]. I figured ‘Hell, it’s already been six months, they’ve already got a guy.’
“I hadn’t gone after it. The voice told me, ‘You haven’t gone after this. You’ve gone through mutual friends, but you haven’t gone directly after it.’ So I cold-called Jason Hook on Facebook, direct message – I slid into Jason Hooks DM’s (laughs). The most life-changing entering into the DMs that has ever happened. “
On doing vocals 5FDP’s New Single Broken World:
“We just had the song Broken World come out and that was like my first chance where I got to do lead vocals on there. Being able to back up Ivan out there and just watching him. I mean that dude is like pitch perfect all the time! Incredible voice. So just to be able to back him up out there…”
“My voice is actually what got me the gig with Death Punch. They were looking for somebody to back up Ivan and do harmonies and sing along with that. I’ve always been very confident in that.”
“On the break its gotten even better honestly because I’ve been recording songs here, I’ve playing alot of guitar actually and just writing. Its given me an opportunity to become better as player, better as a singer, be really comfortable with my voice. I feel like I’ve got a unique voice.”
On how he ended up picking up a bass:
“When I grew up, my mom wanted me to play in the high school band (and all that stuff) and be able to go on football trips and play with the marching band.”
“I started off playing Clarinet but I always knew that I wanted to play… I thought it was guitar at first is what I wanted to play. My Uncle gave me a guitar to learn on a little bit. I had it for a few weeks and was like ‘This is not it, I’m not feeling it.'”
“Then a friend of mine, his older brother down the street had a bass and a bass amp and I went over there and I hit that and was like “That’s what I’ve been looking for.” I felt that vibration and was like this is what I want to do.”