Piano man

OUT New York-based singer/songwriter and instrumentalist Chris Garneau is "a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars."

Not only has the Boston native moved around a lot -- Paris, New York, Boston, Seattle, and New York -- and toured internationally; but also Garneau, who's already treated listeners to his highly-personal, downtempo debut "Music for Tourists" (2006) LP and "C-Sides" (2007) EP demonstrates on a new track "Hands on the Radio" off his sophomore surreal pop LP "EL Radio" (due out July 7), that his humanitarianism extends far beyond the Island of Manhattan into the heart of Juarez, Mexico.

Preceding Garneau's upcoming Bargemusic performance on May 21 in New York City, where he will grace Brooklyn's most prestigious chamber music venue (a floating barge at the foot of the Brooklyn Bridge), Gay.com's Josh Rotter chatted with Garneau about recording music, how music can change the world, and how a wandering troubadour creates a sense of home.

Chris, you've lived in and seen so many different cities. Which feels most like home?

I've been here in New York for seven or eight years and I was actually saying the other day that I've been here longer than anywhere else. So when I go back to other places that I'm supposedly from, like if I go back to New Jersey, which my family and friends have already left, it's kinda eerie... like I'm not really from here. But in the end, New York is really home. I feel it when I'm driving or flying into New York and see the city. It really is my place.

Where did you record "Music for Tourists"?

We recorded the majority of it in Manhattan. I was recording that album with Duncan Shiek, and he produced the album where he was living at the time in Tribeca. His home was a beautiful place to record music.

Explain the inspiration behind the title of that album.

It started as a joke. I was playing for the first time ever in L.A., and because it was my first time, I didn't know what I was doing. I was 20-years-old, playing in a weird place in North Hollywood. It was in a tourist area, where there were a lot of touristy things. After my show, someone came up to me and said that they liked my show, but didn't know why I was playing such a touristy area. So I made a joke about playing music for tourists. Then I thought about titling the record that, because on a more profound level, it actually made sense, as far as relating to people and expressing universal emotions. You could travel anywhere and express the same feelings, emotions, and experiences through music.

How did recording your new album "El Radio" in New Hampshire change things?

At the time that I started recording, I had all this downtime. As you probably know, the summers in New York can be hot and horrible and we have a family home on a lake in New Hampshire. So I had all these new songs, and a bandmate and I had free time. So we left in the summer and started recording, but didn't leave and we stayed through autumn. It turned into a great process. If you listen closely to 'Music for Tourists,' you can hear ambulances, horns and Holland Tunnel traffic outside. But just for the silence factor, recording in New Hampshire was amazing. It was beautiful to work surrounded by mountains and lakes. It was really inspiring and kept me really focused. It was really just about playing music and writing without horrible distractions.

I know that the album track "Hands on the Radio" is about the city of Juarez, Mexico, a border city that's become infamous for "the unsolved murders of hundreds of women, while remaining a rapidly growing metropolis filled with hope." Can you explain the metaphor of the hands on the radio and how that relates to the unsolved murders?

Technically, the metaphor is about reaching out, helping people and supporting people. By that, you're transmitting energy and resources and meaning in life is to help people. It's what we're supposed to do for each other. Music is sort of the metaphor of life and happiness. 'Hands on the Radio' is essentially turning knobs to help people live and cope and embrace people. There's a double meaning, because in one sense, you're broadcasting and informing, because there are a lot of people who don't know about Juarez. But the radio metaphor is about transmitting information, whether it's through music or speech, because anything that gets information from one person to another person is essential in surviving and helping people. The line in the song is 'With hands on the radio we'll get there soon,' because so much joy comes from music. So much love and embracing of others comes out of music. Forgive me if I'm being profound, but that was the intention.

What can we expect from the Bargemusic performance?

The Barge is a boat that has been moored on the Brooklyn side of the East River under the bridge for like 30 years. All this time, they've had music there like twice a week, quite reputable classical music and often jazz. So the concert I'm doing, is the first pop concert that the Barge is putting on.

On the outside, it looks like an old barge, but then when you walk in, you see this quite beautiful old interior. It's very old with classic-looking wooden paneling. The stage is in front of a giant bay window, which looks out onto the Manhattan skyline, so when you're watching a concert, you see the players on stage and the nighttime skyline in the background. We're really only playing songs from the new album and a few extra treats.

I've read that when you perform you bring a lamp from home and place it on your piano. Tell me the lamp's purpose.

That's another thing that started as a joke and turned into reality. When I was writing my first bio, my best friend was writing with me, and she was making stuff up as she went along like that I'm an avid lampshade collector. Strangely enough, I started collecting lampshades that I found here and there. Then I decided to bring one lamp to a show here in New York City, and then started touring with it when it fit in my suitcase. My first idea was that it was kinda like being at home. It felt a little cozier and sweeter to have stuff with me on stage. That's where it comes from.

For more on Chris Garneau, check out his web site and his MySpace page.

Photo: Sam Bassett

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