Words:L Liam Gallagher 2017-12-12 17:59:53
It feels like the 1960s. Technicolor projections are pouring down the walls. Everything is shifting different shades of Day-Glo. In the back of this beat little bar in Seattle is a band playing psychedelic rock ’n’ roll. The place is packed wall-to-wall with party people swaying in sync. The band, the bartender, the audience and the instruments seem to be vibrating at harmonious frequencies. All sense of time disappears. The alchemy of it all has me floating along with everyone else. This is some powerful stuff.
This stuff is made by Easy Giant, which is Chris Emmington’s one-man-band of sorts. Chris writes the music and plays all the instruments on the albums. But this fall, Easy Giant toured Europe with Absinthe Films as a band of musicians, with snowboarders like Tim Eddy, Brandon Cocard and Mikkel Bang among the members. Every showing of TurboDojo was coupled with a live set.
Chris is quick to admit he couldn’t believe he got to tour like that. It’s the stuff of rock-star dreams. It all came quickly. And a lot of the momentum has to do with his connection to snowboarding.
Four years ago, Chris was living at Danny Davis’ place in Tahoe. He was playing in several different cover bands and snowboarding every day. He was making a living doing what he loved, but he was growing tired of playing other people’s music. So when Danny took off for an extended trip, Chris set up a studio in the living room. He wrote and recorded Easy Giant’s first album, Holy Wave.
“It can be tricky to get everyone in one place at the same time,” Chris says. “So, I started a project where I could write and make music no matter what—just dedicate some time, zone out and write as much as I could. Out of that came some tracks and it was me playing the drums, the guitar, the bass, the keys—everything.”
Chris has been playing music all his life. He started with the clarinet, moved on to the saxophone, got really into jazz, played in his high school marching band, learned the toms, bought a drum kit, then picked up a guitar.
“I went commercial fishing up in Alaska for a couple years, made a chunk of money, then came home and bought a guitar,” Chris says. “I remember getting back and thinking, ‘I’m going to learn to play the guitar and see if I can get myself a girlfriend.’ That was the motivator, to become cooler than the guy who plays the sax in a jazz band.”
Today, Chris is still playing that guitar. He’s recorded a second album, To The Moon, he’s touring internationally and is currently calling Norway home. Cool as can be. And Easy Giant is just one of his artistic outlets/revenue streams. He also works with advertising agencies in Europe making music for their clients’ commercial needs. He ended up in Norway because of Mikkel.
“He was always telling me I had to go visit Norway. When I finally did, I completely fell in love with the place—and a girl,” Chris says.
Another dream realized. Chris has a knack for making things happen. Talented, ambitious, savvy, easygoing. That’s him. Easy Giant’s sound is tight and timeless. It’s almost recognizable, but entirely unique. It’s psychedelic with shades of surf rock and a hint of soul. It could be the perfect soundtrack for a drive down the mountains, through redwoods and out to some remote beach in Northern California. Transportive—that’s what Chris is going for.
“I really like music that kind of takes you away,” Chris says. “I’ve always been into music that has a sort of atmospheric vibe, a sound that transcends, music that offers a certain kind of experience.”
You can’t unhear Easy Giant. It will get stuck in your head. Chris gets deep when talking about music, sometimes seriously deep. He says music gives him goosebumps every day. He calls it the “universal language.” Music means everything to him.
“It’s my outlet, my art,” Chris says. “It’s such a great way to connect with people. Sharing that energy is an amazing experience. It’s one of the greater experiences in life. That, and being surrounded by beautiful places when you’re outdoors, in nature. Those are my favorite things.”
Those things have a lot to do with the name Easy Giant.
“It might sound pretty deep and hippie, but the name Easy Giant comes from my appreciation for things that are big and easy,” Chris says. “Things like mountains and waves, things that just kind of naturally come to be, but are massive.”
Easy Giant’s newest album, To The Moon, is now available on iTunes. Visit easygiantmusic.com for more.
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