Sundowner

It’s Saturday night and the Volcano Room in Chicago is buzzing with the clink of pint glasses, pinball machines, and fans ecstatic to get their hands on a vinyl copy of the Sundowner album Four One Five Two. It’s been more than four years since Four One Five Two was initially released on Red Scare Industries, and the vinyl is finally set to release August 9, 2011. Tonight, however, Sundowner is playing a vinyl release party and selling the vinyl early to lucky attendees. Before he had the entire room singing along to his songs, Sundowner (better known as Chris McCaughan) sat down with us to tell us what he has been up to.

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Amy: How come the vinyl is just coming out now, about four years after the initial release?

Chris: That’s just a combination of my laziness and not tugging at Toby Jeg’s coattails constantly. A combination of his laziness, not even laziness; probably it was actually more that he was a bit hesitant to do the vinyl ‘til we really felt it was worth it. Toby is not one to just press vinyl for his releases right away. You have to let the record age appropriately, then at some point vinyl seems like a good move. Also, I was just like, we should do this, it will give me a reason to do a show, and then we can probably sell a bunch of them there and unload a bunch so they’re not just sitting in your house. It’s actually crazy, it’s been over four years since the record came out, so it’s kind of cool because I haven’t thought about it in a long time, and now we get to revisit it again.

Amy: The new record (We Chase the Waves) is on a different label, right?

Chris: It’s on Asian Man, and Mike (Park) pressed vinyl right away on it, but that’s Mike’s style. He likes to do vinyls, lots of colors, package deals, that’s more his style, so that is already out on vinyl. That was like what, last August?

Amy: So Toby didn’t mind that the new record was already out on vinyl, and you’re revisiting the first release?

Chris: It’s cool, as far as the Red Scare release… I put out a record last year which I didn’t do a lot of touring on or anything. I did a few things and it makes it kind of cooler that the old record came out again now. It creates some newsworthy stuff in the face of not super active me.

Amy: Why didn’t you really tour on the last album?

Chris: Because that’s not really, I don’t know man! That was never really my plan for the record. I made the record over a long period of time, and getting it out and doing a couple shows for it, it just seemed like that was where I was at. Working and kind of having home life and stuff was more important and more where I was. I never really planned on doing a lot of getting in the van and touring full national stuff for Sundowner anyway. I did more touring on the first record because I was kind of in the mode. Making the We Chase the Waves record for Asian Man was much more about making the record and finally  getting it out; it wasn’t so much about the national, other side of the touring aspect, so that’s my excuse for not touring.

Amy: Wasn’t that record a bit more do it yourself? On the album sleeve it says the album was homemade. 

Chris: Neil (Hennessy, Lawrence Arms drummer) and I recorded it in my apartment and his house over like 8 months; it took a long time and was a very different kind of thing. I probably will not make another record like that again, but it was a real time and place venture. That’s what was really cool about making it is that it was a really different experience for me musically then I had ever really had before. That’s what made it fun, new, and exciting; we had all these other weird challenges to deal with as far as production of a record.

Amy: What are you doing musically right now since nothing is really going on with the Lawrence Arms and you’re not touring on Sundowner?

Chris: I mean ya know, I’m doing this show tonight. The thing is, if I’m going to play solo as Sundowner or whatever, I still feel like I can’t do it all the time because then it’s not an event and it’s not as exciting. I feel about every six months I can do a show and it’s fun and people come out and it’s a blast, and it seems more like an event that’s worthy of throwing a party. I write stuff, but right now I’m not working on anything specifically as far as making a record or anything. Nothing really specific going on, I mean like, I’m still writing songs. I hope there’s another project of some nature, whether it’s another Sundowner record or whatever it is. I still play guitar and write music, but I’m not really sure what’s next.

Amy: How was the Broadways show and the Asian Man Anniversary experience overall?

Chris: Asian Man festival was awesome. Three days of San Francisco which means great weather, my girlfriend and I did a lot of eating and drinking, and going to shows for three days, it was great. The Broadways show was hilarious, I felt old because I am old and that shit was a long time ago. It was really fun, playing the songs was kind of like a cool, weird flashback this is your life kind of moment. I had a good time and I think everyone had a good time, the kids were excited and it was awesome.

Amy: So do you think the Broadways will ever play again?

Chris: I don’t know if the Broadways will ever play another show.  It took well over a decade for the show we played at Asian Man Records Anniversary 15 to come together.  Those aren’t great odds, but it was a lot of fun for all of us and I think that certainly suggests the possibility of playing those songs together again at some point, some time…uh…somewhere. 

Amy: Since you’re a bartender, how do you make a Manhattan?

Chris: Manhattans I make it on the rocks, its rye Whiskey, sweet Vermouth and a little bit of bitters, and if you like it, maybe a little cherry juice, although that’s really a specific taste. I shake it up and pour it over ice and it’s just awesome. Manhattans are very tasty so there ya go.

Amy: How often do people come into the bar you work at looking to talk to a member of the Lawrence Arms? 

Chris: I don’t think people come into the bar I work at looking to talk to a member of The Lawrence Arms. It does happen that people come in to drink, and when I pour them a beer they say, “Hey aren’t you in that band?” or “Weren’t you in that band?” Then follow up with something like, “Oh yeah I was really into your records when I was in college or high school” or “Yeah I used to like your band when I was young…” Eh.. I dunno.  If you’re in the neighbourhood, up on North Clark Street, stop in for a drink.  We’ve got a great beer selection.  I make a pretty good Manhattan too. 

Amy: What determines how you will play a show? Sometimes Neil or Jenny (Choi) will join you on stage, and sometimes you play electric, others acoustic, you switch it up quite a bit.

Chris: I like to mix it up. Part of the Sundowner to me is that I would have options in that way. I’ve played with Jenny, Neil and Eli (Dixon) from the Popes, and that’s always been really fun and cool. I’ve done a lot of solo stuff and generally, the touring I’ve done has all been solo. I feel very comfortable playing solo. I started playing electric because I was craving something different and wanted to shake it up a little. It felt new and cool to me, and over the years I’ve gotten really, really used to playing acoustic live. I think it’s become a bit more common to do that for me, and it was really fun to get up there with my electric and play the songs; it feels different. I think tonight I am going to do both, so at some point I will switch from acoustic to electric. Certain songs seem to do better in certain mediums.

Amy: Do you miss touring? Is it too big of an obligation from real life that you can’t really get out and do it that often?

Chris: I love touring, and the touring I’ve done in my life has been totally amazing. Right now, it’s not the mode I’m in. I don’t make a point in my life of ever saying never to anything, I think it’s a real way to pin yourself into a corner. I wouldn’t sit here and say oh, I’d never tour again, or I changed gears and I’m doing other shit now or whatever. Right now, I am pretty happy being home and touring for the Sundowner record was not a priority for me. Getting to play shows here and there is super gratifying for me and I still love to do it. I hope I’ll make records for a long time in whatever capacity that means. In terms of touring and stuff, whatever entails is really time and place. The future is, who knows, day at a time.

Amy: Anything you’d like to add?

Chris: No, not really. Have a nice summer, and the next time the Lawrence Arms play somewhere, I hope you come out and it’ll be fun.