We’re going to continue with the theme of introducing some new people to you! Following on last week’s getting to know you session with Charly from DELAIN, this week we chat with DOMMIN’S Kris and see what makes the man tick…
What were you doing when I interrupted you to do this?
I was watching the news in my hotel room.
Date of birth?
February 14th
Where did you go to high school?
In Covina, California
What was the first instrument you ever played?
Guitar. Well, actually tennis racket. But after a while that tennis racket became a guitar.
Tell us about the first band you ever played in.
I don’t even remember the first band, I’ve been in so many bands over the years! I was in a punk band with Billy (James – Dommin’s bassist) called Rent-A-Frend (sic) a long time ago, it was just like a poppy punk band, I was the metal guy in the band with hair down to my waist. It was fun, we played all the backyard parties and the keggers, and it was a huge party band, lots of craziness.
What’s your favourite food?
Anything good! I’m always on a misson for the perfect pizza or the perfect taco, or the perfect chicken teriyaki bowl. I don’t discriminate – good is good.
Beverage of choice?
Probably just water
Song of the moment?
I’ve been playing Undisclosed Desires by Muse. Just the way that song flows, it reminds me of songs I’ve heard before. There’s something so familiar about it, just the vibe of the song.
Album of the moment?
A lot of times I get albums on the road from other bands we tour with, so I’ve been listening to Kill Hannah’s album and The Becoming’s album. When I get home, it just reminds me of the tour.
Movie of the moment?
Up. It almost made me cry – almost – I gotta be a man! I love movies that can really pull at your heartstrings like that. It’s strange…with computer animation you feel like you wouldn’t have that same kind of connection with the characters, but you watch it and, you know, well it moved me THAT much. I don’t want to give too much away, but there’s something about a couple who’ve been together since they were kids and they’re at the end of their days, and all the things they’ve gone through… There’s four or five moments in that movie where you can’t not feel anything.
Biggest pet peeve on the road?
Crazy drivers. When we’re driving across the US, you get these people who merge onto the freeway and rather than speeding up to get the speed everyone else is going, they get on the freeway and just stop or slow down, or go at a snail’s pace. We’re driving in the van and we’re all waving them forward cos we’ve got our trailer with all this weight behind us.
What has been the most prominent moment of your career so far?
That’s a tough one. What I thought was really cool – and for other people this might seem really small – but we were on tour with Lacuna Coil, Kill Hannah and Seventh Void, and Seventh Void has some of the guys from Type O Negative. Kenny Hickey (Type O Negative’s guitarist) comes up to me and he says “I really like your guitar tone, it’s got so much expression,” and that meant something to me, because that’s something I really work at – if I hit it softly, it’s got to come across real soft, or if I bang on those strings it’s gotta be loud – I want it to be emotionally expressive. The fact that he appreciated that, and most people wouldn’t even notice that? I was on cloud nine.
Random fact about you?
I’m excellent!
Dommin release their debut album on February 15th 2010. watch this space for more interviews with Kris in the new year…