Formula Indie Sessions : Interview with Kris Hansen’s Viking Jesus

What is your earliest memory connected to music?

Reply: I remember listening to Beatles records and Beach Boys on the couch with the headphones on. I must have been 3 years old. I would listen for hours and hours. My dad was a Vientnam Vet, he was a lot, but he had great taste in music. Later, my stepfather played the acoustic guitar, and he turned me onto Phil Ochs, Dylan, Simon & Garfunkel. Bands like The Doors, Hendrix Experience, writers like Khalil Gibran… I had good influences. On the flip side of the good things, I was an avoidant attachment personality, due to my parents split. That avoidant stuff made for some drama, some crazy, and good song content.

How did your passion for creating music begin?

Reply: I have a friend who’s parents are professional performers.  His father taught us a couple songs and we immediately wrote a few. I was hooked right away.

What’s the story behind your current music project?

Reply: It has been a slow burn, a maturing love. Its always been my songs.
I suffered a Brain Aneurism in my early 20s which put a dent in my progress and head, quite literally. I was playing with a friend drummer, Bob Giusti. He played on Pixies frontman’s Frank Black album.  He was drinking and maybe some other things… he nodded off at the drums in the middle of our set. After some harsh words and names… I called him a woody allen looking horshack mother F$$ker, and he called me a fat viking jesus, I laughed and said thats my new band name. I told him I’d drop the weight. Haha

Every record sounds different like a concept, but it all sounds like us and isn’t a concept. Its alway a collection of songs. It is free, it is creative, and fun! Sometimes a hard look at yourself can be the best medicine. In 2022, our drummer Nick Iddon passed away. The band is in a patchwork design and we are threading it back together. Its been a hard rain. I have began playing solo shows and working on the new album. Starting to walk before the running starts again. I discovered I have an aneurysm in my heart now. I won’t even get started on that! Urgh!!

How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard your music before?

Reply: It is a lyrical, musical vehicle for everything you ever loved about popular indie music with a thoughtful driver. Structure being the last frontier, we’re not inventing a new chord, but we can take our music into different directions while maintaining some kind of comfortable vibe. We want to paint, I want to tell you how I feel and maybe prove my heart. I think its a cool sound. It is important to love what you do.

What is one thing you’ve learned that completely changed the way you make music?

Reply: Patience for Living and Loving!!!

What tools, instruments, or software are essential in your creative process?

Reply: I still write on an acoustic guitar or piano. I write my lyrics in front of the tube. Just background noise to distract my intention. The ideas flow when I am not paying attention or trying. I still go to the studio with a recording engineer/producer. I love working! I think collaboration is my favorite tool.

Which indie artist or song are you loving right now?

Reply: I have been loving my Providence bands lately, more than anything national. Ravi Shavi, Arc Iris, The Quahogs, Deer Tick, Dan Dodd (Bremuda Records) and Mark Cutler…

How have your personal experiences influenced your music and artistic vision?

Reply: 100% the character in my songs. Its all real, about the people and things of my every moment. These are super personal songs and I feel pretty brave. Music always seemed like a personal window. John Lennon’s plastic ono band album was a standard of personal to me. Leonard Cohen…Amy Mann…Ani Difranco… I always loved authenticity and it is my duty to be as authentic as I can. I think I scare folks sometimes when they realize I am exactly what I sing about. I make others blush, too. I am an adult, but I used to have serious fun. I am not afraid of anything. With the exception of not living to the fullest and maybe ghosts. I have a few stories about ghosts…

What emotions or messages do you hope listeners take from your work?

Reply: I just hope they feel something. I hope it encourages people to be more honest, with themselves and their people. I want it to communicate the urgency of connection.

 What’s the most important lesson music has taught you so far?

Reply: Humility.

What is a dream venue or festival you would love to perform at?

Reply: whether it is a festival, someone’s livingroom, or a cemetery, it all suits me just fine. One foot in front of the other… I guess I’d like to walk and play them all…

If you could collaborate with any artist, past or present, who would it be and why?

Reply: Jon Tierney. He was my songwriting and performing partner/best friend. We played shows together for 30 years. He was incredible. Together, we were a force. I never had more fun, or laughed harder. It would be amazing to have another show with him. He passed away in 2021. Sometimes we’d play hip hop shows. We’d perform as White Barry & Gaye Marvin. We would play NWA, Biggie, Cypress and The Pharcyde. We would write our own raps too. We opened for Everlast and Afro Man. Acts like that. We had grown gangsters crying and rolling on the floor. It was funny.

Where can our listeners follow and support your music? (Website,Spotify, IG, links)

Reply:
You can download my music from bandcamp.
https://krishansensvikingjesus.bandcamp.com/

You can listen to us on Spotify, Apple, Amazon, probably on your favorite platforms in your countries.
https://open.spotify.com/artist/72ssVjdn3XeHQlKNdCXnEn?si=moJGUsZ4Tyucprq_oEGJZA

Looking toward the future, what’s your dream for the next chapter of your musical journey?

Reply: I have a new album to put out. I’d like to travel and play some shows around the planet. I would be happy if I had some people discover this music and become our friends. I love my friends!

What do you hope listeners will discover about you along the way?

Reply: That we are a good match. Maybe we learn to find our courage and path together.

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