DRIVEN BY IMAGINATION
The Record Company’s Chris Vos tries to capture each idea
Ideas are always popping up for Chris Vos.
He’s learned to be aware and capture each idea in some form. “This is what we did for the new album,” he says in a recent interview. “We were writing and getting ideas during touring for our last album. We’re always working.”
Vos is a member of the rock band The Record Company.
Alex Stiff and Marc Cazorla round out the band, which is touring in support of its sophomore album, “All of This Life,” released in June.
The Record Company, formed in 2011 in Los Angeles, is known for its blend of blues, punk and rock.
Since its inception, the band has shared the stage with John Mayer, Social Distortion, Buddy Guy, Grace Potter and Trombone Shorty, to name a few.
Working on “All of This Life,” wasn’t much different from working on the band’s first album, Vos says.
“The core of it doesn’t change, as it’s the three of us,” Vos says. “The process was different in the fact that we took the project to Boulevard Recordings in Hollywood. The studio has a lot of history when it comes to music. We did most of the demos in our living room, though.”
Vos says the goal for the band is to make an entire album.
“A piece of work that plays from stem to stern well,” he says. “We want it to thematically flow together and take the listener on its own path. You have to create depth, and that’s what we try to do. That’s how we listen to music, and we want our fans to be able to listen to it the same way.”
Vos is the leader when it comes to lyrics for the band.
Over the years, he’s learned to trust his instincts when it comes to songwriting.
“Everything from lyrics to melody to rhythm, it’s a decision,” he says. “Some are made in the spur of the moment, and some are agonized over. You have to pour your heart and soul out. And you also have to trust when things have to change. There are tracks on the album that didn’t fit at first. We had to work to get them to fit thematically.”
With two albums out, Vos says, touring gets easier for the band because there is more to choose from.
He is also very aware of keeping himself healthy during tour.
“As a singer, I have to establish a regime that works for me and keeps my voice in the best shape it can be,” he says. “We all also have to take care of our bodies. Our goal as performers is to leave the stage vanquished each night. There are no do-overs. We give our all each time.”