Interview with Guitarist Chuck Daniels of The Chuck Norris Experiment

June 28, 2024

Interview with Guitarist Chuck Daniels of The Chuck Norris Experiment

By Mick Michaels

COSMICK VIEW: Hello, Chuck! Welcome to The Cosmick View/MBM Ten Pounder. Thank you for taking some time out of your day to chat with me, it's greatly appreciated.
Chuck Daniels: Hi there, no problem!

CV: Every artist experiences highs and lows. Many struggle just to move from one level to the next, and some, unfortunately, never do. What would you consider to be a pivotal point in an artist's career which would take them from one level to the next that a struggling artist should be aware of? Is it an individual mindset or does it equate more to opportunity? Or is it something all together different in your opinion?
CD: Apart from the very small minority that actually makes it overnight via some fluke online phenomena, or a well-placed one-hit-wonder, no artist can avoid the actual hard work and struggle that it takes to get your band to the next level of success. Given the jungle of new digital opportunities that’s available, I’d say you need a clear ambition and plan with your PR-work before you even start to release stuff… as well as touring and playing live as much and often as you can. For us, it has always been our live performances that mostly helped us to reach new levels with the band. So, the pivotal point would be… as you mentioned in the question, to really focus and get your mind set on whatever you wish to achieve. And even then it’s really, really difficult to make it happen.

CV: What do you feel an artist can do right now to stay relevant, especially in an environment, such as the present, where performing in front of a live audience is not an option?
CD: Well, performing live is now very much an option again… at least here in Europe. Other than that it’s a game of gathering digital followers on any or every platform. Release stuff on a monthly basis… at least, and make sure to be active in your correspondence with fans, media, promotors and labels. And one more not so subtle point: Don´t suck. Write good songs and record them well. And the only judge of what’s good or not is you. ´Cause if you write stuff to please someone else you are bound to fail… at least on the rock scene.

CV: What have you found to be the balancing point between relevance and over saturation when it comes to being an artist? Is there a fine line between the two or can it be looked at to some degree as the two essentially being one in the same?
CD: It´s kind of a tricky question, and one where I might somewhat contradict my previous answers. But here it goes: It’s tempting to keep releasing new material to stay in the public eye, but flooding the market with mediocre content will eventually dilute your material. Focus on making killer songs that´s close to what you would buy or listen to yourself. This makes every release an event rather than just another drop in the digital ocean.

CV: Is there any level of consideration, or even concern, to deliver on expectations, whether it being your own or that of the fans, when working on new material?
CD: Not for us, no. The only expectation that any fans… including ours, really has is that they want us to be even better than before. And we always make sure that we are. At least to our standards, and that´s the only standard we can control. I think the best piece of advice on this topic comes from a young Noel Gallagher… Google his name + f*ck the customer and prepare to be enlightened. His comparison to the fashion industry is spot on.

CV: For you, what’s first when it comes to songwriting…is it a matter of lyrics melody, chords, beat, attitude? Or is it more organic than that where the moment dictates the process and outcome?
CD: We do a lot of the writing at home and bring it to rehearsal for shaping and special effects. Once we have a bunch of songs, we go into the studio and make them even sharper. We usually record a few more than we need, so only the very best songs make the album.I mostly get inspired when I play music with the other Chucks though. That feeling when someone “gets” your riff and adds to it, and everybody suddenly starts to smile. It is an unbeatable feeling. It works sort of the same with our lyrics. They can be about almost anything if they just sound right to us.

CV: What do you believe makes songwriting more honest and impactful...that something that both the artist and listener can share?
CD: When you believe in yourself. That the song you have written is awesome, and you can´t wait to get it out there… and when you can hear that confidence on the recording.

CV: What do you feel has been the greatest contribution to your success as an artist?
CD: Our live shows without a doubt. But they wouldn't have happened unless the songs were good in the first place. It’s a classic chicken and egg situation.

CV: What's next for you? What can fans expect to see coming up?
CD: Our new record “20” is due out in a short while, so we are doing shows and PR to make it a success. It is our best work to this day (I know, it´s a cliché), and we are really proud of how it turned out. We are constantly writing new stuff and will probably release another album in 2025. We are also putting together some acoustic stuff – dark and dangerous country versions of old songs and new ones – that will be released as soon as we record it.

CV: Thank you again Chuck for spending some time talking and sharing with
our readers. I wish you all the best and continued success.
CD: Thank you for having us!

Check out The Chuck Norris Experiment at:

Official: www.chucknorrisexperiment.com

The Cosmick View

Where the stars always shine bright
www.thecosmickview.com
www.facebook.com/TheCosmickView

www.thecosmickvoice.com
www.anchor.fm/the-cosmick-voice

My name is Mick Michaels...I'm an artist, music fan, songwriter, producer, show host, dreamer and guitarist for the traditional Heavy Metal band Corners of Sanctuary. Writing has always been a creative outlet for me; what I couldn't say in speech, I was able to do with the written word. Writing has given me a voice and a way for me to create on a multitude of platforms including music and song, articles, independent screenplays, books and now, artist interviews. The Cosmick View is an opportunity to raise the bar and showcase artists in a positive and inspirational light. For me, it's another out-of-this-world adventure.