RadioLive producer and host Pat Crawford had the opportunity to check in with Chris Moyse for a quick Q&A leading up to his appearance on the June edition of RadioLive.
Pat Crawford: Since your last visit, how have things been going for you? Are you still keeping your day job?
Chris Moyse: Things have been going well. I’m still working as a carpenter and have started accepting commissions for custom furniture pieces. It keeps my creative juices flowing and takes some pressure off my music career. I don’t feel like I’m writing to support myself financially. It feels a little more pure and a little less pressing when I sit down to write lately. I think that’s a better headspace for me.
Crawford: Your album Bitter Ballads and Cynical Prayers has been in the single disc CD player in my car since your last visit. Pueblo Dust is my all-time favorite driving tune and Magician Song cracks me up. All of your well-crafted writing feels deeply personal. Are many of your lyrics actually autobiographical?
Moyse: I think they’re all autobiographical in a way. It’s just a matter of whether I’m the main character in the song or not. I find it therapeutic to write songs about something I’m processing or working through. But it’s a lot of fun to get to play around outside of your world and imagine other worlds for a bit. You still bring pieces of yourself over. I could probably comb through my lyrics and point out all the spots that I pop up in a song that isn’t about me. You can’t ever really get away from yourself. Believe me, I try.
Crawford: You seemed to enjoy your first performance on RadioLive. What do you like most about being on the show?
Moyse: The show feels really wonderfully curated and tailored for a unique experience. From the old-timey street backdrop to the audience that sort of wraps around the stage, I haven’t really played anything else like it. The staff is good to you. It’s always an eclectic lineup of musicians that gives a range of sounds or styles. It makes you want to keep coming back.
Chris joins Abigail Dowd and Kim Carson on the June 1 edition of RadioLive. You can get your tickets here.