Chad Channing (left) with his Nirvana bandmates Krist Novoselic and Kurt Cobain

GrungeReport.net’s second exclusive interview is here, and it is with former Nirvana drummer Chad Channing!  Chad played with Nirvana from 1988 to 1990 and drummed on their legendary debut album Bleach in 1989 (which will be re-released soon), he also played the cymbal crash on “Polly” on Nevermind and his drumming was also heard on Incesticide.  He then left the band due to creative differences in 1990 and since then has played in several bands including Fire Ants (which included Mother Love Bone singer Andy Wood’s brothers Brian and Kevin), The Methodists, and most recently Before Cars, in which he is the main songwriter.  Before Cars debut album Walk Back is available for purchase on FloatationRecords.com.  You can check out some songs for free on the Before Cars MySpace page. Here is the interview, questions from me (Brett) are in bold, and the answers from Chad are regular.

Talk about Before Cars , your new band which originally started as a solo project before you brought in the other members to the band. Did you ever see yourself becoming a songwriter in the early days of your career with Nirvana? Who are some of your songwriting influences?

Well I’ve always been a song writer. And I wrote songs for every band I’ve ever played in with exception of Nirvana. I always wanted to write with Nirvana and see if it might have worked or not. Just never got the opportunity. I spent a lot of time in other bands.  But things never seemed to work out.  I guess that’s what finally lead me to start my own project.

One day I took a bunch of songs to my friends Andy Miller and Paul Burback and we 4-tracked 11-12 songs than chose 5 of them to make a demo. We hit the studio along with Paul’s wife Justine Jeanotte who plays violin and recorded the demo. During that time I came up with the name “Before Cars”. A lot of my influences are early 70’s-80’s stuff like David Bowie & Elvis Costello, just to name a few.

I was listening to some tracks off of Walk Back and I love how it really sounds like it could come out of any decade, the production and music has the type of sound that most overproduced bands today lack, it has a classic sound to it. “That’s My Guess” and “Juniper” both have a very alternative vibe to them, they would have definitely fit in the Nirvana catalog if you had a chance to write to write with Nirvana. “Bunnies” has a classic 70s rock vibe to it, while “Doll in Time” has a timeless ballad feel. The vocals add a pop sensibility to the songs. Do you see yourself continuing with writing songs like this on your next record or do you want to experiment with some different genres?

This record has allot of pop/rock stuff going on with some exceptions like “Doll In Time” and “Old Chair”. These for-mentioned songs are more in line to where Before Cars is headed far as the next record goes. It will have allot more acoustic stuff going on. And probably some experimentation with some keyboard stuff as well as more stuff for the violin. I may even mess around with some electronic beats and stuff. Not really sure at this point. And who knows what a 3rd record might end up like at this point, heheh.

If a major band asked you to become their new drummer, would you join? I’m talking good bands here, not Fall Out Boy or My Chemical Romance.

If I had nothing going on at all I might consider it. But since I’ve got Before Cars. I wouldn’t drop it for anything

As everybody knows Nirvana’s first album Bleach, featuring you as the drummer, is being re-released. What are your thoughts on the rerelease and the popularity Bleach has gained in recent years?

I must admit it’s kinda cool that record still holds interest to some people. Back in 89, I wouldn’t have guessed that record would still be selling today. And I’m actually very curious about the re-release. I’m guessing there will be extra tracks. Not sure what they might be though.

When you were making Bleach did you ever think Nirvana would become the huge band it became?

I thought that we would garner some decent underground attention or whatever with that record. And I always knew Nirvana had the potential.  But didn’t expect things to get as big as they did.

What is your favorite song on Bleach?

For me “Swap Meet” has always been one of my favorites of that record.

Who are some of your favorite modern bands out there today?

Favorite bands today are Portishead, GO!GO!7188, Amon Amarth & M.I.A…just to name a few

What are some of your favorite hobbies?

I love to golf!  Though I’m not very good.  Never shot better than a 99.  And have no idea what my handicap is, heh.  Big fan of anime as well.  Though it’s been a slow process converting my favorites from VHS to DVD

Do you keep in touch with Krist Novoselic?

Not on a regular basses but we do see each other once in awhile.  Mostly when he’s in town playing.

You played in a couple of bands with Soundgarden bassist Ben Shepherd in the 80s, how was it playing with Ben?

Playing with Ben was cool.  Always a crazy time Our first band was Mind Circus.  Pretty heavy stuff.  Then he later sang for The Magnet Men which then became know as Tic-Dolly-Row when he joined.

What are some of your goals to accomplish in the music industry before you retire?

I will always be a song writer.  And I’d like to see how far Before Cars can go. Know idea what will happen, but it’s sure fun to try!  It would also be nice to eventually just be a song writer and see other groups playing stuff I wrote.  I think I’d get a kick outta that!

When Nirvana get inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame someday would you consider going up on stage and playing one of the songs from Bleach with Krist and somebody else, or do you think that it would be disrespectful to Kurt?

I don’t think we could do a Nirvana song with out Kurt.  Just wouldn’t feel the same.  Not all that sure they’d invite me for the stage presentation anyways, lol.

Thank you to Chad Channing for taking part in this exclusive interview with GrungeReport.net!  Check out Chad’s band Before Cars’ debut album today and watch them perform at the Kurt Cobain Memorial Show in Aberdeen, Washington on October 17th with Candlebox!