Three, it turns out, isn’t a crowd for The Cold Stares. After a decade as a duo, 2023 saw the release of the band's excellent sixth album Voices – the dynamic Indiana blues rockers’ first as a power trio. Guitarist/vocalist Chris Tapp reckons the addition of an official bass player has been a game-changer. Lyrically as well as musically, he dug deep for some of the most personal songs in band’s history. Speaking from Memphis – where the band are already tracking new songs – Classic Rock caught up with Tapp to look back on an important year for him and The Cold Stares.
Do you think you learnt anything new about yourself this year?
My grandad worked his ass off, my dad worked his ass off, but even playing rock’n’roll, I’m still trying to apply the same blue collar work ethic that we have as a family. I’m only here for a limited time, so what am I gonna do with it? What can I do to leave a legacy of music, and a legacy for my kids? The last year I’ve been working on scheduling and discipline to accomplish the things I wanna get done. Having purpose and goals.
