Chris Daniels & the Kings are a study in how Colorado bands forge a global following.
Beginning in the late 1980s, the blues-rock outfit garnered radio play and a subsequent fan base across the pond largely because a well-known Dutch DJ had a love affair with bombastic horn sections.
We caught up with Daniels, whose early career included a stint playing with New York Dolls co-founder David Johansen, at his humble mountain retreat in Evergreen to talk about the Kings’ 10th CD, appropriately titled “10.”
Q: How much gray hair do you attribute to each CD?
A: Oddly enough I don’t have a lot of gray hair. It’s genetic. CDs are always a labor of love. There are parts that go as you envisioned – and other parts just come out. If you’re lucky, and this is what’s so great about the Kings, it might not be your vision, but it evolves in the process into something even better. This is where people sometimes have a hard time – they hold on to their original vision without letting the CD become part of a growing process.
“10” was like that. It was originally going to be all covers because people wanted that. But I started writing and realized I wanted to just use the Kings and bring in the best performances that we do.
Q: The song “Bluz Cruz” – was that based on a real trip or a mental trip?
A: That was written on a real cruise I did with some guys from other bands. We went to some really crazy fun places like Cartagena, Colombia. It started in Florida, then went down to Costa Rica. I was truly standing on a boat off the coast of Cuba, and the moon was coming up.
This was all happening while a dear friend was dying of cancer. I almost didn’t go because I knew how sick he was, but (my friend) said, “You better go. I’m going to be fine.” He made it until I got back, then he died about three weeks later.
Q: The Kings have nicknames like “Bones” and “Doody.” What do they call you?
A: To my face? I have no idea but I’d love to know. The thing about the Kings is this was supposed to be for a one-night party at the Blue Note in Boulder in 1984. People went nuts for us, especially college kids. They hadn’t heard many bands with horn sections. There was Jack Mack and Tower of Power. That was about it.
The (party) vibe has stayed with our performances. I think that’s why the guys put up with the hours on the road or the gigs when there are about three people in the bar. It’s the fact that we enjoy what we’re doing and we feed off each other.
Chris Daniels & the Kings play the Music in the Meadows concert series at Castle Rock’s Butterfield Crossing Park on Wednesday and the New West Fest kickoff in Fort Collins on Friday.
