Advice for music and life

Chisel uses and abuses the gospel in his music, fitting as he is the son of a Baptist minister.

Although Chisel loves his career, don’t expect him to be a cheerleader for aspiring musicians.

“If there is anything else that you think you can do with your life: just do that. And if there is absolutely nothing that makes you happy, in any sort of way whatsoever, then it might be a smart idea to stick with it,” Chisel says.

He acknowledges the negativity of his words, especially to people who are in the music business for the wrong reasons.

“A lot of times, rather than encouraging people, I wind up discouraging them,” Chisel says. “And then [there’s] those crazy people who don’t listen to me. … It’s not a job I think people should be like, ‘I don’t know, I’ll just try this.’ It will eat you alive.”

Chisel turns philosophical at the end of his advice.

“There’s a million ways to have a happy life. This isn’t the only way to have a happy life. It’s for a very select few people, I think, that can have the stomach for the rejection,” Chisel says.

Making it in the Business

Chisel speaks with a voice of experience when it comes to making it in the music business. Death Won’t Send a Letter was released to positive reviews.

Chisel says he had to be convinced to sign with a major label because he was happy touring locally.

“I love being at home. I love my friends. I love my wife,” Chisel says. “So we were like, we’re gonna have to have something pretty good to talk us into not seeing those people.”

Chisel describes a “trial period” when the band sent demos to test whether RCA/Black Seal Records would allow the band artistic freedom, and the company came through in the end.

“They are beautiful people. They’ve really let me do way more than they probably should,” Chisel says.

The new album features Harris, whose husband, Noah, opened for Chisel at the album-release show; Little Jack Lawrence and Patrick Keeler on drums; and, on guitar, Carl Broemel from My Morning Jacket and Blake Mills from Band of Horses.

Coplan described the album and Chisel’s sound as a new take on an old favorite.

“He’s taken something that most people really enjoy, which is kind of a man and his guitar and made it interesting and emotionally evocative and fresh without being super explorative,” Coplan says. “He just does what he does, and it’s good.”

Home

Chisel, in many ways, is a typical Midwestern guy. He is perfectly content making music and living his adult life in the same place where he was raised.

“I like where we’re from because it’s diverse in a very special way, different economic backgrounds, it’s not just poor, it’s not just rich, it’s not just white, it’s not just religious, it’s not just unreligious,” Chisel says. “It’s a real cross-section of people.”

But, despite his respect for his hometown, Chisel is also an atypical Midwestern guy. Chisel has doors opening to opportunities most people can only dream of. Where will his success take him? No one knows at this point. But, for Chisel, it doesn’t really matter in the end. It’s all about the music.

For more on Cory Chisel, click here.