About Me
Here's my side of the story. "I started on pots, pans, boxes, and air drums as early as 3 in Sylmar, California. At age 5 my late Dad saw interest and bought me a Toys R Us drum kit for Christmas. The kit didn't last long, but my passion for drumming did! I took some real cheesy snare lessons in fifth grade, and got my first real kit in the summer of '86, a little crappy Remo kit so I could start a band, but I loved and played the hell out of it. I played in a school band in 9th grade, and was dabbling in bands as early as 12, the same year I got that crappy kit.
I had been a fan of a local band from Sylmar called Social Justice that started up in the late 80s, and at the time I was playing in a band with current Death By Stereo guitarist Dan Palmer called Bottom Line when in 1991 the local graffiti art scene in Los Angeles brought my world clashing with Social Justice. We played heavily and rehearsed like it was church. We got a break in 1992 with our efforts and that band basically evolved into Downset.
Becoming a huge draw, the industry took notice and downset caught the attention of Mercury /PolyGram Records and released our self titled debut in 1994. Vocalist Rey Oropeza, guitarists Brian Schwager, and Rogelio Lozano (who also was writer/performer in Cypress Hill), bassist James Morris, and myself on the drumkit perfected our unique, in your face assault of rap/rock fusion, as pounding street anthems, along with artists like Rage Against The Machine and KoRn, helped to pave the way for the hip-hop/metal explosion of the late 90's, and became an icon for the nu-metal or rap-metal genres that were emerging at the time. We toured with countless bands and played all over the world, and at the young age of 18 this was some real crazy shit for me.
In 1996 downset delivered "Do We Speak A Dead Language?" and won praise for being "LA's best kept secret" (LA Weekly, February 28, 1997) as Guitar School raved that the band "delivers a pile-driving mountain of Sabbathian riffs, and harsh militant vocals, taking rap metal to its meanest, heaviest and mangiest heights to date" (April 97). We tore up the festival circuit including Reading and Roskilde, and toured over 24 countries of the world with all their contemporaries, including Pantera, Deftones, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Slayer, as well as a well-deserved spot on the inaugural run of Ozzfest.
I rode this for 2 full length albums until I split with downset in 1998. Upon my temporary departure in the summer of 1998, I was getting serious with another band from Bakersfield, Ca. called ADEMA, with members of Karmahitlist, and Videodrone; a band that didn't quite work out in my favor. I wrote a handful of songs with ADEMA between 1998 and 1999, but the distance between our worlds nearly killed me, literally!
As efforts for a third downset album became frustrating due to contractual entanglements from its labels merger with Universal, the band underwent internal changes and in Oct 2000 the band returned with a new label (Epitaph) and new album Check Your People.
I worked on solo material for the most part of 2000 with friends, and got more in tune with my roots, and my passions for different styles of music. I moved to the Chicago area, for a brief time in July of 2000, and immediately upon arrival there started looking for something to 'get in to'. I replied to a guy named David's ad on a local music Website, and after a few 'hook-ups' we knew we had found something new and original. The Jodoh project has been something that I have taken a pertinent interest in and cannot wait to finish and show the world. While I was there I also wrote 2 songs with Frank from Filter and Joe and Skerty from The Infamous on their new project tentatively called MIASMA!!
I moved back to Los Angeles in 2001 to rejoin downset. Upon moving back I completed another album with downset. a 17 track demo with Jodoh, as well as a project called White Cold Powdered Milk, and Drunk With Power.
Tearing up the Massive Distortion stage at P3, as well as jaunts with Fishbone, helped reconfirm a place for downset among the metal elite, and increased our rabid, ever-growing fan base. Sandy Masuo of the LA Times lauded our ability to go "from vehement punk rants to spoken word lulls" and "combine the blustery and balmy elements for a more dynamic attack"
Downset returned with vigor to return to the top of the amalgamated world we created over a decade ago, and brought it to all. With our 4th album, "Universal", released in 2004 on Seattle-based Hawino Records, we jumped on Linkin Parks Projekt Revolution tour to prove our ground and headlined our own 52 date, 14 country tour, downset are ready for more! Tracks like "Forever", "All Crews", "Black Glock", and "Jumpin' Off", showcase the uncompromising anger and gritty reality downset fans have learned to expect.
Downset's reemergence marked the strength and integrity that has been held high in the eyes and ears of fans and believers. Multi-platinum band P.O.D. holds downset in the highest regards of their chosen music genre. downset is original style which demands total respect, states WUV, drummer of P.O.D. downset is one of the pioneers of hardcore, punk & hip hop. They are true originals, explains Sonny, singer of P.O.D.
Meanwhile in Venice, California, a stomping ground for those things alternative, as downset was now on hiatus, Jodoh began stepping up their game a bit, guitarist David Leskis, bassist Michael Runez and myself linked up with vocalist Tom Fugedi and after only a handful of exciting shows and the release of an 8 song demo CD the public has caught on, and had the press taking notice. “One cannot help but watch how this band morph and take everything to the next level†applauded Oscar Jordan of Music Connection Magazine. Jesse Cilio of Jointz Magazine points out “With their beachy, punk rock, reggae sound, they’re going to kill the pop charts with this high-tension debutâ€. “Jodoh is the future; tomorrow comes today! Exclaimed Nils Menrad of Noize Factor Radio & Magazine in Germany.
JODOH have already played and packed numerous venues all over Southern California alongside genre acts like Lojic, The Skeletones, and have worked along side genre icons like Steve Ewing of The Urge, and Jaime Contreras of Adema. JODOH have finally blended the right ingredients for timeless music of the 21st century with energy, excitability, and a habit of packing the dancehall! Catch this band live ASAP!
Downset are currently writing and demoing material for a fifth album.
Jodoh are gearing up to record and are looking to release a debut album in 2009.
Recently I have begun to lend out my talent to the public becoming a studio session drummer, and reggae/rock remixer and making myself available for just about any REAL recording and/or touring opportunity. I have already worked with a number of both high profile and startup acts! Very intriguing to me to say the least.
Most recently I have begun work on a new L.A. based band called Filth Rotten originally with Tony L on vocals, Doug "Fado" from Crazytown on Bass, the homies Mikey and Hesh on guitars, and me on drums, it has progressed and now Ares has come aboard, and we are getting very busy and hard at work!. Bomb ass breakcore!
Well, 24 countries and 38 states later, I'm still livin' it and lovin' it I still want to touch spots like the orient, down under, and the west indies, wish me luck! I've been a busy lil' fuck huh?! IRIE VIBES, TRUTH, ONE LOVE *Chris* Chris Lee - endorses, abuses, and funks: FUA and SYNCOPAL Clothing.
