SF Music Speaks: An Interview with Chris Stroffolino
Take a guy that will tell you he used to busk on the streets of Philadelphia (without getting arrested and without getting rich), give him the experience of playing in a number of bands including one indie rock group that got some recognition and then move him out to the West Coast. What have you got? Chris Stroffolino, a guy who isn’t about to stop making the most of his musical career. He’s currently playing solo (with upcoming shows in the city at City Lights and at The Knockout) making a kind of music that merges instrumentals and emphasizes them with vocals that range from almost spoken to full on crooning. In his interview with San Fran Voice, Chris tells us about his favorite spots in the city, his plans to stay in the Bay Area and what can be expected from a live show.
What can you tell us about your musical history? I used to busk and play coffeehouses for Cerebral Palsy patients back in Philly and NYC. I got my professional start in the late ‘90s in a well-known indie rock band (Silver Jews), played with other bands before moving to Oakland in 2001 and then formed Continuous Peasant with Pete Nochisaki. We released two albums on Portland’s Good Forks label, as well as a few singles, toured U.S. & Canada, etc. But that band is now on hiatus, and in the meantime I’ve been playing solo shows (sometimes accompanied by musical guests).
If you had to sum up your sound in a sentence, what would you say? One reviewer called Continuous Peasant ‘a cross between Lou Reed and Wilco’; another one called us “literate garage rock” (I like that). As for describing my solo act: Imagine Jonathan Richman reluctantly picking up a hitchhiking Tom Waits in a car stolen from Randy Newman en route to a jam-party at Camper Van Beethoven’s house.
A person who walked into a live performance of yours right now would see … … the red/orange sounds of organ, the blue piano, the Greenish harpsichord. They may even see the Great & Powerful Oz while their dog is checking out the man behind the curtain.
If your music was a San Francisco landmark, which one would it be and why? The beautiful Armory on 14th and Mission that is just waiting to become an affordable live/work space for artists and community activists if the politicians can get off their butts and not be puppetsof the rich developers.
Favorite SF venue for seeing live music? For playing? Too many to name, mostly in The Mission, but I’ll single out The Knockout because that’s where I’m playing next.
Where do you like to spend your time in San Francisco? Dolores Park, Latin American Club, Twin Peaks, San Francisco Arts Institute, City Lights, Wine Bar called: Sonoma, Napa, and Beyond (SNOB), The Furniture Store, Aquarius Records, El Farolito, Adobe Books …
Where do you want to be a year from now? Here, only more so (which some might say just means “high rotation on KUSF, rather than KFOG, opening act for the likes of Jonathan Richman, signed to Saddle Creek, or on the cover of San Francisco Magazine, and hosting a variety show or a reality show that would pit the 1-15 Oakland Raiders against FEMA to see which team has a worse offensive line.”)
If there was anything that you could make sure your fans knew, what would it be? I take requests, and I’m on the lookout for a drummer like Moe Tucker.
Tell us what we should know about any CDs, posted videos, or upcoming events that you’ve got going on. City Lights Bookstore on July 31st; The Knockout on August 6th.
What other local musicians or bands should the people of SF know about? Brian Glaze, Miriam Jacobson, The Graves Brothers Deluxe, Michael Musika, Vanessa Beggs
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[...] July when we interviewed Chris Stroffolino about his music? If you don’t, you can check out the original interview with Chris. But as a refresher course, we learned about his solo music, his busking days, and his [...]