We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Chris Wirsig. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Chris below.

Chris, appreciate you joining us today. I’m sure there have been days where the challenges of being an artist or creative force you to think about what it would be like to just have a regular job. When’s the last time you felt that way? Did you have any insights from the experience?

For a long time I actually had regular jobs, and I’m lucky that I always liked these as they were as fulfilling as an artist career – some of them overlapped that part as well, especially the time I worked as editor at a German musician’s magazine. The longest regular job was with a software company, where I worked in marketing and PR, which was quite creative too (although not in the music field). But my creativity always came out in different fields as I enjoy working on graphic designs and the written word as well.

So, I was happy in these jobs too, but working on music, and everything around it like music videos, full-time is definitely something special and very fulfilling.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m a composer, songwriter and producer, writing instrumental music for film and TV, but also writing and producing songs with and for artists. I started out with piano and saxophone lessons, later studied audio engineering, and music has been in my life since I was a kid.

At the moment I’m most excited about a new EP, “In A Circle – Abstract Piano Works 1,” that I just released. It features five more avant-garde pieces on piano, often joined by cello, and more exotic instruments like waterphone.

Another thing currently happening is the Epic Metal band that I joined, Angels On The Battlefield: My friend JD McGibney brought me to this project, and I’m arranging all orchestral, electronic and exotic (read: non-Metal) instruments for our songs. We just shot the video for a first single, that hopefully will be released soon.

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

Growing up in Germany, there weren’t many (maybe none?) organizations that catered to artists. Here in the US, especially in Los Angeles it’s always been much better – and never better than at the moment. There are organizations that help beginners and seasoned artists alike, bringing them together and nurtuing creatives. Personally I’ve found organisations like The Society of Composers & Lyricists, the Production Music Association, West Coast Songwriters, and also the PROs like ASCAP and BMI very helpful and community-oriented. And of course personal relationships are great to grow your own craft and career – for me these relationships often started at events of the organisations I’ve mentioned.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

I think my goal is always to write and produce the best music I can for any project I’m working on. Wether it’s a Pop or Rock song, film score or some instrumental music. I like that as a musician you never really stop learning, and always have to improve your own craft, learn new skills or styles, and can combine these in your own work. I really like it when I can mix it up in a production and bring in elements that wouldn’t normally be used in that genre – an unusual instrument or sound, or a different style of playing/singing.

One example for this is SweetBlade’s song “They Want You”: It’s an edgy Electropunk track, but also has a tuba and accordion in it, which both shine in the bridge section before the last chorus comes on. Unusual instruments for that genre, but they fit in and make it a more memorable song.