Interview: Chris Benis On Latest Release, "Night of a Lifetime"

You started making music at a young age with the "Benis Brothers Band." How did those early experiences shape your identity as a musician, and how do you see your sound evolving since then?

Being in a boy band was a rite of passage in the 2000s for young musicians, and that was true for me. My brothers and I did our musical "growing up" together since we discovered The Beatles, The Stones, The Beach Boys, and all the other great bands of the past at a very young age.

I was eight when we started the Benis Brothers Band, and it became a local phenomenon in Seattle, especially on Facebook. Plus, we were learning new instruments and discovering how they should sound together.

I distinctly remember going through the classic (and painful) process of firming up my fingers so I could press them down hard enough to play guitar. All in all, I look back on those times very fondly, even though they were humble beginnings.

Can you describe your songwriting process for "Night of a Lifetime?" What specific experiences during your time in Athens and Prague influenced the themes and emotions in the song?

When I want something or want to be with someone and can't make that happen, I tend to turn to music to make my own reality. When I wrote "Night of a Lifetime," I was halfway across the world from someone very special I was just getting to know.

It's really frustrating to hit that honeymoon phase and then put so much distance between you and that person who is changing your world. Being so far away, I wanted to write a love song that could last a lifetime so that when I finally got back from Athens and Prague, I could remember how good it felt not to have to endure that sense of longing anymore.

You recorded "Night of a Lifetime" with live instruments, which adds a unique texture to your music. What challenges did you face during the recording process at Earwig Studios, and how did the live setting enhance your vision for the track?

Okay, I love this question because I get to mention how I am a perfectionist in the studio. And I know everyone says that, but I need to explain that I recorded the live strings over three sessions until they sounded perfect. The violins and cello in "Night of a Lifetime" do a lot of the heavy lifting in getting across my message of longing and desire, and they had to sound just right. Transferring pure emotions into music is simultaneously the easiest and hardest thing in the world, but I think we got it right.

Iconic bands like The Beatles and Pink Floyd influence your music. How do you balance these classic inspirations with your unique sound, and what does your musical identity look like in that blend?

Who doesn't admire The Beatles, Pink Floyd, and all the other great bands in a class of their own? I can't quite hold a candle to them (yet), but I've always felt that they were so innovative because of their limited technological ability. That's why I insist on recording live instruments in my music. Plus, it always just comes back to pure songwriting.

"Night of a Lifetime" was directly inspired by the iconic Beatles song, "Here, There, and Everywhere." Nowadays, you can try to put all the bells and whistles on your song and airbrush it to perfection sonically, but you can't fake good songwriting. So, just like with The Beatles and Pink Floyd and all the rest, I always try to put pure songwriting first.

You’ve expressed a desire for "Night of a Lifetime" to resonate with listeners and evoke memories of love and longing. What message or feeling do you hope people take away from this song, and how do you think music serves as a vehicle for those emotions?

Music is a vessel for the listener's emotions, and I think it's sometimes magical when they pair up with the songwriter's intentions for a song. I wanted "Night of a Lifetime" to sound wide open lyrically and sonically so listeners could pick up on my longing but come back to the song, whether they are sad, happy, mad, or heartbroken.

As cliche as it seems to say, "art is in the eye of the beholder," I'm cool with my song, meaning whatever it needs to be for my listeners. You can make what you will of the guitar, drums, strings, and piano I've recorded; I just hope you come away with a new favorite song.

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