It seems to be an inevitable part of life, when passions and hobbies undertaken in younger days often fall by the wayside in favour of family and careers as we progress in age. It is a scenario that many a musician should be able to identify with.
Moncton musician Chris Boudreau is no exception.
Boudreau cut his teeth with various bands in the Moncton music scene in the late 1970s and early ’80s before putting his guitar aside for the aforementioned familial commitments.
He didn’t completely alienate himself from music, however. Boudreau went on construct his own home studio in 1987 and by 1990, he started to reintegrate himself into the live music scene, performing in bar bands in the free time he had.
By the time 2008 rolled around, the musician fully emerged from his semi-retirement and began compiling the songs featured on his debut CD, No Man’s Land.
“You know, making the CD is something that I have always wanted to do but have never really been able to find a way to get it done,” Boudreau explains. “It was a rather liberating process though, to be able to express my true self in song.”
Boudreau says that the recording process for No Man’s Land began at his friend Todd Geldart’s studio in Hillsborough in November 2009. The duo completed tracking the record by the time April 2010 came around. Boudreau handled rhythm guitar and vocal duties for the record while the cream of the crop of Moncton’s music scene, including Robin Anne Ettles, Chris Colepaugh and Jean Surette, dropped by to lend their talents.
This past fall, Boudreau was fortunate enough to score a showcase opportunity during Music New Brunswick Week and he will be one of the many artists heading to Prince Edward Island in April to showcase during the East Coast Music Awards. He admits that he hasn’t been quite as busy as he would have liked to have been though.
“Other things in my life kind of came in and took over as life often does!”
With a potential cross-country tour in the offing later this year, Boudreau does not anticipate that it will take another 18 years to follow up No Man’s Land.
The musician says that songwriting is an ongoing process for him and something that he tends not to rush.
“It is like I’m always writing music; the creative process for me is very organic,” he says. “I tend to get these little seeds of a thought or a melody and try to capture them for review at a later time. I have even put my ideas to tape as a cure for insomnia as I often have trouble sleeping.
“I don’t anticipate doing another record for at least a year but then again, I don’t have any timetable that I am following. I definitely want to work No Man’s Land for a little while, let it breathe and let it find its legs.”
Boudreau performs tomorrow night at Plan B on St. George Street with Moncton’s own Melanie Keith.
Article published in March 11, 2011 edition of the Times & Transcript