Meet The Band: Christian Hansen

"It's like a mix between Bruce Springsteen, Joy Division and the B52's. It's dark and funny and really catchy." That's how Christian Hansen describes his music to someone who hasn't heard it before. And like The Boss, it looks like Hansen's live shows are quite an impressive spectacle. The next one is coming up this Friday — an album release party for his new record, C'Mon Arizona, at the Garrison. You can check out all the details on Facebook here. And we recently caught up with the man himself to answer a few of our silly questions ahead of the show.

MP3: "Normal People" by Christian Hansen
MP3: "Pump It" by Christian Hansen


What was the craziest live show you've ever seen?
The Circle Jerks at the now defunct New York Theatre in Vancouver. It was when they reunited, so I'm thinking it was 1997. I would've been 16 or 17. They made it an all ages and licenced gig. So you had all these teenage suburban punk wannabes (like me) mixing with hardcore street punks and some serious old school dudes. In the mosh pit, I got punched in the face by some gargantuan skinhead. I went with my friend Mike. To this day we still talk about how scary/awesome that show was.

If you could only listen to one band or artist for the rest of your life, who would you pick?
I'd listen to The Strokes' first record, Is This It? Every song is amazing and it just makes me feel good.

What's your favourite song to play live? Why?
We have this song called "Hurry Up & Die". Basically the guitar part is super easy so I can just rock out.

If you could play one venue you've never played before, what would it be?
I'd kinda like to play in the basement of some suburban mansion while it's filled with 300 awkward 16 year olds.


If you could open for one current band that you haven't played with before, who would it be?

I think opening for The Death Set would be awesome. Their audiences always know how to have fun.

What's the worst album you own?
The worst album I own is also the best album I own. It's a single by this weird euro techno band called Utah Saints. Passed from my mother to me, it's now a family heirloom.

Who, in your opinion, has/had the best facial hair of any band ever?
Probably the lead singer of the band Mastodon. He also has a face tattoo which adds to the overall rock monster vibe.

What would be your all-time, all-star supergroup?
Justin Timberlake, Henry Rollins, George Clinton and David Burn. All they do is play synthesizer covers of 60's folk standards. The band's name is KNOB DYLAN.

What was the craziest live show you've ever played?
SNFU at The Town Pump in Vancouver. I was 16. My mind was blown.

What was the first record you ever bought? When was the last time you listened to it?
Public Enemy: It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back. Last time I listened to it was about 6 months ago. Still so good.

Who was your favourite band (or artist) when you were 12 years old? Do you still like them?
Nirvana. I still love them, but I don't listen to them that often.

Say, for some strange reason, all the music in the world is going to be destroyed, but you can save all the songs from one decade. Which decade's records would you save?
A tough question....I'd have to say the 60's. It's probably the most important.

If you absolutely had to get a face tattoo of album art from one record, which record would you want to have on your face for the rest of your life?
Probably the Motörhead Best Of. Basically my face would just be the face of the Motörhead demon. At once absurd, scary and awesome.

If you could switch places with another musicians in some type of "Freaky Friday" type incident, who would you want it to be?
Probably Tommy Lee. Just so I could see what that real rock n' roll train wreck shit is truly about.

Partridge Family or Monkees?
The Partridge Monkees. Best of both animals?

If you could have one musical superpower, what would you want it to be?
Probably playing the theramin with my brain.

Do you hate your hometown?
I don't. I grew up in Vancouver, and although I'd never live there again, I love going back and feeling that everything is new and old at the same time.

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Meet The Band is a regular feature where we introduce you to bands we like. You can find all of the rest of them here.