“The most important thing I've learned over the years is humility. To respect the "forefathers" of the music. Without them, even the ones I don't particularly like, we wouldn't have this music we love so dearly. As I've gotten older, I've also really embraced the role of mentor.”

Chris Thayer: Nu-Blues Journey 

Chris Thayer has been a staple in the Southern California music scene since the 1990's. He has been playing R&B infused blues rock with Chris Thayer and the TCB (formerly known as Big Papa and the TCB) since 2006. He has released seven full length studio albums, three live albums, a "best of" and an EP. His latest 10-tracks release, One Foot In The Grave (2026), is a grooving nu-blues gumbo of stylistic influences, soulful vocals, and searing electric guitars. Chris Thayer and the TCB was born in the back alleys and seedy after hours juke joints. Their high energy blend of blues, R&B and rock is a guaranteed greazy good time. They’ve had songs appear in television and film.

(Chris Thayer / Photo by Eduardo Mejia Lopez)

Chris Thayer & The TCB have taken audiences by storm all across the US with their mixture of high-energy blues, rock and old school R&B. They have shared the stage with legends like Robert Cray, Johnny Winter, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Tommy Castro, Coco Montoya, Fabulous Thunderbirds, James Hunter and Rod Piazza & the Mighty Flyers. 

Interview by Michael Limnios                      Archive: Chris Thayer, 2012 interview

How has the music influenced your views of the world? What moment changed your music life the most?

I think the biggest thing, growing up a middle-class white kid, was that the music exposed me to other cultures and other ideas that I might not have encountered otherwise. It made me more human and showed me that though our life experiences might be different, we still have that "thing" that all of us can relate to. That thing deep down that makes us all basically the same. That's what the blues is. It's our shared human experience. At the same time, it also made me more aware of our different life experiences and situations. I think it made me more aware of the struggles of others. I could never walk in the shoes of someone like Howlin' Wolf, but through the music I can begin to get some kind of understanding of what that was like. 

I don't know if there is only one moment that changed my music life. Every gig, every performance, every recording session brings me closer to figuring out who I am meant to be as a musician, performer and songwriter. Even the bad ones. 

How do you describe your sound, music philosophy and songbook? What keeps a musician passionate over the years?

I think figuring out what "my" music is supposed to sound like has been the journey of my life, and I just now feel like I'm getting close. If I had to put a label on it, I guess you could call it Nu-Blues or Modern Blues. I finally had the realization that I just couldn't ignore 100 years of music and just keep mimicking the blues masters. You can't ignore everything that's been written and released since Muddy Waters or Robert Johnson. How do you make music today that ISN'T influenced by Jimi Hendrix, Rage Against The Machine, Stevie Wonder, Robert Cray, NWA, Metallica, Earth Wind & Fire, etc.? Those bands created music that changed the world. I just couldn't pretend any longer, musically, that they didn't happen. I couldn't keep playing someone else's blues. I had to find my own.

I think that has been the driving force for me. That's what keeps me going and writing and recording. I never understood bands releasing two or three albums and then just playing those songs for the next 50 years. How does anyone run out of things to say? As you age and have new experiences, there's ALWAYS more to say. And with technology being so accessible now, there really is no excuse to not make new albums. As people grow and age, they're going to want music that reflects their life experiences, their stories. And hell, society isn't the same as it was just a few years ago! There's always another story to tell.

“The blues is like the canvas on which we paint. It's where it all starts. The blues is the camera lens through which I look. But ultimately, I have to take the picture. I have to capture what I see. You know what I mean?  That's why this music is so powerful and lasting.” (Photo: Chris Thayer)

How does your hometown that affect your music? What's the balance in music between technique (skills) and soul/emotions?

I'm from Riverside, California. Let's be honest, in a lot of ways, Southern California is about as close to paradise as you can get. At the same time, I'm not in Los Angeles or Orange County or San Diego. Those cities call where I'm from "The Valley of the Dirt People." My surroundings growing up were much more working-class. We were "paradise adjacent". Paradise was an hour away in every direction. I think that gave me a mixture of the big city and small-town life. In that way, I related much more to the urban blues. It also didn't hurt that players like Rod Piazza and the Mighty Flyers were local. 

I think technique and skill are important. I used to think it was all about skill. I'd practice all my scales and dive into music theory and such. Good players were the ones who could play the most difficult parts. I kind of feel the opposite now. I went to see the Eagles in concert, and they were perfect. Every note was exactly as they played it on the albums. There isn't a band who can play their music better ... And it was the most boring concert I think I've ever seen. At this point, I'd rather watch the garage band down the street struggle to get through their song, but playing with 100% passion. Their song could fall apart at any moment, and that is what makes it exciting. Music should be exciting, especially live. That idea also finds its way into my recording process. I'd rather have a powerful performance with a couple of questionable notes than a bland, pitch-perfect track. Here's a little secret: I intentionally leave some imperfect moments in my albums. That human element is what makes music interesting. Even more so now with all the AI generated slop out there. We need that human touch again.

Do you have any interesting stories about the making of the new album “One Foot In The Grave”? 

Honestly, most of the tracks on One Foot In The Grave were written and recorded, at least the core tracks, during the Covid shutdown. I pretty much played every instrument on the album. I channeled my inner "Prince." I think the only tracks done by other musicians were a couple of background vocals on one song. Otherwise, it's all me. That said, I wanted it to feel "live." I was sure not to spend a lot of time tracking and re-tracking until it was perfect. I wanted that spontaneous feel. I worked hard to create that. Hopefully it comes through. Then when we play those songs live, the band takes them to an even higher level. 

“I think the biggest thing, growing up a middle-class white kid, was that the music exposed me to other cultures and other ideas that I might not have encountered otherwise. It made me more human and showed me that though our life experiences might be different, we still have that "thing" that all of us can relate to.” (Photo: Chris Thayer, grooving nu-blues gumbo from Southern California)

What do you miss most nowadays from the blues of the past? What are your hopes and fears for the future of?

I guess if there is anything about the past I'd miss it would be the fact that I never got to see Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Albert Collins, Albert King, Stevie Ray Vaughan (and on and on), perform live. Other than that, nothing. I don't miss the blues of the past. It was perfect in its time and we can go back and relive those moments on the albums and in videos. It was of its time. My biggest fear is that the blues purists, the gatekeepers, are clinging so desperately to what "was" that they refuse to embrace anything happening now. Those folks are killing the genre. It has to continue to grow and evolve, or it becomes stagnant. We don't need another Muddy Waters. We already had the best one we're ever going to get. We now need the best Larkin Poe, the best Tab Benoit, the best new artists. Especially in the US, we have become obsessed with the past. A lot of the best musicians spend their nights pretending to be bands of the past. Tribute bands have taken over, and they're the only bands who seem to make any money in smaller venues. It's disgusting. I really hope that trend doesn't spread overseas. What's worse, we have trained the audience to only like what they already know. Musicians and clubs have all but killed the live music industry by going for the "safe bet" and the "quick buck." I get that they want to make money playing music, but at what cost? My hope is that this trend passes soon and we get back to people actually creating something new, something original, instead of just pretending they're someone they're not. 

What are some of the most important lessons you have learned from your experience in the music paths?

The most important thing I've learned over the years is humility. To respect the "forefathers" of the music. Without them, even the ones I don't particularly like, we wouldn't have this music we love so dearly. As I've gotten older, I've also really embraced the role of mentor. I try to help out younger/less experienced players whenever I can. I had a PA system in the garage. I just gave it away to a young band in need. We need to encourage and nurture those younger players. We need them to keep this music alive. Sometimes that involves some brutal honesty, because they need that, too. It's their turn to take the music into its next phase, its next evolution. 

“My hope is that this trend passes soon and we get back to people actually creating something new, something original, instead of just pretending they're someone they're not.”

(Chris Thayer / Photo by Michael Perez)

Why is it important to we preserve and spread the blues? How can we bring the blues of the past into the future?

I think it was Robert Cray that said, "The blues doesn't need preservation, it needs renovation." The OG's, the greats, their legacy is carved in stone, but it's also ingrained in the music of today. That's the point. We preserve it by continuing to change it. Do you really think if Muddy Waters were starting out today he'd sound the same as he did in the 50's? Hell no, he wouldn't! He'd probably sound like Gary Clark Jr. or Larkin Poe. Something that incorporates all of the music he loved but had his own unique mixture, his original flavor. That's how we keep this music alive. The players doing it today will inspire the next generation. And those kids will ask, "Who influenced Kingfish? Who did Samantha Fish listen to?" That's what we did, right? And that's how you keep that legacy alive. Not by copying it, but internalizing it as a part of who YOU are when you play YOUR blues.

Your work is known for creatively reimagining blues tradition. How do you balance respect for the roots with experimentation? 

I love so many different styles of music. Sometimes, that stuff just seems to subconsciously influence what I do. Other times, I make an effort to blend genres or styles to come up with something new. I might think, "What would it sound like if Muddy Waters sang with Rage Against The Machine, but you had the background vocals of Earth, Wind & Fire?" There are elements I love about every style. Why not bring those bits together? It's not like adding some different sounds to the blues is going to hurt it. The blues is like the canvas on which we paint. It's where it all starts. The blues is the camera lens through which I look. But ultimately, I have to take the picture. I have to capture what I see. You know what I mean?  That's why this music is so powerful and lasting. You can dress it any way you want, but it's still the blues, and what keeps it exciting is what each new musician brings to it. 

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