Song contest winner

Press, 21 February 1987, Page 18

Song contest winner

BY

MARGARET BAKER

Chris Moore says there are a lot more people out there than the ones looking cool in leather jackets. The young solo musician, who is making his mark in Christchurch, believes that “playing for everyone" is important. “A lot of bands think it’s uncool,to play certain kinds of songs, but I think you’ve got to find a balance between what you want to play and what the audience wants to hear; it’s all wasted effort otherwise."

Moore, who along with a songwriter, Richard Stokes, recently won 3ZB’s America’s Cup Song Contest, is presently blasting over the airwaves with

"Windies”—a suport song for the New Zealand cricket team during the tour, by the West Indies. "I’d never thought of writing about sporting things, but I really like the idea of being a ‘real New Zealand’ music personality,” says the effusive, enthusiastic Moore.

One of his best-ever gigs, he says, was singing in the Fremantle Hotel the night the Kiwis were

celebrating their win over ; French Kiss. y X .

“The from’: the audience was incredible.” Armed with his acoustic guitar, and sometimes joined by other musicians, Moore works mainly in Christchurch hotels and at functions, and in hotels and clubs along the tourist route to Queenstown. I’ve got no complaints about the amount of work or the amount of pay—the only bad thing is that everybody else only takes two days off a week and I’d like to play more,” he says.

His musical past includes playing for Pop Mechanix for 4 years, and his not so musical past—selling encyclo-

pedias in Australia. “It really taught me to put myself in front and not be afraid of people.”

, Moore describes his music as "catchy pop songs that definitely have something to say—rather than stupid love songs." “I’ll always want to be a soloist—in the band everybody wanted to play different kinds of music, I like doing it my way.” He believes that if you work hard and know what it is you are aiming for, eventually it will come your way. “I’d like to do a solo record, but I’m just concentrating on here and now. It would be great to sing at the cricket test in Christchurch.” “Here and now” also

includes riding his horses at his home in Darfield, and eagerly awaiting the arrival of his first offspring—“l can’t wait.”