Chris Caffery Portrait

Yep - even our blond haired angel from New York knows, that there is a Hofbrauhaus in Munich, - cheers! So, due to the fact Chris got stuck here for 3 days,, because of the brillant organisation of his recordcompany, he's gonna try to make the best outta it and gets to see and experience the highlights of Munich. But they've got to be typically bavarian, he insists. - Alright, then let's go for it. The Hofbrauhaus is just round the corner.

No, he does'nt seem like a heavy Hardrocker, most of all first thing in the morning. He rather looks like a bit too grown up californian sunnyboy, who's searching for Santa Claus with sparkling eyes. But first of all Chris is 37 years of age, despite his youthful look (and still single). And second, he is not from California but from the Big Apple - New York. And third of all "I never leave home without my baseball hat. I can perfectly hide behind it, he confesses. But to be honest, Chrissy-Boy doesn't really give us the impression to be a shy guy suffering from whatsoever sort of complexes. Let's call it more or less - a typical american habit. What's a Yankee without his baseball hat, - eh?!!! One thing is for sure, he doesn't hide some bold spots underneath the cap... hey we haven't got the Scorpions here....

Anyway, after last night, spending at a Monster Magnet concert just across the german border in my homecountry Austria (about an hour drive - we are not in the states) where Chris made friendship with all the good ghosts of the tyrolean arts of Schnaps, this morning he's rather quiet and won't talk a lot.

Jes...! I always thought, I'm talking too much. But that's nothing against Mr. Caffery's urge for conversations, which goes beyond each limit. "When I was a little boy, I always had to defence myself against the big boys," he explains. "And at some point, I realised, it helps, and I'm getting away with it, very well." He pushes his hat a little backwards and laughs, "...and if one more lad is gonna ask me, why I didn't have the idea for a solo record earlier, I'm gonna jump right into his face. I can't hear this question anymore. The best is, I'd record a tape with the anser and just push the button. Itt'll do as well. And I can peacefully have another lager. Don't get me wrong. Sure I wanna sell a few CD's. But when you get bothered with the same odd question a 100 times a day, then at some point my brain cells play ping pong. But over all, I can't complain, life is great. I'm in two great bands -Savatage and the Transibirian Orchestra. And I even got enough time to do my solo thing. Life is just beautiful.

Okay, there we are, at the holy center of bavarian art and lifestyle - the Munich Hofbrauhaus at Platzl 9 in 80331 Minga.... (bavarian Slang translation for Munich). And what's he doing, our NY City casanova?! First of all he's ignoring our pride completely and heads over to the just opposite positioned Hard Rock Cafe.. - Typically american, what can we say?!!! Jumping into the merchandise shop, and buying a small soft toy-teddybear, of course with the logo outfit, after looking around for some 10 minutes or so. The choice between an ordinary HC pin and one with a bavarian couple shown on it, ain't difficult either. And I don't think, I have to mention, which one Chris has chosen. But kitch and America belong together like a guitar and a pic. So what?!
Alright, forget it. After purchising some picture postcards, we finally enter the temple of tourism, the Hofbrauhaus. And there he is, the musicians - collegue of our Hardrocker, also dressed in leather pants (but the bavarian kind of) and the big hair is actually this funny feather thing he wears on his hat. - Not a baseball hat!
"Hold on, hold on", Blondie screams, fetching for his Digi-camera in sheer delight to catch the impression for eternity. The exotic individual takes notice and is willing to pose for some pics. "You know", says Chris, "I have seen this before, and sometime you'll even find it in New York. But of course it's totally different over here. That comes from the atmosphere. I love atmosphere, when it's there at the right time at the right place. I always experience this when I'm playing live on stage. You can feel it almost immidiately, if the atmosphere is right or not. And this is, how I'm gonna be playing. Okay, but our bavarian Jodeling performer doesn't seem, as he's really enjoying what he's doing. And with no face impression at all he continues his job without another glimpse at us. But the picture is taken, and there's one more done by passing a huge Bretzel cascade in the middle of the hall.

Next step: the menue card. My offer for explaination of the bavarian national dishes is rejected. Chris solution is: "I'd luv to have something from everything." Hmmm... that's not really possible. But first of all - a Mass (2 pints - aprox. 1 liter) beer is ordered (see pic.far right) blonde, cold and with too much foam (so not too much liquid fits in the glas - it's a bavarian bad habit by the way). But Chris doesn't bother. He takes a huge nip and finally goes for Krautwickerl to have for lunch (that's kinda vegetable roll filled with mixed meet). While eating, he gives his judgement for the bavarian lager. "Yes, it's very nice and much stronger than our stuff in America. If our beer was as strong as this here, I'd probably be an alcoholic by now.- Have you ever had Bud Light ?(yes, and it tastes like water) It feels like lemonade. You can drink tons of it, and you don't feel anything." - To underline this statement, Chris takes another big zip and.... "oh sorry, pardon me".... alrighty, the acoustical prove is not to overhear.
Chris like to discuss about god and the world. And meanwhile his talent of talking has woken up again a 100%. Politically highly interested, he doesn't overrun people with his opinion about the, ( american Rockmusicians- usual) anti symphathy for president Bush. - Thanks god.

"I really do like discuss over such things. And right now the situation over there is not the best. But I also think, - you can exchange political views, no problem about this, but it doesn't belong on to a stage. Entertainment is entertainment. And politics are politics. And each of them has it's own arena to fight for."
The second Maß beer is almost emptied, and Christopher still doesn't show any jodeling ambitions. I'm trying to explain, that we've got much better sorts of beer here in Munich. - Between you and me.... - only tourists go to the Hofbrauhaus. - However, that's one reason to call it a day here and go for the next adventure.

Next stop: the Marienplatz, the heart of Munich. There is the big old county house with it's jinglebell play on the tower - twice a day, - when some wooden bavarian dressed figures move in circles accompanied by a monotone melody. And all these japanese, australien,english and southafrican tourists are gathered on the place at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. and stare in happiness up to the jinglebell performance. - Yes of course, this has got to go on to Chris camera - at least 25 times.
Augustiner Brau is the next station. - Yes, this is, what we call bavarian art of brewery. A fresh Weissbeer, as we call it, (it'smade of wheat) -is the order this time. And our Sunnyboy closes his eyes in delight and drinks half of the content in the glass in one go. "One more beer, please!" is the logical reaction. "Oh yes, I could easily spend some more time here in munich. This town is so comfi and calm compared to NY." (I don't share his opinion about that, but I don't live in NY) "Thanks god, I don't live right in the middle of Manhatten, and I'm out in the country very soon, if I'm feeling like quietness and peace. I spend a lot time at my mother's. And there I drive a tractor on the fields. There's a farm with lots of hens and gooses. Each of them has a name, and I'm talking to them a lot." Chris shows a few pictures around of his feathered friends. There is a Rosy, a Tessy and a Monica.Some of them got shot recently of some mad person. "If I get my hands on this man, then I probably forget myself. - Apart from that, this is the ideal change to my musicians life, when I sometimes just wanna get away and outta it."

By the way... what's up to views! Chis wears contacts due to his shortsighted weakness counting minus seven on the scale. "At home I'm wearing glasses all the time. This is better for my eyes. But at home nobody sees me, at least not the public." (what a shame! I'm sure he'd look quite sexy with spectacles) My request for taking a picture of him wearing his glasse is promptly denied.
As a nosy woman, of course I wanna know, what his family life looks like right now. "No, nothing planned so far", Chris says. "I've got something like a very best friend. Her name is Kemp. And I spend a lot of time with her. I assume, one day, we're getting married - sooner or later, but not in the near future." (take it easy, - what Chris?!!)
A planned visit to a concert of Al Di Meola is rejected by Chrissi-Boy. His reasons for that is simply - that he ain't in the mood for old people's music. (I'm horrofied) But the true reason rather is the nearest beer-restaurant, to consume the seventh,... or is it the eight Maß lager.- And he utters: "I got so much to do with music. A little time without it, is comfortabel as well.

For the Grand Final of the day, I take our metal musician to the nightclub scene of Munich into the Cultfabrik, which is a big place with many bars and clubs, just for a few and some more caipirinhas. Chris hates the thought of leaving Munich early in the morning. But like mentioned before, coordination problems don't let him hang out over here longer. So that's the end of a wonderful sunny day in Munich, and I make sure, he finds his way back to the hotel - not too late of course. He explains: "when I drink too much, I can't sleep on the flight next day. That's always has been a problem". - Hmmm.... I guess, tonight, this realisation comes a bit too late. - However, prost, cheers and good night, and have a save sleepless trip back home... See you next time Sunnyboy.

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