Parenting Panel with Chad Sipes from The Chad Sipes Stereo
The new 10 song pop rock and grunge rock album from the Chad Sipes Stereo called Thoughts and Prayers drips with cynicism with a Weezer, early Modest Mouse, Pavement, McClusky, and R.E.M. vibe. The 4-man band consists of Erik Cirelli on guitar and other noise, Jon Miller on guitar and the sound engineering, Nick McCall on drums, and Chad Sipes on bass and lead vocals. Despite his name being in the title, and he being the primary songwriter, The Chad Sipes Stereo is an actual band that has been together since 2010. To date, the band has released four albums and an EP. It’s previously-issued EP, DIG, was experimental, and its only single, "Extinct," was edgier than past releases. The song was well received on Pittsburgh's Alt rock FM station as well as AAA radio.
We got the chance to speak with Chad for our Parenting Panel series. So, without further ado, let’s dive in:
How many children do you have? What are their names and ages?
I have two sons, 11 and 13. It’s a super fun age. They now understand dry humor and like cool music, and they are good at everything.
Did you have fears or concerns about how becoming a parent would interfere with your artistic endeavors?
This sounds weird, and please don’t misunderstand, because I have zero delusions of grandeur. But I’ve had daydream fantasies where I realize that it would be the worst thing for my kids if something big came of my music career. I do not want them growing up in my shadow. I want them to be bold and experimental and brave and enjoy the freedom of being themselves without the weight of expectations on their shoulders. I want them to be the stars of their own universe. I just want to create, and be asked about my process once in a while.
Have those fears come true, or no?
Luckily the aforementioned will not be a problem for me. And I’m fine with it.
In what ways has parenthood helped your creativity, if any?
I am definitely inspired by my kids. I have found myself asking, ‘will this song embarrass them’? Which I think is a great question to ask yourself. The last thing I want is my kids being made fun of because their dad is onstage in shorts and sandals.
What’s one thing you wish someone had told you before you became a parent? Any advice for others?
My advice is that no matter how ready you are to become a parent, you aren’t ready. Creating a birth plan is a therapeutic process. So do it, make a plan, and then immediately throw it in the garbage.
Becoming a parent is a great excuse to be lazy. You pretty much have a built in excuse to not do something all the time, and no one will question it. So many people stop creating because they have that excuse. Don’t let that feeling get comfortable. Don’t blame your family. You just have to dig a little deeper. You have to want it. And also be honest with yourself. Maybe you don’ want to play music or create anymore. It’s ok. Don’t feel bad about it! There’s no rules.
Not every artist parent incorporates their children into their music - if you do not is this a conscious decision?
I try hard not to write music that is personal or autobiographical. One of the things I wrestled with when writing Thoughts and Prayers was people close to me interpreting the lyrics as some sort of cry for help. The subject matter is pretty intense. The character in it is my age but he isn’t me.
My goal as an artist is to be somewhat anonymous and mysterious. I really don’t want people to know a lot about me, or anything really. Everyone knows too much about everything and everybody now. There’s no mystery. I remember being a kid and holding my first REM album, called Fables of the Reconstruction. There were no photos of the band. All you knew was they were from Georgia which was different and cool. And the music was mysterious.
So in the spirit of that, I choose not to write about my kids. The last thing I want to do is have one of them grow up and be like, hey what was that line about? And have them misinterpret something. So my decision is based more on preserving my relationship with them than how other people would view them.
How have you been managing parenting during the pandemic? What has been the hardest part and what is the silver lining?
The hardest part for me has been figuring out what part of my kids’ experience is considered ‘normal’. When I was growing up, there seemed to be way more kids out in the street. We played street hockey until dark. We’d say goodbye to our parents in the morning and wouldn’t see them again until night. Sleepovers were way more common. It just doesn’t seem to be the same anymore. I know it has a lot to do with pandemic life, but there just doesn’t seem to be kids out as much. Everything is very scheduled and coordinated. Kids are very busy, but they aren’t skinning their knees as much. Sometimes I’m concerned that they aren’t connecting with friends often enough or deep enough. But I also want to be aware that things are different with phones and video games where they can link up.
Connect with The Chad Sipes Stereo via:
Instagram // Facebook // Spotify // Soundcloud