One of the magazines that host my "Ask Dr. Dot" Column here in Berlin thought it would
be a good idea if once in a while I would do a tiny interview with some of the stars I massage.
The EXBERLINER magazine is the English magazine for Berlin (Germany). I have been doing
my love advice column for them for 3 years now and this here below is my first interview. I would
never want to be journalist, it’s too much work, but I do like to write. I hope you like my first official
interview. Chris Jagger, Mick’s younger brother was flattered to be my first interview…so here it goes
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Have you ever witnessed a Jagger experience? Allow me to share one with you.
It begins with the words "That Irish Pub you sent me to was Dead!”. Those were the first words Chris said to me as I sat down
next to him at the "square bar" (that took me ages to find as there are many "square bars" like the one
he kept describing) on the top floor of the Ka De We restaurant section. When Chris had called me early that afternoon,
he said he was near Hallescher Tor U Bahn (Subway station here in Berlin) and wanted to know where to get a quick snack
and perhaps to meet me for a drink.
Chris and I in 1999 ^
I told him to go to the Emerald Isle, one of my watering holes. But by the time I was ready to leave my house, he had already
had a drink and was fed up with the place. He said he wanted to meet me at the "Kauf Haus" (Department store). I
was like "What Kaufhaus? There are hundreds of Kaufhause’s in
Ooooh, that one. KaDeWe (KaufhauseDesWesterns which is like Harrods or Macy’s).
After a greasy German style meal (greasy potatoes and eggs) and some shopping for lip stick for his wife
(they have a few kids together) I drove him around showing him some typical German places of interest. Café Klo (Novelty bar with a
twisted TOILET theme!) for example (ha ha!). It was too loud to do my interview in there so we settled for his
hotel in Charlottenberg. The Hotel staff (along with the employees of KaDeWe and every where else we went,
all seem to take notice of Chris, almost like they think he could be Mick Jagger and/or they are amazed at his almost cocky
(but polite) self confidence.
The first time I met Chris was in 1997 when he was here with his band. They played in Kreuzberg (hip part of Berlin)at a restaurant/bar.
I gave them all a rub down after their gig. That night I had a glimpse of the cons of being Mick Jaggers
younger brother. After their last song, a few fans approached Chris, hoping to get autographs, but on STONES ALBUMS!
I shall never forget the look of disappointment and disgust on his face as he just politely turned and walked
away from the idiots.
Chris at a karaoke bar I dragged him to^
Since then, Chris and I have always kept in touch. He gets a back rub when he comes to town and even when I am not here,
my pals show him around. Chris hasn’ta vain bone in his body. He doesn’t dye his hair, brows, wear make up or designer
clothes. He is just a sweet guy, makes every one laugh and can play a mean guitar.
It’s hard to describe his music, but I will give it a shot. Folk Rock,
Chris wears a vest made out of a steel washboard thingy and grinds something that seems to be a pic up and down it
while singing and playing harmonica. His band changes from time to time but there is always a stand up bass, boogie-woogie
piano and guitar and if I remember correctly, someone was playing a jug. One would imagine it must suck being Mick Jagger’s younger
brother if you too are a natural born musician (Look at Dani Minogue, Ashley Simpson< crap!, Jimmy Vaughn (Stevie Ray’s brother),
all musical siblings that have to always be mentioned in the same sentence of their older famous celebrity sibling).
I will assure you that Chris sings better than Mick and I am not brown nosing. Anyone who saw the half time show of the
Super Bowl will tell you that Mick can still shake his ass and dance like wild fire but his voice is ‘kaput’.
Chris has a great voice and plays a mean guitar, so how come you never hear him on the radio? Why is he not bumping and grinding
on MTV? The same reason most good restaurants are not on any beaten path, because word of mouth brings you to the best kept secrets.
Chris comes to
about trying it out on any random German. So I ask him…..
Dr. Dot:
What keeps you coming back to
Chris Jagger:
Have you seen the rest of ? (laughs out loud)
DD:
But why are you here this time? I haven’t seen any PR for any Chris Jagger
gigs lately..
CJ:
I am not only a musician Dot, I dabble in journalism and I am writing a short
travel piece for the Mail on Sunday (a very popular paper). I also write a
syndicated music column.
DD:
What other places have you written about for the Mail on Sunday?
CJ:
Park and it was so gorgeous I wrote a song about it called "Goodbye Nahanni".
I played there with my band and played the song for the folks up there and
they loved it. Want to hear it?
* Chris picks up his old antique looking wooden acoustic guitar, tunes it for
a while then plays this song for me. It’s really beautiful, almost a tear
jerker.
Chris playing his song "Nahanni River" for me *sigh*
DD:
What Genre would say your music is?
CJ:
Handcrafted
DD:
When you sing, you sound so Southern, like you come from down South in the
States. What’s up with that?
CJ:
It stems from the relationship I have with my music and it could be genetic. A
lot of Brits migrated South once they settled in the . I live in Somersett,
West
original colonies were in
It’s where Africa met
influence which made a quiet interesting melange. Bollocks, I forgot the
question now (laughs).
DD:
Never mind. Any influences you can think of musically?
CJ:
If there are any, they are subliminal.But one that does come to mind are
Zydeco Bands. Google it if you want to know more.
DD:
How many albums have you put out?
CJ:
Two in all, both on the German record lable SPV. I am mainly into playing
live. You can see us play here in
are confirmed yet, but keep your eyes peeled.
Oh Mr. Jagger! Chris and I Feb 2006 at the KaDeWe in Berlin