Stevens, who works as a sales rep at JakPrints, has a clear-headedness about him that suggests sobriety has sharpened his focus. He talks about the reunion of the band, which will play its first show in more than a year on Saturday, Aug. 14, at the 5 O’Clock Lounge in Lakewood, with true enthusiasm one recent afternoon from the JakPrints offices where he works in downtown Cleveland. The group’s music has just become available on iTunes for the very first time too. And he’s jumpstarted his former record label, Ghost Laboratories, and is creating a content production company called Stevens Creative.
Stevens has been connected to the local music scene for years. He grew up with Stitch (Richard Thomas), another local musician who would join the local metal act Mushroomhead. Thomas always encouraged him to start a band.
“He ultimately pushed me to start playing guitar and play out,” says the wiry Stevens. “He said he would help me and he did. We’re still close friends and I really like all those guys.”
In 2004, Stevens formed Who Killed Marilyn?, a band whose emo-punk sound corresponded to what was popular at the time.
“People called us emo but I preferred the term alternative,” says Stevens. “Because we were young guys with died black hair, we had the look. We were in the scene. We had a good chance to play with [the alternative rock band] Thrice before they got big.”
Then with the metal band Dead Even, a group he was asked to join, he says he sharpened his guitar playing skills. After a couple of years with Dead Even and Who Killed Marilyn? — he played in the band simultaneously — he decided to take a break from music to attempt to complete the degree he had begun at the University of Akron.
“It was a big thing for me because I had dropped out of school three times,” he says. “Music burned me out and touring unsuccessfully for five years was tough. I was tired of eating Chex Mix and apples.”
But he couldn’t leave music behind, and the Missing started as a solo project in 2008; things quickly “skyrocketed.” The band put out two full-lengths, two EPs and a live album that it recorded at Groovebox Studios in Detroit. Stevens was featured in the film Long Way to the Top, an indie movie featured in the Cleveland International Film Festival. “Prizefighter,” a track from last year’s White Gold, features a mix of melodic vocals and heavy guitars that suggests a cross between early Social Distortion and ’90s nu-metal/alternative rock. The band appeared to be going somewhere and had high profile shows at Warped Tour and Roverfest.
But Stevens couldn’t stay sober.
Stevens didn’t drink until he was 22. But once he started drinking, he couldn’t stop. He says he can’t remember playing a show sober or working sober as a bartender at Peabodys. The Missing released an album that didn’t do very well and stopped touring. He became a recluse. In 2013, he realized he had a problem. He says all of his relationships were deteriorating.
“People thought I was the crazy frontman but they didn’t realize the amount that I drank,” he says. “We lost out on record label deals and management deals. I derailed so much progress. We had the opportunity to play with [the punk band] Everytime I Die. We played a show that we looked like as an audition for a spot on the tour. I played well but my post-show behavior ruined it for us. I feel that drinking ultimately led to the downfall of the Missing after we were being pushed to be the next big thing out of Cleveland. It’s a lot of guilt to carry.”
Now, the Missing is writing new songs and working on a new album, and Stevens also says he wants to take his solo career more seriously as well. Over the years, Stevens says he’s had opportunities to move to Los Angeles, Chicago and Nashville to pursue his musical ambitions but chose to stay in Cleveland.
“With Cleveland, it’s cost-effective,” he says. “It’s expensive to have a band. From here, you can play Nashville, Chicago or New York. It’s centralized. And the scene is so small that if you do something of significance, you can get recognized. The weather sucks. My first sober winter was really hard. I never realized how cold it got. I would go to Browns during my drinking days wearing tennis shoes. Now, I have to bundle up.”
The Missing, Bloodshift, 9 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 15, The 5 O’Clock Lounge, 11904 Detroit Ave., Lakewood, 216-521-4906. Free.
This article appears in Aug 5-11, 2015.
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Lol Chris you’re a spoiled brat. The struggle has never been real for you. Stop painting this fake picture of you as a badass who lived on the edge. You’re soft
Listen, I’ve known this family for pretty much my whole like. Chris is a lot of things, but he sure as hell isnt a spoiled brat. His struggle is real. Can’t you just appreciate him being sober and support him? Damn.
Dude is a piece of shit and always has been. Only difference now is that he is a sober piece of shit. He has the personality of a brick and nothing about his story is interesting. Never met a person who wasn’t a scene piece of garbage that likes this dude.
How about instead of hiding behind a username to be an asshole, you admit who you are and stop being a little bitch on the Internet
First the good: Congrats to being sober Chris. I guess some people have a hard time with that, so a good job is in order for you sir.
Now the bad: Chris is the most pretentious person to ever exist in the CMS. A legend created in his own mind. “We had a good chance to play with [the alternative rock band] Thrice before they got big.” Cool story bro. I almost got to be President once too. Ask Chris about the “meeting” he had with Tony Brummel of Victory Records. He showed up and knocked on the door thinking things work out like in the movie Airheads.
I don’t deal in tearing people down and trying to discredit what anyone earns, but this is the biggest fluff piece I’ve ever read. Chris is a prime example that connections trump talent when it comes to the music “business”, not so much music. It bothers me to see glory bestowed upon someone that I feel quite frankly doesn’t deserve it. I’ve never witnessed a person disrespect or step on so many bands in their scene to benefit themselves. Chris does have a lot of pull in the CMS no doubt, and never once used it to help out anyone else. A scene is created through friendships and relationships; Chris is the type of person who would rip your song off and claim it’s his. Most of his projects weren’t even the most talented band at the bar, let alone the bill.
“I feel that drinking ultimately led to the downfall of the Missing after we were being pushed to be the next big thing out of Cleveland. It’s a lot of guilt to carry.” Dude, get over yourself. FYI, the last band to receive a “push” in the CMS was Fallen Captive. Furthermore, back to the whole glory thing, it sickens me to think of the kids/bands that I knew personally that worked their asses off as opposed to just having connections. 95% of them didn’t have fluff pieces written about them, and never received their due credit. We treat Chris & The Missing as some sort of civic treasure, when in reality these bands deserved way more credit and had much more of a measurable impact on the CMS during his tenure (2005-2015):
*Cholera
*Salt The Wound
*Chimara
*This Awkward Silence
*The Honor Role
*Between Home And Serenity
*Driver Side Impact
*Midnight Passenger
*Bleeding A Memory
*Above This Fire
*The Promise Hero
*Start It Up!
*Arbor’s End
*Sarasota
*Burning Down Broadway
*Ruet Caelum
*The Hit List
*Unveil Neveah
*Fallen Captive
*Fulltime Ghost
*Yelloh
*Skies of December
*The Kid Has Class
*Affiance
*Atlas Uncharted
*My Dearest Devotion
*Silence Of A Silhouette
I could go on, but I’m sure you get the point. I suggest checking out some current bands in the CMS that deserve more credit that this egotistical lush. Bands such as Atlas Uncharted (as mentioned above), Ira Hill and DayDreamer to name a few.
This is by no means meant to ruffle any buttfeathers, even though I’m sure it will. It’s meant to be an actual representation of things as opposed to the fantasy that Chris & and his constituents would lead you to believe.
^^^^^This guy is a nerd.
Haters gonna hate. Apparently their mother’s never taught them, “if you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.” Middle school is over boys… get over it.
Dude noone gives a shit about all the bands u listed.
If you’re willing to tear someone down on an article on the website of a local free magazine, and it hurts your ego that much to see someone else in a band get attention.. I pity the pathetic life you live. I pity you even more because it’s a piece about the guys sobriety. How pathetic and sad can ones ego be to do something like that? Throw in the cowardice of anonymity.
I’ve actually worked on shows with Chris, and the effort the guy puts in to his bands performances and shows is one that has been largely unrivaled in this scene (which is why bands like Cantankerous Dingos and Battlestar, who were also well known for their showmanship often played with them).
When my friend fell off her bike and lost all of her teeth, my work came to me, looking for someone to find a way to make money to help with her bills. The Missing came and guest grilled at Mongolian grill for free before their show at the grog shop, brought in a bunch of friends and family. To this day the girl has a full smile, because chris and those guys helped.
When my band played at bounce at a benefit for lgbt scholarships at Cleveland State, a whole bunch of bands in the “scene” mocked us for playing in a gay club. One guy in a band on your list told me to my face it was super uncool that we played in a gay club. Another band on your list told me it was disgusting. The next year I took over the booking for it. Who do you think we had headline? The Missing. Chris not only headlined the show but sold his own artwork at the show to help raise money. We raised 5 times the money that year. People couldn’t move in there. It was that crowded.
It’s pathetic, that people still do shit like this. It’s even more pathetic because the people who posted are probably grown men. I hope you guys find some happiness, the way Chris did. Because your catty comments are going to stay on this page, and you’re just going to be left with the cowardice and fragile egos we’re going to be laughing about years from now.
Paul Kahan
Bleak Productions
The Dagger Rebellion
Stark’s Pond
(inb4.. all those bands suck.. and?)
If you’re willing to tear someone down on an article on the website of a local free magazine, and it hurts your ego that much to see someone else in a band get attention.. I pity the pathetic life you live. I pity you even more because it’s a piece about the guys sobriety. How pathetic and sad can ones ego be to do something like that? Throw in the cowardice of anonymity.
I’ve actually worked on shows with Chris, and the effort the guy puts in to his bands performances and shows is one that has been largely unrivaled in this scene (which is why bands like Cantankerous Dingos and Battlestar, who were also well known for their showmanship often played with them).
When my friend fell off her bike and lost all of her teeth, my work came to me, looking for someone to find a way to make money to help with her bills. The Missing came and guest grilled at Mongolian grill for free before their show at the grog shop, brought in a bunch of friends and family. To this day the girl has a full smile, because chris and those guys helped.
When my band played at bounce in a benefit for lgbt scholarships at Cleveland State, a whole bunch of bands in the “scene” mocked us for playing in a gay club. One guy in a band on your list told me to my face it was super uncool that we played in a gay club. Another band on your list told me it was disgusting. The next year I took over the booking for it. Who do you think we had headline? The Missing. Chris not only headlined the show but sold his own artwork at the show to help raise money. We raised 5 times the money that year. People couldn’t move in there. It was that crowded.
It’s pathetic, that people still do shit like this. It’s even more pathetic because the people who posted are probably grown men. I hope you guys find some happiness, the way Chris did. Because your catty comments are going to stay on this page, and you’re just going to be left with the cowardice and fragile egos we’re going to be laughing about years from now.
Paul Kahan
Bleak Productions
The Dagger Rebellion
Stark’s Pond
(inb4.. all those bands suck.. and?)
chris is a good due. always a great bartender on the 2nd stage at peabodies. glad to hear the missing is writing new songs, cant wait to catch them live again.
So, um, there seems to be a lot of stuff going on here behind the scenes that I’m not privy to. So. Uh. Rock on? (wanders off quietly)