Today we’d like to introduce you to Christopher Kennedy.
Hi Christopher, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My name is Chris Kennedy and I play guitar for Los Angeles metal band FDS ( formerly Fate DeStroyed ). Having been a fan of the band since moving to Los Angeles from Orange County in 2017, I had the opportunity to join as a bass player in 2021 and later move to guitar in mid-2022. We consider ourselves diverse within the genre, being influenced by early 2000’s nu-metal and combining it with more modern styles such as trap and metalcore. We’ve since gone on 2 national tours, played 6 major festivals, and are constantly finding new ways to evolve our sound and fanbase.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I was always an outlier with my musical taste. Never paying attention to radio trends, even though there was a huge influence, I had always decided myself what I wanted to listen to. Throughout junior high school and even high school, the culture was always dictated by peer pressure, MTV, & other people deciding what ‘sucked’ & ‘didn’t suck’. The advent of the internet, Myspace, and *shh* pirating software like Napster made discovering new music so much easier. I went through so many deep dives on message boards, asking for obscure recommendations, ordering random CDs online, and buying them in stores without even listening to them. This made finding other musicians in my area extremely difficult to bond with. It wasn’t until I moved again to La Habra, CA and started working at a music store that I was able to connect with other musicians. I was able to start relationships that would form and evolve bands, and with one final move to North Hollywood, would lead me to FDS.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I have been a guitar player for 28 years. Able to absorb any style I find interesting, I have played in bands ranging from rock, ska, acoustic sing-songwriter, and what I consider my passion, metal. Although I am extremely proud of all the work I’ve done in my past, I am most proud of what is, and is about to happen, in FDS. I finally feel like I am able to be who I am not only as a musician but also as an artist. There are no limits and we are pulling from every single one of our influences to try and create something that is uniquely our own.
The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
The global pandemic was a massive test for not only myself but so many people I know. Being in lockdown for as long as I was, I had started to give up on ever being a stage musician ever again. I had accepted this and was content being an online-only content creator, but I would never have traded that for the things that were to come. I had never played outside California, never been on tour, and had only played 1 major festival about 7 years prior. This all changed the moment the lockdown ended and I was able to start crossing off every dream I ever had. I have since toured the USA twice, played four more major festivals, and have aspirations to play outside of the country someday soon.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fdsbandofficial
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FateDeStroyed
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@FDSband
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/chriskennedyguitars
Image Credits
Jeff Christiansen Photography The Threshold Photography Franccesca Alexandra Corinne Fields
