Kalen Chase Oozes Optimism in New Single and Video “Good Things” [Premiere]

We got some “Good Things” coming your way today and your delivery man happens to be none other than the clever and talented Kalen Chase. At a time where we could all use a dose of positivity, Chase has risen to the occasion with his brand new single and music video, directed by Chase himself just prior to the arrival of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Both the song and music video were recorded at the legendary El Dorado Studio in Burbank, California, a place that has been home to the recording of many legendary albums from bands like Slayer, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jane’s Addiction, and Alice In Chains. The clip features Chase and his recording partners interacting and socializing all over the common goal of bonding over the power and meaning of music. “Good Things” is an optimistically-minded song that can serve as a useful reminder that maybe, just maybe, things aren’t quite as bad as they seem.

Chase was inspired to compose “Good Things” after a conversation he had with his wife. Said the artist, “The inspiration for ‘Good Things’ was just one of those moments where I was in a bad mood and my wife said ‘you know, there are good things happening,’ and I said ‘well they’re not happening now!’ and walked away. That’s where the line ‘good things are happening somewhere, always, but they’re not happening here today’ came from.”

“Good Things” serves as the follow-up single to “When the Sun Comes Up” which was written, recorded, and released in March to raise some spirits over Covid-19. Both songs serve as quite the departure for Chase who’s used to shredding guitars as loud as possible on stage with some of the biggest acts in hard rock and heavy metal. Chase previously toured with Korn before joining forces with Joey Jordison as the lead singer for Vimic in 2016. In contrast to his work with those bands, Chase has set forth on a new path that builds off of his roots as a singer-songwriter. Not one to corner himself into a certain genre or style of music, Chase seems right in his element on “Good Things,” happy to be doing what he loves with an energy capable of captivating any listener.

To further discuss “Good Things,” its accompanying music video, and its departure from his musical roots, we caught up with Chase for a breif Q&A.

Although you chose to go the more simple route for the “Good Things” music video, I think it really captures the emotion and the positive sound of the song. Who made the decision to go in this direction with the video?

Kalen Chase: “My brother and writing partner Nick Morris fleshed out the idea. I wanted to capture that nostalgia of ‘80s and ‘90s behind-the-scenes music videos and really emphasize how many people were involved in the creation of ‘Good Things.’”

Tell us a little more about the actual shooting of the video. When was it done what did it involve? Was the process fairly straightforward and easy?

“It’s always a risk filming during the actual recording of a song. People can get distracted or nervous being on camera, or the filming could ruin takes. But, this could not have gone any smoother. Connor Wrynn shot the bulk of the video along with Gavin Leighton picking up shots and editing the whole thing (which included random footage from our phones). My wife Elysia Skye is a producer, so she helped with some shots and kept everything running smoothly. Nick and I were able to throw out ideas and know they were going to be shot properly so that we could focus on making the actual song.”

You mentioned that the idea for “Good Things” was inspired by a conversation you had with your wife about your frustrations over the lack of “good things” that were happening at the time. How soon after this interaction did the idea for the song dawn on you? Was it a fairly sudden reaction where you picked up a guitar and wrote it soon after?

“I had already started toying around with the piano line that plays in the intro and chorus, as well as the line ‘you get what you get, not what you deserve,’ which had been in my head for months (maybe years). But, once that conversation happened, it was almost immediate; the song wrote itself.”

You had a very talented collaborator for “Good Things” with Brian Viglione of The Dresden Dolls contributing drums to the track. How do you know Brian and how did he come to be involved in the song?

“I had several random connections and avenues of getting in contact with Brian, but at the end of the day when he moved out to LA I just sent him an Instagram message and he was kind enough to respond. I invited him to my house for dinner and won him over with homemade Italian food. I asked him to play drums for my solo record. He was too full to say no.”

I wanted to ask you about the recent change in direction of your music since “Good Things” is quite a departure from your past in heavy metal bands like Vimic and Korn. What was the inspiration behind turning towards more of a melodic, traditional rock sound?

“I have always loved the more melodic aspect of rock. I’ve had songs in this vein since I was a kid. My friend and producer Kato Khandwala was a big force in getting me to start focusing on these songs. If he hadn’t passed away he would be making them with me and keeping my head from going up my own ass. I miss him.”

Are you going to continue to pursue more of this musical approach that you took towards “Good Things?” In other words, have you left your metal roots behind?

“I will always love performing and creating metal. Brian Viglione and I have already discussed having a metal jam day to see what comes out. I have no intention of starting a metal band, but I’m always willing to be a part of some brutal shit. Right now my focus is this song, this style and this moment. Then, on to the next one.”