Chris Antonik explores the hurt of being shut out in his new single, “Waves of Stone”
Canadian blues-rock guitar-wielding singer-songwriter Chris Antonik has recently unveiled his new single, “Waves of Stone,” which features his American counterpart, the 3x-Blues Music Award nominee, Jarekus Singleton.
Emotionally, “Waves of Stone” is propelled by the miscommunication and deafening silence experienced in the final weeks of a relationship.
“In 2017, I had started a new life after a divorce,” recalls Antonik. “I made the mistake of getting into another relationship too soon. Driven by a fear of being alone and to soothe my grief from the divorce, I dove in. The relationship didn’t last long. The pain and anguish that I experienced when it ended was compounded by the fact that I was still grieving divorce. This song is a snapshot of how heartbroken and frustrated I felt in the last few weeks of the relationship and right after the breakup. ‘Waves of Stone’ gets the anger stage of grief out of my system so I can move onto the other 13 songs on Morningstar which are about hope, re-building, community, new beginnings and love.”
The single is from Antonik’s upcoming fourth album, Morningstar, which is set for release on August 5, 2022, via Second Half Records, in partnership with Moon Dog Music.
The album tells a cohesive story of his experiences as he enters mid-life. The last few years’ worth of life, love, loss, and growth are synthesized into an epic collection of songs about new beginnings, building community, mindfulness, self-compassion, Antonik’s sobriety, and the power of home. Through it all, Antonik plays his guitar with unbridled ferocity and passion, mining his soul deeper than he ever has before.
Watch the “Waves of Stone” video below, and find out more about Chris Antonik via our Five Questions With segment.
Care to introduce yourself to our readers?
Thanks for reaching out, Canadian Beats. Nice to chat with you. My name is Chris Antonik, and I am a Toronto-based blues-rock guitarist/singer/songwriter. I am releasing my fourth record, Morningstar, on August 5th.
Tell us about your most recent release, “Waves of Stone.”
“Waves” is the lead-off single from the new record. It’s about the miscommunication and deafening silence I experienced in the final weeks of a relationship. It rocks pretty hard and heavy. It has a great guest on it, American blues guitarist Jarekus Singleton. We have some fun trading lead guitar solos. I’d say it has an experimental, modern rock vibe too. We also pumped a grand piano through a Leslie speaker in a Pink Floyd-kind of way.
Where do you tend to pull inspiration from when writing?
I’d say primarily personal experience. I write about things that I know, i.e., my own experiences, but I like to frame songs in a way that others can relate to. As for the story behind “Waves,” several years ago, I jumped into a relationship too soon after the end of my marriage. Driven by a fear of being alone and to soothe my grief, I dove in, and it didn’t last long. The track is an account of this time in my life – it’s ferocious but also necessary – its creation helped me get through my grief so I could move on to writing other songs about hope, re-building, community, new beginnings, and love, which you’ll hear later this summer on my new album.
Do you have any upcoming shows or festivals you’d like to tell us about?
We have dates in the US this summer when the record comes out; really excited to be at the Fargo Blues Festival in North Dakota, as a couple of my favourite guitar players are also on the bill, Walter Trout and Tab Benoit. We’re also doing a UK tour in the fall.
What’s your goal for 2022?
I’m really looking forward to performing and connecting with live audiences again!
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