Christopher Hall of Stabbing Westward Interview: Wither Blister Burn & Peel, Chasing Ghosts

Christopher Hall of Stabbing Westward joins us to share his memories of the rollercoaster ride in the ‘90s and discuss reforming the band
Though most people’s introduction to Stabbing Westward was via their major-label debut, Ungod, in 1994, Christopher Hall (vocals) and Walter Flakus (keyboards) had been making music together since their college days nearly a decade earlier. Blending the industrial influences of Nine Inch Nails, Ministry, and Skinny Puppy with the goth rock of early Smashing Pumpkins and Depeche Mode, Stabbing Westward found themselves smack dab in the middle of the mid-90s alternative wave and toured with a wide range of acts ranging from KISS to the Sex Pistols to Killing Joke to Placebo. While fans may have appreciated the consistent releases (Ungod in ‘94, Wither Blister Burn & Peel in ‘96, Darkest Days in ‘98), it put a strain on relationships within the band and, after being dropped by Columbia and releasing a self-titled album on Koch Records in ‘01, Stabbing Westward came to end. Hall started The Dreaming, a band very much in the vein of Stabbing Westward’s sound, while Flakus got into the radio business as a program director and DJ. A reunion in 2015 to celebrate the band’s formation 30 years prior led to occasional live shows and eventually Hall retired The Dreaming name to reform Stabbing Westward with Flakus and some of his Dreaming band members. In 2020, Stabbing Westward released three new songs which led to a full album of new material, Chasing Ghosts, out on March 18, the first Stabbing Westward in 21 years.
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[@TheMarrowMan]

What a fantastic interview! Chris Hall is fantastic, so glad SW is back full force. Their new record is awesome. Thank you for this.

[@blueblade455]

Damn for a guy who is 57 years old, Christopher Hall looks and sounds like he is in his early 20's.

[@crankfotton]

he has had some work done

[@LandOfGold55]

Never heard of Stabbing Westward until recently, and I gave the new album "Chasing Ghosts" a listen. What a fantastic record! Great band with some really cool songs. Telling lots of folks to give it a listen. Great album cover art too! Purchasing a copy of the album as soon as I get paid again.

[@rollandjoeseph]

Such a cool guy, very grounded and real.. saw them last night in philly ,an unbelievable show!

[@ryanblackman4119]

My wife and I were at that show and it was absolutely killer

[@EquiposMedicosUcChristus]

Great Interview!

[@NRobertAlexander]

Have to commend Christopher for his honesty. He's never minced his words about the self-titled. ...Be that as it may, I fundamentally disagree with him about the album musically. I love it.

[@mysticmanization]

Incredible voice and talent

[@HardRockHellion]

This band evolved my musical taste in the 90s and they're still blowing me away to this very day, Chasing ghosts is incredible.

[@rambro1stbud]

Same. I would have never discovered Skinny Puppy and Front Line Assembly if I hadn't started with Stabbing Westward and Gravity Kills.

[@t20sgrunt36]

Whither was one of the first albums I got as a teen after I got my first CDD player for Xmas. Great album, had to get it off iTunes as well.

[@nsusaint]

talking about soundtracks, Bizarre love triangle by stabbing westward is 100000000x the best version of that song ever played.

[@zer0divid3]

i need put in touch! theyre doing a show in WV in August and i need to open a channel of communication because im trying to get em to play in Parkersburg, WV while theyre in the area due to their booking agent cancelling on a show id tried to book in summer 2002 and after id raised the 3 grand to get em to play here, the agent cancelled on me and I, along with a ton of local fans and regional-ish fans want them to come play so badly! I thought id never have another chance to get them here and I can no longer travel to shows, so I must make it happen! its like syncronicity that they have a show in August in this lesser populated state...and i know Chris likes it here, so plz help me out?

[@amostlyreasonableguy]

48:40: I prefer Chris’s production of Crawl on the EP to the Chasing Ghosts LP version. When the big part hits it’s so impactful w/ the bass & guitars. It just soars. Chasing Ghosts is amazing though. I am Nothing & Ghosts are quintessential Stabbing Westward and I love the depth of Push.

[@rambro1stbud]

I noticed they talked a bit about Andy but didn't really mention Jim at all. He was on all four of their "classic" records. I wonder if he just stopped talking to the guys when he went to do his organic supermarket thing.

[@nsusaint]

It really sucks to hear how much he hates the self-titled album, but for me, I thought it was a masterpiece. It's what got me into The Dreaming and got me through a rough decade of my life. I would love to hear the demo versions of the songs to hear it from his perspective though.

[@tom66909]

Ungod is a perfect album

[@EquiposMedicosUcChristus]

I wish they tour in Latin America

[@caseonfire]

Love Stabbing Westward great interview thanks

[@morningstarlux]

please release the self titled demos Chris! please please please!

[@rickblasing1237]

excellent interview!

[@beepbeep4876]

His voice is so youthful!

[@mattgraham2835]

i heard the new album from stabbing westward sound very good it sounds much heavier than before and i enjoy fear factory and ministry and nine inch nails and the cure and depeche mode if i had to write a review for the new 2022 album a masterpiece yes very much im not into the cure but i dig sw and most industrial music

[@crazyjimheath]

Chris Hall rocks !! cool dude .. Love Stabbing Westward great band !!

[@TimStatic]

wasnt the Depeche Mode show at Gund Arena? or did they do another show? I only ask cause i definitely saw the DP/SW show at Gund on DP's 86-89 Greatest Hits tour