Chicago-based singer-songwriter Stuart Chaseman finds organic inspiration from artists such as Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen.
Chicago-based roots-rock artist Stuart Chaseman has released his first single for his upcoming album, Secrets, Lies & Alibis, with a full album release later this Spring. Titled “Sins”, the single takes notes from the likes of Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen, iconic musicians who need no introduction. We got a chance to interview Stuart Chaseman and to review “Sins”!
You cite Dylan and Springsteen as major inspirations for your music. How do you go about channeling their works when composing a song like “Sins”?
The short answer is that I make no attempt to channel their work. It just sort of happens organically. I’ve listened to those artists my entire life… or at least most of it. I think “Sins” in particular has an E. Street Band sort of feel. I can picture that song on something like Darkness on the Edge of Town. I don’t try and “channel” them but I don’t avoid it either. If someone says that sounds like Springsteen I just think okay I guess I did it again. Some might take it as a compliment. I take it as neither a compliment nor am I offended. I just understand my musical taste and exposure will naturally be reflected in my work.
It warrants mentioning that “Sins” actually makes reference to a Bob Dylan song in the first line. “Just Like a Rolling Stone… with no direction home… so the song goes.” It was an easy way to communicate how I lived my life for many years. Everyone who is going to like what I do has heard that song. I’m saying – you know that Dylan song… well that was me. I didn’t have to go into detail because Bob already did it for me. Plus it was a cool way to open the song and pay tribute.
-Stuart Chaseman
You’ll be featured in a Netflix reality program called Jewish Matchmaking on May 3rd. How was being part of a long-form television show like that? What were the best and worst parts of the experience?
I loved every second of it. Some people are very private and live their lives close to the vest. Whatever is the opposite of that is me. Maybe that’s why I became an entertainer – the craving for attention. I tried to be very present and absorb every moment because good or bad it’s something so few people will ever experience. Someone might say hold up – Stuart has a drop of sweat on his forehead and four people would run over to survey the situation. It didn’t really hit me that I was going to be the center of this huge production until I went to get my Covid test. The woman behind the counter who wouldn’t know who I am said they’ve been swamped all day. Seeing as it was far from the height of Covid, I asked why they were so busy that day. She then told me some huge television crew was in town and they were all coming in to get Covid tests.
There was only one thing that I can relay as the worst part. I had to do a promotional spot for Amazon’s Echo as Stuart the single guy from Jewish Matchmaking getting ready for a date. I did get a free Echo out of the deal but it was just way too cheese-ball for me. If I’m asked back for season two I’m going to try and negotiate something in the contract that I don’t do promotional spots.
-Stuart Chaseman
How does your religious background factor into your music, especially in the context of the single?
I’m not religious. In fact, I think on balance religion does more harm than good in the world. I’d be shocked if anyone knew I was Jewish from my songs – though the last name Chaseman might give it away.
I do have several songs that reference some sort of higher power and convey some sort of spirituality. “Wing and a Prayer” comes to mind off the new album. The chorus goes “if anybody out there can hear me – I can use some sort of sign.” I’m referring to some sort of sign from the universe that I’m on the right path and if not then give me some clarity.
The “single” “Sins” doesn’t really have anything in there like that. I’m searching a bit internally to find some answers, but there’s no reference to me looking to something bigger than me.
-Stuart Chaseman
With many, many eyes soon to be on your personal life now that Jewish Matchmaking is due to air, without giving too much away, what have you learned from being on reality television?
Well I think everyone knows by now that the word reality should be in quotes when you say reality TV. I mean look at The Bachelor. Who jumps out of a helicopter in the Cayman Islands on a first date? That’s not real. Jewish Matchmaking wasn’t quite like that, but the elephant in the room is always that there’s a film crew watching and hot lights etc on the date. The dates were as real as they could be under the circumstances, but the bottom line is that you’re filming a TV show. I asked all the girls to go out later just the two of us to chat.
I do like that Jewish Matchmaking wasn’t a game show. No one got eliminated. No one was competing. The idea was just to let the matchmaker do her thing.
-Stuart Chaseman
Besides the show and the upcoming album, what other projects do you have going on in the foreseeable future?
Is that not enough? Just one of those things would be enough to fill up my schedule for the next several months. As soon as I’m done with this, I have another set of questions I need to answer for another journalist. The one thing I want to be doing that I’m not at the moment is playing live. I’m recovering from a slipped disk and need to wait a bit. I can’t wait to play these songs live with the band for people. I’m hoping this summer.
-Stuart Chaseman
We wholeheartedly appreciate Stuart taking the time to let us conduct this interview with him!
As for the single itself, it is clear that various roots-rock influences, especially of The Boss, resonate heavily within this track. Currently, the truncated studio version of “Sins” is on Spotify, but we got the opportunity to hear the full version and were blown away by Stuart’s vocals. Chaseman performs with a grizzled, growling voice that holds a trove of experience (and is supported by vital experiences, all the while).
The instrumentation behind Stuart Chaseman’s vocals was also quite supportive. We appreciated the rich piano chords and the subdued percussion holding Chaseman’s single in a remarkably regimented place. It was very helpful (and likely deliberate) that the mixing allowed Chaseman’s voice to shine amid instruments that could have potentially overtaken it. Overall, the track shines with a light that is hard to overlook.
Ultimately, Stuart Chaseman’s work is superb and deserves every single accolade that it will receive, and then some. Furthermore, not having seen Jewish Matchmaking on Netflix yet, we hope that this opens up wonderful opportunities for Stuart!
Stuart appears in the first few seconds of the trailer for Jewish Matchmaking and is a prominent dating contestant on the show:
Listen to the studio version of “Sins” on Spotify:
