Excerpts from an interview by JAY N. MILLER For The Patriot Ledger Posted Jan 16, 2009 - "Quincy’s Chris Pahud has always loved music, even though his career, since about 1980, has been in computers, in the information technology department at UMass-Boston. Pahud would often meet friends on Sunday afternoons for casual songfests, where he’d play his guitar. About 11 years ago, Pahud began venturing out to open mike nights, as acoustic music enjoyed a mid-1990s heyday in the area. His distinctive bass/baritone voice made him a memorable performer, and before long Pahud was getting gigs. Now Pahud is putting the finishing touches on his first album, ....Red Sky at Morning,'' ... ....I think my beginning as a real performer came from a time when I had just been working too much,'' Pahud said. ....I had been taking on a lot of extra jobs at the university, and I just needed a change. Folk music was booming in the mid-90s so I decided to try playing out. I didn’t know if I had what it took, but I figured I’d take a crack at it, so I wouldn’t wake up one day years later wondering what-if.'' Pahud’s start was shaky but he adapted to performing quite easily. He certainly knew the coffeehouse scene well enough, having run the Wessagusset Coffeehouse in Weymouth for many years. ....I was so nervous at first, I was even debating why I was doing it,'' said Pahud. Pahud’s choice of material is one of the things that sets him apart, with songs from folk icons like Tom Rush, Stan Rogers, and also Garnet Rogers, who’s become a good friend. But Pahud also performs tunes from rockers like Dave Alvin, Lucinda Williams, and Richard Thompson, and from country artists like Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard. ....The songs I play are all from writers I really admire,'' said Pahud. ....My favorite criteria, which comes from Stan Rogers, is a ‘meaty narrative song.’ I’m drawn to story songs, that’s what really grabs me.'' Pahud said he loves songs that elicit emotion. ....Just last week, with all the snow flying, I was driving along Wollaston Beach with my windows open and the Beach Boys blasting away – it felt great, because they took me back to summertime.'' The new CD will have three Pahud-penned tunes, along with a collection of his favorite covers, like Jerry Corbitt’s ....Grizzly Bear.'' ....Jerry said he was so glad someone remembered that song I could have it for free – and he ended up helping us, too. We contacted Dave Alvin’s people for clearance for his ‘Man in the Bed,’ and the word came back that all Dave wanted in return was three copies of the CD.'' '' 

http://www.patriotledger.com/entertainment/x2009614930/MUSIC-SCENE-Quincy-musician-finishing-first-CD