The wild world of Chris Black
We talk about Atlanta, $20 smoothies, why nothing is cool anymore, getting sober, NY vs. LA, what makes a great brand, & more.
A quick note: shoutout to the homie Chris Fenimore for accompanying this interview with some fire photos!
So, who the hell are you, and what do you do for a living?
My name is Chris Black, and I do a few different things.
My agency, Done To Death Projects, consults with brands mainly in the fashion world on marketing, strategy, communications, and partnerships. Public Announcement is a company I founded with my partner James Ellis where we publish a daily newsletter and a wild webpage and work with clients in the tech and agency world. Last but not least, I co-host a podcast called How Long Gone with Jason Stewart, released three times a week.
What was it like growing up Atlanta, and in the South at large?
Atlanta was an amazing place to grow up. I was lucky enough to find the thriving punk and hardcore scene in middle school, which went on to inform most facets of my life. Going to shows, spending time with older people, and being introduced to ideas that felt radical (straight edge, veganism, atheism, etc.) allowed me to have a less typical Southern upbringing.
Rejecting Church and football did cause some issues in the Black family household, but we have since recovered. I identify as a Southerner. The thing that stuck with me the most is manners, which rarely go unnoticed, even as society has become more casual. My accent also peeks out from time to time, which I used to be embarrassed about but have chosen to embrace.
Where to cop
Suit: J. Crew
Shirt: Drake’s
Shoes: Adidas x Wales Bonner
It feels like the internet has commoditized and bastardized everything. Is anything cool or sacred anymore?
It requires such minimal effort to educate yourself on anything now that inevitably changes the playing field. I am old enough to remember a time before the internet and how much it took to discover anything. I would put cash in an envelope, put it in the mailbox, and two weeks later, a record showed up. Going to Borders to shoplift magazines like Index, i-D, The Face, and Dazed & Confused was my education in fashion and photography. I wrote fucking letters to correspond with friends from out of state!
I try not to let that cloud or prevent my excitement about new things, but there is just too much fucking stuff being made. The barrier of entry is so low, and everything is so accessible. That’s why gatekeeping still has a place in my cold dead heart. I want to trust sources and people with good taste to help me learn about new things.
Everything is a microniche. You can find your little corner and stay there. When something breaks through on a mass scale, that often means it’s special.
Absolutely nothing is sacred.
You’re around brands all day, every day. What actually makes a great brand?
You cannot be everything to everyone.
The narrative has been that it’s all about “storytelling” and “community,” which is valid to an extent, but making a great product and being authentic is the real bottom line.
Don’t try to be something you aren’t. Consumers are smarter than you think.
I love brands like Salie66, Carter Young, Dancer, Our Legacy, and District Vision for clothing. But from a strictly brand perspective, there are so many interesting things happening: Miracle Seltzer, Friend Editions, Dais Records, Hudson Wilder, and Beverly’s.
Are there rules for what makes a good record? What are your favorite albums for 2022? All time?
Write songs with great choruses. I know that sounds simple, but music now is about a “vibe,” something you can put on and almost forget about. I prefer something that demands attention. There is no craft I respect more than songwriting, which comes in all shapes and sizes. An Adele chorus can hit me just as much as an MJ Lenderman chorus.
When it’s right, you just know.
So much great stuff came out this year. I loved “God Save The Animals” by Alex G, “I Walked with You a Ways” by Plains, “When I’m Alone” by girlpuppy, “Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You” by Big Thief, “Blending” by High Vis, and “Being Funny In a Foreign Language” by The 1975.
All time? What a loaded question. “All Things Must Pass” by George Harrison, “The Queen is Dead” by The Smiths, “Astral Weeks” by Van Morrison, “Green” by R.E.M., “Sam’s Town” by The Killers, “Be Here Now” by Oasis. I could go on forever!
Hit us with some rapid fire! Favorite book? Can't miss meal? Coffee shop? Place to holiday? Store to shop at?
Books run the gamut from The Vanity Fair Diaries: 1983-1992 by Tina Brown and Blood, Bones & Butter: The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef by Gabrielle Hamilton to Yoga by Emmanuel Carrere and Soaphox by Glenn O’Brien.
I go to restaurants for the atmosphere. I will not pay $500 to sit through 20 fussy courses and pretend I liked it. In NYC, it’s Balthazar, Minetta Tavern, The Odeon, abcV, Blue Ribbon, Via Carota, and Gemma. I want a packed room with decent food.
For coffee in NYC, it’s Abraco or Ninth Street Espresso. In LA it’s Sightglass or Maru. Dreamin’ Man in Paris. Unfortunately, the places with the best bean attract the worst clientele. So get in and get out before your John Lobb’s get run over by a stroller.
I don’t unplug, so let’s call it travel. I love London. It’s the only place I could live outside of Los Angeles and New York City. It has everything, but the weather is absolute shit. I also love Milan, Charleston, Vancouver, and of course, Miami.
Sadly, shopping in stores is rough.
The drive for people to buy online has brick-and-mortar suffering. That being said, there are great stores left: Arcana Books on The Arts in Los Angeles, Selfridge’s in London, Le Bon Marche in Paris, Turpan in Brentwood, John Derian in New York City, The Row in Los Angeles, Noah in New York City, Galerie Half in Los Angeles, CHCM in New York City, Bode in Los Angeles, Hermès Saint Honoré in Paris, Neighbour in Vancouver.
Where to cop
Coat: Drake’s
Shirt: Ralph Lauren
Shoes: JM Weston
Shades: Jacques Marie Mage
Jeans: Vintage Levis—you can’t buy ‘em!
Having lived in New York and LA now, what’s your assessment of the cultural differences in both cities?
Los Angeles is dull, but the weather is so lovely that it doesn’t really matter. I have to go back to New York City to experience cultural excitement, but that’s fine. Priorities shift, I want year-round sunshine, $20 smoothies, and the best personal trainers. But the energy you get from being in New York City is indescribable, the people, the museums, the food. It’s still the center of the world. It always will be.
I gotta have both.
You’ve dealt with drug use over the years, which has admittedly played a huge role in your life. Why’d you get sober?
That’s why I am happy to discuss it; the stigma. Addiction isn’t a choice people make.
I was a functioning drug addict for years. I woke up on time, exercised, and finished my work, all while high on Oxycontin. The people closest to me knew, but I was able to brush it off or make up excuses. I overdosed and woke up in the hospital and still didn’t stop.
I finally just woke up one day, feeling like absolute shit as usual, and said no more. I knew I didn’t have a choice. Everyone handles it differently. I was lucky enough to have friends and a therapist and mainly the sheer will and desire to stop.
It’s been six years, and my life is infinitely better without drugs and alcohol.
What's the best money you've ever spent? And the most embarrassing?
I got a last-minute call from a friend to see The Rolling Stones at MetLife Stadium. The ticket was $700 and worth every penny. They looked insane and sounded great.
I got my first big check in my early twenties when the band I was managing signed with Epic Records. Panerai watches were new and cool, and I spent 8K on one. Hideous, oversized. But I wanted to feel equal to the guys in the circles I was running in. Such an ego move. I regret it to this day and will never wear a watch again.
But, some advice, spend money on gifts. Nothing is better than giving someone something thoughtful that they will have forever. All the bullshit you want is most likely less important.
Love his ethos! And his recs on the Strategist.
Great conversation. Los Yorker here. Agree on many points especially New York as the alpha dog. Always.