If you try to name everything Darren Criss has been a part of since he burst onto the scene with his role as Blaine in Glee, you'd run out of breath. He appeared in a Katy Perry music video, starred in two Broadway musicals, co-starred in the movie Girl Most Likely, is slated to appear in next season's American Crime Story, — and this doesn't even touch on the work he did way back when, in A Very Potter Musical. Achieving all of this by age 30, you'd think he'd be ready to take a break. Instead, he's launching a whole new project with his brother, Chuck Criss. It's a band called Computer Games, and the two spoke to Refinery29 about their adventure.
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"I’ve always wanted to start a band with my brother," Darren Criss told us. "And life is too short, so I was like, 'If I don’t do this now, I’ll just wonder what if.'"
While most of us know Darren from the stage and screen, we probably recognize Chuck from his time with the Freelance Whales. They have two albums, including the hit "Generator^First Floor," and their music has appeared on shows like Grey’s Anatomy, One Tree Hill, and Roadies. Now, however, it's all about Computer Games.
"I’ve been kind of laying low," Chuck said. "I’ve had two kids. They keep me pretty busy. I’m excited to do the music thing again, but not just the music thing again, I get to do it with my brother."
While this is the duo's first professional project together, they've been collaborating and jamming together since they were kids — although none of it is on the internet.
"Thank god," Darren exclaimed.
Their first release — a four-track EP that's out now — is really just a way for them to test the waters before figuring out what's next.
"The crowd will dictate what’s going to happen," Darren said. "We’ll find out what people say."
The friends who have listened to their music describe it as having a '80s vibe, which coincides with the time period Darren and Chuck were growing up together.
"It coincidentally is reminiscent of the sounds of the late '80s and early '90s, which is when we were little children. So that’s kind of a fun coincidence but it’s not necessarily the aim," Darren explained. "There were certainly a lot of dance records from that time that our songs harken back to."
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When it comes to the prospect of a tour, the boys say that's all up to the fans. Right now, they're waiting to see what people think. They've released a lyric video for one of their songs, "Every Single Night," and the rest of their music is available on places like iTunes, Spotify, and Apple Music now.
We went live with Darren and Chuck to chat about the new band, his relationship with music, and if we should expect A Very Potter Musical reunion.