Welcome Brandon!
From Blackpool in the Northwest of England, Brandon is a musician, writer, poet, lyricist, etc., etc...With a new album debuting soon...
You are a famous musician. Do you write your own lyrics?
Yes, of course! I am constantly writing lyrics. Its rare that I'm not putting pen to paper, fingers to keyboard or thumbs to iPhone!
What is your inspiration?
My past experience lately. A lot of stories from my youth have come to the fore. Most of my songs are amalgamations of memories and fictional representational characters. I don't believe in just making something up, forcing it. I open the door and the music just floats on through, I'm lucky that what happens is coincidentally true. I don't really think about doing it, I just do it. Kind of streams of consciousness if you like. I've read a lot of Jung and am very spiritual. I believe the energy needs to flow through your art unhindered by the ego. It sounds pretentious and daft to some but it's the truth for me, it's not let me down yet. As Van Morrison said "...let go into the mystery". I do often write about individual liberty too though, I mean the states impact on civil liberty and the mainstream media's impact on the general public's ability to believe or to dream. I feel that people today have been robbed of faith in many ways and have been sold a worthless dream of materialistic riches. Nature is richer than we'll ever be.
You play guitar and what else?
My first instrument is, and always has been my voice, guitar second. I also play piano, bass guitar, drums, mandolin, ukulele, Greek bazouki, harmonica etc the list goes on. I like anything that allows me to embellish my music. I'm playing with the idea of buying a flute at the minute.
You have just finished recording a new release. Is this your first?
No, I've had three previous releases although two have been with a band and one solo self release. You could say this is my first official solo record, definitely my first in the states though. I went over to Richmond, Virginia and recorded with some great musicians in an old converted theater. Was a beautiful experience. Some beautiful people and my lord is Virginia magnificent! I truly fell in love with that place. I'm also working on a soundtrack to an English film too. It's called "Better to burn" and is still in production.
You have just finished recording a new release. Is this your first?
No, I've had three previous releases although two have been with a band and one solo self release. You could say this is my first official solo record, definitely my first in the states though. I went over to Richmond, Virginia and recorded with some great musicians in an old converted theater. Was a beautiful experience. Some beautiful people and my lord is Virginia magnificent! I truly fell in love with that place. I'm also working on a soundtrack to an English film too. It's called "Better to burn" and is still in production.
What is it like in the recording studio?
Well, it depends on how you are recording it. Recording with a band, as part of a group is probably the most difficult thing for me. I am used to writing for bands, for myself and solo and just being able to let it flow (as explained earlier) but usually, egos appear in the studio and it tends to blur the flow. I have to be honest and say the studio with a band is probably the worst thing I do with my music. Solo however, that's different. Its more a battle with myself. Still not a nice thing. Everything goes to slow for me. I struggle to articulate the flow, or rather translate it to the producer/engineer as quickly as I feel it. It's easier when I home record. I do have one producer I work with in England who knows me well and tends to get me although my experience in Virginia was phenomenal, I self-produced a lot of it and engineered some of it along with a great engineer called Rob Astleford. The producer, Evan Batemen really helped us get the show rolling and turned it into a real album which any great producer does but he only joined the session half way through. He made it get finished though. The studio owner Arron Reinhardt was also unbelievably cool with studio time and production. It's such a hard process recording. Virginia was definitely the best experience ever. The magic flowed in all the right places but I still had moments where I was pulling my hair out. Live, playing live for an audience is where it's at for me. That's the real edge, the best time. That and right, slap-bang in the middle of a song I'm writing. Live and writing. Much better times.
Who is your favorite musician(s)?
I would have to say John Martyn, Van Morrison, Jeff Buckley and The Doors. If I was pushed. I do love lots of others though too. A Virginian named Paul Curreri and also Kelly Joe Phelps a few others, John Prine, Townes Van Zandt, Jackson C Frank. Plenty!
Did you grow up in a musical family?
Erm, well my father left when I was five and my mother spent a lot of time in hospital as a child so I spent a bit of time in care and in foster homes so I never connected musically much at home although my mum has an amazing voice but suffers terribly from stage fright. My father played tenor and alto sax, my auntie was a professional singer out in Australia where she emigrated and toured the north west. My grandfather on my mothers side Harold, was a club singer and multi-instrumentalist in the north of England, my grandmother on my fathers side was also a club singer. I have a tape of her singing, it's one of my most cherished things, I never met her. It's in my blood. I am the first to record music though, record my own music that is.
Did you grow up in a musical family?
Erm, well my father left when I was five and my mother spent a lot of time in hospital as a child so I spent a bit of time in care and in foster homes so I never connected musically much at home although my mum has an amazing voice but suffers terribly from stage fright. My father played tenor and alto sax, my auntie was a professional singer out in Australia where she emigrated and toured the north west. My grandfather on my mothers side Harold, was a club singer and multi-instrumentalist in the north of England, my grandmother on my fathers side was also a club singer. I have a tape of her singing, it's one of my most cherished things, I never met her. It's in my blood. I am the first to record music though, record my own music that is.
Where can we buy your music?
Right now, nowhere. The old stuff I've done is no longer in print. I am working on this new album, adding English musicians to it. It should be out in the new year in Virginia and online via iTunes. If people want to get my music, they can buy it through me at my email until I've sorted my record deal. Rodgerdadodger@hotmail.com.
What are your future goals as a musician?
I am heading up to Scotland in February, Ireland in March/April and then back out to the States in June hopefully. Long term, I hope my album is heard by people and that they get me and feel what I'm trying to do.
What did you have for lunch?
Lunch was good old English chips and sausage (that's fat French fries and English sausage to you lot!)
Ask yourself a question...
Erm, favourite drink? Amstel lager or Faustino I Rioja or of course a nice cup of Yorkshire tea with milk and one sugar thanks. .
View a couple of Brandon's lyric via my website http://www.gmcknight.com/blog.html
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