Interview - Brendan Lane

Brendan Lane has always been interested in music, having grown up with a jazz musician father and being surrounded by recordings. When he was eight years old, he discovered rock 'n' roll, and that was it: he had found his calling. Lane's mission has taken him around the world, where he has performed alongside a variety of artists on three continents, deepening his understanding of what it means to be a performer.

- Welcome to this interview. Tell us about your latest release Oh Child. 

"Thank you for having me, I appreciate y'all taking time to listen to my newest song. I've held this one close to my heart for some time now, performing live for years on land and on cruise ships. I wrote It in part about my experience growing up in a small town sandwiched between two major cities. I never felt comfortable living inside the county lines and always dreamed of more. I tried to put that same angst and longing in the characters in the story of the song. I feel like there are tons of people like me who, when they were young, wanted more than what they were being offered. I worked with my dear friend, John Rupp, at his studio in Halifax, PA and he took the song to a whole new level. He knew exactly what I was going for and where the song was headed. I couldn't have done It without his help."

- How would you describe your sound? 

"Yea, I love music that moves people whether It's physically or emotionally. My sound is a unique mix of that old Rolling Stones classic rock'n'roll and the sweet/sensitive pop side of John Mayer or Jack Johnson. This tune definitely falls on the latter side of that spectrum but It's all in there in different ways."

- What do you write about? 

"I write about the only thing I really, truly know and that's my own story adn the sI-What do you listen to when you are home? "I love old soul records, Etta James, Wilson Pickett, Aretha, Sam Cooke. I also love the Beatles, Bruce Springsteen, and Elton John. And then you can catch me rapping nearly every word to Kendrick Lamar, or Wu Tang, or some of the older Chance the Rapper stuff (his new stuff is eh.. kinda gets away from his roots and tries to sell too hard. he should just be himself instead of trying to be Kanye.) Then I'll jam to some broadway classics, I love west side story, Les Mis, anything Sondheim. I'm kinda all over, like I said I dig what moves me."

- Your favourite live performance so far? 

"I saw Jack Johnson at my hometown venue, Merriweather Post Pavillion, and I had this moment of 'Okay this is what I'm gonna do with my time here. No turning back, not other options. It's this or nothing' Thank goodness I didn't choose nothing. That was in like 2014, then I saw Gary Clark Jr. at a surprise show in 2015 in Washington, DC at the 9:30 club. that was fucking insane, I'd never heard a guitar weep like the way he played It. Blew my mind. of course Stevie Wonder, and Clapton, and McCartney are up there too."

- Tell us a funny story that happened in studio or on stage. 

"There was this one time I was playing in a casino and this younger guy was dancing around the floor. Not too many people were paying attention so to have this kid moving and grooving gave me some life. Next thing I know this kid does a spin and It was like he slipped on a banana peel. feet went high in the air and he landed smack on his back. I couldn't help but laugh. He was alright and got up and made a thing of It which let me know all was well."

- Your favourite albums? 

"Born to Run" Bruce Springsteen, "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" The Beatles, and "Go Farther in Lightness" Gang of Youths have all been integral in my development as a musician and songwriter.

- A musician you would like to meet for a beer? 

Sam Fender or Dave Grohl or Ed Sheeran

- What would you ask for backstage, if you were the most important band on earth? 

"Some jameson, some nice herb, some good speakers to jam some tunes, and some delicious local food for myself and the band. NOT "Bandwhiches" every musician out there knows what I mean"

- What are your plans for the near future? 

"I have a few other songs I'm releasing over the summer months. Got some shows lined up around the Mid-Atlantic region and I'm playing a sweet festival in Texas, Texafied Jamfest, in November. Looking forward to where the road takes me!"

https://www.brendanlanemusic.com
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https://soundcloud.com/brendanlane_music
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https://instagram.com/brendan_lane