Song Lyric of the Day:
All the people ran in circles, while time and fate both laughed / And the future met its destiny, as it crossed blows with the past / All the mountains crumbled ‘round me, while the water poured right through / And the world, she looked right at me, with no thought of what to do
Brett Randell / “The End“
There are few things in life I love more than great music. Sometimes a song moves me with its moving, personal lyrics or imagery. Sometimes a song features music so beautiful and haunting it brings tears to my eyes. Songwriting is an art, not unlike poetry, in that songwriters use those few carefully selected words to evoke any number of emotions and touch the listener, all in the span of just a few minutes. Those are but a couple of reasons I’ve wanted to interview a singer/songwriter for some time now, and today I finally get to fulfill that wish.
So it is with great pleasure that I introduce you to Brett Randell, a talented Austin-based singer/songwriter. Brett has a stripped-down acoustic, occasionally bluesy, sound all his own, not unlike one of his biggest influences, Jason Mraz. In Brett’s own words, his music is “Epic Acoustic Poetry.”
You can listen to (and buy) some of Brett’s music on his MySpace page, follow him on Twitter, and check out his website (bonus: his website includes his lyrics).
*For Knoxville-area locals, Brett is playing today’s WDVX Blue Plate Special downtown at noon. This is part of his first-ever tour, so I hope some of you can get down there today to show him some love and support.
An Interview With Singer/Songwriter Brett Randell
1. Have you always wanted to be a musician? When did you know this is what you wanted to do with your life? If you couldn’t make music, what would you do instead?
I actually never really wanted to be a musician until very recently. I’ve always been an artist and a writer and wanted to be an author or involved in film. I picked up the acoustic guitar almost three years ago and wrote my first song. As I began to play and write more and see the emotional effect that music has, I found my new passion. After I began playing for more people and realizing I could impact people with words and music, my desire to play music grew even stronger. I received an e-mail from a fan telling me how my music took him out of a depression and could only make him see the positive side of life and I was sold — I had to make music. If I couldn’t make music, I would be an author or pursue some form of artistic marketing.
2. How long have you been professionally performing? How did you get your start?
I moved out to Austin, Texas, 10 months ago to pursue music professionally, so I guess that would be the time I started “professionally” performing. I did play a few shows last year during college. I got my start three summers ago when I was interning in NYC for a finance firm. After I bought my acoustic guitar, I would come home every day to play and write songs. I was too shy to even play for my roommate, but slowly he made me play for more and more people. Over the next two years I played a handful of shows and open mics and finally made the decision after graduation to pack up my bags, move out to Austin, and pursue music.
3. I know Jason Mraz is one of your biggest influences. What is it about his music (lyrics, style) that affects you the way it does?
Jason Mraz’s acoustic style and lyrical flow are very influential on my music. Although his new songs are very “poppy” his older songs were very long, incredible songs with amazing lyrical content. Lyrics are the biggest part of my music, so any artist that has meaningful lyrics has some influence on me.
4. Who are your other influences?
My other influences are Citizen Cope, Chopin, Muse, Saosin, Envy on the Coast, Amos Lee, and any other musician that affects me.
5. Who would be your dream collaborators? And would it be for writing songs, performing together, or both?
My dream collaborator would be Clarence Greenwood of Citizen Cope. I’d like to collaborate on all aspects of the songwriting process (from lyrics to music to melody and structure) and would love to perform with him.
6. Without taking time to think about it, name your three top lyricists and three top singers (can be one and the same).
Citizen Cope, Jason Mraz, Anthony Green (from Saosin)
7. Which of your songs do you think best exemplifies what your music is about? Which of your songs is your all-time favorite?
“The End” best exemplifies what my music is about. When people ask about my style or genre, I say it’s “Epic Acoustic Poetry.” The music is very important, but I believe the lyrics are even more important and those are what connects to people’s experiences and emotions. “The End” is a very epic, poetic song and the energy explodes out of the music and lyrics. I love performing with my band (including cellist and pianist). “The End” is also my all-time favorite.
8. Did you grow up in Austin, or did you move there because it’s the Live Music Capital of the World? What is it about Austin’s music scene that makes it so special/significant?
I grew up in New York, an hour north of NYC. I moved there because I heard how amazing the city was and how great the music scene is. I flew out to check it out, hung out for a few days, and was sold. I packed my bags and drove out two weeks later. Austin’s music scene is full of incredible musicians who do it for the love of the music and aren’t as swayed by the business aspect. The music scene is very supportive and all of the musicians help each other out. I really think it is an up-and-coming music capital.
9. What’s the best thing about touring/performing live? The worst?
This is my first time touring so I’m still learning as I go. I’ve actually never even played a three-day weekend gig out of town. I went all out and booked this seven-week, 22-city tour from Austin-to-Boston for my first tour. The best part so far is just meeting and connecting with people. You get to see the country and meet people from all different walks of life. The worst part is that I only stay in each city for one day so I meet people and then have to leave off to the next town. I wish I could stay longer!
10. Name a music trend you wish would go away (i.e., autotune).
You named it: Autotune! The pop music industry has a ton of trends that are terrible, but I believe a huge independent music revolution is on its way. Now is the best time to be a musician. There are so many tools to take your business and your career into your own hands and go out there and do it yourself. I’m hoping the talented, independent musicians take over the major label/pop industry that is pumping out subpar music.
There you have it — Brett Randell in his own words.
Brett’s next 10 tour stops* will take him to:
- Jun 30 2010, 12:00P, WDVX Blue Plate Special, Knoxville, TN
- Jun 30 2010, 10:00P, Acoustic Coffee House w/ Fifth Nation, Johnson City, TN
- Jul 1 2010, 9:30P, The Downtown w/ Fifth Nation, Morristown, TN
- Jul 2 2010, 7:00P, The Evening Muse, Charlotte, NC
- Jul 3 2010, 7:00P, The Fray House – House Concert, Concord, NC
- Jul 7 2010, 3:00P, Comcast Cable TV / Delaware, Comcast, DE
- Jul 7 2010, 8:00P, Gusto’s Upstairs w/ The Silver Liners, Lancaster, PA
- Jul 9 2010, 8:00P, Triumph Brewing Company, Philadelphia, PA
- Jul 10 2010, 10:30P, The Stanhope House – Grand Re-Opening w/ Lorenza Ponce, Stanhope, NJ
- Jul 11 2010, 5:00P, Rockwood Music Hall, NYC, NY
*For the full tour date list, check out Brett’s MySpace page.
