 |
| Photo: Perry Bean |
Adios, Anything Anything
by Matt Chrystal
Singer, songwriter and storyteller extraordinaire, Cory Branan, is making his triumphant return to Asbury Park this Friday, October 21st. He will be playing on a double-bill with Lucero at House of Independents as part of the 8th Anniversary of Rich Russo's Anything Anything radio show. I recently got to talk to Mr. Branan about his upcoming album, his thoughts on playing with Lucero, his memories of Asbury Lanes, drinking whiskey at shows, and what he doesn't like to be asked during an interview.
CoolMattyC: Your last full album was 2014's No Hit Wonder, you released a 7" split with Lydia Loveless last year, and I know you've been quite busy touring; but I was wondering if you could clue us in as to any plans you have for a new album?
Cory Branan: Absolutely. It's done. It is completely done. We are looking at a March release. I was hoping to have the album out this year ,but I ran into the same problem I had putting the last record out. Allergies in Spring! I tried to record the last record in Spring, and my allergies delayed it. So this time I figured that I was recording in Mississippi, where I am from, so surely I won’t have allergies there… but yup, I still did. So I had to wait a couple months until the allergies were all done with. But yeah, new album coming out in March.
CMC: Can you reveal the title and any more details about the new record?
CB: It's gonna be called Adios. It's got a lot of guests on it. Guests like Laura Jane Grace (Against Me!), Dave Hause (The Loved Ones) and Amanda Shires. I recorded in down in Tweed Studios in Mississippi. Basically, me and Robbie (Crowell) from Deer Tick and James Haggerty just holed up down there and made a record. I'm pretty proud of it. I think it's the best thing I've ever done.
I've been playing a lot of the new songs on the road and will be at all of the upcoming shows.
CMC: You have a reputation as a prolific songwriter, can you let us in on what your songwriting process looks like or share any tips or tricks for when you get stuck on a song?
CB: I don't really have any set process. Any discipline that I did have went right out the window once the kids were born. I just don't sweat it. I haven't written a song since I finished the new record. I haven't written a new song in like six months. And I don't care. I used to sweat blood over it. I used to get stuck and think oh no, I'm not as prolific as I was once. But nope, none of that stuff holds any weight for me anymore. I only have so much life I can live, and I know that when it comes down to doing the work, I know that I won't let myself put out something that I don’t think is quality. When I actually get a hold of it, I wrestle it to the damn ground and I work hard on the song. But I don't worry about it anymore or eat myself up about whether or not they are coming right along or not.
CMC: You have a pretty eclectic range when it comes to choosing cover songs, from Townes Van Zandt to the Dead Kennedys to Prince. Your songs are often covered by other artists as well, I was wondering if you had a favorite cover version of one of your own songs?
CB: I like Chuck Ragan's cover of "Survivor Blues" on While No One Was Looking. I like that one quite a bit. He fudged some words on it and it still to this day burns him that he fudged it. It was just gibberish, he got all tongue-tied. He was like really apologetic about it and I thought that was really charming. It makes me laugh.
 |
| Photo: Drew Gurian |
CMC: Speaking of other artists... Lucero… are you sick of those guys yet or what?
Just kidding, you have logged a lot of miles with those guys; can you talk about the bond you share with them and what it's been like to play with them again?
CB: We started at the same time in a small part of Memphis, so we just know each other from back then. I toured with them quite a bit back then. It wasn't in a tour bus like we do now, I can tell you that. It was a lot smellier and closer back in those days. This tour we got going now is going well. It's been a real easy tour. We partied a bit and I got real drunk a couple nights ago. It's an easy tour on the bus, you just wake up and you are where you’re supposed to be. I could almost do these types of tours in my sleep. But really, It's good to hear Lucero every night. It's been a long time since we have done a long run like this together.
CMC: You and Lucero are coming to Asbury Park this Friday to play House of Independents as part of Anything Anything's 8th Anniv. show… but you are no stranger to this area as you were a favorite for years over at the Asbury Lanes. Do you have any favorite memories from playing in Asbury Park or anything you look forward to when coming back here?
CB: I think I might try and see if any of the Gaslight (Anthem) boys are around. I just like that area. It's so weird. It's like somebody dreamt that place up, but they woke up half way through the dream and so it didn't get finished. There are spaces that aren't quite filled in down there. Man, I have just had so many good times there in Asbury Park. I have never had a bad time there. I don't know that my sound was all that great at the Lanes but I don't know that anyone really even gave a shit about that part. It was just great there. It was my kind of place. I love the whole area, I have a lot of friends there and it is going to be real nice to be back.
CMC: Going with the theme of “anything, anything” I had opened my Instagram account up to suggestions for questions to ask you but most of the stuff I got was too generic and not weird enough, so I'll turn this around on you …since doing interviews is probably automatic for you by now, is there something that you would prefer not to be asked or something you just want to go off about?
CB: Well there is one and it just happened on an interview just before this one where I was asked, "So can you tell me about yourself?" It's the one question where I can tell they know nothing about my music and just happened to be assigned to interview me. I'm always like ummm yeah, that question is not gonna work. As for something that I would want to be asked, that's tough one. It's hard to get one thrown by that's different. But I like it when the weird ones pop up. The overly personal questions are ones that I'm not too stoked on getting either.
CMC: Ok well, this next one is actually kind of personal… I brought up Instagram, where you post many pics of your young son, Clem, doing funny stuff… I have a three year old daughter that I am always trying to influence with the music I like. I find the reverse always happens and I'm the one walking around singing the theme to Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. So anyways, I was wondering if there was certain music you were trying to influence your son with and how is that working out?
CB: My daughter lives with her mother in Tulsa and she is not too stoked on having pics of our daughter on the internet because she says there are perverts out there, but I'm like well, there are perverts everywhere these days. That is why it is mostly pictures of my son up there on Instagram.
Anyways, my wife and I expose our boy to all kinds of stuff. When he was in the womb, he would really respond to bebop, like horns and jazz. It was really crazy because he would hear the tune "Salt Peanuts" [by Dizzy Gillespie] and he would just start kicking. We could just whistle the tune loud and he would kick. Now that he is a little boy, he could give two shits about listening to jazz. His current favorite album is the Blues & Ballads album by Luther Dickson, who is a good friend of ours. But he also wants to hear Taylor Swift, so I’m just like, ok go, have fun. He also likes Paul Simon and he went through a big Queen phase last summer. Now I'm trying to get him into the Who!
CMC: That’s pretty great. Ok, so back to talking about your music… Your song, "Sour Mash," is clearly a crowd favorite; has its popularity detracted from your love of whiskey? I'm sure exuberant fans are always trying to get you to drink shots of whiskey with them at every show? Or is there no such thing as too much whiskey?
CB: I take it easy these days. There was period of time where people were lining up shots of whiskey at my feet on the stage. They do that a lot for Lucero but I was like nope, this isn't a Lucero set. Save your money. I ain't gonna drink all that just cause you got them for me.
CMC: Many of your songs are reflective pieces about everyday struggles. With that said, and now that some time has passed, do you experience any feelings of regret over cutting your long hair or shaving off your beard?
CB: No regrets! No regrets at all! The beard comes and goes with the winter. But as for the long hair... nope, I'm never gonna look back. Long hair is just too hot for the South.
CMC: Ok, last question. So, can you tell me about yourself?
CB: Oh, good lord!
Cory Branan will be playing with Lucero at the House of Independents in Asbury Park TONIGHT, Friday, October 21st.
The tour will also stop at Cannon's Blackthorn in Rockville Centre, NY on October 22nd and at Music Hall of Williamsburg on October 23rd.
No Hit Wonder is available on Bloodshot Records.
For more info check out corybranan.com.
No comments :
Post a Comment