This week COREnered grooves with Brendan Maclean, an artist from Sydney, Australia who tells us about his songwriting process, the artists who have inspired his sound, and how is love for music started with a wind up music box.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0qrZvinQyI&hl=en_US&fs=1&]
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What is your first musical memory?
A wind up music box that played “Yellow Submarine.” I remember I’d play it really slow, then really fast and thought, “Hey, making music is easy!”
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What was the first concert you ever went to?
Australia’s Big Day Out festival – I was almost squished in the crowd as Arcade Fire & Rage Against the Machine put on an incredible show and had the masses sweating and jumping together.
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What or whom do you go to for musical inspiration?
Ben Folds is a big inspiration; his music is so full of life and honest storytelling. It’s technically brilliant, but isn’t pretentious. Other artists include the incredible Rufus Wainwright, Fiona Apple and Sia, an Australian now living in the U.S.
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Without using the words “alternative,” “pop,” or “rock,” describe your sound.
It’s the sound of a pianist who longed to blast out power chords on electric guitar, the sounds of my father’s favourite songwriters meeting a new generation and lyrical poetry on a sugar high.
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Stones or Beatles?
Stones
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What’s your dream collaboration?
Regina Spektor on keys, PJ Harvey on guitar, and Leonard Cohen writing the lyrics.
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Do you find the song or does the song find you?
I think you find a story or a seed and it grows. You get the gold stuff when it’s both.
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How do you discover new music?
Working in radio, the best programs to me are ones that promote community. LastFM and local radio stations are always the best way to go.