Can you provide an overview of your background and career in the music industry?
It’s great to be here, thanks for having me. As far as background goes, things are fairly simple there. I was born in Seattle and my family moved around a bit, landing in different spots throughout the Pacific Northwest before settling in Boise, ID. I went to college in the Bay Area and lived there for a couple decades before moving up here to Portland a few years ago. Music was always around, I was lucky to have come of age around Seattle in the late 80’s/early 90’s and was exposed to rock shows really early on. I’ve said it a number of times, but I just can’t fathom seeing Soundgarden the way we did – in a tiny club with 25 people – and not immediately want to start a band that second. For me, I had the bug bad early. But my voice was a different kind of voice, so I had some searching to do. I didn’t sound like Mark Lanegan or Layne Staley, so I had to figure something else out. My first indie record came out in the early 2000’s and ever since it’s been a continuous version of that same experience – just figuring it out as I go. I’ve been signed to majors and held publishing deals in Nashville. Super fun! I’ve also been dropped from all those things. Not fun at all. There’s undoubtedly been more downs than ups, but it’s always been interesting, that’s for sure.
What inspired you to pursue a music career, and how did he get started in the industry?
I’m a recovering Catholic, so that probably explains most of it, right?! I was a fairly quiet kid, who kept a hold of a lot of feelings, so having the outlet to write and sing really became a survival mechanism more than anything else. The fact that people started to come to shows and be interested in what I was doing felt super secondary for a long time. I don’t think I would have even copped to being a professional musician for a long time, it was just something I did that felt good.
Can you share details about your musical style and the genres he typically explores in your work?
The genrel question is always a tough one for me. I know there’ve been a few A&R reps that I drove absolutely nuts because I wasn’t ever going to fit cleanly in any specific genre long enough to package my record. These days, it’s great to not have to adhere intentionally to much of that type of labeling. That said, I am very interested in the places where aspects of americana, soul, rock and folk meet. If anything, I’m always curious about how differing styles can be used to bolster the voice of a certain song. For me, it’s always about that. What are the musical choices that best support the song? – not the other way around.
What inspired the creation of “The Sad Ones,” and what is the story or message behind the lyrics?
Vulnerability is hard. Technology makes it harder. It’s way too easy to momentarily pull out our phones and soothe the hard things away. The rough part happens when we then pathologize those same hard things. We make ourselves “bad and wrong” somehow. We’ll judge each other or ourselves for simply feeling whatever we’re feeling. What if we just let ourselves feel our stuff? No resisting. The truth is – feelings are just feelings. For most of us, it’s how we’re impacted as a result of being unable to tolerate them that leads to challenges. The song is meant to make space for just feeling sad. It doesn’t aim to solve or soothe the sad because there’s nothing inherently wrong with just feeling our shit. Whatever we’re feeling, it’s OK. We all need that permission just to feel it, and soon after, we’ll be feeling something else, and so on. There’s nothing wrong with being sad, just like there’s nothing wrong with being happy. Feelings – they’re just that. Nothing more, nothing less.
Can you delve into the musical elements and production choices that define “The Sad Ones”?
It was really important to me that the music in the song didn’t resolve the central question of the song. In other words, I didn’t want the music to build into something too joyful sounding – too happy. The whole point of the song is that there’s nothing to fix in just feeling sad, so if we’d gotten too pretty with it, that wouldn’t have fit. Daniel Clarke came up with a way of playing that central piano part so that Grecco and I could just wrap the rest of the song around it. Once we had that in place, I think the rest of it came together really quickly. Grecco and I have done a number of songs together over the last couple of years and this one feels like a real statement as far as the arrangement and production choices. Its a different thing all-together.
Are there personal experiences or emotions that influenced the lyrics of “The Sad Ones”?
In this song specifically, I wanted to take up the flag for sadness partly because I believe so strongly that our human reflex to resist the painful stuff causes us far more suffering in the long run than whatever we’re dealing with at face value. I’m as sad a guy as anyone else, but I’m also happy, scared, curious, confident, completely unconfident – all of it. I think the shame around vulnerability is often the real enemy, so any chance we have to express ourselves to each other is healthy in my book.
Can you share any memorable moments or anecdotes from the making of “The Sad Ones”?
I flew down to Los Angeles for the vocal session with Grecco at Trópico Union LA. Because Grecco is such an in-demand badass, we always have to work in tight windows, so we had just this one day in the studio to get the vocals. I was ready for a long day of working it out, so I sat down and sang the first couple takes as basically a “level setting” for the room, getting mics up, all the engineering stuff. I think I only ended up singing for 2 hrs total that day and that 2nd “practice” take was used for 90% of the song. Hilarious.
How do you connect with your fans, and what role do they play in your artistic journey?
I have a very different relationship to the support people lend my songs than I did when I was trying to “set the world on fire” as a young artist. I’m just so grateful now when anyone comments, or shares a song. The sweet people who come to shows and grab some vinyl. I’m just trying to connect, that’s it.
In what ways do you see yourself growing as an artist, and how does “The Sad Ones” contribute to that growth?
This song, in particular, had a clear message. I didn’t hide behind metaphor or some other songwriting tool, so I think that in itself represents something important artistically. I’m also at the point now where I refuse to overthink any aspect of the process. I just want to enjoy making songs. It’s fun! #makestuff
How do you think your music can connect with or reflect the emotions of your audience in today’s world?
The more we all get sucked into our phones, the more face-to-face connection becomes imperative. Music is one of those places we can still all go, commune, dance, cry, sing – together in a room. We need to maximize those opportunities now more than ever and if my show can be the impetus for that type of present experience for someone – awesome. Any show though, any chance we get!
How do you envision your music evolving in the future, and are there specific directions you’d like to explore?
The current iteration of the Shawn Brown Band is going into the studio in April to record the next single, which I am super duper amped about. I haven’t yet had the opportunity to record a track with this band, so I’m feeling incredibly lucky that it’s going to happen.
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