Autumn’s just around the corner.
Autumn Hollow's homespun Americana shapeshifts with the seasons, weaving a warm strain of roots rock that's ideal for soaking in sunny days or providing shelter from the storm. In advance of their upcoming show at atac with Comanchero, we got to know songwriter and lead vocalist Brendan Murphy a bit better. Grab tickets for their Sept 23rd gig here.
atac: Hey Brendan, thanks for chatting with us. You’re from around here, yeah? How’d you find music in Massachusetts?
Brenden Murphy: My story begins in an in-law apartment in Needham, taking piano lessons from the same teacher as my older brother and sister. At the time I was way more into sports and really didn't like piano, but for the last five minutes of class I was allowed to switch over to my piano teacher's husband's drum set. Basically, we jammed. I remember how amazing it was to create music with another person, and how fun it was to bounce ideas off one another.
atac: Was this totally freeform? Do you have memories of any favorite covers, genres, etc? Like what vibes did you get hooked on?
BR: Yes, growing up my parents basically had 4 tapes in the car that would play on repeat. Creedence Clearwater Revival's Greatest Hits, Rolling Stones’ Hot Licks, The Big Chill soundtrack, and The Blues Brothers soundtrack. At first, I was more of a passive listener stuck in a car. Slowly, I developed my favorites like Have You Ever Seen the Rain, Beast of Burden, Whiter Shade of Pale, and She Caught the Katy. Even though I didn't realize it at the time, those songs all leaked into my DNA and provided the foundation of my musical soul.
atac: So did you stick with piano or drums or…?
BR: I started playing guitar at 19-20 years old, and was writing songs from the start—the two things just really went together for me. Many years later I haven't stopped; it's just part of me.
Autumn Hollowatac: I can maybe hear some Wilco in Autumn Hollow? If so, this is the part of the interview where we just talk about Nels Cline for a minute.
BR: Yes, please! I've seen Wilco a bunch. I’ve seen Nels do things to a guitar at the end of Misunderstood that should be illegal! Lord, it was violent and beautiful at the same time. Also, a word of praise for our own amazing guitar player, Mike Burke, who I believe fits nicely in the Nels Cline realm. He always plays something completely unexpected but absolutely perfect.
atac: Jumping from Wilco a bit…I’m thinking about their projects with Mass MoCA, and now Western MA in general…I heard you’ve got a good Iron Horse story?
BR: The coolest / best concert experience I’ve ever had was in Northampton during a huge snowstorm. I watched Massachusetts’ greatest blues musician, Taj Mahal, play to a handful of people at the Iron Horse, which was mind blowing. I saw him leave his tour bus with smoke pouring, he’s wearing a Hawaiian shirt and dark sunglasses in the middle of a blizzard, and goes right on stage and starts ripping.
atac: That’s amazing. I once saw Dr. John in a similar setting—an oddly low turnout gig. Dude was hanging low key in the back all night and when it was time to play, he just slowly walked to the stage with his cane, parting the crowd like Moses or something. Super quiet, and then just dove into the jams. Anyhow … a book, a movie, and a podcast. Go!
BR: Soul of an Octopus is beautifully written by Sy Montgomery. An amazing book that reminds me you never know about another creature's capacity for understanding and learning. We are part of something not in charge or control of something. Summer of Soul’s such an inspiring movie. Watch the opening scene of a young Stevie Wonder performing and feel the goosebumps! For a podcast, The Big Hit Show season about Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp a Butterfly. It's an inside look at how a masterpiece is shaped; how some artists are playing chess while the rest of us are playing checkers.
atac: Cephalopods, Stevie Wonder, and Top Dawg Entertainment is a sprawling mix! When Butterfly came out, there were interviews where Kendrick cited a trip to Africa, Johannesburg and places, as being a huge influence. Has travel ever influenced your own songwriting?
BR: Oh yes! For me, as a songwriter the antenna is never really off. Sometimes it's even sharper if I'm traveling; both in writing songs and gaining inspiration from new subject matter. One time I was on vacation in Maine and every night I would sit in the same place on the shore of this beautiful lake and write one verse. I ended up writing a song called First It Rains, which is on the first Autumn Hollow album, Love Letters and Ransom Notes. One of the verses has a line about black flies because that night was when the black flies had arrived in Maine. Had to be quick with the writing that night!
atac: A great track. So, what can fans expect this fall with your gig here in downtown Framingham?
BR: A fun, exciting, enjoyable night of music. We want to entertain you, that's it!
*
Autumn Hollow plays live at atac with Comanchero on September 23rd. Grab tickets here.
Tags: