So i decided to try and get on board again with blogging and sharing about my time, but im really struggling with accepting the idea of anyone caring about this. I spoke to a friend the other day who was telling me i have to join twitter, and i honestly would if someone would set it up for me and tell me how to use it ..and then give me witty things to say,
Ive gotten several emails and comments over the years asking me why monarch hasnt become more famous than we are..i actually believe that it has everything to do with my overall pathetic attempt at communicating with friends and fans.
Im terrible at it. I always have been and truly want to get better..it takes me forever to respond to emails and im always too shy or embarrassed to talk to people after shows.
But today im turning a new leaf! Im gonna blog, facebook chat, update, and all that jazz...so in a sense, im coming out of the network closet...horrible analogy.
First order of business, ive started a record up here in seattle..i spent the last couple years writing for other people and flying from denver to LA to seattle writing with my friends brent, jerrod, andy, and aaron trying to put together a collection of songs for the new album, but ive not been ready to do it til now.
The first part of this record will be 4 single ready tracks produced by myself and Aaron Sprinkle at the Compound. Weve been writing together for a year pitching songs to adam lambert all the way to kelly clarkson...so it only made sense to start the next monarch record together...i hope that joke landed.
Other possibilities for this next album will be collaborations with andy prickett (who produced the last two monarch records and engineered the last onerepublic album) and jason martin of starflyer 59.
If a major lable is involved in the end, id love to co-produce this with my friends (brent, aaron, and andy) ...if the budgets there and my dreams come true.
I really wanted to start this album around april when my personal life hit a major crisis...my marriage was falling apart and i was living alone for the first time in 5 years...i had so much i wanted to write and confess, and it has been a rollercoaster since then.
So far, the tracks that we are recording, and some of you have heard the demos are...
Lose You
Need it
find love
Love me First
Back in love
thats alot of love
...weve been in the studio off and on for the last two months..lots of goofing off and watching extras, but never the less, the inspiration is coming..these songs are about loss...romantic gestures and epic failures...desperate cries and uphill battles...its my most personal confessions to date...
grandeur and lowly were written out of desperation..my need to be noticed and rescued..from pain, sin, and selfishness...this next album is a love story...its pain at its worst...the loss of true love and the fight to win it back..the fight to win back my soul..after losing it...i still havent gottan it back, so im really excited to see how this one ends..thats where i am right now on july 5th 2011
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Friday, September 24, 2010
Friday, April 30, 2010
Strange Monarch Videos
ok, so i started getting links to some strange videos on youtube with monarch songs, so i thought id post some..from harry potter to canadian skiers, thanks for sending these :) brennan
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Writing, Recording in Denver, and Some Personal Confessions
Ive come to the realization that i am not the greatest at keeping up with new forms of "band/artist promotion." With every type of new and inventive way of finding out musicians day to day eating habits, ive been having trouble jumping on board.
I am going to try to make an effort to move along with the times and post little messages on twitter about the omelet that im about to make, or the fact that its 5:37 in the morning and im still awake even after "you've got mail" failed to put me to sleep.
I really do want to connect more with people who have loved and supported monarch's music all these years, and i dont want to become one of those musicians hidden away like ben kenobe where everyone assumes that i'm some crazy old wizard.
So off we go, we have some catching up to do, ...alot has happened these past few months.
While living in seattle, monarch has been playing here and there trying out new songs while making appearances in LA's knitting factory and the showbox here in seattle. Weve made some amazing, loyal friends who come to every show and smile at us from the front row.
The band has transformed from 4, skinny, wide eyed boys escaping the rock seen from pittsburgh to create cinematic, brit-inspired pop music; to very wide eyed young men attempting to find a good balance in an industry now becoming the music we set out to establish as our own. That was a very long and grammatically incorrect sentence. Sheesh, Im a terrible writer..anyway,
We believe this is our year to shine through..not through your televisions or myspace front pages, but shine through the obstacles that has left our music, my music to be left behind in a cloud of smoke as i watch bands i played with move on to be stars.
So after a few years watching my friends, and some not so friendly friends(lovedrug) release major label label albums, ive been wondering what has left me stuck in the indie world, which is satisfying but at the same time tough on the wallet.
I was fortunate to have a few of my songs in rotation on mtv this year, and i never made a dime from it.
So where am i now, and where is all this going?
I was rejected by 5 major labels within a year, and it was tough on me. But i see now what was wrong. I didnt consider all the things that make an artist shine..#1, amazing, memorable songs, #2 lyrics that are relatable and simple #3 a great band.
I never had all three together at once. Now I feel like im getting close to all three.
I have no idea what this year has in store for me, but im feeling confident again and there are some amazing opportunities ahead that i wont mention yet..mainly because anytime i do they usually fall through and i end up looking like an idiot(or basically how i look most of the time)
If i have to be doing anything musical right now, i want it to be inspiring and beautiful. Ive been concerned over this last year of writing a hit song, and it's crippled me..if i could advise one thing to writers, dont ever TRY to write a hit song..its a painful process and nothing feels genuine.
i spent last week down in denver writing with brent kutzle and surrounding myself with an atmosphere of success, pop songs, and rockstars. And the most important thing i got out of it was my love for writing and compossing again. Being around brent and having him push me to go further was an eye-opener. Although i was intimidated by being around ryan tedder, i was pleasantly surprised by his charm and easy going demeanor. Not many artists enjoy having other tenors lirking about their recording studio poking in and out of rooms filled with cool gear. you can see some photos of the studio and of prickett messing things up as usual at onerepublic.net
as far as the new demos,..everything is sounding very monarch..more cinematic of course because of brent's influence, but still very monarch. The guys in the band are adding their "music major" ideas to the songs, and its helping alot..cant wait to share it with all of you..hopefully this time it will be more than just that handful of people in holland : )
goodnight
brennan
I am going to try to make an effort to move along with the times and post little messages on twitter about the omelet that im about to make, or the fact that its 5:37 in the morning and im still awake even after "you've got mail" failed to put me to sleep.
I really do want to connect more with people who have loved and supported monarch's music all these years, and i dont want to become one of those musicians hidden away like ben kenobe where everyone assumes that i'm some crazy old wizard.
So off we go, we have some catching up to do, ...alot has happened these past few months.
While living in seattle, monarch has been playing here and there trying out new songs while making appearances in LA's knitting factory and the showbox here in seattle. Weve made some amazing, loyal friends who come to every show and smile at us from the front row.
The band has transformed from 4, skinny, wide eyed boys escaping the rock seen from pittsburgh to create cinematic, brit-inspired pop music; to very wide eyed young men attempting to find a good balance in an industry now becoming the music we set out to establish as our own. That was a very long and grammatically incorrect sentence. Sheesh, Im a terrible writer..anyway,
We believe this is our year to shine through..not through your televisions or myspace front pages, but shine through the obstacles that has left our music, my music to be left behind in a cloud of smoke as i watch bands i played with move on to be stars.
So after a few years watching my friends, and some not so friendly friends(lovedrug) release major label label albums, ive been wondering what has left me stuck in the indie world, which is satisfying but at the same time tough on the wallet.
I was fortunate to have a few of my songs in rotation on mtv this year, and i never made a dime from it.
So where am i now, and where is all this going?
I was rejected by 5 major labels within a year, and it was tough on me. But i see now what was wrong. I didnt consider all the things that make an artist shine..#1, amazing, memorable songs, #2 lyrics that are relatable and simple #3 a great band.
I never had all three together at once. Now I feel like im getting close to all three.
I have no idea what this year has in store for me, but im feeling confident again and there are some amazing opportunities ahead that i wont mention yet..mainly because anytime i do they usually fall through and i end up looking like an idiot(or basically how i look most of the time)
If i have to be doing anything musical right now, i want it to be inspiring and beautiful. Ive been concerned over this last year of writing a hit song, and it's crippled me..if i could advise one thing to writers, dont ever TRY to write a hit song..its a painful process and nothing feels genuine.
i spent last week down in denver writing with brent kutzle and surrounding myself with an atmosphere of success, pop songs, and rockstars. And the most important thing i got out of it was my love for writing and compossing again. Being around brent and having him push me to go further was an eye-opener. Although i was intimidated by being around ryan tedder, i was pleasantly surprised by his charm and easy going demeanor. Not many artists enjoy having other tenors lirking about their recording studio poking in and out of rooms filled with cool gear. you can see some photos of the studio and of prickett messing things up as usual at onerepublic.net
as far as the new demos,..everything is sounding very monarch..more cinematic of course because of brent's influence, but still very monarch. The guys in the band are adding their "music major" ideas to the songs, and its helping alot..cant wait to share it with all of you..hopefully this time it will be more than just that handful of people in holland : )
goodnight
brennan
Thursday, September 4, 2008
monarch on mtv's the hills
so this week one of my songs was on a show called the hills which is apparently very popular with the kids according to the magazine covers in the grocery store lines. Ive never seen the show until now, and i dont really get this one. Dont get me wrong, i enjoy a mindless reality show as much as the next guy, but maybe im too old for the hills..to be honest, the whole time i was watching it i was just waiting to hear my song..i had no idea what was going on..blondes were on couches, and guys were breaking up with them..all i know is that everyone in that show reminds me of the kids that i wanted to think i was cool when i was in highschool..i am pretty excited to be on mtv..i told brent about it today feeling a little embarresed about the show but he made me feel ok about it..im sure hes been through his share of that sort of thing and has great perspective about it.
I guess ive always wanted to keep my music pure and protected with everything it touches.."i cant have my song played on a teen soap opera! it should be slowly fading in and out of a french art film reflecting every lyric perfectly with the story!". bahh..humbug. Of course its impossible for someone in my position to think that way anymore and have a real go at this sort of thing.
Im happy to be even considered in a 5 second clip on a hit television show. Great films..thats always been my dream..to have my music in great films..if you close your eyes real tight and ignore every word that comes out of their mouths; the two hills girls become kim hunter and vivian leigh in streetcar
anyway, heres the clip of the song
I guess ive always wanted to keep my music pure and protected with everything it touches.."i cant have my song played on a teen soap opera! it should be slowly fading in and out of a french art film reflecting every lyric perfectly with the story!". bahh..humbug. Of course its impossible for someone in my position to think that way anymore and have a real go at this sort of thing.
Im happy to be even considered in a 5 second clip on a hit television show. Great films..thats always been my dream..to have my music in great films..if you close your eyes real tight and ignore every word that comes out of their mouths; the two hills girls become kim hunter and vivian leigh in streetcar
anyway, heres the clip of the song
Monday, June 30, 2008
naruto - perform
so i found this on youtube and im not sure what it is..i never really understood anime or even if thats how its spelled, but it was interesting hearing monarch combined with swords, blood, and samurai...those other small town monarch metal bands would have probably been more suited...i am not even close to being that cool..it was still fun though
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
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