The Sunday Interview: Brains For Breakfast

May 23, 2021

The Sunday Interview: Brains For Breakfast

He is a songwriter under the name of Brains For Breakfast from Wolverhampton UK. He is known mainly for his uke and catchy hook songs, mainly the "Guitar Keyboard Ukulele and Melodic" tune! His aim with his writing is to tell stories and things that happen in a light hearted way. His message is make the most out of what you have, and utilise the people and network around you. His latest single is called "Predicting Is For Fools" this is a more mellow song, but still gives a positive spin on my lyrical content.

"This is a song I wrote a long time ago, but have re-recorded and "Ray Parkes" who produced the track layered the song with strings and piano parts, that build up throughout the track. You can early hear "The Beatles" influence towards the composition he has produced. All of the vocals, Bass and Guitars parts are done by Andy the "Brains" behind Brains For Breakfast", he says

Brains for Breakfast - Spotify

Who inspired you to make music?

I have been playing the guitar for about 17 years and that was my first instrument. I used to play at school in the music department with my friends and we used to share the songs we knew (Mainly Nirvana and Metallica tunes!) I remember seeing "School Of Rock" when I was a teenager and that really got me excited about trying out the electric guitar! Throughout my teenage years I listened to bands like Blink 182, My Chemical Romance, Incubus, Metallica, Funeral For A Friend, Enter Shikari. I never used to sing though, until I went to college and studied music. There wasn't many singers so I took up the challenge and then carried on from there.

Since then I have listened to many singer-songwriters and bands that inspired me to play the acoustic guitar, ukulele and start writing song (Frank Turner, Get Cape Wear Cape Fly, Tallest Man On Earth, Paulo Nutini, The King Blues, Twenty One Pilots, The Rainbow Girls)

What is your creative process like?

Usually with my acoustic and sometimes I write on the ukulele, and convert it to the guitar. I find the uke a great instrument to write simple music that sounds more upbeat than if it was written on the guitar. I would normally write in my music room and mess around with ideas on the loop pedal or record on the computer to get demos down.

When I'm recording, I try to use a different producer each time, and each E.P or Album has had a different approach to the last. I love to try new things and always willing to experiment with a song. For Example on the song "Waves Waves Waves" I used a bottle instead of a slide to record the solo and, the time I recorded the acoustic on "Don't Take Yourself Too Seriously" the producer suggested to slack all the strings to the same note on everything string, this gave a twangy sound in the background. The small things that I do in the studio that only a handful of people know, makes each track stand out in different ways.

Who would you most like to collaborate with?

There are many independent artists I have wanted to work with! Call Me Unique is probably top of the list, I used to cross paths at gigs and open mics and really love her style. She used to play solo acoustic but, now plays with a live band. She is a brilliant singer and can do amazing jazz scat. Ed Geater is another one, his beatbox skills are excellent! Would love to write and perform a song with some beatbox in it. My good friends Lauren Grace, Circa201294, Blade Edwards, Phil Brunsdon, Bansal Electrics, we often play open mics together and would really like to create something with each separately.

Writing a song with Incubus would be a dream, I love that band! Such versatile musicians, obviously not going to happen but if the opportunity ever come up, I would be over the moon (I wish!).

When I have collaborated with artists in the past it has always been with a different style or some aspect of music I couldn't create. For example, Plain and Simple is a rapper and I'm by no means a rapper at all!! We recorded an E.P together and did an acoustic/rap style which I really enjoyed.

Benjamin Yellowitz is another artist I wrote a song with entitled "Colliding Faith" we recorded and wrote that song over a weekend at his house in Ealing, West London. There were things on the song I wouldn't normally do, he used dissonant chords on the bridge of the song that actually really built up the song. He used interesting techniques recording and really thought outside the box, which you can hear the creativity that song had.

What is the most useful talent you have?

Playing the guitar and being able to write a catchy song, I guess. My ability to do harmonise goes along way, especially when jamming with other musicians

...and of course, your most useless talent is?

Collecting instruments that I never play! Making origami frogs and swans is a random, but not so useful talent.

If you could change anything in the past, what would it be?

In aspects to my musical journey, I'm really proud of everything I have achieved! The people I have met and the friends I have made may have been different if I did anything differently. I truly believe everything happens for a reason and, any mistakes made, is something I can learn from.

How do you feel the Internet (especially Social Media platforms) has impacted the music business?

It has made it more accessible for independent musicians for sure. Has been so much easier for me to arrange gigs in places I don't think would be possible without the internet. On the flip side there is this expectation to post and it can take up a lot of time, but again it's another way of reaching out to an audience and use it as an on-going story of the musical journey.

I use an online distributor to upload Brains For Breakfast music and, platforms like this make it so easy for me to share music with whoever I want.

What do you know about Austria?

I love Austria, have been to Vienna and Salzburg! Both incredible cities and really want to see more of your country in the future. Random fact, I actually recorded part of my music video in Vienna when I went Interailling back in 2014. The song was "While We're Still Here" I got my friend to film me running past monuments and interesting places we went.

I went to watch a classical concert in Salzburg at Mirabell Palace and these young kids were playing Motzart, Bach and other classical compositions on the piano. I was blown away with the talent of these young musicians. It was a concert I won't forget, some of the best musicians I have ever seen (I have watched many over the years)

Brains for Breakfast is...?

One of my main influences Get Cape Wear Cape Fly went under a pseudonym, I also wanted to name the project something other than my own name. It come up from a conversation I had and loved the name and it's one that no one forgets!

What’s next for you?

I plan to write more music to release later in the year and cannot wait to play more gigs. I have a gig at DeadWax in Digbeth, Birmingham on 2nd July with The Silver Lines and Cigarette Social Club. I would like to go back to Switzerland to play more gigs, as I played there quite regular before lockdown. I would love to come and play in Austria as well, if you know anywhere that would let me play? 👍😂