Written interview with Bluesman, guitarist John Brennan․
JazzBlues.EU: – Thank you for taking the time to have this interview with Jazz Blues EU. Tell us about your music. When did you start performing?
John Brennan: – I started playing the guitar when I was really young, like around 10 years old but I only knew a few chords back then. My Dad played the guitar and around that time my cousin was just learning to play. Both my Dad and my cousin showed me some chords. But it wasn’t until I was about thirteen when I started to take it seriously. For a while I only played and sang alone in my room since I was really shy. I began writing songs in my early teens and recorded them onto tape but only played them to close friends and family members. When I was about nineteen I started performing at local coffee houses during open mic nights. I finally worked up the courage to perform in front of people. Over the years I’ve played in different bands and worked different jobs to support myself. It wasn’t until a few years ago that I was able to earn a living playing music by performing at various places like bars, restaurants, breweries, wineries, and anywhere that has live music.
JBEU: – What do you consider to be your hometown and how does that affect your music?
JB: – My hometown is in Collingswood, New Jersey. It’s right outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It affects my music a lot because there’s a thriving music scene in the area and there’s so much talent to be inspired by. I live in an area that’s loaded with live music in just about every neighboring town and city. There’s a great big blues scene in Philadelphia with a lot of amazing musicians! I’ve learned a lot by watching and playing with various musicians over the years which has affected my music.
JBEU: – What performers have been your inspiration?
JB: – My first big inspiration was The Beatles which I know sounds kind of funny because I’m a blues musician and my music sounds nothing like them. But I discovered the blues through The Beatles out of curiosity. When I first started listening to them I was listening to a lot of their early stuff and I noticed that they did a lot of covers like “Long Tall Sally” and “Roll Over Beethoven”. That’s how I found out about Little Richard and Chuck Berry and all of the other 1950’s rock artists like Carl Perkins and Buddy Holly. I was already an Elvis fan so I knew his stuff. And then I became curious of who influenced them and it turned out to be all of these great blues musicians who I never heard of: Muddy Waters, B.B King, John Lee Hooker, Elmore James, Robert Johnson, Howlin’ Wolf and so many others. I fell in love with the blues right away! I bought as many blues CDs as I could and that’s how I learned to play the blues on guitar. Just by listening.
JBEU: – What do you find most challenging about being an independent artist in today’s music industry?
JB: – The biggest challenge I think is getting my music heard by the public. I promote my music as much as a can and in some ways it seems easier now with the internet and social media. But I’m persistent and so far I’ve had some luck with my new release ‘One Way Ride’.
JBEU: – What do you base your success on?
JB: – I base a lot of it on my accomplishments. For example I’ve been able to book enough live shows to the point where I’m able to make a living with music. Now with my new E.P. ‘One Way Ride’ I’ve been getting a bunch of streams and plays all throughout the world including various radio stations.
JBEU: – Can you talk about your experiences collaborating with other artists or musicians? How does it influence your creative process?
JB: – I’ve collaborated with many musicians over the years whether it’s through jamming or being in a band. I still collaborate with different musicians even though most of my shows are solo acoustic. I play some duo shows with my good friend Shakey Lyman who I met while playing in the Philadelphia blues scene. I’ve learned a lot from him, especially about showmanship. He’s a great singer and guitarist who really works the crowd and gets everyone engaged. A very important part of performing is keeping the audience interested and engaged.
JBEU: – What was your latest musical release?
JB: – My latest release is my E.P. ‘One Way Ride’ which I released in June of this year (2024).
JBEU: – Do you have any news to share? Could you share the story behind your latest new CD John Brennan – One Way Ride and what inspired its creation?
JB: – Last year I released my first E.P. which is more blues influenced and has more of a roots rock sound so I decided to release a more “pure” sounding blues E.P. I recorded the whole thing last Spring at my music studio at home. I wrote the song “One Way Ride” many years back but it had different lyrics and was originally a blues rock song. A few years ago I changed the words and music to make it more of a straight ahead blues song. The other originals on the E.P. are “Nothin’ to Lose” and “Where’d You Stay Last Night?” I also cover Elmore James’ “Shake Your Money Maker” and Robert Johnson’s “Ramblin’ on My Mind”. I named the E.P. ‘One Way Ride’ after the song because I like the title and I did a photo session with photographer Dan Williams at an old abandoned train track which appears on the cover.
JBEU: – How do you approach the process of songwriting, and are there any specific themes or emotions you tend to explore in your music?
JB: – I generally come up with the music first. Usually a guitar riff comes first and then the melody. Sometimes the lyrics come from life experiences or I’ll make up a story that sounds interesting enough to write a song about.
JBEU: – As an indie musician, how do you navigate the balance between creative freedom and commercial appeal?
JB: – I’m not really sure. Blues is a niche so I don’t expect many people outside of the blues market to be attracted to my music. I try to write blues songs that sound different from others which isn’t easy but I like the challenge. I also like fusing different styles of music with the blues like country, rockabilly, and rock.
JBEU: – What role does technology and social media play in promoting your music and connecting with your audience?
JB: – It plays a huge role. I’m constantly using social media to promote my music. I also bring my CDs to my shows to sell so that’s another way I get my music out to the public. But I mostly rely on social media with sites like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube and streaming platforms like Spotify, YouTube, iTunes, Amazon, etc.
JBEU: – Could you describe a memorable live performance experience or tour that has had a lasting impact on you and your music?
JB: – Yes there are a couple. I was backing up a friend of mine named Gregg Carpenter at his show and the lead singer of Lynard Skynard just happened to be at the venue so Gregg invited him to sing with us. We started playing “Free Bird” and I played the solo with my slide and afterwards the singer from Lynard Skynard told me that that was the best “Free Bird” guitar solo that he ever heard. Another memorable performance was at a Memphis themed barbecue restaurant called “Red, Hot, and Blue” where a guy who said he went to school with B.B. King told me that hearing me play reminded him of growing up in Clarksdale, Mississippi.
JBEU: – In an era of streaming platforms, how do you feel about the changing landscape of music consumption and its impact on independent musicians?
JB: – I’m only used to this current landscape of streaming platforms and online music consumption so I can’t compare it to how it used to be. I figure in order to make money in music whether it’s for a living or to fund a project or both you have to play live constantly.
JBEU: – Musicians often have a close relationship with their fanbase. How do you engage with your fans and build a dedicated community around your music?
JB: – Just by constantly playing live and releasing new music and videos as much as I can. I try to put out at least one E.P. and one single a year. I only have one music video out but I plan on making more.
JBEU: – How can fans find you? Lastly, please share some final words with the fans.
JB: – Fans can find me on my website at www.johnbrennansounds.com, through Facebook at www.facebook.com/johnbrennanmusic, on Instagram at www.instagram.com/jb.guitar, and on YouTube at www.youtube.com/johnbrennanmusic
I really appreciate the support that I get from my fans! I really can’t thank them enough! I’ve got more projects and shows coming up so stay tuned!
Interview by Olivia Peevas
