Page 5 - Black Velvet Issue 85

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BlackVelvetMagazine.Com - 5

A (Musical) Note From...

brian kroll - my son the bum

‘My Son The Bum – that’s a strange name quality and type of people I wanted. to putting out animated song videos? I always
for a band, I hear you say! You’re correct. It’s Originally, I booked a recording studio to have felt that, for me, the world didn’t need an-
a name that spontaneously combusted. do four songs. The owner asked me if I’d ever other guitar band standing on stage wielding
My Son The Bum was part of an album wanted to record an album. I told him, yeah their guitars. I was always about the song. If I
title name that became the project name. The sure… but I only have these four songs ready. was going to have videos done, they had to be
album title was ‘My Son The Bum - Beyond He suggested that I go home and look through special. I wanted the videos to be an art form
Therapy’. The CD artwork was arranged in a my notebooks and that I probably wrote lyrics of their own. All of the songs were inspired by
way that, to me, made ‘My Son The Bum’ look that I didn’t even remember. Although I thought real life experiences. Doing videos has al-
like my project name. And, the rest is history. he was a great salesman or con man, I de- lowed me to focus on music while remaining
Being from New York, it didn’t cross my mind cided to look through my notebooks anyway. somewhat anonymous. I am more interested
that the word ‘bum’ had different meanings in There, I found a full set of song lyrics that I had in showing the creation than the creator.
the UK and Australia. It wasn’t until I got a written by flow after watching the movie ‘One ‘Death By Texting’ is a song inspired by a
‘best band name ever’ Flew Over The real experience. While walking out of a hospi-
message from a DJ at Cuckoo’s Nest’. I tal, I witnessed a woman in a business suit
Surrey University that it worked with walking out of the emergency room exit. She
dawned on me of ‘bum’ someone to was texting at the same time. The hospital was
meaning buttocks, one’s arrange and pro- on a one way street and only the locals knew
rear end, ass… duce four more that. It was easy for someone to drive down
I’m a songwriter (yet songs and an the street going the wrong way. After seeing
I don’t sing), guitarist and album was born. this, I heard the lyrics in my head ‘see her
I think too much. Always After each walking down the street, the new brand of road
have, most likely always album, I’d do a kill meat….she shoulda seen it coming, death
will. At the university, I send out and by texting.’ The ‘Death By Texting’ video is re-
was the one student in then start think- ceiving recurring major and regional network
the whole psychology lab ing of the next cable airplay across the USA.
class that got the trick songs to record. Then there’s ‘Follow Me, Like Me’. The
question right. How did I Some people exact chorus lyrics that you hear on ‘Follow
get from wanting to form have called me a Me, Like Me’ were taken from a cell phone
a band to recording five ‘studio head’. I recording. Social media, at times, feels to me
albums with a core of seemed to live to like a stadium of people standing up and
studio musicians? It write and record screaming ‘look at me’. Seeing 'Follow Us,
seemed to work out that songs and CDs. Like Us' all over the place felt to me like the
way. To find musicians that would share my No two songs sound exactly alike on any of the matchbook ads to become a millionaire
musical goals and visions seemed to work out CDs. I loved to take risks and experiment with overnight. Highly impersonal and personal at
better in a recording studio situation. I had al- new ideas. This made it very challenging to the same time. It's aimed at everybody and yet
ways wanted to be in a band. Originally, I had find the right nobody at the same
no real longing or need to write lyrics or songs. people to play time. 'Everybody
That’s how I saw it. Somehow, that was not to live and con- wants to be heard
be the case. Several random events changed tinue to record above the noise', but
that. new songs. My it can be numbing.
Although I am from New York, I spent pattern was to I did not deliber-
three months during High School in Southern record an ately pick songs to
California. It was cool to be sitting on a beach album, then represent any
in March playing my Gibson Les Paul with new continue writ- causes. The ‘Death
friends. This connects to songwriting. It seems ing and after- By Texting’ and ‘Fol-
that after I had several drinks, I’d sing along wards record low Me, Like Me’
with songs on the radio in my friends car and yet another songs/videos are my
blaspheme the lyrics. My friends found this en- CD. personal experiences
tertaining. Somehow, this turned into my song- One of my with living in a cell
writing experimenting phase without my main obses- phone, cyber and so-
knowing it. sions is what I cial media driven
Another life changing event happened to will leave be- world. I try to be a
me two years after that when I got a phone hind on this person and not a
number to take guitar lessons from one of my planet musically and as a person when I’m marketing machine. When writing, I believe
local heroes. I plucked up the courage to ask dead and gone. I have some sense of urgency that if I stay with my subjective experiences, I
the band’s guitarist for lessons. He gave me with these things. Early on, I realized that have a better chance of connecting universally
life changing advice. This great guitarist and some musicians/artists that helped save or with others on whatever level I am writing. I am
humble man told me that I needed to write change my life were dead before I discovered currently working on recording a soundtrack to
songs, not learn more guitar solos. I was quite them. At some point, I was driven to think an independent film. My Son The Bum has
surprised that he was more concerned about about what I would leave behind to possibly come full circle. I am working with all new peo-
helping me than taking my money. My mission help or positively influence someone else’s life. ple. A new animated song video is being fin-
became writing songs. Several years ago, after some college radio ished. Hint, the topic was not meant to be
I started writing down my ideas and promotions, I’d give the music out for free to controversial.
thoughts in notebooks. For music ideas, I’d fans around the world. This way, if I didn’t tour, Brian
record them on anything available, digital voice the music would go around the world. I put
recorders, my cell phone, even analog tape if what would have been tour/gig money into For more info on My Son The Bum visit
necessary. I have hundreds of recordings and recording more music and giving them out. It www.mysonthebum.com
pages in my notebooks and hard drives for was more important for me to leave music be-
possible song ideas. After jamming and band hind to share with others and show that I had In a band? Want to write a one-off col-
forming attempts, the answer was to start lived and walked the planet at some point. umn for Black Velvet? Get in touch. Email
recording things in a studio. Then I’d get the How did I go from being a ‘studio project’ editor@blackvelvetmagazine.com.

MY SON THE BUM