Bernard Brennan is one of Ireland's finest bass guitar players who currently performs all over the country with his band Cream Carousel. The band also features singer/songwriter Audrey Fey, guitarist Enda Duffy, and drummer Cy Mutch. Bewley's Theater and the Sugar Club are just two of their recent stomping grounds. Their chilled out diddy 'Bring Me To My Knees' is a jazz-tinged number in the vein of Duffy, but with a darker edge and something you might expect to find in the next Quentin Tarantino sound track. 'King of Cool' another highlight is a breezy twang that showcases the bands' undeniable talents. Fay's Nora Jones-meets-Amy Winehouse vocals particularly shine. 'Mama' is another slower and more sensitive offering. And lastly, 'Emptied Out' changes speed rapidly and the closing track 'Losin' swings in an almost punk direction, with elements of The Strokes and Ireland's own, Mary Black amongst its ingredients. To check this band out, you might want to book a flight to Ireland, get a nice B & B in Dublin and arrive at one of the above mentioned venues or you could just Log onto www.myspace.com/ creamcarousel for more info;)
Your sound is very unique, how do others classify it and would you agree with them?
When we read reviews or when people come up to us after gigs they either tell us that our sound had groove or is really old school. I guess that is about right. As a bass player my main inspirations have been James Jamerson (bass player on countless Motown hits) and John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin. In fact a lot of music of the 60s and 70s has a slight swing to their playing, be it Rock Soul Funk or Jazz. These days I personally feel that music has been kind of sterilized of groove and everything is played in a very rigid straight fashion.
That’s very true Bernard.
Enda and I are big fans of Django Reinhardt, a genius Jazz guitarist who pioneered and early form of jazz call Gypsy Jazz in the 30s and 40s. Audrey has written many songs that are heavily influenced by this music. Audrey is also a big fan of Ray Charles as well as other singers like Edith Piaf…
What an amazing movie they just had on her!
…It was good…um, Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday...it is impossible not be influenced by bands that exist today and the mixture of this with old school and very old school I would say describes us pretty well.
Nice. The title of your band is catchy. Are there any subliminal messages? Oh, and who came up with it?
Audrey came up with it and I'm still not sure what is means but knowing her I'm sure it's something sick.
(laughing) Whoa! Not to get all Irish or anything but I only just saw that indie, "Once," it was brilliant for an indie and the music was inspirational, any thoughts on it yourself? Could you see you and your band creating something creatively like this one day? (i.e long music video/movie combo).
I was blown away by the movie and music.
Me too…
…I am really happy for Glen Hansard. I met him once and he is a very approachable guy.
My friend Jim Hoover got to meet him at one of his recent concerts right here in NYC and he said the exact same thing!
Really? I think Ireland is a hard place to break out of and to have received an Oscar is beyond my comprehension. I was delighted for them both. Of course I wouldn't mind creating music for a hit Oscar winning film but knowing some of our creations we would probably end up doing soundtracks for porno. (laughing)
You've been married to your beautiful wife for many years, what are some secrets of success to a long lasting marriage?
It's a good question and I'm not sure if I have any answers for you. I guess she knew she was marrying a musician so maybe her expectations were pretty low. Its hard been married to a musician, just ask John Lennon’s ex wife. I don't think that there is any danger of me hooking up with a Japanese conceptual artist but nonetheless I spend a large part of my existence on the road, so it is hard and I miss her very much at those times.
You’re hysterical…so is she spellbound by your music or...
Well that is probably the number one reason our marriage has lasted a few years, Lorraine is very supportive but has no interest in that part of my life. Our apartment is like a foster home for guitars and I think she sees music as just my job.
I see you're very influenced musically by Hendrix. What are some reasons for this?
If there was one person that I could go back in time and meet it would be Jimi Hendrix. Jimi Hendrix for me was the most natural electric guitarist of all time. What is often overlooked however is the fact that he was an amazing songwriter as well, heavily influenced by Bob Dylan and the soul bands he played in like Ike and Tina Turner, Little Richard, the Isley Brother etc. I read that he saw music in colors.
Wow! That’s so cool.
These is no way that great man like this should be dead. I actually visited his grave in Seattle. Considering what a giant he was in terms of music and American culture I judge the small flat head stone to be rather unfitting.
Well said…Gimme some venues you and your band have performed?
We have played most venues in Ireland including The Red Box, Whelan’s in Dublin. Just recently we have recorded in Belfast and have played many venues there.
Your sister Annette is also musically talented (piano) and you and her actually had a band back in the day. Does she ever strike up a cord with Cream Carousal now?
Annette has always been a great inspiration to me not only as a musician.
Hmmm hmmm…
My sister is very goal oriented and that is a quality that is very important for a musician. She may add some keys in the future. She is very talented.
Ahh, that is sweet! What are some thoughts that go through your mind when you're up on stage?
The worst part of playing any venue is waiting to go up. As a musician, once you’re on a stage you inhabit your natural environment. It's a cliché but it's true. A musician's personal life is usually a complex disaster area but once up on stage life begins to make sense.
That is very enlightening and I believe a lot of musicians would agree with…that very beautiful statement. How much do you and your band meet up?
As a band we practice eight hours a day, six days a week. The only deviation to that schedule is where we are traveling to a venue. Music becomes an obsession and completely saturates your life and yet the amount of time actually on stage is for a very short duration.
Your band has developed a unique sound and solid following. Do you all collaborate on writing lyrics? Have you ever written songs solo?
Audrey is the songwriter in the band. Enda and I do contribute to arrangement and instrumentation although we are beginning to write some things now.
Any aspirations on a European tour or has that already happened?
That will be happening this summer in Germany. We have played in France. When we have more details we will be posting it on our My Space.
What musician would you like to have a pint of Guinness with?
Well maybe Shane Mc Gowan of the Pogues but quite frankly I don't think I would be ready for that.
Oh my god! I met him in Rory Dolan’s!
Really? Wow…when was this?
He was there for his appearance with his new band the Popes but when he arrived very late and very intoxicated it was too late…the band was already packing up to leave!
Wow, that sounds like him alright. Um, so, I have already stated my admiration for Jimi Hendrix and Django Reinhardt so as long as they were buying that would be OK. (laughing) The type of musicians I would like to have a Guinness with would be the ones who could tell you a few wars stories like Steven Tyler and Joe Perry of Aerosmith and Ozzy Osborne or Angus Young of AC/DC or any of the Stones.
Good choices! So far, many musicians I conversed with over the past several months repeatedly say they tend to create anti-love songs. They say love songs are too difficult. What's this about and is it the same for you?
It’s a cynical world we live in these days. You mentioned the indie movie “Once” which involves a love story and some of the music in the film could be placed in the love song category. I certainly wouldn't put that music in the anti love song category. I guess it depends on your personal definition of love. The Disney version of ‘happily ever after’ or the other version where there are ups and downs, where love is attended by loss and other complex human emotions, where love doesn’t necessary mean happily every after and getting everything you want. More often that not love hurts so in that context I think there is a lot of songs written that reflect that. I have to admit that it has been a very long time since I heard a really well written positive love song; we just might be living in the wrong time.
When we read reviews or when people come up to us after gigs they either tell us that our sound had groove or is really old school. I guess that is about right. As a bass player my main inspirations have been James Jamerson (bass player on countless Motown hits) and John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin. In fact a lot of music of the 60s and 70s has a slight swing to their playing, be it Rock Soul Funk or Jazz. These days I personally feel that music has been kind of sterilized of groove and everything is played in a very rigid straight fashion.
That’s very true Bernard.
Enda and I are big fans of Django Reinhardt, a genius Jazz guitarist who pioneered and early form of jazz call Gypsy Jazz in the 30s and 40s. Audrey has written many songs that are heavily influenced by this music. Audrey is also a big fan of Ray Charles as well as other singers like Edith Piaf…
What an amazing movie they just had on her!
…It was good…um, Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday...it is impossible not be influenced by bands that exist today and the mixture of this with old school and very old school I would say describes us pretty well.
Nice. The title of your band is catchy. Are there any subliminal messages? Oh, and who came up with it?
Audrey came up with it and I'm still not sure what is means but knowing her I'm sure it's something sick.
(laughing) Whoa! Not to get all Irish or anything but I only just saw that indie, "Once," it was brilliant for an indie and the music was inspirational, any thoughts on it yourself? Could you see you and your band creating something creatively like this one day? (i.e long music video/movie combo).
I was blown away by the movie and music.
Me too…
…I am really happy for Glen Hansard. I met him once and he is a very approachable guy.
My friend Jim Hoover got to meet him at one of his recent concerts right here in NYC and he said the exact same thing!
Really? I think Ireland is a hard place to break out of and to have received an Oscar is beyond my comprehension. I was delighted for them both. Of course I wouldn't mind creating music for a hit Oscar winning film but knowing some of our creations we would probably end up doing soundtracks for porno. (laughing)
You've been married to your beautiful wife for many years, what are some secrets of success to a long lasting marriage?
It's a good question and I'm not sure if I have any answers for you. I guess she knew she was marrying a musician so maybe her expectations were pretty low. Its hard been married to a musician, just ask John Lennon’s ex wife. I don't think that there is any danger of me hooking up with a Japanese conceptual artist but nonetheless I spend a large part of my existence on the road, so it is hard and I miss her very much at those times.
You’re hysterical…so is she spellbound by your music or...
Well that is probably the number one reason our marriage has lasted a few years, Lorraine is very supportive but has no interest in that part of my life. Our apartment is like a foster home for guitars and I think she sees music as just my job.
I see you're very influenced musically by Hendrix. What are some reasons for this?
If there was one person that I could go back in time and meet it would be Jimi Hendrix. Jimi Hendrix for me was the most natural electric guitarist of all time. What is often overlooked however is the fact that he was an amazing songwriter as well, heavily influenced by Bob Dylan and the soul bands he played in like Ike and Tina Turner, Little Richard, the Isley Brother etc. I read that he saw music in colors.
Wow! That’s so cool.
These is no way that great man like this should be dead. I actually visited his grave in Seattle. Considering what a giant he was in terms of music and American culture I judge the small flat head stone to be rather unfitting.
Well said…Gimme some venues you and your band have performed?
We have played most venues in Ireland including The Red Box, Whelan’s in Dublin. Just recently we have recorded in Belfast and have played many venues there.
Your sister Annette is also musically talented (piano) and you and her actually had a band back in the day. Does she ever strike up a cord with Cream Carousal now?
Annette has always been a great inspiration to me not only as a musician.
Hmmm hmmm…
My sister is very goal oriented and that is a quality that is very important for a musician. She may add some keys in the future. She is very talented.
Ahh, that is sweet! What are some thoughts that go through your mind when you're up on stage?
The worst part of playing any venue is waiting to go up. As a musician, once you’re on a stage you inhabit your natural environment. It's a cliché but it's true. A musician's personal life is usually a complex disaster area but once up on stage life begins to make sense.
That is very enlightening and I believe a lot of musicians would agree with…that very beautiful statement. How much do you and your band meet up?
As a band we practice eight hours a day, six days a week. The only deviation to that schedule is where we are traveling to a venue. Music becomes an obsession and completely saturates your life and yet the amount of time actually on stage is for a very short duration.
Your band has developed a unique sound and solid following. Do you all collaborate on writing lyrics? Have you ever written songs solo?
Audrey is the songwriter in the band. Enda and I do contribute to arrangement and instrumentation although we are beginning to write some things now.
Any aspirations on a European tour or has that already happened?
That will be happening this summer in Germany. We have played in France. When we have more details we will be posting it on our My Space.
What musician would you like to have a pint of Guinness with?
Well maybe Shane Mc Gowan of the Pogues but quite frankly I don't think I would be ready for that.
Oh my god! I met him in Rory Dolan’s!
Really? Wow…when was this?
He was there for his appearance with his new band the Popes but when he arrived very late and very intoxicated it was too late…the band was already packing up to leave!
Wow, that sounds like him alright. Um, so, I have already stated my admiration for Jimi Hendrix and Django Reinhardt so as long as they were buying that would be OK. (laughing) The type of musicians I would like to have a Guinness with would be the ones who could tell you a few wars stories like Steven Tyler and Joe Perry of Aerosmith and Ozzy Osborne or Angus Young of AC/DC or any of the Stones.
Good choices! So far, many musicians I conversed with over the past several months repeatedly say they tend to create anti-love songs. They say love songs are too difficult. What's this about and is it the same for you?
It’s a cynical world we live in these days. You mentioned the indie movie “Once” which involves a love story and some of the music in the film could be placed in the love song category. I certainly wouldn't put that music in the anti love song category. I guess it depends on your personal definition of love. The Disney version of ‘happily ever after’ or the other version where there are ups and downs, where love is attended by loss and other complex human emotions, where love doesn’t necessary mean happily every after and getting everything you want. More often that not love hurts so in that context I think there is a lot of songs written that reflect that. I have to admit that it has been a very long time since I heard a really well written positive love song; we just might be living in the wrong time.
Bernard, thank you so much for discussing your love of music with me. Your passion is contagious and makes me wish I knew how to play the guitar...
You're very welcome Phil.
