Today we’d like to introduce you to Chris Matthews.
Hi Chris, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
We never intended Brother Swan to become a band; it was more about making a record during the pandemic since no one could play shows. Like so many other musicians, we finally had a moment to slow down and focus on music in a way we had never been able to previously. We found the whole process to be incredibly rewarding, especially when guitar wiz and legendary tech Jason Rhodes from the New Order crew stepped in to produce. Now that things are finally starting to open up, we have an opportunity to share the music in a way that’s both visceral and immediate, which is exciting.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It’s never a smooth road in music, but that’s part of what makes it all the more worthwhile! Having four people come together to make decisions about something everyone is equally passionate about can be taxing and psychologically demanding. I think that’s also a good sign that you’re onto something valuable if there’s some creative friction.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
We specialize in writing, recording, and performing. I think we’re most proud of the idea that Brother Swan is a homegrown project that has been fully realized through self-reliance and resourcefulness. All the writing, recording, and mixing is done by us exclusively. That sort of punk, DIY ethos is alive and well through this project and we aim to keep it that way as much as possible. What sets us apart is that we are a band of audio engineers with varying degrees of expertise, and that is a huge advantage to be able to have full control of our sound and vision.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
Risk-taking is essential in our scene. Of course, any band that is starting out needs to take financial risks, whether it’s for promotional efforts, recording, producing merchandise, going on tours, etc. I think about risk as being directly proportional to reward: the more risk you incur, the more value. The kinds of bands we admire did not come to fame by sitting idle; there’s a great deal of indie rock that isn’t radio-friendly and relies heavily on fostering a local following with the potential to crossover into a mainstream audience.
Contact Info:
- Website: brotherswan.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brotherswanband/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brotherswanLA
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/brotherswanband
Image Credits
Rafael Hernandez
