Artist: John Brennan
Album: One Way Ride
Released: 2024
Website: https://www.johnbrennansounds.com/
John Brennan hails from Collingwoods, New Jersey, but one wouldn't know that based on his blues prowess. New Jersey is obviously home to music greats like Bruce Springsteen, Bon Jovi, Southside Johnny and others, but not exactly a blues hotbed. Brennan has clearly studied the many sides of that thing we call the blues, and he delivers the real thing across the entirety of his latest release.
The EP One Way Ride consists of five tracks that clock in at 17 minutes long. The first thing that jumped out of the speakers is the vintage guitar tone and performance. I am pleased to share that the slide guitar gets the spotlight on this release. There are so many great slide players pushing the boundaries these days, but Brennan is a breath of fresh air in the sense that he appears to be a preservationist, stopping at Elmore James.
Speaking of Elmore James... his classic Shake Your Money Maker is covered on this release and done impeccably. The slightly overdriven amp with what sounds like real spring reverb simply never gets old. Brennan's version is heartfelt and authentic. The slide has grit and grease, leaving the polish for the younger cats that are wonderful in their own way, but lacking the guts that this has. It has the kind of dirt that water doesn't wash off. That stank, that is an infectious snapshot in time.
The title cut One Way Ride keeps the real thing rolling down the tracks with some more nasty slide guitar and classic turnarounds. John's vocals are relaxed and natural sounding. So many blues artists put on a rasp that is clearly fake and instantly recognizable as such. Brennan relies more on a deep understanding of the music and chooses to use his natural instrument gracefully to deliver his take on the blues.
Another standard is covered with Ramblin' On My Mind. It is more of the same, which I mean as a compliment. When the blues is played well, anything more than the simple truth is simply too much. This acoustic piece exemplifies why this music is so powerful, to those that love it.
Where'd You Stay Last Night is drenched in blues and classic early rock and roll. That place where Bo Diddley and Chuck Berry were crossing over into the mainstream. But to those who know, they were commercially successful men of the blues that just amped it up a bit more and renamed it. This cut captures that special place in music history perfectly.
This EP is a fantastic release, if you like the nasty stuff. There is nothing here that even flirts with moving the music beyond where it should be. It belongs in the roadhouse with whiskey, pool tables and cigarettes. If you are a fan of the classic blues sound I highly recommend checking this release out. I assure you, it will not disappoint!
Check Out The Interview Below....
Tell us the brief history of your band or musical career.
I started playing guitar when I was about 14 years old. I already knew a few chords from my Dad showing me. My Dad played guitar and he had a guitar chord book that I used to look at. My cousin had already been playing guitar for a few years around this time and he would also show me chords. It was The Beatles who inspired me to learn to play. My Dad played The Beatles a lot and I always liked them but it wasn’t until I was around 14 that I started to take in their music and listen to it deeply. In the beginning I just wanted to learn to play as many Beatles songs as I could. I was listening to a lot of their early stuff and noticed that they covered a bunch of 1950’s rock songs originally done by Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly, Little Richard, and others. Then I got into Fifties rock music and I remember reading about their influences and it turned out to be blues musicians such as Muddy Waters, B.B. King, Elmore James, T-Bone Walker, and so many others. That’s how I got into the blues. Then I started buying up a bunch of blues CD’s and I really listened. I learned how to play blues guitar mainly by ear and reading tab. It took me a little while to build up the confidence to play in front of people and by the time I was about 18 or 19 I started playing at coffee house open mics. Then over the years I played in different bands, especially blues bands but like many bands they didn’t last so I ended up playing solo. I ended up being able to play for a living for about five years now. I released my first E.P. titled John Brennan last year in 2023 which has a more blues based, sort of roots rock sound. Then I decided to release a more pure sounding blues E.P. this year titled One Way Ride. I’m currently working on new music to be released next year in 2025.
Who are your musical and non-musical influences?
My main influences are blues artists such as Muddy Waters, Robert Johnson, Elmore James, B.B King, John Lee Hooker and so many others. I’m also influenced by classic rock and older rock and roll artists like The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and The Allman Brothers. I also like some country artists including Chris Stapleton, Johnny Cash, and Hank Williams.
I can’t think of any non-musical influences, honestly.
What album has had the greatest impact on your life as a musician?
That’s a tough one but I’d have to say it’s a tie between The Beatles’ Rubber Soul and a 3 CD blues box set called The Blues Box. It’s the very first blues album that I bought and it introduced me to so many great blues artists.
What’s your favorite accomplishment as a musician thus far?
Getting in the Roots Music Reports Charts! I couldn’t believe it when I first saw my name and my album One Way Ride in the charts! It’s a real honor! Thanks to all of the radio stations and DJs including you Luke and “Radio Guitar One” and “Global Blues Radio” for playing my music and making that happen!
Tell me about your favorite performance in your career.
That would have to be my performance at Jamey’s House of Music in Lansdowne, PA. I’ve always wanted to play there! It’s an amazing place and the sound system is fantastic! Jamey Reilly who’s the owner does the sound and does an amazing job! I shared the bill with Gary Cogdell who’s a great blues musician from Delaware. I had just released One Way Ride a few months prior to the show so I played all of the songs in my set. There’s a video of it up on my YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/johnbrennanmusic
What's new in the recording of your music?
I’m currently working on a couple of new songs that’ll be release as singles either later this year or early next year.
What made you want to play the instrument you play?
I think the guitar chose me haha. My Dad played it, my cousin plays it, my great uncle and my Grandmother’s uncle played the guitar. So I guess I was bound to play it.
Are there any musicians who inspire you that are not famous? What qualities do you admire about them?
Yes there are. Shakey Lyman and Mikey Junior are both from the Philadelphia Blues scene and they both have influenced me greatly. Mikey hosts an open blues jam at a place called The Twisted Tail in South Philadelphia. I’ve learned a lot by playing with him at the jam including how to lead a band and how to engage with the crowd. He’s an amazing singer and harmonica player and he really knows how to work the crowd. Shakey Lyman is also great at engaging with the crowd and has amazing stage presence. He sings, plays slide guitar, and harmonica. I also play slide guitar and I’ve learned some things by playing with him including what string gauges to use and how to play certain chords in open tuning. We do some duo gigs together and I always have a great time playing with him!
What are your biggest obstacles as a musician?
I play in three to four different tunings including open G, open D (or open E when playing the electric guitar), drop D, and standard tuning. I typically bring two guitars at my shows so I can always switch but I still have to arrange my set list so I have a bunch of songs in the same tuning back to back. It’s more of a challenge when I’m playing a shorter set than when I’m playing 3 or 4 hours but most of my songs are in open D and open G tuning so I’ll learn to play a song that I wrote in standard tuning in one of those open tunings.
Do you have any anxiety about performing live?
Not really. I used to but not so much anymore. I play multiple shows a week so I’ve gotten used to it.
Describe your creative process when you write new music.
I typically write the music first. I’ll usually come up with a guitar riff and build the chords and melody around it. For lyrics I’ll think of a story and I’ll try to come up with enough interesting words and phrases. Lately I’ve been writing down interesting sounding phrases and sentences that don’t belong to a song yet. So I’ll build a song out of that.
Give us some advice for new musicians just starting out in the industry.
Practice, practice, practice! Be patient but also persistent. Hard work does pay off.
What artists do you enjoy listening to nowadays?
I mainly still listen to the same artists that I did when I was a teenager but I’ve been discovering some older blues artists that I never heard of before. There’s a lot of great newer blues artists too like Samantha Fish and Chris “Kingfish” Ingram and from the local Philadelphia Blues scene like Slim and the Perkolaters and Mikey Junior.
How do you promote your band and shows?
Mainly through Facebook and Instagram.
What is the best way to stay updated on current news; gigs, releases, etc.
The best way is to visit my website at www.johnbrennansounds.com
Anything you would like to share, from new merch to upcoming shows/tours or songs/albums?
Yes, I’m working on a couple of new singles right now. I plan on releasing a full length album possibly next year. I’ll be playing at the first Philadelphia Blues Society Festival next year and I’m really looking forward to that!
Are there any artists outside of your genre that have not had much influence on your music that you enjoy?
Oh sure. The Beatles, Chris Stapleton, Hank Williams, The Police, there’s so many others. I’ll listen to pretty much anything from Pop/Rock to Folk and some Country.
Anything Else You Would Like to Include?
If you’re reading this and you’re from the PA/NJ/DE Tri state area be sure to visit my website www.johnbrennansounds.com where I have my full schedule of upcoming shows posted. I play at different local places such as bars, restaurants, breweries, wineries, and music venues. My website is also where you’ll find links to stream and purchase my music along with videos and photos. I have some great stuff planned ahead so stay tuned!
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