What is your names?
My name is Brad Wilson.
What is your genre of music?
I would probably call it Folk-rock mixed with vintage pop.
Give us a little bio about you.
I’m a singer-songwriter from New Jersey. I’ve been writing songs for about 11 years, and have played more shows in that time than I can remember. I love performing live, it’s a huge part of my identity.
What made you go into music?
I went into music because I love the idea of making someone’s day a little brighter. Life, especially in 2024, can feel really hollow if you allow it. Something as insignificant as a hopeful song can be so powerful, and I think that’s more important (and lacking) than ever.
Who are your influences?
Too many to list, but I can pick a few. Van Morrison, Terry Reid, Leon Russell, Bob Dylan, Oasis, Coldplay, and George Harrison are the first ones that come to mind.
Are you a signed?
I’m independent.
You recently released your latest Single ‘You and I’, tell us more about the single and the meaning behind the song.
I can’t provide any meaning for the song, I don’t really work like that. Most of the time music that I’m playing or working on makes me feel a certain way and I just run with it. I think it’s a song that doesn’t take itself too seriously.
Describe the track in two words.
Fun and Classic
What was the writing and recording process like?
The writing process was pretty quick, once I get a melodic idea (usually the chorus), it comes together pretty quickly. At that time, I was obsessed with the idea of condensing the parts of a song to the point of not really having any filler. Recording the song was a lot of fun, since it’s pretty up-tempo, plus we had most of the part ideas laid out from my demo version.
Who did you work with on the single?
I worked with Dan Bailey on drums, Roger Joseph Manning Jr. on keys, Daniel Rhine on bass, and Barrett Wilson on guitar. Jon Gilbert produced it, and Jimmy Dixon was the engineer.
We are also expected to see your next single ‘Fool on That Harmony’, tell us how this carries on from ‘You and I’ and the story behind it.
“Fool on That Harmony” was actually written back to back with “You and I”, so it was sort of meant to be a counterpart to that song.
Will we see some visuals for the single and if so, what can we expect from the creative process?
The visuals for the single will be some film photos that my friend Dimitri took of me around Asbury Park on expired black and white film. We didn’t know at the time if they would even turn out because it had expired, but they actually did.
Will we see an EP or album and if so, what can we expect from it?
The rest of the EP is going to follow up this single, so stay tuned for the release date. The full album is written, it just needs to be recorded. However, when you’re talking about analogue recordings, that means finding funding. That’s what me and Jon are working on right now.
Do you have any live shows coming up?
I have a ton of shows coming up, always at least one a week, if not two to three. Check my Instagram for those!
What else can we expect in 2024?
Hopefully a lot more music. I’ve got so much music written and I’m working out how to get it recorded in the same way that we did the EP. All analogue, and totally live.
Where do you see yourself now in 5 Years?
Making analogue music, with a lot more funding to do so than I have now.
What quote or saying do you always stick by?
I’m not sure if he actually said this, but I heard that Paul McCartney is quoted as saying “First thought, best thought.” If he didn’t, we can pretend he did cause it sounds good.
When you are at a gig, what are 5 things you cannot forget?
1) My guitar 2) WATER 3) a capo 4) an extra 9v 5) energy
Do you have social media accounts so your fans can follow you?
totally! all of my accounts are @bradwilsonmusic
