Thursday, July 13, 2017

Brume Interview

1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the band?



JM: Brume is a slow playing, monotonous three piece doom/metal band from San Francisco California. Think if Portishead played metal, yeh that. We got together in 2014 over a love of bands like The Melvins, Yob and High on Fire. Since then we've released two records, our most recent being our debut full length we recorded with the legendary Billy Anderson.



2.You have a new album coming out this month, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording and also how does it differ from the ep you had released in 2015?



JM: Rooster is a sonically more diverse and dynamic record overall. We focused on writing an album that would balance the slow, hypnotic vibe we had captured with Donkey, and create more diversity. More focus lyrics and vocal melodies, greater contrast musically not only throughout the album but within songs themselves.



SM:  I like to think of music being a timestamp on that part of our lives.  That is who we were at that moment and it won’t be who we are tomorrow.  So 2015 sounds like us and our vibe in 2015 and 2017 is what we were vibing in 2017. Courage, freedom and darkness reflects 2017.  2015 represents stress, hope and wonderment.



3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band has explored so far with the music?



SM: The lyrics are adapted poems from one of the thousand notepads I have laying around my home to get repetitive thoughts out of my head for good and find peace.  Foolishly, I now find myself now repeating them over and over again on a microphone.  I suppose they are about self-torment when I think about it that way.  



One song talks about that we are all contributors to fuck faces power whores, if we don’t stop depending on other humans. Another is about the fear and healing behind honesty.  Another about my soul being at war and it manifesting itself in another fucking dream about the devil.  Another about this backstabbing cunt who always plays the victim. Another is about a man I admire. It’s about real life.



4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Brume'?



JM: We desperately wanted to call the band Fog not only because of where the band lives (SF) but the mood fog brings. Unfortunately there are plenty of bands called Fog. So we landed on the name 'Brume' as a French word meaning fog that also had the secondary 'witchy' element to it. There is an electronic artist in France that has used this name, at the time we picked and started using it he was defunct but alas, he's back. We now both use it.



5.What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and also how would you describe your stage performance?



JM: Desertfest in London was absolutely incredible. We played to a fully packed 700+ Underworld/Camden (a line around the block to get in whilst we played) We were joined by my brothers Gareth and Rich from London Sludge band Gurt for our last song of the set. Inter Arma played later on the same stage and we saw so many incredible bands over the course of the weekend. So much love, beards and drinks. Epic. I hope we get to play Desertfest again soon.



SM: I’m in love with elephant tree, inter arma, sedulus, gurt, vodun, graveline and we shared a stage with them, like Jamie said, at the Underworld.  So my stage performance reflected my gratefulness for performing for or with people I admire.  I try to feel like each show is my last show so I stay in the moment and appreciate what is going on at the time I’m playing. Sometimes I’m grooving with one person in the audience the whole show as if they are the only person there and we get each other.



JPL: I’ve been told we smile too much for a doom band. It can’t be helped. I love these two.



6.Do you have any touring or show plans for the new album?



JM: We toured the UK the day we released the record. We have some shows planned around the bay area (with Inter Arma and High on Fire/Big Business/Holy Grove) and plan to get out to more of the west coast later this year.



JPL: I’m hoping we’ll do an extended tour of the US and more of Europe in 2018.



7.The new album is coming out on your own label, do you feel you have more freedom working by yourself than what you would have with a label?



SM:  We are more into timing when it comes to releasing our album rather than being a part of a label.  Not to mention, we love and support our favorite bands and the labels that support them.  Ripple and STB treat us like family and they have wicked bands on their label.  Don’t forget about vinyl! We released with DHU, they are wonderful and supportive label.  Lucky to work with someone so flexible and accommodating.



JPL: Most definitely. We’ve always clung to the DIY principle and having the label is another way of continuing that and elevating our sisters-and-brothers-in-arms who are also making incredible music that may otherwise go unnoticed.



8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of stoner and doom metal?



JM: The feedback has been awesome. From a scene perspective the love has been pretty overwhelming. JJ at the Obelisk, Billy Goate, Zachary Painter and co at doomed and stoned plus the past three months we've been in the Doom charts top ten is just crazy. We've done a lot of interviews and had a ton of great reviews. Our Vinyl has come out on DHU Records and seeing all the photos of people lose their shit on the wax is a blast too. We are so happy with the response.



SM:  I’m still shocked.  I think it has been way more than I expected and it seems like it grows every month.  All of that support has allowed us to keep writing, travel, record, etc.



JPL: The scene is very much alive. It’s been a lot of fun so far.



9.Are any of the band members currently involved with any other bands or musical projects these days?



JM: Susie is an Engineer Wizard and mom to a 3 yr old. I am a Creative Director and Jordan works in video production and runs a record label. Brume takes every ounce of our spare time away from our incredibly patient wives and husband.



SM:  Nope.  Brume, family, engineering and sleep takes the full 24 hours in a day.



JPL: I’ve always got my ear to the ground. I’m always ready to take on too much.



10.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?



JM: I am excited to see how much more diverse and sonically boundless we can be. We have ideas already brewing on the next record that already break any mold people might think we use.



SM:  If we stay on the same trajectory, we’ll fit less and less into a specific genre and create music more and more that represents who we are at the time we make it.  That typically is not healthy for your musical career and at times can be disappointing for your old fans; but it still feels right and what we want to do, so fuck it.



JPL: I think we have a lot of surprises left in us.



11.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?



JM: I Love Monotonous Blues like Junior Kimborough and West African band Tinariwen. I also love sad music. Folk music is a constant source of beautiful sadness for me, i'm really digging Sean Rowe at the moment. Radiohead was a huge influence on Rooster for me. In genre, I'm a Yob obsessed boy. Can't get over it but All Them Witches are one of the best bands out there. You'll find between the three of us that influence wise we are kinda all over the map. I love it that way. It means the next record will be even weirder.



SM: I’m from Louisiana, USA.  I grew up with Blues and Traditional Jazz and fell head over heals for punk rock in 7th grade.   It changes often but a few on my constant rotation this month is Wovenhand mostly and, also, King Dude, Elephant Tree, Spelljammer, Gurt, He whose ox is gored, Inter Arma, Chelsea Wolfe, Grimes, Earth, Bjork and Diamanda Galas.



JPL: I’m a sucker for a catchy melody. Right now I’m into marimba videos on YouTube. I don’t know why.



12.What are some of your non musical interests?



JM:  I'm a designer so I spend a fair bit of my time designing for brands, people and friends too. I surf. As much as I can. It's the most relaxing thing in my life.



SM:  I like chemistry, engineering, software, sewing, fixing people’s hair, making hats



JPL: Like all good Americans, I love fishing and baseball.



13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?



JPL: Thanks to everyone for their support from all over the world. We definitely feel it and we hope to bring you lots more music in the future.

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