Thursday, February 4, 2010
Bryce Avary writes, produces, sings and plays every instrument for indie-rock solo project The Rocket Summer. Avary, who releases his fourth full-length album, Of Men and Angels, Feb. 23, recently took some time to talk with Jayplay about music, life and his love of performing.
Jayplay: How would you describe the style of your music in one sentence?
Bryce Avary: When my first record came out, Tim Wheeler, the singer of Ash from the U.K., said, “The Rocket Summer is like sunshine in a can.”
JP: What instruments do you play?
BA: I know how to play the sort of standard rock band outfit instruments — piano, drums, guitar and bass. I can kind of mess around on other things, but I really only know how to play one thing. Like on Do You Feel [the band’s third album] I play harmonica on one song. I just went and got a harmonica, practiced for a couple hours and figured out the part. I wouldn’t call myself a harmonica player, I just know how to play that one part that I wrote.
JP: Have you ever considered recording with a full band or do you prefer going solo?
BA: I’ve definitely considered having a full band play on the record, in fact on this newest record our guitar player that plays live played on two of the tracks. But I really enjoy going in the studio and I push myself really hard to be efficient on each instrument.
JP: What is the meaning of your new album’s title, Of Men and Angels?
BA: The title actually comes from a Bible verse, 1 Corinthians 13:1, which says, “if I speak in the tongues of men and angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a tinkling symbol.” And then it goes on to talk about how nothing matters except for love, how we treat people and how we put things in our life down to lift others up.
JP: What is your favorite song to perform?
BA: It’s always fun to play “So In this Hour,” because there’s so much power and you can really feel it in that song, especially live. It’s just something about the spiritual meter in the room kind of goes to ten on that song.
JP: What is the most fulfilling thing about performing?
BA: I think the most fulfilling thing is seeing what the music does to people. I perceive it as how God works through the music.
JP: What is something people would never guess about you?
BA: I’m actually a black belt in karate. Also, I think that a misperception about me is that I’m some extremely lighthearted, happy-go-lucky person, which is definitely not the case. Not that I’m some angry person, but I’ve definitely had a lot of real struggles and a lot of private things, so I feel like I’m constantly fighting some sort of battle. So it’s kind of funny when people are like “Bryce Avary is the happiest guy in the world,” and people in my life that know me are like “that is the weirdest perception of you.”
JP: What do you hope the future holds?
BA: I hope for a journey of learning more about life and God with good health along the way. And lots of good songs.
Q&A: Hymn for Her
Because we have questions. Celebrities have answers.
Q&A: Paul Benjaman Karleskindt, guitarist/vocalist of Paul ...
Because we have questions. Celebrities have answers.
Q&A: Dave Prowse, drummer, vocalist of Japandroids
Because we have questions. Celebrities have answers.
Q&A: Tyler Hilton, actor, musician
Because we have questions. Celebrities have answers.
Q&A: Josh Steely of Daughtry
Because we have questions. Celebrities have answers.
Q&A with Davey Pierce of the band, ...
We have questions. Celebrities have answers.
Music guy
A road map to music utopia
Music Reviews
Q&A: Michael Ian Black
Because we have questions. Celebrities have answers.
Q&A: Martin Sexton
Martin Sexton is a musician whose been recording his blend of soul ...
Q&A with Reckless Kelly's Willy Braun
Because we have questions. Celebrities have answers.
New name, same sound
Don’t call them ‘Volunteers’ anymore. They’re ‘the Vols,’ and the Lawrence band ...
Music guy
Your guide to music utopia
Q&A: Nathan Williams, singer and guitarist of ...
Because we have questions. Celebrities have answers.
Q&A with Peter Bauer of the Walkmen
Band garners rave reviews with latest album, ready for European tour
Q&A: Eric Frederic of Wallpaper.
Because we have questions. Celebrities have answers.
Alumna expresses life through music
Lisa Donnelly’s hit song “Laugh” makes it to the television in Brazil.
Top Album at KJHK: The Mars Volta: ...
The top-played album at KU's student-run radio station KJHK 90.7 FM
Q&A with Surfin' USA
Because we have questions. Celebrities have answers.
Q & A with Vince DiFiore of ...
DiFore discusses life in college and the stresses of being a musician
Q&A: Brendan Hangauer: vocalist/guitarist of Fourth of ...
Because we have questions. Celebrities have answers.
Q&A: Wallpaper's Ricky Reed
We have questions. Celebrities have answers.
Question & answer with Hawley Shoffner, winner ...
Stage Presence: Rusty Scott
Local musicians. Feel free to swoon.
Music Review: War on Drugs
A guide to sonic consumption.
Q&A: Sam Adams
Because we have questions. Celebrities have answers.
Q & A
with Todd Anderson of Left on Northwood
Q&A with Jeff Marx, co-creator of Broadway ...
Because we have questions. Celebrities have answers.
Q&A: Israel Nebeker of the band Blind ...
Catching up with Blind Pilot before their show in Lawrence on March ...
Sound Tribe Sector 9
Interview with Lotus
On the Road Again
The Brody Buster Band has gigs lined up all over the country, ...
Question & answer
With Volunteers singer Tyler Jack Anderson
Q&A: Chris Allen goes from Lawrence to ...
Chris Allen, a 2006 KU graduate, moved to Los Angeles after getting ...
Music guy
Your path to music utopia
Asylum Street Spankers
Mates of State on Love and Staying ...
Kori Gardner of indie-pop duo Mates of State tells how she keeps ...
Q&A: Casey Donahew
The Granada will turn honky tonk when the Casey Donahew band comes ...
Music review: The Magnetic Fields - 'Realism'
KJHK's weekly guide to sonic consumption.
Question & Answer with John Scofield
His claims to fame almost endless—having played with jazz greats such as ...
From left: Kimberlee Hinkle, Libby Johnson and Hannah ...
1 comment
Kansas Jayhawk fans hold aloft a reproduction of ...
2 comments
Erin Saupe, a Ph.D. student from St. Cloud, ...
1 comment
0 comments
Armed robbers continue to threaten.
3 comments
Lecture from Greg Mortenson, co-author of New York ...
0 comments
Comments
Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.
Sign in to comment
Or login with:
OpenID