Honest music deserves an honest introduction. So let's admit that, as of June 1997, most people still know Epic recording group Brad better as individuals than as a band: Stone Gossard as a member of Pearl Jam, Jeremy Toback as a solo artist, Regan Hagar and Shawn Smith from their other Epic recording group Satchel.
· This situation is certain to change with the release (on June 24, 1997) of Interiors. The new Epic album by Brad. Interiors is an accomplished, diverse, and exciting record. It was recorded in just three weeks at Litho Studios in Seattle in the fall of 1996. Such are the benefits of Brad's intertwined personal histories (Stone and Regan, for example, have known each other since their bands Green River and Malfunkshun shared rehearsal space in the early '80s) and near-telepathic musical combination: "We came in and did it with no rehearsal," notes Regan, "whereas the first one was rehearsed for five days... We actually recorded 19 songs" - eleven of which made the final cut for Interiors.
· These are not aimless jams or half-finished "ideas," but more concise, fully-realized works ranging from the flat-out rocking "Sweet Al George" and "Secret Girl" (with it's echoes of the Stooges' "Search And Destroy") to the mournful, moving ballad "Upon My Shoulders." Others, like the mid-tempo "Lift" or the gripping "Funeral Song," can't be easily traced to their sources: They have the propulsive power long associated with Seattle rock but none of the style's lyrical self-pity or grunge guitar clichés, and sometimes are thrown slightly off-kilter by rhythmic undercurrents, weird synth lines, and unexpected falsetto vocals.
· Interiors offers ample evidence that Shawn Smith is one of the most soulful and expressive singers in contemporary rock and roll. His performances on such tracks as "The Day Brings" and "Upon My Shoulders" are among the best he has ever commited to record. Brad differs from Shawn's two other bands, Satchel and Pigeonhed, "because there's not as much pressure on me when Stone is there," Smith explains. "He's good at rallying the troops. In Satchel, it's more me as the principal songwriter. In Brad, Stone writes a lot too."
· The album opener, "Secret Girl," is a fairly typical example of Brad's creative process. "I had a guitar riff, but no real melody," Stone recalls. "I started playing the riff, and Shawn just started singing over it. He already had some lyrics. And fairly soon, we had a real melody and then a real song." Two other tracks, "Funeral Song" and "Lift," represent Gossard's first foray into lyric writing. Like many Brad songs, says a bemused Shawn Smith, "I'm sure there are real stories behind them - I just have no idea what they are!"
· Shawn expresses pride and confidence in his own work on Interiors. "The first record was really supposed to be demos. We didn't know it was gonna be a record until we were a week into it. My writing skills were at a very early stage, too. On this record, I was way more together."
· Interiors includes guest appearances by Mike McCready of Pearl Jam (guitar on "The Day Brings"), Seattle Symphony player Wendy Sutter (cello on "Upon My Shoulders"), and percussionist Basheri Johnson. The album is co-produced by Brad and Nick DiDia, with input (as well as some guitar and keyboards) from long-time Pearl Jam producer Brendan O'Brien. The first radio track, "The Day Brings," will be accompanied by a video directed by Josh Taft, whose screen credits include Pearl Jam's "Even Flow" and "Oceans" videos.
· Brad, which has never performed in public, will embark July 7 on its debut US tour, with dates currently booked through August 3. "I'm very excited about the tour," Shawn enthuses. "We'll have a different bass player, Mike Berg from Satchel [Jeremy Toback is on the promotion trail for his album Perfect Flux Thing]. We'll play songs from Interiors and Shame, of course, and some Satchel stuff too, I think." Brad's touring lineup will be supplemented by Geffen recording artist James Hall, playing guitar and keyboards. "Touring is key," adds Stone, "to getting these songs heard by more people than just ourselves and the people who heard Shame."
· Regan Hagar calls his band's latest effort "a more concise, well-arranged record, which shows our growth as individuals since 1993." For Brad, the music of Interiors points the way to a wide-open future.
Source: http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Towers/1854/bradbio.html
