Volume Is Color
Brendan Byrnes- composer, performer, engineer, producer of all songs. My main istrument is guitar, but I do the vox, keys, bass, drums/programming, etc. on the songs as well. My music is pretty dense. Layers of guitar, vocal harmonies, and synth textures are almost always present. I try to make music that is challenging, but still enjoyable to listen to.
Tell me about your history? How did you get where you are now?
I started playing guitar when I was a teenager. I played in a rock band with my best friends, then I casually studied jazz, then started playing classical guitar, then went to music school in California and Boston, played in a few more bands on guitar and drums, moved to Chicago and now I'm playing in the band and recording my own stuff.
In between all of that:
My string quartet "Aman" was selected for the International Music Festival in 2003. The piece was performed by string orchestra in 5 cities in Nicaragua and conducted by Urz Leonhardt Steiner.
I have played with legendary avant-garde composer Glenn Branca 3 times for his Symphony #13 "Hallucination City"
I compose my own guitar "symphonies" and had one performed and recorded in 2000. The piece was for 12 guitars, 2 electric basses, one double bass, and drum set.
Recorded many albums in my home studio, done a bit of session/gig work, but I still have a day job.
I also have a recording project called Birch with Felipe Restrepo.
Have you performed live in front of an audience? Any special memories?
Yes, I'm in a band in Chicago called Volume Is Color, but we don't play any of this material. You can hear us at myspace.com/volumeiscolor
Your musical influences
Glenn Branca- the effect of his music on me is immeasureable. Same goes for Sonic Youth and Jimi Hendrix.
David Bowie, Adrian Belew, Igor Stravinsky, Steve Reich, Tool, Debussy, My Bloody Valentine, Talking Heads, Pat Metheny, Miles Davis, The Cure, The Police (I think Stewart Copeland is my favorite drummer), Def Leppard/Mutt Lang, Prince, Jane's Addiction, Penderecki, Ligeti, Chris Whitley, Brian Eno, The B-52's, John Coltrane, John Fruciante, The Liars, Christian Fennez, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Imogen Heap, Astor Piazolla
What equipment do you use?
ableton live for live guitar effects processing and looping, a few delay pedals, compression, chorus, harmonist, 12 string electric, danelectro, fender strat, a few amps for stereo effects, sometimes a wah or volume pedal, motif 7, reason, digital performer
Anything else?
I play in a lot of different guitar tunings.
