http://www.briangriffithmusic.com
http://www.greyghostsounds.com
http://www.verytrulymusic.com
http://www.leternebre.com
http://www.greyghostsounds.com
http://www.verytrulymusic.com
http://www.leternebre.com
How did you get started in music? What interested you in ambient sound?
When I was six years old my parents, most likely my mom (influenced by my grandmother), enrolled me in piano lessons. I can remember the practice rooms were in the back of a large Clavinova store; I had a bright blue sheet music bag and I never had strong feelings of enjoyment toward the lessons. I moved on to the drums, influenced by my uncle: an amazing metal, blast-beat drummer, after a few years. I can remember a time in the car while I was listening to Sublime with my dad on full volume and for the first time I paid attention to the low, hidden tone that I was later to be told was the bass. I fell in love.
Being a fairly introverted child (I still can be fairly shy), I always wanted not to "stand-out" in the mix when I played with bands throughout middle school and high school. As a rule I--unbeknownst to me, adopted a mantra that was: "wait, listen and enhance." I let the guitarists have their loud, abrasive solos and tried to bring them back when they were losing it. I followed the vocals to add extra depth and I was glued to the right foot of the drummer to make them comfortable. It wasn't until I was in college when I revisited the piano, that I started to organize - or "compose" - full parts of songs, as opposed to just playing the bass. Although I was writing more parts, I constructed them with the same principles in mind. Everything is a part of a whole, swirling together to evoke images of mountains, the strong scent of the wilderness in your lungs, the somber ruins of a castle as you look over what once was. Much as I see life --the same things over and over slowly integrating different elements and seeing which works best until it releases to the realization of your vision. The power of intention(thanks, mom).
What is your prized musical possession? Anything you're dreaming of acquiring?
My loop pedal. It has made composing and creating the easiest thing ever. I am first and foremost an improvisational musician and this tool allows me to make organic wonderful sounds on the fly; I can come up with noises that I would never have thought of. It is my single biggest source of inspiration, possibly because it allows me to inspire myself.
You come from Florida, which is very different from the Midwest. How has being in Chicago inspired your music?
I won't really be able to answer that until I leave Chicago--which will happen--the Griffith's are a nomadic people. I've found in the past several years, that you should create a creative-imprint of inspiration that is based on the present and try to commit that feeling to memory so that you can recall it. I have gone through some absurd writer's block bouts and if you try and think about the experiences you had from the last place you lived you make some of the best stuff. I always live the present, but create in the past where you have some hindsight and really explore thoughts. The present always has emotional decisions and you can't really listen to what the Earth or life is saying to you. It's like the trees from Lord of the Rings: they talk so slowly that you can't hear what they say until they have said everything.
Do you prefer Chicago's winters or summers?
If I had to choose I would say Summer, mostly because the waxing and waning portions of it remind me of Florida winters, which I love. The winter is nice though, because I don't have the urge to go outside and I am almost forced to amuse myself. I don't like choosing favorites because that shifts the balance of harmony favoring one isolated portion and failing to see it as a whole. I take it how it is, so let's call it a draw.
If you could have any car in the world, which car would you pick? Would the ability to fit your upright bass inside affect your decision?
The Nissan Leaf. I am not worried about the bass; or as I prefer to refer to is as: the Bull Fiddle. I've always had smaller cars because I liked them, but a decision like that can't be as irresponsible as "will my stuff fit" or as shallow as "it looks 'pimping'." No, there is too much focus on convenience and ease that no one works for anything anymore. If we want to advance as a civilization we have to remember that it takes work to make everything and we have to be responsible about our f#cking consumption. I have already had to use creative means to get the Bull in my Focus and right now my decision is based on the pollutants that pile out into the air that I have to breathe.
(sorry for the rant)
Brian's favorite songs:
(listen over here)
1. released in the last 6 months - Killin' the Vibe/Ducktails
2. from before 1970 - My Home's Across the Blue Ridge Mountains/The Carter Family
3. from a lesser-known artist - People of the North/Tunnels
4. classical piece - Pavane for a Dead Princess/Ravel
5. I was a part of recording - Instant Online Savings/l'éternèbre
6. with an odd time signature - Heavy Manners/Black Dice
7. guilty pleasure - Cute with the 'E' (Cut from the Team)/Taking Back Sunday
8. to listen to again and again - Birds/The Lymbyc System
When I was six years old my parents, most likely my mom (influenced by my grandmother), enrolled me in piano lessons. I can remember the practice rooms were in the back of a large Clavinova store; I had a bright blue sheet music bag and I never had strong feelings of enjoyment toward the lessons. I moved on to the drums, influenced by my uncle: an amazing metal, blast-beat drummer, after a few years. I can remember a time in the car while I was listening to Sublime with my dad on full volume and for the first time I paid attention to the low, hidden tone that I was later to be told was the bass. I fell in love.
Being a fairly introverted child (I still can be fairly shy), I always wanted not to "stand-out" in the mix when I played with bands throughout middle school and high school. As a rule I--unbeknownst to me, adopted a mantra that was: "wait, listen and enhance." I let the guitarists have their loud, abrasive solos and tried to bring them back when they were losing it. I followed the vocals to add extra depth and I was glued to the right foot of the drummer to make them comfortable. It wasn't until I was in college when I revisited the piano, that I started to organize - or "compose" - full parts of songs, as opposed to just playing the bass. Although I was writing more parts, I constructed them with the same principles in mind. Everything is a part of a whole, swirling together to evoke images of mountains, the strong scent of the wilderness in your lungs, the somber ruins of a castle as you look over what once was. Much as I see life --the same things over and over slowly integrating different elements and seeing which works best until it releases to the realization of your vision. The power of intention(thanks, mom).
What is your prized musical possession? Anything you're dreaming of acquiring?
My loop pedal. It has made composing and creating the easiest thing ever. I am first and foremost an improvisational musician and this tool allows me to make organic wonderful sounds on the fly; I can come up with noises that I would never have thought of. It is my single biggest source of inspiration, possibly because it allows me to inspire myself.
You come from Florida, which is very different from the Midwest. How has being in Chicago inspired your music?
I won't really be able to answer that until I leave Chicago--which will happen--the Griffith's are a nomadic people. I've found in the past several years, that you should create a creative-imprint of inspiration that is based on the present and try to commit that feeling to memory so that you can recall it. I have gone through some absurd writer's block bouts and if you try and think about the experiences you had from the last place you lived you make some of the best stuff. I always live the present, but create in the past where you have some hindsight and really explore thoughts. The present always has emotional decisions and you can't really listen to what the Earth or life is saying to you. It's like the trees from Lord of the Rings: they talk so slowly that you can't hear what they say until they have said everything.
Do you prefer Chicago's winters or summers?
If I had to choose I would say Summer, mostly because the waxing and waning portions of it remind me of Florida winters, which I love. The winter is nice though, because I don't have the urge to go outside and I am almost forced to amuse myself. I don't like choosing favorites because that shifts the balance of harmony favoring one isolated portion and failing to see it as a whole. I take it how it is, so let's call it a draw.
If you could have any car in the world, which car would you pick? Would the ability to fit your upright bass inside affect your decision?
The Nissan Leaf. I am not worried about the bass; or as I prefer to refer to is as: the Bull Fiddle. I've always had smaller cars because I liked them, but a decision like that can't be as irresponsible as "will my stuff fit" or as shallow as "it looks 'pimping'." No, there is too much focus on convenience and ease that no one works for anything anymore. If we want to advance as a civilization we have to remember that it takes work to make everything and we have to be responsible about our f#cking consumption. I have already had to use creative means to get the Bull in my Focus and right now my decision is based on the pollutants that pile out into the air that I have to breathe.
(sorry for the rant)
Brian's favorite songs:
(listen over here)
1. released in the last 6 months - Killin' the Vibe/Ducktails
2. from before 1970 - My Home's Across the Blue Ridge Mountains/The Carter Family
3. from a lesser-known artist - People of the North/Tunnels
4. classical piece - Pavane for a Dead Princess/Ravel
5. I was a part of recording - Instant Online Savings/l'éternèbre
6. with an odd time signature - Heavy Manners/Black Dice
7. guilty pleasure - Cute with the 'E' (Cut from the Team)/Taking Back Sunday
8. to listen to again and again - Birds/The Lymbyc System
At the risk of sounding nepotistic; what a great blog subject! Seriously, Brian Griffith is an inspiration - in all aspects of his being. I'm so proud he chose me for this particular journey. Great photos Billie!
ReplyDeleteIt brings me back to see the shelves and your bedspread again. I suppose it never occurred to me that (and maybe I'm overstepping my role) your experiences in Tallahassee helped get you going to where you are now. If so, I retroactively apologize for every time I woke up grumbling from hearing bass and other funky fresh beats through our adjoining wall :)
ReplyDelete