Officially I’ve never met Kat. And this is my loss. Fiercely intelligent, warm, bright and a self-proclaimed hugger…all of this comes through in her emails and especially in her music. Not only that but as she’s involved in preventing human trafficking. Like honestly, how cool and fresh is this lass? One of my goals in life is to get in the same room as her so we can high five. Check this out:
“It Matters to Me was born out of conversations with friends and fans about wanting to lead a meaningful life…” the obvious question: what are some of the key elements of a meaningful life?
I’m not sure what is a meaningful life. It is probably different for everyone. For me, it is about connection and love and somehow I manage to find this both incredibly simple and mindbendingly complex. I love this quote by George Eliot, “What do we live for, if it is not to make life less difficult for each other?”
Where was It Matters To Me written and how does your environment/city impact or shape your songwriting?
What an interesting question. Most of this album was actually written in hotel rooms or on couches in Southeast Asia and on the West Coast, but I would say it has more to do with the life stage I’m in than geographic environment. Certainly many of my thoughts have been shaped by what’s going on around me, but all of that really serves the progress of what’s going on inside me. And certainly, I have been looking for everything to make sense, for struggle and achievement to mean something.
All 3 of your 3 part EP series are out now…what kinds of audience reactions do they each receive?
It’s been really fun. They all have different feels to them and as such have each appealed to different people. It’s fun to hear fans favorites…I feel like I learn a little about them when they tell me.
Looking back at your goals for each of the 3 EPs do you feel you succeeded and achieved what you set out to do?
I think I did, though that was not as clear to me during the process.
With your 3 part EP series complete, what do you envision as your next project?
I’ve always wanted to do a covers duet album!
You’re written song(s) with your mother what is that process like? Does she send you to your room if she doesn’t like your chorus?
That made me laugh. And reminded me of how much I never wanted to practice piano as a 13 year old. I’m glad my parents made me even though I just wanted to talk on the phone all night. To answer the question, the process is pretty awesome. I am close with my mom–I really trust her and I am never afraid to make a mistake around her, which allows for a lot of creative freedom. She’s really constructive in her thoughts so I understand her feedback as we write and it really helps to refine songs to be as strong as they can be- to say what we want it to say as clearly as possible.
You’re passionately involved in the prevention of human trafficking…what’s attracted you to that cause? And what are some non-band-aid solutions we can all implement?
I learned about HT through my international touring and became interested in survivor stories. Through this interest, I learned how rampant this modern day slavery is in the US. I have had the honor of working with survivors in the US to help meet basic needs and think about a life beyond their trafficking situation.
There are many approaches to prevention–transparency in supply chains, buying locally, eradication of poverty, increasing access to education, identifying victims as such instead of criminals…it is such a huge issue and there are so many schools of thought on how to respond to it.
Check out Polaris Project there are great ways to be involved: raising awareness, advocating for anti-trafficking legislation, raising funds for survivor programs, and passing along the National Human Trafficking Hotline. If you see anything suspicious or encounter someone who seems to be in a situation that raises red flags, please give them the hotline number: 1-888-373-7888
You’re a self-proclaimed hugger…if I lend you the NewMusic Ten time machine which musician would you go back in time to hug and what year is it?
Bruce Springsteen…1984!
Kat Parsons Interview by Sammy Younan.
Time Machine by Courtney Cox’s Dancing in the Dark haircut.
Yo Ben Affleck:
So hungry. Not the “Mom-when-is-dinner-ready-I’m-starving!” hungry. Like hungry hungry.
Can you cheer me up and tell me a funny Hollywood story?
Sammy
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Yo Ben Affleck:
The caffeine withdrawal is the worst part…why didn’t anybody say anything! It’s called an addiction because it’s so automatic, I’m aware of my vices. I’m at stage 5 acceptance. I’m comfortably numb, you know? I probably could use a Fight Club lecture, really who couldn’t use a Fight Club lecture?
(Is it ok to talk about movies you’re not in?).
With no tea and no Coke I’m getting headaches and nausea. It’s like being seasick on land. It’s not as impressive as it sounds.
How are you holding up?
Matt Damon giving you a hard time…that guy always seems surly. Ever seen him on Entourage or House of Lies…surly. Course that could all be acting. In which case I am sorry Matt. It’s not me, it’s the hunger…please don’t Bourne me.
What’s harder living for $1.50 a day for 5 days or getting Good Will Hunting made?
Sammy
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Yo Ben Affleck:
So today’s the first day of Live Below The Line. How is your story so far? I am doing alright, bit hungry, otherwise I’m all good, business as it should.
Thanks for spending your celebrity currency on this campaign. That’s one element of suck associated with your 15…soon as you get famous there’s all kinds of demands on your time and your Daredevil money to support all kinds of causes. Think you choose wisely, sure warrants a high five.
Is Kevin Smith hasslin you? Yet? That guy should totally join us, invite him to the party. We can gang up and recycle Uncle Phil fat jokes from the Fresh Prince. (Better to go with the obvious when cracking sass, if we bring up Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back he’ll come back with Gigli jokes and it’ll get ugly quick, especially with everybody so hungry).
Should be a fascinating week, trying to live on $1.75 a day. (Well for you it’s a $1.50 a day…which is kinda of a rip, since American McDonald’s offers a dollar menu…4 nuggets for the win, yo!).
Though the limits are food I wonder if comic books, novels and movies count in my daily allowance. You know, soul nourishment. Trying to live on $1.75 a day on pop culture couldn’t get you far. Thank the Big Dude for the library (and free comic book day). In many ways there’s lot of things I can give up or do without, daily nourishment from movies and comic books and music is not one of them.
I don’t require a fast to be grateful for all the hardworking people who make my pop culture. I do wish it was easier to high five and fist bump em as a way to say thanks.
By the way, I am sorry I haven’t seen Argo. I’m on it.
Sammy
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Your first clue Brendan McCreary from Young Beautiful in a Hurry has nerd like passions is in the music. You can hear shades of Bowie (the strange spacey surreal 70s Bowie) and Queen fronted by the bizarre, almost alien like Freddie Mercury. Then you talk with him–as I just did–and you hear his rabid enthusiasm for Doctor Who (“run you clever boy”) and more an unquenchable devotion to making music. Brendan McCreary: who Chris Hardwick would be if he fronted a rock/pop band with a sweet infusion of glam.
Brendan your musicianship has been featured in such nerdly tv shows like Battlestar Galactica and The Walking Dead. Are you a nerd posing as rockstar?
You know, these days being a nerd is so, “in-vogue” it seems that everyone is a “nerd” to some degree. Although, I think true nerds know who they are, and resent it when Natalie Portman puts on glasses, reads one comic book and declares, “I’m a nerd because…” X,Y & Z. I’m not sure she ever said that, don’t quote me. Lulz.
I’ve always successfully straddled the world of Nerd-dom and Non-Nerd-dom to great social gain and efficacy. That said, you don’t need to be a nerd to appreciate the awesomeness of those two shows in particular. I’m very fortunate to be involved.
Fair enough: so then what are some of your current nerd obsessions? What about the rest of the band…are they nerds?
DOCTOR WHO. I am so obsessed with Doctor Who right now it hurts. As for the band, we are all pretty huge music nerds. There’s nothing that we love more then sitting down and discussing at length all things music, ad nauseum. Whether it’s the songs, or various pieces of gear or amplifiers, we can get pretty gnarly. Firefly fans couldn’t compare.
How do you find the experience of having your music in tv shows?
Having my music in TV shows is fantastic. It brings a great sense of pride to be watching something and hear a YBH banger in the midst of what’s going on. Just two weeks ago a song off our new EP (Outside Over There…written specifically for the show) was on the new SyFy series Defiance and it was awesome. As for enhancing or detracting: music put to film should enhance the visuals. That’s the primary goal. I don’t think getting a sync, or composing a piece of music for film would ever detract from the music itself. At least it shouldn’t.
For bands who are considering submitting their music to movies and tv shows do you have advice?
Getting a sync is extremely competitive and can be quite daunting. You need to target your music to the appropriate show or commercial. You can’t get synced if the vibe is wrong. I was writing a song for a Lowe’s commercial a few months ago, and it was this crazy dub-step rock song…and I realized…that was the last thing they would ever use in a million years. So I sat back down at the drawing board, and reconvened with a more acoustic vibe, piano, some whistling etc. And I put the dub step tune away for a rainy day. Writing music that satisfies your artistic needs, but that’s also licensable is a really good practice too. Lots of hooks, catchy bits and pieces. That sells if you’re a nobody or Ne-yo.
What inspired many of the songs on the self-titled album Young Beautiful in a Hurry?
Well…Everyone Should Know, I am a Man, and Trust Me were written for TV shows. Light Years, I Got Love, We All Stay Together, and Do it Twice are all based on relationships I’ve had or haven’t had. Ain’t We Famous, The Prince, and Friday Afternoon are all words of warning in a way, and Olivia is a samba tune I wrote for a former 3 year old student of mine. To get any more specific would take too long, so I’ll leave it there.
As a band you’re based in Los Angeles…does that make it easier or difficult working in such a dense competitive market?
That’s a familiar question, and there’s no easy answer. Personally I’ve never thought about it much. Be a big fish in a small pond, or a little fish in a big one…at the end of the day you’re making music somewhere, and hustlin’ 7/11. I will say this, I’ve built a sort of battalion of incredible musicians around me since I moved here, and the pedigree of talent available in this city is unparalleled in the world. I could never leave for that reason alone.
For music fans who’ve never attended a Young Beautiful in a Hurry show…describe your live shows?
Visceral. Every song I write and perform takes me on a journey. I have to go somewhere to find the guts to sing it, and end up somewhere else by the time I’m done. Also, the people in this band are the best musicians in Los Angeles. We are all exacting professional musicians, and we put everything on the line when we’re on stage. Bryan looks like he’s about to explode most the time, Pete looks like he’s going to ascend at any moment, and I sing the shit out of everything. Our audience members feel that way too.
Young Beautiful in a Hurry are working on an EP when will that be released?
Our new EP entitled ROYALTY is coming soon! Videos are on the way, singles are on the way. The record is 7 songs ranging in scale from epic to ridiculously epic, and will serve as a complete 3 course meal when listen to straight through. Crazy riffs, crazy hooks, thoroughbred and heartfelt rock/pop tunes. I can’t wait to get it out there.
I’d expect to see and hear a lot from us in the second half of 2013. We’ve almost got enough new material on top of the new record to record some more records. So I’d like to tackle that before the end of the year. We’re putting together a residency in September, shooting 3 videos in May. Video release party in 2 weeks for our cover of Don’t Stop Me Now. Possible acoustic tour over the summer, recording a new song for a new short film from DakotaLapse. We’re busy.
I lend you the NewMusic Ten time machine…what is one band you’d travel back in time to see live and when?
My kneejerk reaction is Queen…followed by some Ziggy Stardust while Mick Ronson was still around. Although, if I dig deeper, I think I’d take that time machine to Europe and see Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli tear it up in some Parisian café. Or maybe go see Bird Parker in hopes that Jack Kerouac would be there and we would all get high and spit free form poetry into the San Franciscan night.
Nah I think I’d just go 1,000 years into the future and battle the Morlocks!
How’s that for nerdly-ness? And rock n roll!
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Young Beautiful in a Hurry Interview by Sammy Younan.
Tardis by The Daleks.
