With a vibe that blends Laurel Canyon and blue collar, Brother Earl and The Cousins’ Down With My Ship EP, produced by Grammy winner Tim Hutton (Jimmy Cliff, Three Dog Night), is an impassioned yet fun romp through unrequited love, spiritual conflict, self-awareness and, for good measure, fishin’ trips.
Recorded at Hutton’s The Canyon Hut studios (which also happens to be the former home of Alice Cooper), there’s a relaxed, joyful nature to these five songs, reflecting an aesthetic that owes as much credit to Snoop Dog and Dr. Dre as to Townes Van Zandt and John Lennon. “I’m a Southern California kid,” says singer / songwriter / guitarist Brother Earl, “I’m pretty sure I was listening to some sort of Dre beat when I got pulled over for my DUI when I was 16.”
After said DUI, Earl was sentenced to helping out at his mom’s church over the summer, where he met an “old school rocker” who turned him on to Petra and inspired him to invest more time into playing guitar and singing. It wasn’t until he joined the Army, shortly after 9/11, that he began writing his own songs. When he found himself dealing with both a back injury and a broken heart, Brother Earl sought solace in songwriting, noting that “all of the sudden, my guitar, a piece of paper, and a pencil was what I used to get through it.”
Brother Earl captures both the humor and pathos in life — much like an updated version of The Refreshments. In this interview, Brother Earl tells us about his influences and his commitment to his path.
Who are some of your musical influences?
There’s really a long list if I’m to be honest. I was lucky to grow up in a home where there was always some sort of great music on the stereo. Everything from Frank Zappa, to The Beach Boys, to Tim Hardin could be heard playing from the family den at any given time. My Dad was, and still is, a kick ass musical connoisseur, never hesitating to suggest new listens. I guess the big early influences on my musical journey were some of the great voices we all love. I was singing on stage at my Mom’s church by 6 years old, so I suppose I related more to them as a younger kid. I remember being particularly blown away by John Denver at an early age….”The Eagle and the Hawk” to be specific. I was also a big fan of Randy Travis early on. Thanks to my dear Ma and the crush she had on him back then, his music was playing on repeat in our car for many years.
The biggest songwriting influences that came later are people like Townes Van Zandt, whose writing is really just about second to none, or Tom Petty, who would be Townes’ only competition in my opinion. I would say both are probably noticeable influences throughout the new EP. The album’s title track, “Down With My Ship”, was actually written the day that Tom Petty died, as sort of an ambiguous tribute, or what have you.
I really love hearing this question answered by my fans. It’s always a huge compliment when some of the great artists that inspired me are named by folks who listen to my music. I don’t ever try to write like anyone, but I don’t ever fight it when an obvious influence pops out either. I love to have those opportunities to pay tribute to the incredible artists that have come before me and shaped who I am as a songwriter.
Explain the title of your album.
The album is named after the fourth track on the EP, “Down With My Ship”. The title is really a personal statement of my dedication to the life I’ve chosen…the “path,” I guess. I believe in doing what I’m passionate about, without letting all the noise of the world discourage or distract me from trying to reach my full potential. We live in a world that loves to tell us “no”, or “you can’t”, and I try my best to never listen when those voices start whispering in my ear…though it’s not always easy. No matter what road we have chosen, being committed to seeing that road’s end is essential in finding true success. I just hope that some of the people who listen will be encouraged to hold their course and not give up on whatever challenging roads they may be traveling.
Do you start off with the music or lyrics first? Why?
I’m usually a ‘both at the same time’ kinda guy. I typically start with a simple progression, but not a pre-arranged musical piece by any means. At the same time, I very rarely write a complete lyrical piece and then put music behind it. When I write, I tend to do so in the moment. Some songs have literally fallen out of me, music and lyric together, during pretty emotionally charged times in my life. The songs that I think too much about don’t tend to work well for me in the end. I’m very much a person who writes songs to get through challenging times that life likes to throw at me. When I’m in need of an outlet I either pick up my guitar, or sit at the piano and let it all out. I wish I was able to write in a more structured way at times, but for now I’m thankful that songwriting has given me that place of refuge during hard times.
Tell us about your favorite show you’ve ever played.
Hands down the favorite show I’ve played to date was the Stagecoach Festival here in California back in 2019. The band got invited by Nikki Lane to play her Stage Stop Marketplace that year. Being able to meet and hang with Nikki was amazing. She’s a real pro at what she does. The whole experience was an absolute blast. It was a trip to see the size of the production from an artist point of view. The amount of moving parts behind the scenes at a festival of that size is truly mind-blowing. Getting the opportunity to play Stagecoach was a big affirmation that the music I’m writing is special and worth the hard work required to keep keeping on. I won’t ever forget that one.
What’s the best way a fan can support you?
I would say there’s no better support than fans, or “Cousins,” as I like to call them, sharing our music with other people. Of course we always appreciate when people buy our shirts and albums at shows, or add us to their favorite playlists on Spotify, but at the end of the day there’s nothing more valuable than word of mouth. Most of the music I’ve discovered in my life came by way of a suggestion to listen from someone I know. I always share my favorite new music with friends and family. My thought is this; if every fan told five people about my music, then those five fine folks told five more people, and so on…well the math is simple really. So that said, everyone reading this, please tell someone you care about that Brother Earl and The Cousins should be playing steady in their rotation!
Down With My Ship will be out on August 13th