Down with DMB
When Andy Brown was 17, he decided to buy a guitar. What spurred this decision? Dave Matthews Band. “I saw Dave Matthews Band when I was 17 and that was it. I bought a guitar the next day and started learning how to play,” says Andy. “I was really inspired watching these great musicians that were just normal guys like me. It made me want to give it a try and see if I could really make something amazing happen.”
After writing enough songs to comprise a set, Andy set out on the local circuit in New Brunswick. While playing shows as a solo act, he began to garner some attention and started to form a small but loyal fan base. But soon, Andy wanted to branch out. “There’s just so much more you can do with a full band. So, I kept an eye out for other musicians on the scene and eventually just started approaching people about the possibility of playing together,” he states. Andy approached Chris Craig (bass) and Jason Berube (drums, percussion) to fill out his sound. They played as a trio until Ed Cullinan, a guitarist who saw potential in the group, approached them. “Ed joining the band was a shot in the dark, really,” Andy explains. “It just worked out that he’s a great musician.”
With a full lineup the band continued to play around the local scene, and wrote songs to keep up with the demand of new tunes from their fans.
I’m Real
The motto Andy has for everything he does as a musician is simple: Don’t be anything you’re not. “You can’t force anything,” Andy explains. “The best songs and ideas always come naturally. And sometimes they come at the strangest times. I get a lot of ideas in the middle of the night. I sleep with my phone nearby so I can leave myself messages of my ideas so I don’t forget them.”
And the motto doesn’t just stop at writing music. Andy is known for keeping his fans close at live performances. The band has seen that people really respond to being your friend and feeling like an individual. It’s not enough to have tons of fans that feel like part of the crowd. They want to feel like your music is speaking to them on a hugely personal level. “Live shows breed the best fans,” Andy says. “You have to make every show interesting and special for them. Make them feel welcome. You never know who may be watching you.” But how does that personal and special feeling translate to the internet age?
The Internet Made the Video Star
“People can see through the bull really easily. They’re smart. So, when you’re an artist you can’t just act a certain way onstage and a different way offstage. Be yourself, and make sure it carries through everything you do.” Andy claims. And he should know. Andy has made the conscious decision to include his fans in everything the band does, and every new venture they may travel. They are always in the loop, and always know how Andy feels through the channels of social media. Everything you hear, see, or read about Andy Brown is the genuine truth.
So, it was no different when the band had to dream up ideas for their video submission for the Taylor and Elixir Acoustic Test Drive Contest. “We wanted the video to be something different, but we wanted it to be about us as well and showcase our personality,” Andy explains. “Chris was the one that suggested the idea of being in love with the guitar. After that, it was just every crazy idea we could possibly think of to really push it over the top.” And over the top it went. The bands massive viral push and fun-loving video led to an amazing win. Andy concludes, “We had fun. And I hope people have fun watching it.”
The one thing truly struck me throughout the contest is that Andy stayed smart on what the fans wanted to see and truly delivered. Because of that, we’re going out on a limb to give all you Sonicbids members a tutorial straight from Andy on how to have success in an online setting. Tune in here next week for Part 2 of our Andy Brown Feature for Andy’s tips and tricks on using social media to power your band to the top.
And be sure to check out the winning video from Andy Brown, “Happiness”, right here.
