Brad Barr interview in MTL Gazette

[lucasdavidsamuels]

I pulled this from the Montreal Gazette. Here's some insight into The Barr Brothers current position with their record:

THE NEW BAND

The debut record by indie-folk outfit the Barr Brothers is in limbo. It has been recorded, mixed and is ready to go; the band even self-pressed a limited number of copies to sell at recent shows. But the Barr Brothers now find themselves at a crossroads when it comes to taking the next step: either they align themselves with a record company, or go the independent route and release the album themselves.

Like a lot of musicians, however, frontman Brad Barr acknowledges they are not so great at the business end of things.

“We’re preparing ourselves to release the record on our own and have been talking to people who can help us so that it won’t be such a scary thing,” he said. “Still, it would be so wonderful if a good label wanted to take it.”

It’s a long shot for a band to find a record deal at

SXSW, but it happens. In fact, it happened to Barr and his brother Andrew with their previous band, the Slip; the founder of Bar/None Records, Glenn Morrow, stumbled upon the group at the festival in 2005 and promptly signed it.

The Slip toured Japan and performed on Conan O’Brien’s show, but was “never particularly successful,” Barr said. The brothers moved to Montreal from Boston and started the new band with harpist Sarah Page and bassist Andrés Vial.

“I guess we’re just looking for some clarity on how to proceed from here, and SXSW could be a good place to find that,” Barr said.

As the music industry is now in a very different state than it was in 2005, Barr is not expecting his new band to experience the same serendipity that the Slip did. In any case, he said, record deals these days are not always advantageous to the artist.

But there are other kinds of connections to be made that can help a music career along, like mingling with public-relations people, marketing types, or booking agents who can put you on the festival circuit. As Barr explains, the more you put yourself in motion, the more stuff happens.

“Nobody’s in a rush here, but our music does seem to be resonating with people right now,” said Barr.

“We made a record that we love, and being out there playing live is still a special thing for us.”

Read more: http://www.montrealgazette.com/entertai ... z1Frfw0QKG

[harrymcq]

Great interview, Lucas, thanks!!!

If they don't get a contract at SXSW I think they should release it with Royal Potato. They also need to get that Slip record out with Bar/None. These days records get old fast and Brad writes so quickly there will be new material for another Barr Bros album and another new Slip Album before they know it. I feel like they need to just get the recorded stuff out while it's fairly fresh rather than waiting until it's perfect. These days unless you get really lucky an album isn't going to make you big dough, the music industry is so vast and everyone illegally downloads constantly. However in the long run it will give you a trickle with iTunes sales, CD's at the Merch table, and more importantly more places on the internet for people to talk about how awesome the tunes are (i.e. Amazon and iTunes comment areas.) The Slip missed so many opportunities for great albums in the post-Angels era. Eisenhower is a masterpiece for sure and I love the Alive albums but those years 02-07 were so fertile musically, there easily could have been two more Slip albums in that time period. Eisenhower was already pretty old when they finally got it out. I don't know if these guys are ever going to 'break big' but I think they are more likely to if they were able to steadily release studio output.

[lucasdavidsamuels]

I wouldn't be shocked if they don't get lucky at South By if they just release it on Royal Potato. The Barr Brothers album really is as perfect (production wise) and if they just got it out somehow I think they could get some more buzz going. It's good they're touring pretty heavily behind it. The fact that they're playing Toronto, MTL and in the States seems to be getting them good buzz. I literally haven't read a single bad review of any of their shows. I've probably said it before, but all they need to do is get this album in the hands of Pitchfork and as long as it garnered a good review (which I think it would), they would be sitting pretty. Yellowbirds is going to be reviewed by Pitchfork soon so there is at least some connection between Yellowbirds - Royal Potato - Barr Brothers....

Last I spoke to Kevin the Barrs were really just looking to shop the album around to a bunch of labels, that was back over New Years already...

[bear]

"Like a lot of musicians, however, frontman Brad Barr acknowledges they are not so great at the business end of things."

no shit