Tag: Brian Dunne

Basic Folk – Brian Dunne

Posted on by Shelby Williamson

I am feeling #blessed and #grateful to be sharing today’s interview with our listeners. Brian Dunne is one of my dearest pals in the music biz, not to mention one of my favorite songwriters working today. Brian’s songs are always clever and sincere, dark and fun, honest and imaginative. He’s got a way with words, a killer voice, and big time rock star vibes. These are a few of the reasons why Loser On The Ropes, Dunne’s Kill Rock Stars debut, is earning this indie rocker critical acclaim and a ton of new fans.

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Brian is a New York-born artist who knew he wanted to be a musician from the first moment he saw Bruce Springsteen on television. After graduating from Berklee College of Music, Brian started making records and figuring out his sound. He’s become a stalwart in the New York music scene both with his own music and as a member of the super-silly supergroup Fantastic Cat (shoutout to bandmate and Basic Folk alum Anthony D’Amato!)

In 2022, Brian got word that a live recording of his song “New Tattoo,” which had been recorded during a 2018 soundcheck, was climbing the charts in the Netherlands. His unexpected European star turn has not gone to this working artist’s head one bit; in fact he has delved even deeper into themes of failure and humility in his recent songs. But what keeps people coming back to Brian’s music is his hopeful spirit in spite of all the darkness.

Photo Credit: Alana Urcia

WATCH: Brian Dunne, “Sometime After This”

Posted on by Editor

Artist: Brian Dunne
Hometown: Monroe, New York
Song: “Sometime After This”
Release Date: December 13, 2022
Label: Kill Rock Stars

In Their Words: “At its core, this song is my way of saying ‘this too shall pass’ but in a way that feels honest, and not like a HomeGoods wall stencil. It starts with a big idea and gets smaller with each verse. The first one addresses the social and political state of things, and how sad it is that we can’t even agree on what it is that we disagree about (and also has the first and likely last use of the word ‘email’ in one of my songs). Verse two is about everything that led me here, to this particular song, and finds me asking a classic NYC vampire — a sacred character to me — what exactly to do with it. And verse three is just about a single cup of coffee and how it all just comes down to that; being grateful for a hot beverage.” — Brian Dunne

Photo Credit: Lukasz Palka

WATCH: Fantastic Cat, “Ain’t This the Strangest Town”

Posted on by Editor

Artist: Fantastic Cat (Don DiLego, Brian Dunne, Anthony D’Amato, Mike Montali)
Hometown: New York, New York
Song: “Ain’t This the Strangest Town”
Album: The Very Best of Fantastic Cat
Release Date: July 29, 2022
Label: Blue Rose Music

In Their Words: “‘Ain’t This the Strangest Town’ is one of those songs that came pretty quick after a late night out in New York City. It’s sort of a love song to all the incredible strangers we meet not only there, but in all of our towns, big and small. The germ of the Fantastic Cat idea had just started and it felt like a song that played to the strengths of the band and everyone’s abilities to swap instruments and contribute on so many levels together. We only did a couple takes and what you hear is pretty much everyone picking up the closest instrument and figuring it out in real time. It was a great bonding day for the band in the studio.” — Don DiLego, Fantastic Cat

Photo Credit: Shervin Lainez

WATCH: Brian Dunne, “Harlem River Drive”

Posted on by Editor

Artist: Brian Dunne
Hometown: Brooklyn, New York
Song: “Harlem River Drive”
Album: Selling Things
Release Date: April 10. 2020

In Their Words: “‘Harlem River Drive’ is a song about contentment and the things that stand in the way of it. It was born out of this feeling of being forever stuck on the precipice of something big, ultimately driving you to the edge of your sanity. That’s what the song is about to me; missing the present — either in anticipation of the future, or in romanticism of the past — and the consequences that come along with that. But there’s resolution in the song. I do believe there is hope for us yet, or something like that.” — Brian Dunne

Photo credit: Adam Gardner