Brant Bjork - saved by magic?

Wed 29th Nov, 2006 in Features

For one of the forefathers of organic desert rock, the trip keeps growing and evolving. With 2005’s double album Saved By Magic in tow, this year saw Brant Bjork and his band of Bros fix their focus on Europe, opening up new markets for label Duna Records and touring like a men possessed.  

2006 also brought the release of Sabbia, a stoned-out “visual soundtrack” bringing his Californian low desert home onto film. Currently on a break from the road, Bjork is looking forward to a short tour of Australia including a New Year’s Eve appearance at Pyramid Rock Festival, the next Bros album and more solo efforts to add to his extensive body of work which includes Kyuss, Fu Manchu, Che, Mondo Generator, Desert Sessions and many more.

“The Bros are going along nicely. We have been doing a lot of shows, but I’ve still found time to do other things. Right now I’m working on the next Bros album which we’ll start recording in December. After that I might be doing some more stripped down material with just me and guitar.”

Saved By Magic’s first disc (fuckin’ A) had more rock than disc two (fuckin’ B) which was more trippy and chilled. Where are The Bros off to next?

“We’ll be taking a whole lot of ideas and letting them flow. I’m not sure what it’s going to come out like though. You’ll be as surprised as me.”

Bjork and Co. won’t be recording at the legendary desert studio at Rancho De La Luna again, preferring to record in LA with friend Mathias Schneeberger, who has produced two of his previous bands; Brant Bjork and The Operators and Che. Unable to garner the same support from his homeland that he has received across the Atlantic, Bjork has spent more time in Europe this year. “I kinda got really sick of slugging it out in the States; I’ve done that quite a bit in different bands over the years. Europe is more rewarding on so many levels.”

Do CD sales refect this sentiment?

“Yeah, they get better received (in Europe), not because they are understood better, it’s just that there aren’t as many barriers. The American market is very saturated right now and I don’t have the time to fight through that shit. It is frustrating on some levels, but I’m not complaining.”

What has Saved By Magic achieved?

“It’s allowed us to keep growing as a band and keep developing our live chemistry. If people say they dig some songs, well that’s cool. The crowds are definitely getting bigger. We’re opening up new markets, playing to new people and the crowds in existing markets are always evolving.”

Bjork cites Eastern European countries like Hungary and Czechoslovakia as most recent additions to the Bros family. What other new countries would they like to add to their extensive touring schedule?  “There are plans to get to Latin America in 2007; Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Mexico. I have never played there before and it’s something I’ve wanted to do for many years.”

Something else Bjork has wanted to do for many years is produce Sabbia.  “It’s a visual soundtrack concept i’ve had for quite a while that film maker Kate McCabe helped bring to life. It was an opportunity to go out into the desert, shoot some rad landscapes and put music to it. It’s a really interesting, trippy environment and a lot of music comes from here. A lot of people may not have been to the desert, so we thought ‘shit, we might as well show them.’”

Is the surrounding desert landscape something Brant Bjork tries to capture in his music? “It’s not something I try to get across, it just happens naturally. People say ‘desert rock’ or whatever, well of course it is. That’s where I make music.”

The landscape around Brant Bjork has changed in the last six months, having lived mainly in Europe. After the Australian tour he will move to Barcelona for the foreseeable future. Will he miss his desert home?  “Sure. That’s my roots, but this tree has to grow. I’m just going along with this new trip and seeing where it takes me.”   

Which no doubt means more writing, recording and touring for busy Bjork.  “There’s always plenty going on. I’ve got a live DVD and three records on the shelf ready to go; one with the Bros and a couple of solo efforts. “

In the meantime The Bros will be touring Australia for the second time since their first visit in September 2004. The last time was February this year. What is it that brings Bjork back to Australia?

“The people aren’t wound up too tight. They are cool, they like to rock and there’s plenty of sunshine. It’s has real loose vibe and I dig that. I’m really looking forward to it.”

Brant Bjork plays Pyramid Rock Festival
Fri Dec 29 – Mon Jan 1 
for the full line -up click here
 
Saved By Magic and Sabbia are out now through Duna Records.