Artist Spotlight - Brian Lambert

What is your name?
Thank you for doing this spotlight, my name is Brian Lambert.

Where are you located?
Denton, TX

How long have you been writing music?
I’ve been writing music since I was 17, so almost 30 years now.

What inspired you to start playing and making music?
I’d honestly say it was music videos on MTV, that was the first time it ever occurred to me that you could be in a band and make the music yourself. Music soon took over everything and I found myself listening to the radio, cassettes and whatever I could get my hands on.

What are your favorite artists or other artists that inspire you to write music?
I have so many, it’s really tough to pin it down. The Tweetcore scene is very inspiring with my main collaborators Mike Mosley and Marc Schuster really influencing what my sound has become. Other artists like Quizboy, Scoopski, Won’t Say Rabbit, Voodoo Planet and more keep me very motivated to keep refining my craft. Also I’m really digging the new Queens of The Stone Age, Bully and Jason Isbell albums. Jason Isbell always focuses me on writing quality lyrics. I suppose as an artist David Bowie is one of my touchstones. Really the way he did everything. He had so many different eras and styles of music. He was an original, so it would be a mistake to copy him. I would say that I do try to channel some of that spirit into my music.

How would you describe your style of music?
The style of music I’m currently doing for this album is a bit like 80’s pop, with a punk undertones, driven by a Springsteen sort of narrative songwriting. If you dig deeper you’ll find a variety of styles especially if you consider my band The Star Crumbles which has a distinct 80’s new wave flavor

How is your personality reflected in your work?
I’m varied in my interests and like making connections between seemingly different areas. I’m alternately silly and serious, deep thoughts and lightheartedness. The music is a mash of all those different aspects. My intention is to be thought provoking and still fun at the same time.

Describe your creative process when you write new music.
It depends on the project that I’m working on. The approach that I’ve used most frequently is sitting down with my acoustic guitar and fumbling around with chords and words until I have a song that I can remember. Over the course of my 52 week music production challenge I branched out and would create the music first and then go back, create the lyrics melodies spontaneously. I work very instinctually now, go with what works in the moment. You don’t remember how you do a lot of things that way but I think that gives the music a more natural feel that breathes and doesn’t feel too stiff. The answer I’m giving seems pretty vague to me which I suppose is because I am really intentional about not overthinking when it comes to creating. Just create it, don’t judge it until after you’re done. Even then I try not to judge my creations, maybe it doesn’t do it for me but for someone else it’s just what they need.

What is the name of your latest releases?
Auto Matic Im Perfect it’s an album I’m very proud of.

What was the inspiration for that release?
This album is a compilation of tracks from the last 3 years that I’ve worked on. With all the tracks that I’ve released over the last few years I wanted to tie a bow on it so to speak and close the cycle. I choose tracks that I feel created a narrative around what it’s like to have been alive during such a turbulent time of change. It’s an album for ADHD teenagers or those that identify as such.

Can you tell us any "behind the scenes" stories about writing or producing this release?
Wow, considering the length of time behind how it came together, there’s a lot of scenes to be behind. It was really born out of necessity when the pandemic hit. I’d been going into studios to make music. The only way I could do that once the pandemic hit was at home. It took on very different aspects over time. I recorded in different rooms in my house, used different approaches to recording, different approaches to mixing and mastering. This album has two songs that I didn’t write which was different for me

What do you do to promote your music?
Social media is my main way of promoting. Content creation is, in my opinion, part of what that means now. I used to be super against it and thought it was a chore. Now it’s an extension of what I do and an opportunity to think about the music in different terms. Thinking about ways I can represent myself online so that people can get a sense of what the music sounds like pushed my thinking on what is the music really about? What emotions do I want the audience to experience? Doing social media and thinking about how to translate that from the music to social media caused me to really get clear about the feelings I am attempting to create for you as a listener.

What are you currently working on?
At the moment having finished two albums, one for my solo project and one with the Star Crumbles, you’d think I’d take a break and focus on the promotion. Of course that’s not the case. I currently have a collaboration with a couple of artists with whom you are familiar on a cover song we’re taking a different approach and another collaboration with another artist you know for a cover of the same band. It wasn’t intentional that it was the same band but it’s quite a coincidence. I’m going to keep the details under my hat so to speak so everyone can be surprised when the songs come out

How can folks get in contact with you?
My website is the most convenient, you can find all of my socials, sign up for the email list and listen to music there. It’s brianlambertmusic.com.

Is there anything else of interest that we neglected asking about, please include here.
I suppose besides my love of horror movies which also leaks into my music in place, the 52 Music Production challenge would be of the most interest to your readers. For an entire year, I released a song a week, two on Halloween so 53 total. It was a crazy experience in which many of the songs that are on the album come out of that period of time. It taught me how to mix and master quickly, how to produce songs and built the foundation of my current audience. I learned a ton about myself as well. Per your suggestion a project would be to put all of the songs in collection for people to get. It’d be a pretty massive undertaking but worth it I believe. Thank you.

Brian Lambert

Brian Lambert is the Friendly Neighborhood Rock and Roller, a musician whose music embodies the very essence of feel-good rock with substance. Residing in Denton, Texas, Brian's music captures the heart and soul of the Lone Star State with every note he plays.

But his music is not just limited to Texas. Brian's sound is a fusion of rock from the 80's and 90's with a modern twist, making it feel both timeless and contemporary. It's the kind of music that makes you want to dance and sing along, while also making you pause and reflect on life's deeper meanings.

One of Brian's most notable achievements is The 52 Week Music Production Challenge, in which he released a fully produced song every week for an entire year. This project showcased not only his immense talent as a songwriter and musician, but also his commitment to the craft of music-making.

rock / indie rock / garage / rock / indie rock / garage rock