Q&A: ‘Live and Wired’ Transports You to Barns Courtney’s Addictive and Electric World
INTERVIEW
INTERVIEW
☆ BY SULLIVAN JORDAN ☆
Photo by Savanah K Christian
KNOWN FOR HIS FIERCE, PASSIONATE, AND FREE-SPIRITED LIVE SHOWS— Barns Courtney delivers his discography in its most authentic form on live album Live and Wired. It’s charged with energy and momentum as Courtney brings forth his electric charisma on each track. Recorded live in Paris, Courtney’s set list comes alive in a deliciously sporadic and fiery tornado of sparkling instrumentals, thumping drums and the buzz of an enthralled and cheering audience.
Courtney uses his innate musical skills, charm and spontaneous nature to perform hits and hidden gems alike. He pulls equally from his early and most recent work, spanning the expanse of his vast musical career. Not only do the live recordings show Courtney in his most natural element, but the tracks display his impressive musical range that he has been able to experiment with and expand throughout his eventful, yet ultimately exciting and powerful career.
Woven throughout the album are cheers from the audience, sound bits of Courtney expressing his gratitude to his fan base, and catchy call and response bits. To be a Barns Courtney fan is no casual matter, and his fans are never shy to showcase their dedication and bold enthusiasm for his music. While you may have never been in the audience at one of his shows, Live and Wired makes you feel as if you are. From the first track all the way through the final clash of drums and lively cheers, you are swept into a racing and intense world where it is encouraged to let loose and live in your most authentic light.
Luna had the chance to catch up with Courtney in an email interview about the recording process for Live and Wired, what it means to be an independent artist, and the strong connection he has built with his fans.
LUNA: Congratulations on the live recordings of “The Kids” and most recently “Hands!” Your shows are always full of a one-of-a-kind electric energy that is difficult to replicate, but I think you did just that with these tracks and your upcoming live album Live and Wired. Can you walk us through the recording process for these live tracks?
COURTNEY: We didn't have enough inputs for everything so the only crowd noise you hear is when I'm physically pointing the mic at the audience! It was very throw-and-go every night! After listening to every show it was tough to decide which one should be on the record but Paris had a special something from both the band and the fans.
LUNA: How has this recording process inspired you and/or given you a new perspective on your work and songwriting process?
COURTNEY: For the first time, the songs sound like they're supposed to. The next time I make a rock record, I'll rehearse a band first and take them into the studio live. You just can't beat the sound of four musicians pulling from the same source at once. The telepathy and chemistry you get from living in each other's pockets is unbeatable, especially for these songs.
LUNA: What were some challenges you faced while bringing this live album to life? How did you overcome those challenges?
COURTNEY: It was tough to mix Andrew Martin's guitar without some of the ambient crowd mics. His sound is so huge and untethered in the room in a way that was hard to showcase with the amp mics alone. I mostly treated his parts like a lead vocal and panned the two of us left and right respectively so we could both sit heavy in the mix.
LUNA: You are a newly independent artist with Avenue A, congratulations! Can you tell us a bit about what that means to you as an artist who has been in the industry for a while? As you enter this new chapter, how is being an independent artist inspiring you and your music?
COURTNEY: For the first time I've been able to choose my producer. I've been able to rework tracks when they didn't feel right. I've had the freedom to go in with an engineer and start from scratch when the studio didn't capture what I wanted. That's a big deal. I can make records in a way that's very honest.
LUNA: I was lucky enough to catch your unplugged solo acoustic show at The Sultan Room in Brooklyn a few months ago! I loved that show because the space was small and the crowd was so enthusiastic. What do you like most about playing more personal and intimate venues and shows such as that one?
COURTNEY: The chaos, the unpredictability. People stage invade, heckle, throw underwear, crowd surf. The fans really shaped these acoustic shows into something totally different to what I imagined. Together we've made something that feels very different from my band shows.
LUNA: Do you have any fun pre or post show rituals?
COURTNEY: I love to blast The Who's “Won't Get Fooled Again” before stage time. I already loved that song but now I associate it with the rush of adrenaline before the first chords. Sometimes I'll find a bar near the venue and invite the entire crowd to come party after the show! The best way to see any town is through the eyes of the people that live there.
LUNA: You have connected with a very excited and passionate fan base. What have been some of your most memorable fan moments?
COURTNEY: The drunk woman who ran up on stage and critiqued my setlist while I made up a song about her! The Mancunian Granny who sang "Up Where We Belong" with me after refusing to let go of my torso! The dad in Antwerp who came up with his own lyrics to my song “99” in front of all my fans because he didn't know the words! It's the people that make this shit great! And the small venues make it possible to connect in a way we never could!
LUNA: You just wrapped up the European leg of your unplugged shows. How does connecting with your fans and playing live inspire you as an artist and personally?
COURTNEY: It reminds me not to let my ambition eclipse gratitude. These shows are so much fun, people go so hard and bring so much enthusiasm. I'm fucking lucky to do this job with the people that show up every night. I might not have the most fans, but I have the best fans. I owe them everything and thanks to them my life is a wonderful adventure.
LUNA: What do you hope your fans and newer listeners take away from Live and Wired?
COURTNEY: A lot of people expect a mild mannered acoustic troubadour. I hope this encourages them to come see the show. And I hope it serves as a record of the beautiful sweaty cult we created after I'm gone.
