Hi, everyone! This past week, I've been exchanging interview questions with Liverpool's own Bradley Mullins, aka Brad Stank. He's been one of the more mysterious artists I've interviewed, as I couldn't really find much info about who he was and his upbringing. For now, he makes music in his own subgenre "sex-istential pop". He's steadily releasing music since 2017 with the release of his debut single "Flirting in Space". He also dropped his first EP, Eternal Slowdown last year, and he's had a good run of live shows, too. He's performed with the likes of bedroom pop-heads Clairo, Gus Dapperton, and Her's over the last few years. I really like a lot of the stuff "B-Stank" has released, and I am glad he was able to answer some questions during a busy time!
bazzreviews: Which albums or artists inspired you to start a music career in the first place?
Brad Stank: Growing up, I was really into bands like Nirvana, the Pixies and Dinosaur Jr, and most of the first songs I wrote were just trying to sound like any of those 3 bands.
br: I understand that you have described your music as “sex-istential pop”, can you tell me more about what that exactly is?
B.S: It's very simple. The music is trying to reach the bottom of your brain whilst keeping it sexy at the same time.
br: What’s the significance behind your stage name “Brad Stank”?
B.S.: There is none, really. I just thought the name was funny and it stuck.
br: You’ve gotten to perform shows with big-name artists like Clairo, Her’s and Gus Dapperton, what have those experiences been like?
B.S.: Both sets of shows with Clairo and Gus were really great, and we had some super energetic crowds that were very kind to us. Obviously, the Her's show we played in London last year is extra special to me because it was my first show with this band Every time I saw Her's was pure bliss, and I'll always be grateful for being able to see them live as many times as I did.
br: I’ve heard you’re known for some pretty cool live shows yourself- would you say that you prefer performing live rather than working in the studio?
B.S.: As I record on my own at my home "studio" and play live shows at different venues, you come to learn that they are two totally different worlds, so it’s hard to say which one I like more. I’d say both are equally enjoyable- and stressful!
br: Can you describe your process for how you make a song?
B.S.: Though it seems unusual, I normally start with the name. I’ll add the drums, some chords and a melody, then the lyrics, and it’s a finished product.
br: When you’re making a song, what’s more important to you- lyricism, or production value and instrumentation?
B.S.: Again, it’s a really tough one to say which one I like more. I’d have to go with both again here, neither one is more important than another.
br: Having a jazz/funk style with your music, are you more of a perfectionist in the studio, or are you more open to improvising parts of songs?
B.S.: It depends on the part. Sometimes, I will spend so much time on a tiny part of a song that listeners might not even catch, but other times I will just do one take and leave it. If you want to get an idea for what I’m talking about, listen to the silly guitar solo in 'Crib'.
br: Do you have any upcoming projects in the works right now?
B.S.: Yes, but I don’t want to share too much about it quite yet!
br: What music goals do you have for the future?
B.S.: I just want to keep making stuff that I like, almost being honest with my music. I’d also want to do some collaborating with friends, but I always want to be learning new stuff all the time.
LIGHTNING ROUND
Who are your non-musical heroes?
Jack Kerouac, Charles Bukowski, Dostoevsky, Camille Paglia, Jesus, the Buddha, Joseph Campbell and Norm MacDonald
Which albums or songs have you been listening to a lot lately?
Erykah Badu, Ariel Pink, Harry Nilsson, MIKE, Sun Ra, Earl Sweatshirt, Joni Mitchell, and Freddie Gibbs
What was the first album you ever bought?
American Idiot by Green Day
Who was the first artist you ever saw live?
I think it was the Killers or Dinosaur Jr
I'd like to thank Brad again for giving me his time for an interview. For those of you guys who haven't checked out his stuff, go do it now! I hope all of you guys enjoy his music, as well as the content right here on bazzreviews! Stay tuned for some more awesome stuff coming soon!
To hear Brad's music, log on to https://soundcloud.com/bradstank
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