Remembering BRAD

Ahh, I actually got to see Brad Before I ever saw PJ.  Saw Brad at the Metro in Chicago on 7-11-1997.  It was my 3rd show ever. I finally saw PJ for the first time on the 1998 tour.  Then I saw Brad again in 2010 with BOH in Columbus, OH.  Both were great shows, but that First time at the Metro and seeing Stone and Shawn was absolutely amazing.  Brad was my fave PJ side Project until RNDM came out, then Brad moved down to #2.  I do hope we get a Lost Dogs style release of some good stuff in the Brad Vault, I'd really dig another release from them.  Always makes me wistful when I think about all the Music that won't get made now, I know Brad had another epic album in them.  Still a fantastic band that I go back to time and again.

Shawn was a gentle, deep and caring soul. I met him briefly before a solo show in NYC. Not long after, I messaged him on FB and asked if I could hire him to record a cover song as a gift to my then wife. He happily agreed, a beautiful solo piano/vocal cover of Ordinary World by her favorite band, Duran Duran. A year or so later my band, Plug, was finishing up our first EP and I asked Shawn if he would contribute background vocals to a song. He sent me multiple versions of him doing all kinds of different vocal takes, so cool of him, he just wanted to get it as good as it could be. I offered him money and he refused, just said "thanks for asking to create with me". Out of respect for Shawn, and my ex, I won't share the Duran Duran cover but if you want to hear the song he sang background vocals on, you can find it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTdMpUhGbT8

fgalpern said:

Shawn was a gentle, deep and caring soul. I met him briefly before a solo show in NYC. Not long after, I messaged him on FB and asked if I could hire him to record a cover song as a gift to my then wife. He happily agreed, a beautiful solo piano/vocal cover of Ordinary World by her favorite band, Duran Duran. A year or so later my band, Plug, was finishing up our first EP and I asked Shawn if he would contribute background vocals to a song. He sent me multiple versions of him doing all kinds of different vocal takes, so cool of him, he just wanted to get it as good as it could be. I offered him money and he refused, just said "thanks for asking to create with me". Out of respect for Shawn, and my ex, I won't share the Duran Duran cover but if you want to hear the song he sang background vocals on, you can find it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTdMpUhGbT8

This is great & I have a story that's in this ballpark as well.

My first time seeing Shawn play live was when we lived in Portland and he played a show at Dante's on Burnside. I had missed seeing Brad several times for various reasons and he is one of my all time favorite songwriters & vocalists. So, my wife and I grab a table right up front and he goes up to the bar about an hour before the show starts. Not many people are around yet, so I just went up to say hello and thank him for his music and for being an inspiration with my own songwriting. He was incredibly sweet, funny and asked me a lot of questions about my music. I didn't ask for a picture or autograph, we just chatted about music and the process of creating. After about 10 minutes, I thanked him again and he said keep in touch. I didn't think much of it at the time and we enjoyed his show immensely. 

I thought of this a few months later and reached out to him via email. Well, he remembered me and we started emailing back and forth. I asked if he would be interested in hearing some of my songs and he said send 'em over. So, I sent him links to my band music and some rough solo demos that I had been working on not expecting a ton in return. His reply was encouraging, complimentary (what?!) and I could tell that he was excited. He gave me feedback and made suggestions on how to open up & expand some of the songs. (One of his comments was..."Do you not like bridges? If not, learn to like them because this tune needs a bridge!") It was absolutely amazing.

I asked him if he'd be open to producing a solo project and he said yes, but that it would have to wait a bit because he had a lot going on. We emailed a bit here and there and then we moved from Portland to Kansas City. He said that he'd still be willing to help in any way that he could, but it would be more difficult to work in a studio since I was no longer in the area. I had plans to email him the weekend after his passing to check in and send him some new songs.

I'm sad that he's gone. It hit me like a ton of bricks when he passed away. His legacy most certainly lives on, though. Not just in his music, but with how he treated others. 

Rest in peace, Shawn. And THANK YOU.

mfc2006 said:

fgalpern said:

Shawn was a gentle, deep and caring soul. I met him briefly before a solo show in NYC. Not long after, I messaged him on FB and asked if I could hire him to record a cover song as a gift to my then wife. He happily agreed, a beautiful solo piano/vocal cover of Ordinary World by her favorite band, Duran Duran. A year or so later my band, Plug, was finishing up our first EP and I asked Shawn if he would contribute background vocals to a song. He sent me multiple versions of him doing all kinds of different vocal takes, so cool of him, he just wanted to get it as good as it could be. I offered him money and he refused, just said "thanks for asking to create with me". Out of respect for Shawn, and my ex, I won't share the Duran Duran cover but if you want to hear the song he sang background vocals on, you can find it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTdMpUhGbT8

This is great & I have a story that's in this ballpark as well.

My first time seeing Shawn play live was when we lived in Portland and he played a show at Dante's on Burnside. I had missed seeing Brad several times for various reasons and he is one of my all time favorite songwriters & vocalists. So, my wife and I grab a table right up front and he goes up to the bar about an hour before the show starts. Not many people are around yet, so I just went up to say hello and thank him for his music and for being an inspiration with my own songwriting. He was incredibly sweet, funny and asked me a lot of questions about my music. I didn't ask for a picture or autograph, we just chatted about music and the process of creating. After about 10 minutes, I thanked him again and he said keep in touch. I didn't think much of it at the time and we enjoyed his show immensely. 

I thought of this a few months later and reached out to him via email. Well, he remembered me and we started emailing back and forth. I asked if he would be interested in hearing some of my songs and he said send 'em over. So, I sent him links to my band music and some rough solo demos that I had been working on not expecting a ton in return. His reply was encouraging, complimentary (what?!) and I could tell that he was excited. He gave me feedback and made suggestions on how to open up & expand some of the songs. (One of his comments was..."Do you not like bridges? If not, learn to like them because this tune needs a bridge!") It was absolutely amazing.

I asked him if he'd be open to producing a solo project and he said yes, but that it would have to wait a bit because he had a lot going on. We emailed a bit here and there and then we moved from Portland to Kansas City. He said that he'd still be willing to help in any way that he could, but it would be more difficult to work in a studio since I was no longer in the area. I had plans to email him the weekend after his passing to check in and send him some new songs.

I'm sad that he's gone. It hit me like a ton of bricks when he passed away. His legacy most certainly lives on, though. Not just in his music, but with how he treated others. 

Rest in peace, Shawn. And THANK YOU.

That’s an amazing story. Definitely an experience to treasure.

Can't wait for the reissue vinyl next year. 

JeBurkhardt said:

demetrios said:

Can't wait for the reissue vinyl next year. 

I must have missed the announcement. What Brad releases are being reissued? 

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=10157828001589132&id=155480954131

demetrios said:

Can't wait for the reissue vinyl next year. 

What!?

F Me In The Brain said:

Will be spinning Shame, with a cocktail, this weekend.  Happy for the bump/reminder.

I will be spinning Welcome To Discovery Park & Shame. Hell, I may spin all of them! 

Best Friends is underrated, in my opinion.