GOOD MORNING MUSIC

Brian David Collins is a multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter raised in The Colorado Rockies. He is a CSU graduate, and a long time performer, entertaining crowds of all walks of life for two decades and counting. In his hometown of Fort Collins and the surrounding areas he is most well-known for his time with The Seers, a variety acoustic duo. In recent years he has dedicated his creative efforts to his solo project, Brian David Collins.  Brian has just relocated to the small historic town of Hodgenville Kentucky for a new chapter in life.

We love your new fire music! How did you come up with the concept for the song?

For this question I want to talk about the title track for my fresh release, Good Morning Music, dropped on November 5.  I first heard a song that referred to Good Morning Music on Edgar Winner’s White Trash album when I was a kid.  Now, thirty years later, here I am with a lick I’m happy about with no idea for a lyrical concept, something that happens to me every now and then.  Here it was, three months into the pandemic, and I hadn’t written a damn thing that I thought was worth finishing, let alone recording.  Suddenly, as I was on my way to feed the dogs a few days after I had come up with the lick, I heard Jonny Rivers’ voice in my head singing, “good morning music’s gonna start our day, gonna change up our hearts gonna bring a new faith.”  The lyrics already had a melody and fit perfectly with the chord progression void of meaning until right then.  Music is the best way to start the day, made me think of Brad Delp from Boston when he sang, “I woke up this morning, and the sun was gone, turned on some music to start my day.”  “How could old Brad have been wrong,” I thought, “I think I’ve got myself the start to a good song.”

What is your favorite part about  the song? 

I really like the instrumental intro, post-chorus and outro sections.  For me this is where the arrangement I chose for it in the studio really comes through the way I heard it in my head.  These sections really let the talent shine!

What were you most meticulous about on your latest song? 

Good Morning Music went through a couple of drafts.  Parts of the song were written at different times for me to later realize they worked well together.  The song was like a puzzle, and in earlier drafts I tried to overuse some of the pieces.  Once the format was right it was on and I was excited to begin practicing the song with the band to develop a pleasing arrangement.

Your latest collaboration, how did this come about?

I was the sole writer of Good Morning Music.  After it was written, Tom Ditzler, the drummer for BDC, and I practiced it every week along with the other songs that ended up on the record.  Tom and I are the two members that really founded the project and keep it driving forward. After the song was recorded, bassist Rodney tracked his part remotely and the other two musicians finished the track with me sitting with them at Stout Studios.  Darren recorded them while I explained the parts I needed for the arrangement I heard in my head.  After each take I provided feedback until the music felt and sounded right.

Who did what on the song? 

I played piano, organ, and sang the lead vocal track, Tom Ditzler played drums, Rodney Eddings played bass, Brian Keller played three harmonizing tracks on saxophone, and Jeromy Moore played two tracks on trumpet in unison.

What was the writing process like?

The part I used as an intro, outro and post-chorus sections, was the first part to be written and the last part to be added to the song.  The rest of the song, the verse, pre-chorus and chorus structures, were written a few months later, along with the lyrics and vocal melodies.  The song was functional without the intro/outro/post/chorus part, but it was missing something.  Then, it dawned on me!  I thought to myself, “what about that intro you had written that never seemed to lead anywhere good.  I think that would work with the rest of this song and make the whole thing more progressive, interesting and stronger.”  Upon trying my new idea I was instantly satisfied with the result, and after another draft or two, Good Morning music saw its dawn!

What kind of mood was set in order to create the magic?

It  took an upbeat mood and a new surge of confidence to create the magic that went into this tune.  After the writing was well underway, it made it on the list of songs to show Tom at practice.  I’d arrive at his house at 1 o’clock every Thursday afternoon, with lunch, my keys, microphone and vocal amp in tow.  We would sit and eat and vent until we were tired and it was time to change the subject, whereupon we would set up my mic and keys in Tom’s basement and play our hearts out, talking over sections and playing parts of songs until we liked what we were hearing.  Practice wouldn’t usually end until about 6/7 at night, we loved it!

Good Morning Music has gone on to become our most preferred opener.  It’s upbeat, optimistic, in true old rock sentiment, and gets the night off on the right foot.

Is there a critique you’ve gotten on the single that you worked through and it’s made the overall work better? 

I didn’t get a critique from anyone outside of the band while writing this song, but I will say that when we first started playing Good Morning Music together something felt wrong.  In the beginning I had a pre-chorus part and we would play the first verse, go to the pre-chorus, and back for a second verse.  Tom and I both thought something felt wrong, like the song wasn’t progressing fast enough.  Then I said, “let’s try going straight into the chorus from the first pre-chorus, instead of backwards into another verse.”  When we tried it we realized that our work was sounding much better and were glad we took the time for the revision.

What are you most excited about for fans to hear on your latest single?

I hope our fans will be able to appreciate the musical arrangement on this recording of the song.  I hope they hear the fanfare of sax/trumpet right out of the gate, with driving drums, bass and keys underneath.  In addition, I hope the track gives them a fresh perspective, change of heart and a restoration of faith as the lyrics suggest.

What has been the best feedback so far?

The world hasn’t really heard this yet, so I haven’t received feedback as I have for Sad Songs Glad Songs.  For Sad Songs Glad Songs a well respected local DJ, Kris K with the Colorado Sound, complimented the song writing and musical arrangement of the work, recommending it to other DJs.  Some show goers thought the song Sad Songs Glad Songs was a classic they had never heard.  I can tell you we have worked just as hard on this record and await feedback with great eagerness.  It is still in the inspection cue but should be made available for streaming by the time this interview is posted.

Leave us with your favorite fire lyrics of the song? 

“Look for something better within

You can feel around you when there is no remedy

All you need is something to gain

In your mind

Look for something better within

You can feel inside you when there is no space to breathe

All you need is something to live

For deep inside”

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