Pop and Pumpkin: Brett Dennen

“You can’t chop off your head and use a watermelon”

It amazes me how long Californian singer/songwriter Brett Dennen takes to answer and explain my “If fruit lived in a monarchist society, which fruit would be king?” query. His dedication to answering my question perfectly and succinctly is reason enough for my adoration, let alone his lavish, quirky tunes.

“Wow…this is a good question….based on history, I feel like a banana might be a contender, they’re so coveted and extensive...a goji berry is possible the most nutritious and vital for the body...Apples can last for a really long time….watermelon” he finally answers. “They’re hard to crack but once you crack em, they’re amazing, mad reverence around the watermelon, watermelon is a good time, all the other fruit are jealous”. This guy! “Wait! I’m changing my answer: pumpkin. Come Halloween, people turn pumpkins into jack o’lanterns; they use them to summon dead spirits...that’s something”

“I write songs as they come to me, I never write anything good unless I’m inspired” Brett states, matter-of-factly. His dedication to the craft of songwriting no doubt arises from being inspired by Van Morrison, Neil Young and Joni Mitchell. “I love Joni Mitchell!” I exclaim, like a high school girl (unintentionally, mind, I am nothing if not a professional!). “Me too” Brett sighs back. Clearly best friends now.

His latest effort, So Much More is a melange of intensely heartfelt folk-pop guitar work, discerning (if somewhat charmingly world-weary) lyrics and a quintessential singer/songwriter good humour. I ask Brett, as one lover of nostalgic folk-pop to another, what the iRevolution will do for the current music industry; “Back in the 60s and 70s, ‘popular’ music was really good music, nowadays it’s such an industry, songs that get on the radio, a lot of that is strategic, its gotta sell a certain image. It’s more like music business. People don’t dream of every buying a record when they can get it for free”

“I don’t care how many records I sell, it’s more about being an authentic artist, you find other ways, and tons of people will steal hear it, and hopefully your music will be good enough to come out and see you live”

Here’s hoping.

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