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Q&A // BRYCE AVARY — THE ROCKET SUMMER
because we have questions, celebrities have answers.
Bryce Avary writes, produces, sings and plays every instrument for indie-rock solo project The Rocket Summer. Avary, who releases his fourth full-length album, Of Men and Angels, Feb. 23, recently took some time to talk with Jlayplay about music, life and his love of performing.
Jayplay: How would you describe the style of your music in one sentence? Bryce Avary: When my first record came out, Tim Wheeler, the singer of Ash from the U.K., said, "The Rocket Summer is like sunshine in a can."
JP. What instruments do you play?
BA: I know how to play the sort of standard rock band outfit instruments — piano, drums, guitar and bass. I can kind of mess around on other things, but I really only know how to play one thing. Like on Do You Feel [the band's third album] I play harmonica on one song. I just went and got a harmonica, practiced for a couple hours and figured out the part. I wouldn't call myself a harmonica player. I just know how to play that one part that I wrote.
JP: Have you ever considered recording with
a full band or do you prefer going solo?
BA I've definitely considered having a full band play on the record, in fact on this newest record our guitar player that plays live played on two of the tracks. But I really enjoy going in the studio and I push myself really hard to be efficient on each instrument.
J. P. What is the meaning of your new album's title, OF Men and Angels?
BA: The title actually comes from a Bible verse, 1 Corinthians 13:1, which says, "if I speak in the tongues of men and angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a tinkling symbol." And then it goes on to talk about how nothing matters except for love, how we treat people and how we put things in our life down to lift others up.
JP: What is your favorite song to perform?
BA: It's always fun to play "So In this Hour," because there's so much power and you can really feel it in that song, especially live. It's just something about the spiritual meter in the room kind of goes to ten on that song.
JP. What is the most fulfilling thing about performing?
BA: I think the most fulfilling thing is seeing what the music does to people. I perceive it as how God works through the music.
JP. What is something people would never guess about you?
BA. I'm actually a black belt in karate, Also, I think that a misperception about me is that I'm some extremely lighthearted, happygo-lucky person, which is definitely not the case? Not that I'm some angry person, but I've definitely had a lot of real struggles and a lot of private things, so I feel like I'm constantly fighting some sort of battle. So it's kind of funny when people are like "Bryce Avary is the happiest guy in the world," and people in my life that know me are like "that is the weirdest perception of you."
JP What do you hope the future holds?
BA: I hope for a journey of learning more about life and God with good health along the way. And lots of good songs.
// LINDSAY CLEEK
Contributed photo
Summer loin" Bycey Aavary writes, produces, sings and plays every instrument for his solo project the Rocket Summer. Avary's fourth album, "Of Men and Angels," will be released Feb. 23.
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