Perry Brubaker, bass player, lead singer, and founding member of the band Hollow Down , came in to talk about his current projects, live music in Peoria, and what brought him here! Don't forget to check out the clips and the video at the end!
We'll start out easy here. Where are you originally from? How about your family?
Peoria, I grew up in Peoria. I graduated from Richwoods. My grandparents on dad's side of the family owned a grocery store in Central or West Peoria years ago. Then my dad and grandpa worked for CAT for years. My mom just retired as the chairperson of Bradley's nursing department.
I'm married. My wife, Breckin, is from Oregon. We met in California at a tattoo convention where she was getting her belly button tattooed. And since we met, it's just been on. She moved out here with me last year.
You mentioned that you graduated from Richwoods. Did you start playing music when you were there?
Well, I started playing trumpet in middle school band, but since 15-year-old Perry wasn't marching at 5am, I couldn't stay in high school band. I got a guitar when I was 12. I didn't pick the upright up until 2010.
Hollow Down Tour Bus, Post Fire.
Photo Courtesy HollowDown.com
Perry playing at Kenny’s Westside Pub.
When you talk about the stand-up bass, I think about others from the area who play as well. Several names come to mind for me, but it's still not a huge number. Are there a lot of stand-up bass players around here?
Not that I really know of. I've been detached from the music scene here for about 17 years, so I don't know a lot of people. Of course I know Brandon Mooberry. I love him. I aim to be able to play as well as him someday. I am also going to loan Jake Schultz my spare stand up bass so maybe he can start playing it.
Why did you pick it?
I've always had a thing for upright players. One of my main influences was Lucia Turino from Devil Makes Three... I've seen them a few times over the years and always loved the way she played and kind of danced with the bass. I dreamed of having one for maybe about three years. I was working as a nurse and got a good tax refund check and used it to buy one and I haven't really looked back since then.
What do you enjoy most about being an artist?
For me it's the cathartic aspect of it. A lot of the music I tend to play is kind of dark. I don't play bubbly music. Especially playing that bass and the way I play it. That's it for me. It's a release. At the end of a good show, I'm usually physically and emotionally drained... which is a good symptom of that for me.
What's the hardest part of being a musician for you?
The hardest part of being a musician is figuring out how to book and market us. And also the second part is maintaining personnel. People come and go. The stuff that Hollow Down does is far enough off the normal beaten path that its harder to just bring new people into the mix. It's unique enough that people need some familiarity with the music. I can't just bring anyone in to play a two hour show.
We formed in 2014 in California, and Jacob Morehouse, who still plays with us now was a part of that. But it's still a bit of a hybrid project. I'll even play some solo shows under the name Hollow Down. But, I really prefer to play with the whole band.
Alison Hanna Band is one of the three projects Perry is curently a part of.
Once you got back to Peoria, you started working on a couple of projects besides Hollow Down. Where are things with those now?
Down River is still kind of loosely doing things. John Howard who is now part of Hollow Down was part of that project as well as Daniel Watkins. And then I've also started playing with Alison Hanna. We're going to start playing together more and more in the future. I'm excited about that.
I really want to dig in with those three projects before I do a lot outside of that. We'll see what happens though. I like that all three projects are unique enough that there is some delineation. You won't ever hear something from one band played by another.
What genre do you consider Hollow Down to be?
We're a rock band. You can call it folk rock. We've put together genre names... like spaghetti punk. I feel like even as an acoustic trio we have that rock energy. There is such a struggle with finding a genre label, so I like to keep it simple.
I agree. Sometimes when you put a label on something it steers people away, which really doesn't make a lot of sense in most cases.
Yeah, I can't think of a single genre that I don't like something out of. When someone says they don't like a certain genre I think, “Really? You are going to base your opinion on a label and not on the quality of music that's there?”
What are the things you wish you knew when you first started?
The things that I wish that I knew are the things that I wish I know now still... like booking. I feel like that's one of my shortcomings. I wish I had known more before and I wish I knew more now about booking.
One of the things I'm working to do here is build connections between fans and musicians. Some people have difficulty with is the idea of approaching someone they don't know... even doing what I do... I think I had seen Daniel Watkins 5 or 6 times before I actually said hi to him. And that was all on me, because he's super friendly. I know you can't speak for all musicians, but do you like somebody coming up and saying hi to you?
Absolutely, I really enjoy it. A couple of times I've gotten feedback that this or that thing or a specific song has meant something to them and I absolutely love when that happens.
That's great. I feel like just talking about it can sort of help break that barrier a little bit. I mean, you don't want people running up on stage and giving you a hug, but...
I've had that experience too... I don't know what it is about the way that I play or something, but sometimes people will feel like there's an invite to come and share the stage, get on the mic with me. It's happened a couple of times.
You mentioned some turnover with Hollow Down. What is the current state of the band right now?
We've kind of had some ins and outs with personnel. We're really excited for Jacob Morehouse who is headed out to Colorado this summer to do a seasonal job as a park ranger out in Rocky Mountain National Park. That's going to be great for him. From a band standpoint, those are going to be big shoes to fill. So John and I will still be working with Bob Kelly on the drums when we can. We're working on booking a few shows before Jacob leaves for Colorado. Then we have to decide what to do, whether it is get another person in the mix, and who that person might be.
All bands change over time, but do you think your new albums are in line with the older albums?
There is definitely a connection, but some of it is leaning towards older traditional. Some of the new stuff is a fair shake more folky than that first album. Which is a lot of bleedy guitars and distortion.
“It's not that I don't want people to like me, but I know the stuff that I do can't be for everybody. So I appreciate that sometimes.”
When it comes to fans and other musicians, do you feel like there is some push back when you break out of the mold or go a different direction with the music?
When we're at the full rock band formation of hollow down and firing on all 4 cylinders so to speak, the reaction is really pretty great. I appreciate that the word that hear about us a lot is unique and honestly, I'd like more negative or critical feedback... but a lot of people are really receptive to that sort of breaking out and doing something different.
Where have you enjoyed playing so far and where would you like to play in the future?
Hollow Down hasn't played at a lot of venues around here, but I love Kenny's. The Rose Bowl over in Urbana, what Charlie has done with that place is great, and really he's just great. So, anything to support him.
Pour Bros. has a great space outdoors. Sullivan's and Oliver's both have great spaces. The Apollo. I love the Apollo. I know they do stuff in there, but it would be great to see that continue. It would be great to be part something put together at the Apollo.
I would also love to play The Castle at some point, if we could just open for the right person, I think that would be a lot of fun.
Awesome. Well thanks for coming in today and talking to me. I have 10 questions for you before the interview is finished... and then we'll let you guys play a couple of songs.
What’s your favorite food?
Curry
What food could I not pay you to eat?
Canned Kipper Snacks – anchovies and tomatoes. Breckin really likes them.
What popular song you could live the rest of your life without hearing again?
Wagon Wheel
Favorite Peoria Landmark?
The old house where Peoria Mineral Springs was based out of. It’s owned by my friend’s family. They used to bottle water and distribute it around here.
What is something you wish Peoria had more of?
Music venues
What is something you wish Peoria had less of?
Violence and potholes.
Favorite swearword?
Fuck.
If success was guaranteed, and you had to pick another profession, what would it be?
I just want to be a musician.
Name another local artist I should have in for an interview.
Alison Hanna
If you could choose a superpower what would it be?
Flight would be pretty rad.
Check out the videos below and find Hollow Down here:
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