England-born, Seattle-bred singer/songwriter Barns Courtney has a firm grasp on the finer points of the rock and roll spirit. His debut album The Attractions Of Youth brings us a solid modern installment of the genre, complete with all the right dashes of blues, folk and poetry, plus plenty of unpolished grit, wit and a sense of humor that make Courtney's brand of rock pop.
Already in his short career, he has proven not only that he can deliver hits in the studio, but also earn new fans from any stage, anytime, anywhere. Known for his electrifying live performances, Courtney has toured the world and opened for the likes of Ed Sheeran, Blur, Fitz And The Tantrums, and the Who.
Even fans who may not know his name might recognize Courtney's infectious "Glitter & Gold" or his breakout single "Fire," which has also been featured heavily in film and television, appearing in the 2015 film Burnt starring Bradley Cooper and on shows such as "Top Gear," "Suits" and "Teen Wolf."
We sat down with the British songster to talk about his scorching debut album, the success of "Fire," what's next, and what he might be doing were it not for a career in rock and roll.
Your debut album, The Attractions Of Youth, has been out for a few months now. What does it feel like to have a full-length project out in the world?
It feels really good. I've been doing this for about 14 years and all my friends have graduated from college and had babies. So it's nice to produce something in the real world. I don't cry as often in the sanctity of my bedroom, into my open palms at night. [laughs]
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"Fire" has been a big hit for you and made its way into several film and TV projects. Can you talk about what it's like to have a song in so many placements?
Well, it's really funny because I made a lot of those records in my friend's bedroom in a decommissioned old folks home in North London. I'm completely serious. All the drums are made out of old filing cabinets in the hallway, and all of the bass is made out of piano from the rec room, and a lot of percussion on film cans. So, I see these songs and these giant big productions and I just find it hilarious because I made that for zero dollars.
I've read that you feel like it's easier to write music when you're up against a wall facing some challenges. Tell me more about that. How do you usually approach the songwriting process?
I think a big part of my trepidations about writing the second record was, "Will I be able to write when I'm not under a huge amount of pressure and stress?" I relied on the huge amount of energy you get at rock bottom to fuel my songwriting. And I didn't really have to try. It was a catharsis for all of this intense, "Oh my god, my life is degenerating into a complete farce and I'm sinking into an existential crisis of undulating sorrow from which I may never return." That's a powerful emotion to put into your tunes.
So, I've been pleasantly surprised, actually, that for this album, these songs have been happier and they're still coming just as quickly. But the subject matter is very different and they sound very different.
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What can fans expect next from you musically?
The next record explores a lot of different angles. I'm trying not to be too analytical about the writing process. I'm just putting whatever comes out on the table and getting it sounding the best that it can. And some of it's been going very electronic and some of it's been going super bluesy or super rock. So, I'm gonna try and get in the studio with one guy at the end of this process and just tie everything up. Expect some different vibes on this record.
So, we know that you're a talented musician, obviously. But we're wondering. If you didn't do music, is there another career path that you would pursue?
Probably something equally nebulous and to do with performance, like acting or something like that. I just love making a fool of myself in front of a large group of people. And, you know, getting very sweaty and taking my clothes off. … But, singing's been fun so I'm gonna stick with that for a while.
