A Quick Chat with Brenton Thwaites

You’ve had a successful acting career. What inspired you to venture into music, and how did that transition unfold?
Firstly, thank you! Secondly, music was the first thing really. Music was in my family. My dad sang and played piano and my mother had Sade, Santana and John Mayer on repeat for a decade so the inspiration and the joy was passed down from them. I had always wanted to play and sing, had always written songs and dreamed of being on stage but never really committed to it as I had spent my time becoming an actor. It wasn't until a few gigs in I realised: acting is 10% work, 90% sitting on set doing NOTHING! So I used that time to practice my guitar and develop my songwriting.

While filming Titans in Toronto, you began working on your debut album. How did the environment and your experiences during that time influence your songwriting?
This is a great question! The magic of songwriting, where it comes from, is still a mystery to me! I wrote most of my ideas in my trailer, on set, in my Nightwing suit or Robin suit covered in blood (fake blood of course) in the wee hours in downtown Toronto. It didn't matter where I was, what I was doing... I made a decision – 'I'm making a record!' and the ideas would come. Sometimes (often) bad ideas, but always thinking, singing, journaling, being open to the ideas. I would take them into Justin and Sarah McCully (co-prod) and they would often help me finish, give feedback, collab to get the final treatment. I got more confident as time went on with songs like 'Get Back To Loving You' and 'Take Me Away.'Although I'd never do it again... I think the stress of doing Titans at the same time as the record really added to the variety in songs. The highs and lows. Good times and shite times. The rollercoaster of it all.

Your album Searching For The Man suggests a personal journey. Can you share the significance of the album's title and what "the man" represents to you?
When I was younger, I was unafraid. I was free in my work, confident but also compassionate and philanthropic with my time and money when I was at the height of my fame. I often took risks in working with first time film makers. I wanted to do good. I wanted to be great! Then I turned. I had kids, I lost a lot of that energy and time. Stopped taking risks, stopped being free, started worrying about money and life, and where I should raise my kids etc. And so the song is really asking my older self to return, artistically, to that young free-flying, risk-taking artist whilst at the same time trying to be the best man, dad, brother, son I can be.

Your music blends acoustic, blues, folk, and country elements. Which artists or genres have most influenced your sound and songwriting approach?
Eric Clapton ('Take Me Away' kind of came from playing 'Layla'), Sade, Aretha, Marvin Gaye, Ed Sheeran. I had James Bay's first record on repeat for about a year. John Mayer ('What You're Made Of' riff came from learning 'Something Like Olivia'). Van Morrison was a huge inspiration. I loved the way his songs had a vibe, the irreverence of 'Ro Ro Ro Rosey'with the tight background singers inspired songs like 'Get Back To Loving You.' Oh and my daughter's name is Rosie. I think that's why the genres are all over the place, because I really did listen to all kinds of music and what came out was pretty much all on the table. Justin introduced me to The Black Crowes and great Canadian bands like The Tragically Hip.At that time I was also listening to The River by Leon Bridges ALL THE TIME and had Heartbreaker by Ryan Adams always on! Actually To Be Young was a big one for me. I loved the fun sounding sad vibe. Stole a bit from that with Everything's Gonna Be Alright.

You’ve mentioned that being a young father and life on the road have shaped your music. How has your family life influenced the themes and emotions in your songs?
We had a great time on the road but it was also really hard. We were often running on a few hours of sleep (my partner less than that) and I would spend most weekends writing/practising/singing. Tiredness oftentimes, for me, created an open channel for honesty. I wrote more songs about being tired than I care to admit but when you're super tired what happens is a vulnerability meets a lucid stream of consciousness that can be ideal for songwriting, writing, creating. The ideas, for better or worse, can be so specific and clear because you're too damn tired to care about what it is! Add a cup of questions to the mix – really important questions that are the foundations of raising kids. Where do I want to live and raise my kids? Is this sustainable? What kind of dad/partner/artist do I want to be? What shit do I need to change to be better? AND did my dream just change a little bit? The answers are in the songs.

The track "What You’re Made Of" features Sarah Grace Buckley from The Buckleys. How did this collaboration come about, and what was the creative process like?
My mother was a midwife with her mother and driving one day my mum asked me if I could help The Buckleys film a video for their new song 'Daydream.' I had never directed and had already decided it was a bit out of my skill-set to direct something. Then I heard the song. Over and over and over and loved it! I decided to jump in and try it. Sarah, Molly, Lachlan and Dylan were the nicest, most down to earth kids I had ever met. Sarah's songwriting was (and still is) very inspiring. The work ethic and chemistry of The Buckleys was something really inspiring for me. We made their music vid Daydream, which turned out really good (thank you to the favours that I pulled for it: actor Eddie Baroo plays the bus driver and my friends from MethodToMyMadness shot it and edited it). What You're Made Of was written for Sarah. I really wanted something to lift the song and didn't want to change the 12 bar blues structure too much. I like the simplicity of it. So I asked Sarah to come in and do her thing. We recorded her stuff on Zoom in Byron Bay with the producer in Toronto and she killed it!

You’re set to perform at Miami Marketta on May 8. What can fans expect from your live show, and how are you preparing for this performance?
The album was written specifically to build a bit of a story arc for a live show. That's why there's so many different genres in there, perhaps it's the actor me. I wanted the show to have happy's, sad's, ups and downs, pace changes, vibe changes – just like a great movie! My band is fire and we all have a really good chemistry floating around. Every rehearsal they lift me up closer and closer to their level. They're all super experienced and are pretty well known around the Gold Coast. My guitarist was actually my guitar teacher 10 years ago when I moved here for Pirates and we used to do lessons in the back room at the Marketta so it was a pretty fun turnaround finally getting to play there with him! We had a little test run last year in Auckland and it was so much fun and went better than I think any of us expected (certainly me...). It's going to be a great show!

With ongoing acting projects and your music career taking off, how do you balance both creative pursuits? Do you find that one influences the other?
It's gonna be an adventure for sure! Music gigs need to be booked far in advance and acting is generally speaking pretty last minute so it will get interesting, in a good way! But I've found, musically, I am more open and engaged when working as an actor. Perhaps the relief of not constantly auditioning, worrying about the next pay cheque allows me more room in my brain for ideas. Also acting tends to take us to weird places, and whether I'm playing at the Marketta or the corner pub in Broken Hill – it's all gravy!

In your song "Come Back Down To Earth," you discuss the allure and challenges of fame. How has your perspective on Hollywood evolved over the years?
The song is really about being eaten up by the business side of Hollywood. Getting locked into contracts and working non-stop and not enjoying my work (of course now I'm older with 5 kids I have a slightly different perspective!). Now that I listen to it again I think it's about realising that my love of Hollywood is really just a love of movies, filmmaking, stories and the people IN Hollywood. I felt like the glam, premieres, movie stardom, success etc was awarded to me when I didn't feel like I earned it. So this song is about me running from it.

With your debut album releasing on May 2 and the vinyl on May 23, what are your aspirations for your music career moving forward? Are there plans for more releases or tours?
YES. BOTH. My next project will be a more stripped-back singer-songwriter set-up. Really pushing my songwriting and singing and taking it to the next level. That's the plan anyway! I had so much support around SEARCHING FOR THE MAN and now think I'm ready to strip some of that back.
I am planning to play EVERYWHERE! The more the merrier. My next acting gig looks like it might be in Brissy and then I've got one in Melbs so looking at some venues now and hopefully getting something on the cards. I'd also love to go back up to Cairns, where I'm from, and play a little gig up there and then last but not least it would make sense to get back to Toronto and play with my producer and guitarist Justin Abedin again. Heaps of maybe's, for now... focussing on MARKETTA MAY 8. I better go and practice!

SEARCHING FOR THE MAN ALBUM LAUNCH 
Thursday 8 May - Miami Marketta - Gold Coast, QLD  - Tickets