with
Song River
cowgirlzenphoto@gmail.com
The
object of Purple comes from the heart of a Texas Hold em... you're
dealt two cards face down. The round to check, bet or fold comes and
somewhere between a fortuitous mission of punk, rock, and filling
your ears with the rambunctious sounds of screams, drums, and poker
chips flying you find the winning sounds when Purple music begins.
Straight
up out of Texas, the undeniable female force of whom Purple is leaps it's uncanny feminine force upon you through vocalist and drummer
Hanna Brewer. Purple has brought you their killer urban punk attitude
since 2009 and is continuing to get out and support their new album
Bodacious. And believe me everything about Purple is...
BODACIOUS!
Song
River: Hanna, isn't it within the American spirit, even the Texas
hold-em to not really care if you fit into anybody's box musically,
physically, mentally, spiritually, ecumenically, grammatically,
hermetically?
Hanna
Brewer: Yeah. I would say that is just individual human's spirit. I
don’t know how to play Texas Hold Em, but EVERYBODY expects you to
fit into some type of box. That’s just how people are.
SR: The new album Bodacious, really is that ripe juicy cherry about to pop isn't it?
HB:
I guess so. Sounds kinda sexual. I’m digging it.
SR:
A collection of 12 tracks- each holding their own. Did each song
individually come naturally, would you say even organically?
HB:
Yes, it just comes naturally. We didn’t think too hard about
anything when we made this album, so yes… pretty organic.
SR:
Before I read someone else's description of you, I immediately felt a
connection to early Red Hot Chili Peppers. Sure you can hear someone
comparing the vocal sound of Hanna to Gwen Stefani, but hell-a girl
you are your own.
HB:
Yeah. I mean...I grew up in the 90s and of course that influenced me.
People always say I’m ripping off Gwen Stefani…. but man, she
doesn't play drums or scream her ass off or puke on stage.
SR:
I am not touching your hometown... sorry... it's been beaten already.
If you want to yak on it, feel free, otherwise, hey it's Texas and it
fueled your vision.
HB:
Yeah. There’s good and bad and of course, everyone’s surroundings
influence them.
SR:
When you check out band’s music, do you listen to it without
preconceptions or do you study up on them before giving them a
chance?
HB:
I just listen to it. This isn’t college! (laughed)
SR:
Would you say Bodacious in some ways is a continuation of 409?
HB:
I feel like they are two totally separate things. We had a new bass
player and producer.
SR:
Your style cannot be defined, yet it is distinct. You sense the crazy
magnitude of what you bring when you listen to what comes out of a
box... what are the elements of kick-ace live, as rumors fly it is
intense.
HB:
Yes. very intense. I usually always feel like I’m gonna throw up
because we play as hard as we can. and singing on top of that… it's
a lot. We're always soaked with sweat after a show. Sorry, if
what I just described to you sounds disgusting but that’s real.
(laughed)SR: Notable or noteworthy antics that are markedly Purple on stage?
HB:
Oh, of course, a girl drummer that sing, scream, be a tomboy and
feminine all at the same time.
SR: Hanna, it is sensed that you are naturally who you are.
HB:
(Laughed) Yes, that’s me! I’m pretty wild. I used to hang with my
dad a lot and he taught me everything I know.
We
are pretty simple. we just get wild falling all over the stage
sweating our asses off.
SR:
Hanna, were you the child your parents worried about, or did they
pretty much urge you to be you and guide along the way?
HB:
I'mmmmmm… kinda both. They always encouraged me but I used to get
in a lot of trouble as a teenager. I’m lucky I didn’t die.
(laughed)
SR:
Who were some of your heroes in music, literature, fashion,
entertainment that you looked up to growing up, Hanna?
HB:
Music: Jellyfish, Spice Girls, Nirvana, No Doubt, 2pac, RHCP, Kings
of Leon….. so much more. Literature: Any kinda musical biography or
autobiography. Fashion: I’ve gone through a lot of phases… sadly
Avril Lavigne… I used to wear ties in 6th grade and then I had the
whole skater punk ego thing going on for a while. But overall… I
don’t really have fashion sense and mostly just wear band t-shirts
I get from touring. Entertainment: Dave Chapelle, The Office.
SR:
Has the world of rock been steadily opening itself up to girls being
as much a part of the industry and quite capable of holding their own
as of recent? We certainly are hearing more and more phenomenal
female drummers.
HB:
I think women are just realizing more and more every day that we can
do whatever the hell we want.
SR:
Bandmate, (guitarist/vocalist) Taylor Busby, certainly bring the
reggae heavily in. Now reggae can be as varied as any other genre.
Marked courses fall from the So-Cal to the Marley, over to the UK
Jungle... what and where does your sound originate from?
HB:
Taylor isn’t here right at the moment… but I can tell you he used
to be in a reggae/ punk band called The Shammies. He loves Bob
Marley, Alton Ellis, King Tubby… he likes a lot of old school dub.
SR:
Are those influences a part of your natural state of being or is it
just the music in of itself?
HB:
Speaking of Taylor, I think he really feels reggae and it's part of
his natural state.
SR:
Listening to the vocals and guitar style of Taylor he comes across as
being very casual and at ease. Is this a misnomer?
HB:
Taylor is an intense person. He can’t sit still and always has to
be working on something or partying.
He
makes his own guitar pedals. IG is @Busbyelectronics.
SR: Take the album 409, and your latest Bodacious. Where do they line up in the music store section under?
HB:
Everybody usually just puts us in “punk rock.”
SR: BTW I am thinking your music needs to be heard on vinyl... a music stream may just be too pristine.
HB:
Hell yeah! We got vinyl. pledgemusic.com/artists/purple.
SR:
Simple songs, simple lyrics, simple titles... you are really just out
to create Purple and as much as you can for as long as you can aren't
you?
HB:
Yeah as long as we are feeling it we will keep writing music.
SR:
You are handed the proverbial golden pen to create the lineup you
want to be a part of playing at a three-day festival. First, who are
your bands (you can have up to 15 why not, it's your world), where
would it be held, and what food munchies trucks must be in attendance
to eat from?
HB:
Calliope
Musicals
Leopold
and His Fiction
K-$hellz
Chad
Butler Jr.
Good
Greif
Lochness
Mobsters
We
Were Wolves
Jane
Ellen Bryant
Step
Sisters
Fuzz
Evolsi
Blind
Pets
Ringo
Deathstarr
Rooter
and Mermentau
Dirty
Few
and
I would want Tacos La Bamba from Beaumont, TX on Calder to bring a
food truck.
More
information on Purple:
Website:
http://www.purpletexasmusic.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/purpletexasmusic/
Soundcloud:
https://www.youtube.com/user/PurpleSouthEastTX