A Chat with Red Bird (07.02.23)
Blending elements of blues, soul, funk, rock, RnB and pop, it’s clear that the US-based band Red Bird is not to be pigeon-holed. Known for its intimate, soulful, engaging and enthusiastic melodies, Red Bird is an experience not to be missed. We speak with frontwoman Bre Gregg about the band’s album Live It All, favourite musicians, what animal she would be, and future plans.
OSR: What inspires you to make music?
Gregg: I think most people go through similar feelings throughout life. We are all different, yes, but we’re also surprisingly similar too. I love the idea that maybe if I am willing to be vulnerable about what I am experiencing that it might normalise those feelings and experiences for somebody else. So, I try to write about things that affect me – life, transitions, joy, sadness, and authentic emotions.
OSR: How did Red Bird come about and how did you decide on the band name?
Gregg: I have worked with all members of Red Bird for a long, long, long time. We were in several other bands together. Another band member and my co-writer, Dan Gildea, sort of pushed me out of the nest when he told me we should really structure a group around our original music. I didn’t think the music was ready, but he did and I am so grateful now for that push.
Being a redhead is a big part of the identity of most redheaded people, so the Red part of the band name is a nod to me. I also feel the colour red is packed with emotion, it’s representative of passion, anger, and explosive emotions, all of which I hope we represent in our music.
OSR: What does music mean to you?
Gregg: Music is letting our insides out into the world. It is being really vulnerable and sharing the deepest part of ourselves. It is also pure joy to me! Singing has been associated with many things, including releasing endorphins, stimulating the vagus nerve (which makes you feel more calm), and releasing hormones which connect us to others. It is magic.
OSR: What can you tell us about your new album Live It All?
Gregg: Live It All is a culmination of a couple years of really hard work by the band. We have been performing these songs live for a while, but haven’t had the opportunity to record them until the pandemic hit and stopped all our shows. We recorded the album at Hallowed Halls in Portland, Oregon (where we all live), and had the luxury of working with Justin Phelps (Cake, Mars Volta), who helped us co-produce and give an outside ear to the music we were making.
We added keys to this record. Mostly Hammond B3, but also Clavinet and Wurlitzer on some tunes, and featured two incredible players, Steve Swatkins (Allen Stone, Excellent Gentleman, and Steve Swatkins and the Positive Agenda) and Sydney Nash (TK and the Holy Know-Nothings). Having the keys in our album was a total game-changer for our sound!
Each song is about something real and lived through that I hope people can connect with. This record is about authentic life experiences and it was a long road of perfecting and developing very specific parts to create the sound we were going for. I would say the process felt very artistic as we had the time to really perfect each track.
OSR: What do you hope people take from your music?
Gregg: I hope people can relate to the feelings expressed in the music and feel less alone. I also hope some of the tracks get stuck in their heads, make them move their hips, throw their heads back and escape a little!
OSR: If you had to choose one song from Live It All to have on repeat, which would it be?
Gregg: This is tricky because it is sort of like asking which child you like better. I suppose I would put ‘Beautiful’ on repeat. Musically, I love how this one turned out. It starts with such a sweet, almost lullaby-like melody with just guitars and vocals. Then at about 35 seconds in when the rest of the band comes in, it sounds so good! I felt like each instrument on this song played a really specific, important role and came together to make a really tasty track! But so much of it depends on how I am feeling. If I am feeling naughty, probably ‘Make Me Go’, and if I’m feeling sentimental, then probably ‘There With You’.
OSR: What do you think makes Red Bird unique?
Gregg: Red Bird is predominately a soul-rock band, but our music pulls from many different genres, including blues, roots, jazz, and Americana. My very favourite musicians are this way, and it allows for new sounds to emerge. I love the idea that our music is potentially bringing a new sound to the mix simply because we aren’t stuck in any specific direction.
Also, it is surprising to say, but having a female lead is still unique even in 2023. A study from 2012 – 2020 by USC Annenberg found that when it comes to artists only 21.6% are female artists, as songwriters that number is even lower coming in at 12.6%.
OSR: If you could be any animal, what would you be?
Gregg: Hmm, probably a red bird. See what I did there!?
OSR: Who are your favourite musicians and why those musicians?
Gregg: Oh wow, so many! Bonnie Raitt in many ways is the reason I started singing, and I remember standing on a coffee table wailing her songs at the top of my lungs when I was just a little kid. She was a real leader for women who wanted to be musicians but didn’t see that as a path available to them.
I also absolutely love Lake Street Dive and think Rachel Price has one of the most incredible voices I have ever heard. I love Chris Stapleton due to his incredible lyrics and his very soulful vocal delivery. I am crazy for Leon Bridges as I love a throw-back sound and his songwriting is divine. Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats, War and Treaty, and Lizzo are others that affect me with their music – these three groups seem so authentically themselves and I respect that more than anything.
OSR: Do you have future plans for Red Bird?
Gregg: We are planning to get back in the studio and record some of the singles we have written during the time it took us to release this last album! We also plan to continue writing, playing, and singing in hopes that our music continues to reach new audiences!
Many thanks to Bre Gregg for speaking with us! For more from Red Bird, check out their official website, Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
