The Positive Road Ahead
Muirsical Conversation With Danny Bryant
Muirsical Conversation With Danny Bryant
Nothing Left Behind, the first album in three years from British blues rock guitarist-singer-songwriter Danny Bryant is, as Bryant himself says, the most personal chapter of his career thus far – and a musical rehabilitation.
Having spoken openly over the last couple of years about his personal restlessness and severe alcohol dependency (leading to organ damage and long stay in hospital) Danny Bryant has, thankfully, come out the other side with a better perspective on life and a brand new band.
Indeed, so significant were those previous health issues (it's not overstating the fact to say he may well have died without recognising the need for help) that Danny Bryant, with the support of his bandmates, could never have conceived of an album such as Nothing Left Behind, without going through those very dark days.
The album is also his best, and most all-encompassing, work to date.
Just prior to embarking on a run of January & February European dates in support of the album, Danny Bryant took time out with FabricationsHQ to speak candidly about his health issues, subsequent recovery and the album, including some of the more significant, or personal, songs.
Ross Muir: I have to start by saying it’s great to see you looking heathy, feeling good within yourself and enthused about what I genuinely believe to be your best album to date.
Related, I doubt very much you come up with an album like this if not for what you have gone through in recent years.
Danny Bryant: Thanks Ross. Yeah, I’m feeling really good, and I’m two years sober this month.
And I think you’re totally right about the album and how it came about – I really respect your opinion, so I’m really pleased you feel that way about the album.
One of the things that drove the idea behind it goes back to when I was in hospital. My life was kinda screwed, and I’d had an alcohol problem for years; I was very unwell, actually.
But one thing that kept me going was the thought that if I ever managed to get myself better and beat all this, I was gonna make an album I’m proud of.
So, it really started when I was in hospital, although more in a subconscious way, because obviously I had a lot more to deal with, at that point; I was still a long way away from getting to a place where I could make a new record. And all those problems are a big reason why it sounds so personal.
RM: It is a very personal album, and a few of the songs are clearly a form of catharsis, but it’s also universal in the sense that anyone who has their own struggles can get support from some of these songs.
Redemption is a case in point, as is Enemy Inside. Both are very powerful songs in their own way.
DB: Yeah, those two songs are very direct. I’d like to think that songs such as those would maybe help people but I honestly don’t know.
The thing is, Ross, and to be absolutely honest with you, the best thing that ever happened to me was getting so ill, and almost dying, because nothing else was going to stop me.
This was a slow-developing alcohol problem that eventually led to me losing things to keep the will to live for.
As I’ve said many times before I don’t mind talking about this because getting ill actually saved my life, and made me re-evaluate that life – what type of person I was; what I wanted out of life; not to be so selfish; to get healthier and lose seven stone in weight.
And that’s why it’s also quite a positive album; actually I think it’s a very positive album.
But, to get back to your point, I’m on the fence as to whether it can help people. I hope it can, but so much of it has to come from inside.
RM: Yes, each individual with any dependency problem has to make their own decision, whether that be to seek help, accept they need help, or otherwise.
But, music can be such a powerful tool that I truly believe people can take support or gain comfort from certain songs, or lyrics.
As to your other point, this is indeed a very positive album, typified by opening number Tougher Now.
That's a funky, up-tempo number that, lyrically, has you leaving those demons in your rear view mirror and looking to the more positive road ahead.
DB: I’m so glad you picked up on that because that’s exactly what that song is about, and the whole driving thing ties in with the album cover and the car – hence the title Nothing Left Behind.
The album is positive because my life is positive. I think back to when I was in hospital and seeing the other guys in the Liver ward, where I was stationed; most of us were alcoholics just starting on recovery.
The doctors would come in just before discharging them and say "I hope you’re not going to drink again," but you knew a lot of them would, because they didn’t have anything to go back to.
I always had music, and, without wanting to be too dramatic, I really do think that was my salvation, in kinda the same way it was when I was a lonely teenager.
Music, once again, saved me; it made me realise I had everything to go for still.
Having spoken openly over the last couple of years about his personal restlessness and severe alcohol dependency (leading to organ damage and long stay in hospital) Danny Bryant has, thankfully, come out the other side with a better perspective on life and a brand new band.
Indeed, so significant were those previous health issues (it's not overstating the fact to say he may well have died without recognising the need for help) that Danny Bryant, with the support of his bandmates, could never have conceived of an album such as Nothing Left Behind, without going through those very dark days.
The album is also his best, and most all-encompassing, work to date.
Just prior to embarking on a run of January & February European dates in support of the album, Danny Bryant took time out with FabricationsHQ to speak candidly about his health issues, subsequent recovery and the album, including some of the more significant, or personal, songs.
Ross Muir: I have to start by saying it’s great to see you looking heathy, feeling good within yourself and enthused about what I genuinely believe to be your best album to date.
Related, I doubt very much you come up with an album like this if not for what you have gone through in recent years.
Danny Bryant: Thanks Ross. Yeah, I’m feeling really good, and I’m two years sober this month.
And I think you’re totally right about the album and how it came about – I really respect your opinion, so I’m really pleased you feel that way about the album.
One of the things that drove the idea behind it goes back to when I was in hospital. My life was kinda screwed, and I’d had an alcohol problem for years; I was very unwell, actually.
But one thing that kept me going was the thought that if I ever managed to get myself better and beat all this, I was gonna make an album I’m proud of.
So, it really started when I was in hospital, although more in a subconscious way, because obviously I had a lot more to deal with, at that point; I was still a long way away from getting to a place where I could make a new record. And all those problems are a big reason why it sounds so personal.
RM: It is a very personal album, and a few of the songs are clearly a form of catharsis, but it’s also universal in the sense that anyone who has their own struggles can get support from some of these songs.
Redemption is a case in point, as is Enemy Inside. Both are very powerful songs in their own way.
DB: Yeah, those two songs are very direct. I’d like to think that songs such as those would maybe help people but I honestly don’t know.
The thing is, Ross, and to be absolutely honest with you, the best thing that ever happened to me was getting so ill, and almost dying, because nothing else was going to stop me.
This was a slow-developing alcohol problem that eventually led to me losing things to keep the will to live for.
As I’ve said many times before I don’t mind talking about this because getting ill actually saved my life, and made me re-evaluate that life – what type of person I was; what I wanted out of life; not to be so selfish; to get healthier and lose seven stone in weight.
And that’s why it’s also quite a positive album; actually I think it’s a very positive album.
But, to get back to your point, I’m on the fence as to whether it can help people. I hope it can, but so much of it has to come from inside.
RM: Yes, each individual with any dependency problem has to make their own decision, whether that be to seek help, accept they need help, or otherwise.
But, music can be such a powerful tool that I truly believe people can take support or gain comfort from certain songs, or lyrics.
As to your other point, this is indeed a very positive album, typified by opening number Tougher Now.
That's a funky, up-tempo number that, lyrically, has you leaving those demons in your rear view mirror and looking to the more positive road ahead.
DB: I’m so glad you picked up on that because that’s exactly what that song is about, and the whole driving thing ties in with the album cover and the car – hence the title Nothing Left Behind.
The album is positive because my life is positive. I think back to when I was in hospital and seeing the other guys in the Liver ward, where I was stationed; most of us were alcoholics just starting on recovery.
The doctors would come in just before discharging them and say "I hope you’re not going to drink again," but you knew a lot of them would, because they didn’t have anything to go back to.
I always had music, and, without wanting to be too dramatic, I really do think that was my salvation, in kinda the same way it was when I was a lonely teenager.
Music, once again, saved me; it made me realise I had everything to go for still.
RM: In many ways Nothing Left Behind is a fresh start, or a new chapter, for you.
But I see, or rather hear, the album as a continuation of the best you, as a songwriter and musician, have to offer, with, as I mentioned in review of the album, a few sonic twists and faceted turns.
I’d imagine Marc Raner, who you brought into the fold as a second guitarist, and co-writer of three of the songs, had a lot to do with those twists and turns?
DB: He did, yeah. Marc and I are not just bandmates, we’re very close friends. When I was ready to do this album I knew I wanted someone I could trust to produce it with me – in fact Marc ended up being the main producer.
And I needed someone like Marc because I was still very fragile; I knew I’d need someone who would say to me "c’mon, you can do better than that!" or "no, that’s really good, leave that right there."
So, the album is very much a team effort, and I need that nowadays; it’s good to have that kind of support around you. Obviously it’s Danny Bryant, and Danny Bryant music, but all the guys in the band, not just Marc, put a lot into this album.
RM: Yes; as I mentioned in review of the album, while it says Danny Bryant on the cover it could well have been credited as the Danny Bryant Band.
DB: Yeah, and I’m so glad it sounds like a band album. You can get a group of session players in who are the best at what they do but, as you well know, they won’t necessarily gel to make a great band.
RM: So true. Nor does it hurt that, along with Marc, who gives you that fuller sound with another guitar, you have a lock-down tight rhythm section in the shape of bassist Artjum Feldtser and drummer Alex Hinx.
And Jamie Pipe is such a great keys player; the perfect foil for the more up-front guitars.
The album also sports a great production and mix, so it’s a win-win.
DB: Thank you. Marc produced the final sessions at a studio he had found in Germany, in a place called Arnsberg. Recording engineer Martin Meinschäfer did the mix.
The studio had all this great, old gear in an upstairs room that was brightly lit and had lots of space; we could isolate the instruments or gather round in a circle and feed off each other.
We also did the album in the summer, so it was just the ideal environment!
And, like you say, having the second guitar, and with Jamie, these songs now can be totally replicated live. Sometimes in the studio, when you are making an album, you think "well, this is all very well and good but how are we going to do the bloody thing live?" [laughter]
Whereas on this album, although it's studio produced, everything you hear can be done live by the five of us.
RM: Hence why, again, the "band album" nod. I mentioned those musical twists and turns earlier; one such is Not Like The Others, a great little rock song with a hard-hitting, AOR chorus.
That’s something new for you, but it’s a great fit for the album.
DB: Marc came up with the music for that one, then asked if I’d write some lyrics for it.
But then, when we did it, he felt a real responsibility and was a little nervous about it, because he said "I hope I’m not taking the people who listen to your music somewhere else."
I said "Don’t worry about it; if it’s good, and it sounds like we believe in it, they’ll like it – well, hopefully they will! [laughter]
We’re laughing, but the thing is, there’s got to be a certain amount of pleasing yourself, hasn’t there?
I could make another album of twelve bar blues – and blues is where my heart is; it’s what I live for – but that’s not moving forward, and it just wouldn’t have worked for the stories on this album.
But I see, or rather hear, the album as a continuation of the best you, as a songwriter and musician, have to offer, with, as I mentioned in review of the album, a few sonic twists and faceted turns.
I’d imagine Marc Raner, who you brought into the fold as a second guitarist, and co-writer of three of the songs, had a lot to do with those twists and turns?
DB: He did, yeah. Marc and I are not just bandmates, we’re very close friends. When I was ready to do this album I knew I wanted someone I could trust to produce it with me – in fact Marc ended up being the main producer.
And I needed someone like Marc because I was still very fragile; I knew I’d need someone who would say to me "c’mon, you can do better than that!" or "no, that’s really good, leave that right there."
So, the album is very much a team effort, and I need that nowadays; it’s good to have that kind of support around you. Obviously it’s Danny Bryant, and Danny Bryant music, but all the guys in the band, not just Marc, put a lot into this album.
RM: Yes; as I mentioned in review of the album, while it says Danny Bryant on the cover it could well have been credited as the Danny Bryant Band.
DB: Yeah, and I’m so glad it sounds like a band album. You can get a group of session players in who are the best at what they do but, as you well know, they won’t necessarily gel to make a great band.
RM: So true. Nor does it hurt that, along with Marc, who gives you that fuller sound with another guitar, you have a lock-down tight rhythm section in the shape of bassist Artjum Feldtser and drummer Alex Hinx.
And Jamie Pipe is such a great keys player; the perfect foil for the more up-front guitars.
The album also sports a great production and mix, so it’s a win-win.
DB: Thank you. Marc produced the final sessions at a studio he had found in Germany, in a place called Arnsberg. Recording engineer Martin Meinschäfer did the mix.
The studio had all this great, old gear in an upstairs room that was brightly lit and had lots of space; we could isolate the instruments or gather round in a circle and feed off each other.
We also did the album in the summer, so it was just the ideal environment!
And, like you say, having the second guitar, and with Jamie, these songs now can be totally replicated live. Sometimes in the studio, when you are making an album, you think "well, this is all very well and good but how are we going to do the bloody thing live?" [laughter]
Whereas on this album, although it's studio produced, everything you hear can be done live by the five of us.
RM: Hence why, again, the "band album" nod. I mentioned those musical twists and turns earlier; one such is Not Like The Others, a great little rock song with a hard-hitting, AOR chorus.
That’s something new for you, but it’s a great fit for the album.
DB: Marc came up with the music for that one, then asked if I’d write some lyrics for it.
But then, when we did it, he felt a real responsibility and was a little nervous about it, because he said "I hope I’m not taking the people who listen to your music somewhere else."
I said "Don’t worry about it; if it’s good, and it sounds like we believe in it, they’ll like it – well, hopefully they will! [laughter]
We’re laughing, but the thing is, there’s got to be a certain amount of pleasing yourself, hasn’t there?
I could make another album of twelve bar blues – and blues is where my heart is; it’s what I live for – but that’s not moving forward, and it just wouldn’t have worked for the stories on this album.
RM: Not Like The Others offers great contrast to a song like Redemption, which I mentioned earlier.
That song is built on little more than a repeating three-note guitar refrain but the starkness of the number, and the brooding atmosphere makes it, for me, the fulcrum point of the album.
DB: That’s exactly how I feel about it too; it’s the centre of the album. You’ve got the darkness there but you’ve also got that redemption, the rising up, regaining your life.
So I totally agree with you, but the funny thing about that song was how the solo came about!
We had finished a session and everyone had gone home from the studio, except Marc and I, and the engineer, who said "OK, I think that’s everything done." But then I realised I hadn’t done the solo for Redemption!
Now, I was due to got to the airport in about twenty minutes, but there was a beautiful 1959 Les Paul reissue sitting there, and an old Jennings amp.
So, I got the guitar, plugged it in, and said, "Right, I’ll just do a rough guide of the solo so we’ve got something down; I’ll do the actual solo some other time." But the solo you hear is that take!
RM: That’s really interesting, because not only does that song feature one of your most impassioned vocals, I believe the expressive, short-burst statements of that solo make it one of your strongest.
DB: I do as well. It was so funny, because the engineer was asking me if the tone was alright, and I said "Look, it doesn’t matter; let’s just put it down as a map, because I’m going in ten minutes."
But, when we listened back, I said "oh no, we won’t be touching that!"
RM: It’s extraordinary how many great or notable solos came from adversity or spontaneity, from pressure to deliver or limited time. Sometimes it truly is about being in that moment, with no distraction.
DB: You read or hear a lot of stories like that, where people say they needed to get out the way of the music.
As much as that can sound effected or clichéd I think, in a way, that’s true, because sometimes you can overthink it. You need to get everything else out the way and just do it.
RM: That’s exactly how your good friend and mentor Walter Trout approaches his solos; he’s looking for one take, no distraction spontaneity each and every time.
It’s also interesting to note that, much like you with this album, Walter doesn’t care if he comes up with a blues song, a pop song, or a rock song.
If it’s good, and it works for him, it’s going on the album.
DB: That’s so true. Walter has always been the shining light, for me, of that, where you keep your options open. He’s always going to be blues, because that’s his foundation, but he'll do what he wants to do and the music will dictate the message he wants to get across.
And I must add that I think his last album, Sign Of The Times, is one of his best.
RM: Oh it’s a highlight album, no argument here. Another track I want to mention from your own highlight album is Bruce Springsteen’s Nothing Man.
Originally written from the perspective of a war hero dealing with PTSD, Springsteen later rewrote and recorded it as a tribute to the First Responders of 9/11.
However, here, on Nothing Left Behind, parts of the lyric could be interpreted as a contemplation of your own past difficulties. It's an inspired cover song choice.
DB: It definitely resonated with me. We wanted to do a cover on the album, but it had to be out of love for the song and not just for the sake of it.
Marc and I are always sending each other songs, not necessarily business wise, or to record, but just as friends saying "have a listen to this!"
At one point Marc flagged up Nothing Man, asking me what I though of it. I said "It’s funny you should send me that because it’s probably in my top five songs of all-time!"
He replied "well, what do you think about doing it for the album?" Meaning, of course, that I’ve now fallen into the trap of having to think about recording it [laughter]. So I told Marc I’d have a think about it.
Then, one day, the guys went into the studio early to do some overdubs and some keyboard work, and I said "OK, in that case I’ll sleep late and come in to studio about lunchtime."
When I arrived, they all had a silly look on their faces. I asked what had been going on, and they told me they had done the backing track for Nothing Man! So, now I have to commit to doing it, but I did say "look I’ll do it, but if I don’t like it, it’s not going on." But it turned out really well.
RM: It works very well and, as I mentioned, parts of the lyric do, albeit indirectly, relate to your personal soul searching. I’m not surprised it resonated so strongly with you.
DB: As you said, Bruce recorded it for 9/11 when he was reading a lot about those very brave fire fighters and first responders, who were rightly praised as heroes but had nothing emotionally left inside them.
That emotionally spent aspect definitely resonated with me a little bit.
That song is built on little more than a repeating three-note guitar refrain but the starkness of the number, and the brooding atmosphere makes it, for me, the fulcrum point of the album.
DB: That’s exactly how I feel about it too; it’s the centre of the album. You’ve got the darkness there but you’ve also got that redemption, the rising up, regaining your life.
So I totally agree with you, but the funny thing about that song was how the solo came about!
We had finished a session and everyone had gone home from the studio, except Marc and I, and the engineer, who said "OK, I think that’s everything done." But then I realised I hadn’t done the solo for Redemption!
Now, I was due to got to the airport in about twenty minutes, but there was a beautiful 1959 Les Paul reissue sitting there, and an old Jennings amp.
So, I got the guitar, plugged it in, and said, "Right, I’ll just do a rough guide of the solo so we’ve got something down; I’ll do the actual solo some other time." But the solo you hear is that take!
RM: That’s really interesting, because not only does that song feature one of your most impassioned vocals, I believe the expressive, short-burst statements of that solo make it one of your strongest.
DB: I do as well. It was so funny, because the engineer was asking me if the tone was alright, and I said "Look, it doesn’t matter; let’s just put it down as a map, because I’m going in ten minutes."
But, when we listened back, I said "oh no, we won’t be touching that!"
RM: It’s extraordinary how many great or notable solos came from adversity or spontaneity, from pressure to deliver or limited time. Sometimes it truly is about being in that moment, with no distraction.
DB: You read or hear a lot of stories like that, where people say they needed to get out the way of the music.
As much as that can sound effected or clichéd I think, in a way, that’s true, because sometimes you can overthink it. You need to get everything else out the way and just do it.
RM: That’s exactly how your good friend and mentor Walter Trout approaches his solos; he’s looking for one take, no distraction spontaneity each and every time.
It’s also interesting to note that, much like you with this album, Walter doesn’t care if he comes up with a blues song, a pop song, or a rock song.
If it’s good, and it works for him, it’s going on the album.
DB: That’s so true. Walter has always been the shining light, for me, of that, where you keep your options open. He’s always going to be blues, because that’s his foundation, but he'll do what he wants to do and the music will dictate the message he wants to get across.
And I must add that I think his last album, Sign Of The Times, is one of his best.
RM: Oh it’s a highlight album, no argument here. Another track I want to mention from your own highlight album is Bruce Springsteen’s Nothing Man.
Originally written from the perspective of a war hero dealing with PTSD, Springsteen later rewrote and recorded it as a tribute to the First Responders of 9/11.
However, here, on Nothing Left Behind, parts of the lyric could be interpreted as a contemplation of your own past difficulties. It's an inspired cover song choice.
DB: It definitely resonated with me. We wanted to do a cover on the album, but it had to be out of love for the song and not just for the sake of it.
Marc and I are always sending each other songs, not necessarily business wise, or to record, but just as friends saying "have a listen to this!"
At one point Marc flagged up Nothing Man, asking me what I though of it. I said "It’s funny you should send me that because it’s probably in my top five songs of all-time!"
He replied "well, what do you think about doing it for the album?" Meaning, of course, that I’ve now fallen into the trap of having to think about recording it [laughter]. So I told Marc I’d have a think about it.
Then, one day, the guys went into the studio early to do some overdubs and some keyboard work, and I said "OK, in that case I’ll sleep late and come in to studio about lunchtime."
When I arrived, they all had a silly look on their faces. I asked what had been going on, and they told me they had done the backing track for Nothing Man! So, now I have to commit to doing it, but I did say "look I’ll do it, but if I don’t like it, it’s not going on." But it turned out really well.
RM: It works very well and, as I mentioned, parts of the lyric do, albeit indirectly, relate to your personal soul searching. I’m not surprised it resonated so strongly with you.
DB: As you said, Bruce recorded it for 9/11 when he was reading a lot about those very brave fire fighters and first responders, who were rightly praised as heroes but had nothing emotionally left inside them.
That emotionally spent aspect definitely resonated with me a little bit.
RM: I also find it interesting that Missing You, which follows Nothing Man, could be taken to be the reflective Yang to the more contemplative Yin of the Springsteen cover.
In fact the melodic Americana/ Heartland vibe of Missing You isn’t dissimilar to a song The Boss could have come up with.
DB: You’re totally right, that song was purely inspired by his music.
You know those songs that just kind of roll along without doing anything particularly clever, and are kinda like a warm summer’s day? Missing You is one of those.
But, like Marc’s worry with Not Like The Others, it could also be a song that isolates the long-time listeners – although I think there’s enough other stuff here to keep them happy.
RM: There is, perfect examples being the sludgy shuffle of Three Times As Hard, which has a touch of Stevie Ray about it, and your slow blues moment, Just For You.
The latter is another that takes us back to the earlier mention of not overthinking a solo and being free from distraction; every note on that solo has its place, and you never over-reach.
DB: Thank you. For me, it’s always been about trying to make that emotional connection, both with myself and the people listening. And my favourite thing is to play ballads; that’s also my favourite thing to listen to.
Usually, my way in to a new band, or a band I haven’t heard before, is to listen to a ballad of theirs, and that leads me to the other stuff they’ve done. I just find it’s more accessible that way, for some reason.
RM: An interesting approach. Funnily enough, and with related, balladeering effect, I was asked recently to submit a Top Ten favourite songs list for a musician friend’s forum/ discussion site.
The list, which reflected my eclectic tastes, included tracks from Todd Rundgren, Emerson Lake & Palmer, George Gershwin and Felix Mendelssohn. Three bona fide ballads also featured, including Goodbye To Love by The Carpenters. The latter, for me, is one of the greatest ever ballads.
DB: I totally agree. I also think the one positive thing in music nowadays is that kind of listening diversity.
If you think back to the days when we had record stores everywhere, there were albums that had to go in the blues section, albums that had to go in the rock section. albums that had to go in the pop section, and so on.
Now, whether for good or for bad, we consume music very differently, to the degree that I don’t think the genres need to be so pigeonholed, or pointed out to people, so much.
That might be because the concept of the album has, sadly, gone a little bit; it certainly doesn’t mean as much as it used to.
But that actually helps projects like this album, or Walter’s last album, which we mentioned earlier.
If you come to my music, or Walter’s music, or anyone else’s for that matter, because you want to hear some blues, you can easily pick out the blues songs.
Or it might be that you don’t really like blues, but will hopefully pick up on the other songs.
So, to come back to what you said about Goodbye To Love, and songs like it, it’s just all good music!
RM: At the end of the day, it all comes down to each individual’s taste – you’ll like something, or you won’t.
As I’ve said many times before, music enriches our lives immeasurably; you can just kick back and enjoy it, or draw comfort and support from it.
DB: Yes, I think it’s very much that nod to the soul, where someone can think, or say, "ah, someone else has been there; I’m not the only person feeling unwell." Or maybe they are dealing with a particular issue.
RM: Hence why I maintain some of the songs on Nothing Left Behind – assuming the listener wants to hear the message – can be supportive.
I said as much about Enemy Inside in review of the album; that song could be a powerful support tool for anyone dealing with their own inner demons.
DB: I so appreciate you writing that, thank you.
RM: I’d like to mention one more track, final number Heatwave Heartbreak. That’s a lovely little instrumental where your lead lines float across the rhythm. It acts as a nice little sign-off.
DB: We did some pre-production work a couple of months before going to Germany to record the album, and that track was just something we had recorded at the end of one of those pre-production days.
But when we were listening to the stuff we had recorded on playbacks, that one just jumped out.
We all said "oh, we’ll keep that!"
RM: I’m very glad you did. And now, of course, your fans in Germany and other parts of Europe get to hear songs from the album live as you support it across January and February.
And a lot of other dates, in Europe and the UK, are already confirmed for later in the year?
DB: Yes, and we are so looking forward to playing the new songs live. We’re getting lots of offers coming in and I’m trying to take them all.
I’d also like to get back up to Scotland again; I’ll look at that for the later part of the year.
RM: Well, a few of us will see what we can do in that North of the Border regard.
Meanwhile, enjoy the European shows, Danny, and the acclaim Nothing Left Behind so surely deserves.
DB: Thank you so much, Ross, and thank you for all the support; it’s very much appreciated!
Ross Muir
Muirsical Conversation With Danny Bryant
January 2026
Nothing Left Behind is out now on Jazzhaus Records
Order physical (including signed) copies (CD/LP) from: https://dannybryant.shop/en-gb/collections/frontpage
For more information on Danny Bryant and 2026 tour dates: https://www.dannybryant.live/
Photo Credits: Lea Westphal (topmost/ portrait photo of Danny Bryant)
Jaap Hubert (band photo and centre/ landscape photo of Danny Bryant)
In fact the melodic Americana/ Heartland vibe of Missing You isn’t dissimilar to a song The Boss could have come up with.
DB: You’re totally right, that song was purely inspired by his music.
You know those songs that just kind of roll along without doing anything particularly clever, and are kinda like a warm summer’s day? Missing You is one of those.
But, like Marc’s worry with Not Like The Others, it could also be a song that isolates the long-time listeners – although I think there’s enough other stuff here to keep them happy.
RM: There is, perfect examples being the sludgy shuffle of Three Times As Hard, which has a touch of Stevie Ray about it, and your slow blues moment, Just For You.
The latter is another that takes us back to the earlier mention of not overthinking a solo and being free from distraction; every note on that solo has its place, and you never over-reach.
DB: Thank you. For me, it’s always been about trying to make that emotional connection, both with myself and the people listening. And my favourite thing is to play ballads; that’s also my favourite thing to listen to.
Usually, my way in to a new band, or a band I haven’t heard before, is to listen to a ballad of theirs, and that leads me to the other stuff they’ve done. I just find it’s more accessible that way, for some reason.
RM: An interesting approach. Funnily enough, and with related, balladeering effect, I was asked recently to submit a Top Ten favourite songs list for a musician friend’s forum/ discussion site.
The list, which reflected my eclectic tastes, included tracks from Todd Rundgren, Emerson Lake & Palmer, George Gershwin and Felix Mendelssohn. Three bona fide ballads also featured, including Goodbye To Love by The Carpenters. The latter, for me, is one of the greatest ever ballads.
DB: I totally agree. I also think the one positive thing in music nowadays is that kind of listening diversity.
If you think back to the days when we had record stores everywhere, there were albums that had to go in the blues section, albums that had to go in the rock section. albums that had to go in the pop section, and so on.
Now, whether for good or for bad, we consume music very differently, to the degree that I don’t think the genres need to be so pigeonholed, or pointed out to people, so much.
That might be because the concept of the album has, sadly, gone a little bit; it certainly doesn’t mean as much as it used to.
But that actually helps projects like this album, or Walter’s last album, which we mentioned earlier.
If you come to my music, or Walter’s music, or anyone else’s for that matter, because you want to hear some blues, you can easily pick out the blues songs.
Or it might be that you don’t really like blues, but will hopefully pick up on the other songs.
So, to come back to what you said about Goodbye To Love, and songs like it, it’s just all good music!
RM: At the end of the day, it all comes down to each individual’s taste – you’ll like something, or you won’t.
As I’ve said many times before, music enriches our lives immeasurably; you can just kick back and enjoy it, or draw comfort and support from it.
DB: Yes, I think it’s very much that nod to the soul, where someone can think, or say, "ah, someone else has been there; I’m not the only person feeling unwell." Or maybe they are dealing with a particular issue.
RM: Hence why I maintain some of the songs on Nothing Left Behind – assuming the listener wants to hear the message – can be supportive.
I said as much about Enemy Inside in review of the album; that song could be a powerful support tool for anyone dealing with their own inner demons.
DB: I so appreciate you writing that, thank you.
RM: I’d like to mention one more track, final number Heatwave Heartbreak. That’s a lovely little instrumental where your lead lines float across the rhythm. It acts as a nice little sign-off.
DB: We did some pre-production work a couple of months before going to Germany to record the album, and that track was just something we had recorded at the end of one of those pre-production days.
But when we were listening to the stuff we had recorded on playbacks, that one just jumped out.
We all said "oh, we’ll keep that!"
RM: I’m very glad you did. And now, of course, your fans in Germany and other parts of Europe get to hear songs from the album live as you support it across January and February.
And a lot of other dates, in Europe and the UK, are already confirmed for later in the year?
DB: Yes, and we are so looking forward to playing the new songs live. We’re getting lots of offers coming in and I’m trying to take them all.
I’d also like to get back up to Scotland again; I’ll look at that for the later part of the year.
RM: Well, a few of us will see what we can do in that North of the Border regard.
Meanwhile, enjoy the European shows, Danny, and the acclaim Nothing Left Behind so surely deserves.
DB: Thank you so much, Ross, and thank you for all the support; it’s very much appreciated!
Ross Muir
Muirsical Conversation With Danny Bryant
January 2026
Nothing Left Behind is out now on Jazzhaus Records
Order physical (including signed) copies (CD/LP) from: https://dannybryant.shop/en-gb/collections/frontpage
For more information on Danny Bryant and 2026 tour dates: https://www.dannybryant.live/
Photo Credits: Lea Westphal (topmost/ portrait photo of Danny Bryant)
Jaap Hubert (band photo and centre/ landscape photo of Danny Bryant)