Between writing and recording songs, playing solo shows and rocking out with his band Brian Wolf, it’s obvious that a musician and Binghamton University senior Brian Wolff has a deep passion for what he does. The 21-year-old marketing major not only plays guitar, but sings as well. If you’re into alternative rock or just enjoy seeing great live music, Brain Wolff frequently plays shows at local venues.
Release: Tell us about your band. What’s it called?
Brian Wolff: It’s a four-piece band called Brain Wolf. I play guitar, Brian Chin plays guitar and keyboard, Dan Martin plays the bass and R.J. Porter is on the drums. We just started the band around a month ago.
R: What were you doing before the band started?
BW: Lately, I’ve been really focused on the band, but I’ve been doing solo stuff for years. I play guitar and sing. So when I’m not with the band, I’ll play acoustic shows by myself.
R: Where do you play shows?
BW: I play at On the Roxx every other Thursday. I have also played at some other venues like The Dugout [in Apalachin, N.Y.], and try to play on campus when I can.
R: What do you like better, playing a solo show or playing with the band?
BW: Solo shows are great, but I love being in a band. The live music aspect is a lot better with drums, a bass and a synthesizer. It gets everyone moving and it’s a great way to feed off the crowd.
R: How would you describe your sound?
BW: We are an alternative rock band. You could compare our sound to Kings of Leon or the Silversun Pickups. The band has a large ’90s alternative rock influence, while being music that you can dance and have a great time to.
R: Have you recorded anything?
BW: I recorded over the summer with R.J. Porter. I have a CD out called “Fly” with three tracks on it that I sell at all of my shows.
R: What would one expect when seeing you live?
BW: Definitely expect a fun time filled with constant energy. We like to put everything we have into playing our music, so we are constantly jumping up and down and interacting with the crowd. We usually play a lot of covers when we have shows at bars, but we also play a lot of original stuff, too. We have about 20 original songs that we want to record.
R: If two artists had a baby, and your music was their lovechild, who would the parents be?
BW: Hmm … that’s an interesting question. I would have to say Pearl Jam and Bruce Springsteen.
R: What inspired you to start making music?
BW: When I was in sixth grade I saw an electric guitar at a garage sale and decided to get it. I started taking lessons, but I wasn’t really serious until I was in eighth grade and went to my high school’s talent show and watched a band play “Machine Head” by Bush and “Alive” by Pearl Jam. After I learned how to play the “Alive” guitar solo, I knew that I wanted to play rock music for the rest of my life.
R: Where do you see yourself in the future?
BW: No matter what, I see myself somehow playing music somewhere. I’m graduating in May and then I have a bunch of shows lined up for the summer. We have 15 shows alone lined up before graduation. You only really have one shot to pursue music and I think that I’ve got a really good thing going on right now. If I didn’t pursue this, I think that I would regret it for the rest of my life.
To find an upcoming show or listen to live music, check out Brian’s Web site:
www.brianwolffmusic.com