Interview with Indie’s newest rockstar — Oberhofer!
Hot off the heels of his new release Chronovision, Brad Oberhofer catches up with the team at AudioFuzz!
Q: Your music seems to be influenced by several genres of music, what genres and/or artists really inspired you growing up?
A: I have always been mostly a singles-oriented person. Growing up my mom was an opera singer and I would go to orchestral shows. I spent most of my childhood listening to specific songs on repeat – the first of those to really move me being “So Much For The Afterglow” by Everclear. Following that was “Rosa Parks” by Outkast. Andre 3000 inspired me a ton as a kid. His made-up language, his football pads, nose stud, and general surrealism were fascinating to me. I then got really into Eminem and went through a long-lived rapping obsession. I was also enamored with David Bowie and the B52’s as a kid.
Q: For Chronovision it’s reported that you travelled the world to find inspiration, what sparked that?
A: I did travel a whole lot to record this record. I first found a cabin in the Catskills to draft ideas because I had to move out of my apartment due to the death of a roommate. I then traveled to Seattle to record with Producer, Phil Ek, then back to New York to make some adjustments and ultimately record several new songs, then to LA to record more songs with Kevin Augunas, then to Atlanta to Mix with Ben Allen.
Q: The theme on the album seems to center around love, love lost, love wanted, etc. Did your relationships with others have a huge influence on the record?
A: A few of my own personal relationships affected the narrative of songs on this record, but not many of those sentiments are in the context of a romantic relationship. Together/ Never is about Marriage, Sea of Dreams is about my Grandma, and a lot of other songs are stories generated to illustrate ideas or speculations I may have made on life at a specific time.
Q: What’s the most exciting thing about being a musician and what do you dread?
A: I love being able to walk around aimlessly. I spend many of my days reading, playing piano, or just wandering. The actions play an essential role in writing music and it’s exciting to me that just spending time living and observing are incorporated in my occupation. There is nothing I dread.
Q: What can your fans expect to see from you in the future? Any big plans you’d like to reveal?
A: I may or may not be coming out with a new short album in the spring ;)
Purchase Chronovision on iTunes or purchase the vinyl now
Check out the video for “Memory Remains” below:
