After introducing themselves with their vibrant debut single 'You're So Original' earlier this year, Houston-based songwriting project The Venerable are back once again with their euphoric new effort 'A Place 4 Me'.
Capturing more of that rich and sweeping pop-rock aesthetic they are quickly earning a reputation for, 'A Place 4 Me' makes for a beautifully endearing listen. With its rich and sprawling vocals layered across an anthemic production from start to finish, they are certainly ones to keep a firm eye on for the months ahead as well.
So with the new single available to stream now, we sat down with bandleader Matt Barrett to find out more about his origins and what has been inspiring him most lately.
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What was the first instrument you fell in love with?
As far as playing goes, I’ve really only ever played the guitar. I didn’t really pick it up until I was a Senior in High School. My Dad and Brother play the drums, but I figured out pretty quickly that wasn’t the instrument for me. As far as listening to music, it’s always been the piano. I grew up listening to Billy Joel and Elton John and always had a fascination with the instrument. I still have a goal of learning to play, but I haven’t found the time to dedicate to it yet.
What kind of music did you love when you were younger?
I hate when people say they like all music, but I really do for the most part. We grew up on Billy Joel, Elton John, the Eagles, Tom Petty, Led Zeppelin, the Beatles, etc. We also listened to a lot of the 80’s Pop/Rock stuff as well like Journey, Huey Lewis, Heart, Fleetwood Mac. Then as I got to the age where you start listening to your own music I was in Middle School in the 90’s so it was lots of Grunge Rock, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, STP, and the lighter stuff I really loved like Matchbox 20, Counting Crows, Goo Goo Dolls, Red Hot Chili Peppers, etc. I also listened to a lot of Rap/Hip-Hop – Notorious BIG, Tupac, Puff Daddy, NWA, Bone Thugs n Harmony, Eminem, etc. And of course I’ve always been a sucker for great pop songs, so Michael Jackson, Madonna, etc. This was also the time when Techo/EDM kind of first started hitting the mainstream, so Real McCoy, La Bouche, stuff like that. Then in the early 2000’s it was all the Post Grunge stuff, Three Doors Down, Foo Fighters and Pop Punk stuff like Blink-182 and Sum 41, etc. Some other notable bands that I really love are Muse, Tool, Blue October, and Andrew McMahon (Something Corporate, Jack’s Mannequin, and Andrew McMahon and the Wilderness).
What was the first album you remember owning?
My parents bought me a boom box when I was in 6th grade and they bought me the Meatloaf – Bat out of Hell album, so technically that was it. I vividly remember the first two albums I got myself were Matchbox 20 – Yourself or Someone Like You, and Counting Crows – August and Everything After. I probably listened to those 2 albums 500 times each, and both are still some of my favourite records of all time.
What is the one song you wished you could have written yourself?
Man, this is a loaded question, I hear so much great music, I have this thought all the time. I’m really into lyrics, I feel like that is what really separates the great lasting songs from the good ones. Two that come to mind are Don Henley – End of the Innocence and Billy Joel – I’ve Loved These Days. Just two beautifully composed songs with such amazing meaningful lyrics, kind of sad but hopeful.
Do you have any habits or rituals you go through when trying to write new music?
I’m really all over the map. I’m constantly writing lyrics, riffs, and just little snippets. A verse here, a chorus there. I try to get the instrumental part recorded, and then I just listen to it on repeat working on melodies, going through my hundreds of lyric pages and concepts until I find something that fits. I’ve found that I come up with some of my best melodies while I’m driving or walking the dog. Your mind just kind of drifts away, there’s no pressure and things just come to you.
Who are your favourite artists you have found yourself listening to at the moment?
There is so much great music out there right now, I find new stuff I love everyday, but a few artists I can’t stop listening to right now are Olivia Rodrigo and Oliver Tree, and Post Malone. They all just put out amazing albums and the stuff they did before was awesome as well. Other artists I always have on my playlists are Borns, Twenty One Pilots, Imagine Dragons, Young the Giant, and Coldplay.
If you could open a show for anyone in the world, who would it be?
If we’re talking musical fit, for what I’m doing right now it would probably be Coldplay. Their concerts are just next level, and they are one of the biggest bands in the world, and their music kind of spans different genres and they are just such amazing song writers.
What do you find is the most rewarding part about being a musician?
For me, more than anything it’s just that creative outlet. Even when I’m not actively writing a record or a song, I can’t really turn it off. I’m always jotting down ideas and thinking of things. For me it’s really that emotional outlet, and then you get to create this beautiful thing that never existed. Music has helped me so much throughout my life, the hard times and the good. I really just hope that someone out there listens to one of my songs and it helps them in some way.
And what is the most frustrating part?
The most frustrating thing for me is piecing together a whole song that really fits the vision you have. You could have a great chorus or a great verse, and you can’t find a matching verse or chorus that you feel really fulfils the song and vision you have. So I’m left with tons of just unfinished partial songs. I try to come back to them from time to time, but that is definitely the most frustrating part for me.
And what is the best piece of advice you have received as a musician?
I read Rick Rubin’s – The Creative Act recently and that just kind of put everything I was doing in perspective. He talked a lot about finishing things and getting them out to the world – something I was kind of fearful of, but now that I’ve started doing that it’s like a weight has been lifted. It’s a really great book that has really helped me through this process.
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The Venerable's new single 'A Place 4 Me' is available to stream now. Check it out in the player below.