Going Places: Blackburn Says Farewell to Destin
Chris Manson February 9, 2005 Issue

After five years of paying his dues as a solo artist and a member of the popular Hog’s Breath Band, singer and guitarist Josh Blackburn is leaving to embark on the next phase of his promising career. He will make a few more appearances on Tuesday nights at the Funky Blues Shack along with the Wednesday through Sunday gigs at Hog’s Breath, plus a Saturday stint at the Blue Point Fish Club from 6-9 p.m.

Blackburn calls Destin “a really great place to live,” but now he wants to focus on his original material. “That’s why I’m moving to Colorado where there’s a college town,” Blackburn says. “Being in a new environment will be good for my writing—playing for people who have never heard me before.”

A copy of Blackburn’s homegrown disc Brand New Something found its way to Peter Malick, a musician and producer whose credits includes Muddy Waters and Norah Jones. Blackburn’s dark, ethereal songs impressed Malick, who came to see Blackburn in 2003 and almost immediately signed him as the first artist on a new independent record label.

For the last two years, Blackburn has kept busy recording new material with some first-rate session players in Los Angeles, including “Butch from the Eels” who co-produced the disc with Malick. “They’re doing the mastering now,” Blackburn says. “They’re trying to see if we can get it promoted and get lots of radio play and a campaign going so when it comes out everyone will know it’s out.”

A few of Blackburn’s favorites from Brand New Something were re-recorded for the new album, tentatively titled The Josh Blackburn Project. “The instrumentation on the original version of Earthquake was very synthy and spacey,” he says. “On the new album, all the instruments are real. If there’s a piano or a violin or an accordion, it’s there. And it’s wonderful.” And yes, there is some accordion on the new CD, courtesy of John Prine’s keyboard player.

“Being in L.A. was a very humbling experience,” Blackburn says. “You have to be right on it if you want to get anywhere. (Malick) is an amazing person. In the studio, I was always under the microscope.” Malick is also an accomplished guitarist, his bluesy style offering a nice contrast to Blackburn’s more Mark Knopfler-influenced playing.

Blackburn works a few of his new songs into his solo sets between the well-received versions of songs by Nirvana, David Bowie and Tenacious D. One of the standout compositions is Time Machine. Blackburn describes that song as “looking back on relationships and wanting that moment in time to stop, to be perfect all the time.”

Of course, life isn’t always perfect. Blackburn has experienced his share of setbacks in the last few years (see timeline). I ask him if any specific events worked their way into his new songs. “A lot of the new music—and all my songs are very personal—are not about past issues. But there are some about how life can change in such a fast amount of time.”

He has wanted to write songs ever since he first picked up a guitar 15 years ago. “That’s where music becomes a personal rather than a commercial issue,” Blackburn says. “These days it’s all about marketability and the ‘hook’ of the song.”

Blackburn doesn’t have any gigs lined up in Colorado yet. “I’m going out there on pure faith—just me, my guitar, and my girlfriend. There are a lot of places to play. Just getting back into the challenge of trying to sell myself musically will be good for me as a musician and as an artist.

“I just want people to hear my songs,” Blackburn says. Now that a music biz insider like Malick is involved, Blackburn is certain to see that goal realized.

A Josh Blackburn Timeline

December 2001: Blackburn moves to Destin from Nashville. He joins the Hog’s Breath Band on the recommendation of performing songwriter Greg Barnhill.

December 2003: Blackburn completes Brand New Something, an album of original songs. The ambitious disc—Blackburn played all of the music himself—catches the ear of producer Peter Malick. Around Christmas, an automobile accident nearly ends Blackburn’s promising career.

March 2004: Hog’s Breath hosts a CD release party and benefit to help defray part of Blackburn’s $500,000 in medical expenses. Blackburn plugs in his guitar for the first time in three months. “When there’s a benefit for anyone, the whole town is very joined,” Blackburn says. “It really opened my eyes to how special everyone is.”

Summer 2004-Summer 2005: Blackburn divides his time between steady local gigs and recording sessions for his second CD in Los Angeles.

February 2006: Hog’s Breath hosts farewell party for Blackburn. “Anyone who wants to come, play or jam” is invited, says Blackburn. “I don’t expect it to turn into a big, sweaty orgy, but…I won’t not let it happen. It’s basically where I can say goodbye to everyone who wants to say goodbye and play some songs that have been a whole lot of fun to play.”

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