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| | In the corner of a sultry little coffeeshop, there’s a guy playing checkers with a local kid. The chair he’s sitting in is meant for someone nearly half his 6’6 frame. That doesn’t seem to bother him though. Nothing much does, truthfully. The beanpole has hair that hasn’t seen a blow dryer in a month and wild stubble sprouting from his Ryan Gosling-like face not tended to in at least twelve. He could care less.
After losing the game, the (no-longer a) stranger unzips the pink fanny pack around his waist, removes a sticker, hands it to the kid, then moves around the room looking for random folk he knows only from MySpace comments and messages to give well-deserved (in his mind) hugs. Drew Danburry isn’t your typical indie darling.
Give us a little background on Drew Danburry…the Drew Danburry experience?
Umm…
I read somewhere you didn’t even really start playing music until you got to BYU?
Yea, I didn’t. I wrote a song on guitar. Basically, I got back from a trip to Costa Rica. I had found my sister-in-law’s guitar and inside was a book that taught you how to play 3 or 4 chords. That summer I put those chords together, took a poem I wrote, and made it a song. Then, my friend Micah Doll, he had recording equipment. So, we recorded the song.
It’s like Ian MacKaye said, it’s always been a process. Going DIY is always a process. After I wrote the song, I was like we should play this song for people as sort of a group that plays the songs. Then, when we had the group. We started writing songs together. Then, we decided to record all the songs together and then we took that and said hey this is a demo, we should go travel. That’s kind of where everything changed. I booked the tour and no one came.
How long ago was this?
That was like, wow. The first tour was two or three years ago. Yea, it was two years ago. It had to be because I started playing guitar four years ago. All of it’s just really, really brand new and to be honest it’s probably what gets me through things whenever I feel like, really bummed out.
Yea, there seems to be a Zen-like quality to you. I mean, I read somewhere that it doesn’t matter how much money you have or whatever. You’re just always this super nice, balanced guy.
Maybe it’s the recklessness in me or maybe it’s the fact that I think that things always work out for the best if you put your heart into it. There’s been multiple times when I’ve been on tour and I have NO money, tapped out credit cards, and I’ll go anyways. I’ll just kind of work off the debt as I go. Things just have a way of working themselves out if you’re doing what you need to be doing. Obviously, I’d probably reconsider if I got stuck in New Mexico with no money and a broken down car.
Yea, well you pick up friends pretty easily wherever you go. So, you probably wouldn’t be hurting for too long. I saw on your MySpace, that you started a blog where you’ll be reviewing movies and music. (Laughs) I’m really interested to hear your take on the new Superman.
Nah, I’m not even interested in seeing that. Same with X-men 3. I think on this blog, I am going to review the movie, Rookie of the Year.
Wow…do you get out much? No current stuff?
No, just movies we’re watching on the road. It was either Rookie of The Year or 5th Element.
Where do you come across these movies?
Yea, well you just end up staying at someone’s house and they’ve got movies. So, you’re just like let’s pick the worst of all evils. The movies you haven’t seen since you were seven that they happen to have. Which is usually the case. I watched the Secret of Nimh, yesterday.
Yea, ok. I don’t like movies with mice. Except for Mouse Hunt with Nathan Lane.
Anyway, there’s a story I’m about to publish in the blog about Elliot, (from Aubrey Debauchery) who’s on tour with me now. He got thrown in jail in Garza County and we were stuck in Garza County on Independence Day. Really ironic…
About Elliot, I see that you’ve expanded your band. What is it you’re calling it now?
Drew Danburry/Fatal Fury and the Laser Cats.
Will you be recording as that?
No, it’s more of just a tour thing. It’s Drew Danburry on stage. As a full band, we’re Fatal Fury and then the Laser Cats is anyone that comes to the shows and participates. If you’re standing back in the corner, you’re not a Laser Cat. If you’re up front, singing along, you’re totally a Laser Cat.
Crowd participation is a big part of your show, where’d you pick that up?
I think what happened was a big turn in my music. I’m going to have to credit Jason Anderson.
K records?
Yea, the Wolf Colonel. I had been playing shows and the music was there, but it was like the lowest point of my life. Then, my friend got me on a show with Jason Anderson. I had never heard of him before playing the show and I was amazed at how happy he was. It was when he was touring with Nicole his girlfriend as The Rabbits. Pretty much a life changing show.
Would you say he influenced your music?
I’ve been really wary of that, actually. I try not to steal anyone’s ideas, but it just kind of brought up the idea of some optimism. You know? Instead of being super-emo.
(Remembering the original question)
Yea, so I guess getting the crowd involved just came about from the joy of playing shows. I get so excited. Sometimes I’m just like, “Let’s play Heads Up 7-Up”. (Chuckles) It’s awesome, to see what you can get people to do at a show.
Couple more.
Yea, yea.
You’re going to Europe soon. First time?
That’s another one of those things where we’re talking about just going. I just got tickets. I didn’t know anybody. I knew Harry and The Potters, who I toured with, had been there. They didn’t give me any contacts though. It’s just been a bunch of DIY work. I’ve been really, really lucky. Not to throw religion in, but sometimes I feel that it’s more than just luck. I’ve met amazing people and a lot of people in that area are super-pumped about what I’m doing. Such a blessing.
What’s the itinerary look like?
What I’m going to do is play a show one night and take three days off in-between, so that I can see some things.
What countries are you hitting up?
Ireland, Scotland, England, Italy, Wales, maybe even Luxembourg. France, Germany, Spain, Croatia.
A lot of European readers at Absolutepunk.net, maybe they’ll check you out. Last line of questions, how many pink fanny packs do you own?
Just one. It’s deteriorating right now.
Wow, how long has it lasted you?
Right before I met Jason Anderson, I think. Almost two years ago. It’s totally falling apart. I have a replacement fanny pack, which is so much cooler. It’s a stuffed animal duck. It’s not as good though, not as easy to use. Doesn’t have as many pockets. Not as big.
What do you keep in there?
Everything.
Everything?
Toothpaste, toothbrush, stickers, floss, my phone, keys…money (surveying sketchy neighborhood), VERY little amount of money. Pretty much everything you need.
For those that don’t know, explain the significance of the fanny pack?
Yea, it’s ridiculous. Yea, it’s a joke. I don’t know. It depends on how people see it. You make the world what you want. That’s kind of how I’ve always tried to argue everything. It can be a silly funny thing that you love or it can be an in-depth comment on our society.
How different people react to the fanny pack is super funny. Like when Elliot got thrown in jail in Texas, I was wearing the duck fanny pack. The officer asked me to get out of the car and go stand back by his car. I was standing there wearing a duck fanny pack and these really short shorts and you could tell he was so scared of me. Like, homophobic-scared. It’s just something that’s not tough. Really alienates people and I think that’s why I picked it to begin with. Just a way to open people’s minds.
It really challenges people’s perception.
(Examining his clothes) Yea, especially wearing really, really tight pants and cowboy boots. |
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Displaying posts 1 - 13 of 13. |
04:02 PM on 07/11/06 | Drew Danburry is amazing...people need to check him out. | | |
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04:03 PM on 07/11/06 |
Drew is the most amazing person I have ever met | | |
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04:08 PM on 07/11/06 | this dude seems really cool | | |
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04:37 PM on 07/11/06 | He looks like Ryan Gosling with a birds nest for a beard. His music's pretty chill too.. | | |
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04:39 PM on 07/11/06 | Originally Posted by ascitiesburn101 He looks like Ryan Gosling with a birds nest for a beard. His music's pretty chill too.. |
Haha, my thoughts exactly :) | | |
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06:03 PM on 07/11/06 | lol.... isnt this the guy that posted the story on UBM about his trip to the public pool? | | |
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06:06 PM on 07/11/06 | www.youtube.com/goodcomputerkids Originally Posted by TMartin442 lol.... isnt this the guy that posted the story on UBM about his trip to the public pool? |
Haha, yea.
www.upbeetmusic.com/articles/25 | | |
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02:55 AM on 07/14/06 | Originally Posted by BIG L Drew is the most amazing person I have ever met |
i love you loren. | | |
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11:22 AM on 07/15/06 | I do the drew! With his little pink fanny pack. Russy, I knew this would be gold. | | |
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06:14 AM on 07/24/06 | yeah drew is great. i have been fortunate enough to meet and spend time with him on a number of different occasions... each one has been really fun and he is about as genuine as they come. best of luck to him in europe. | | |
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