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ISSUE # 20, JULY 9, 2012
PETER O'BRIEN
You may remember Peter O'Brien as the editor of the legendary (and much-missed) British music magazine Omaha Rainbow. As the title suggests, Peter was (and is) a great fan of John Stewart, and featured interviews with him at a time when the press in America was largely ignoring the brilliant singer/songwriter. Peter helped spark interest in John's music internationally, as he did for so many other artists. After Peter retired from his day job, he decided to pursue his lifelong dream of becoming a songwriter and recording artist. In 2009 he released his first album, Junked Cars & Beat Up Guitars, produced and co-written by Tony Poole (of the British band Starry Eyed and Laughing). It was a delight, and an amazing accomplishment. How many of us get to live our dreams? Peter did it!
And now he has done it again!
PETER O'BRIEN
You may remember Peter O'Brien as the editor of the legendary (and much-missed) British music magazine Omaha Rainbow. As the title suggests, Peter was (and is) a great fan of John Stewart, and featured interviews with him at a time when the press in America was largely ignoring the brilliant singer/songwriter. Peter helped spark interest in John's music internationally, as he did for so many other artists. After Peter retired from his day job, he decided to pursue his lifelong dream of becoming a songwriter and recording artist. In 2009 he released his first album, Junked Cars & Beat Up Guitars, produced and co-written by Tony Poole (of the British band Starry Eyed and Laughing). It was a delight, and an amazing accomplishment. How many of us get to live our dreams? Peter did it!
And now he has done it again!
(continue reading at Old Ben's Newsletter ...)
JEFFERSON TRUAX - Fullerton, California, USA - Contributing writer, livingincinema.com
"Small Talk, Bullshit & Lies" showed up in the mail a few days back. I've been super busy with work and life the past couple of weeks, and I wanted to hold off until I could really listen to it in the way that I wanted to, giving the music the respect it deserves.
I finally got a chance to listen to it a couple times through yesterday, and I'm not sure I can find the words to express how amazed I was by it. As both a writer and as a singer, you are an incredibly masterful storyteller. I really enjoyed how much fun the entire album was to listen to, from one end to the other.
You are clearly someone who has spent his life studying and listening the these various genres of music, and you have such a unique and joyous way of really personalizing them.
I was also really impressed with the overall production, and what an expansive and engrossing experience listening to the album was. On the first couple listens, there are some really standout lyrics, including lines from 'Chrome Eagle Bus,' 'Waylon & Hank,' 'Big Sky,' 'Chalk on a Lamp Post,' 'That Box,' 'Dreams Keep You Alive,' 'Another Song,' and frankly all the rest of them.
I eagerly await listening to the entire album many, many times through the immediate future and in the weeks, months and years to come. I really hope I get to hear you play these incredible songs live at some point. What a treat that would be! I hope the album continues to be applauded and embraced and widely and as wildly as possible.
NICK WEST - London, England - Editor of BUCKETFULL OF BRAINS
Review in Issue 80 - Winter 2012
Peter O'Brien's "Small Talk, Bullshit & Lies" is possessed of a quiet deliberateness that speaks volumes, a man who studied singer-songwriters long before testing the art himself, and receiving generous support from Tony Poole, Wes McGhee, Butch Hancock and others. Don't miss 'Chrome Eagle Bus,' an eight minute-plus tale of Grand Drive's first American tour:
"Danny's travelling across the States in a Chrome Eagle bus/it's seen better days, so have most of us."