Brian Mackey interview
Brian Mackey lost his son unexpectedly in May 2018, and now, six years later and with the birth of his daughter, Brian has wrapped his grief and joy and love all together in his recently released album Good Morning Ireland. In Good Morning Ireland there are songs about life, loss, and renewed hope all delivered simply from the heart. As a line from his song “Dublin Night Bird”: “No one knows who’s flying with me, no one knows how far I fall, no one knows how far I fell.”
We had a chance to chat with Brian about the album.
Americana Highways: What is the significance of Ireland for your album?
Brian Mackey: Ireland is the place of my ancestors and the resting place for my son Brian Jr. I set him free in the morning light into a river in Ireland.
AH: Do you find music to be an important part of a psychological process, for people to work through meaningful or traumatic events?
BM: It’s a key therapeutic component in my opinion. It’s talk therapy set to music that’s intensified by emotional purging and reexamination of self that can benefit even the skeptical bystander.
Ever watch someone try not to cry at “Ave Maria”?
AH: Would you recommend music as a universal part of healing, for everyone? How would it work?
BM: I Do. In a perfect scenario a prescription for a healing group of songs tailored for a specific psychological ailment would work best I believe.
Sitting in a massage chair mood lighting and some really rad headphones and I think some healing would take place.
AH: How many of the songs on the album written by inspiration and or frustration about an event and or place? If so which song (or songs) and tell us more about them?
BM: I’d say all of the tracks on Good Morning Ireland are in both camps.
Inspiration: “You Are Amazing” is inspired by the birth of my daughter Marigold.
Frustration: “Saturday Night Sleeping” is about the death of my son Brian.
AH: In light of new developments with AI, what would you say this means for the core of humanity? What advice would you give young folks about music and art, in light of AI?
BM: I think everthing is natural until they invent the artificial copy of it. Sugar is natural. Aspartame is not. Which tastes better ? My meaning is this: We can try to take the easy AI route but with respect to art it’s the heart for the win. Sure AI can replace some things however emotions run deeper then the thoughts of how emotions should behave I believe. So for those who wanna make songs, Create!
AH: Did any of the songs on the album come to you almost completely out of the blue? Which ones and how did it happen?
BM: Yes! “Six Strings” was written on a guitar with a missing string so it had 5 strings. “Fill Your Empty” came from looking at my neighbor its house on a dark starlit night.
AH: When songs don’t come to you out of the blue, what’s your songwriting process like?
BM: It’s a process of working things out really.
Whether it’s at the piano or the guitar or from a dream they start somewhere and 90 percent of the time I really have no control over how or why. The refinement is where I can make them make sense if that makes sense?
AH: If someone only had ten minutes, which 3 songs on the album should they listen to first & why?
“Dublin Night Bird. It’s a song that has so much meaning and strongly chained to the whole identity of Good Morning Ireland.
“Dust On The Wall.” Simple and effective, I am at a piano and letting the emotions drive the song.
“Maintenance Man.” I have no other song like it. It’s all true. I was a maintenance man and it’s based on it. Turn it up fun stuff!
AH: What would you like fans to take away after listening to your music?
BM: I’d like anyone who listens to the new album to have a better understanding of what I was feeling when I wrote it. And maybe in someway have commonality, be entertained and enlightened.
I’d be really happy with one or all of the above.
AH: What’s on the horizon for Brian Mackey this summer & fall?
BM: Back in the studio! August 15. The Fall tour dates are coming!
Thanks very much for sharing with us, Brian Mackey. Find more details on his website here: https://www.brianmackeymusic.com/ Enjoy our previous coverage here: REVIEW: Brian Mackey “Good Morning Ireland”