"MAKING AN INDIE VIDEO – What it takes..."

Well, the title says it all—or does it? Let me share some insights from my experiences in this field. What does it take to create a decent indie video to promote your album or single? It requires a team of dedicated, talented people. Some might handle it all on their own, but I certainly can't.

First, decide which song to feature—the one that feels like a strong single. (Judge for yourself by checking the full band and solo videos on my website: www.grahambrownsongs.com.) I start with some quiet time to brainstorm concepts, possible locations, and the vibe I want to capture. Once that's in place, I reach out to my talented friends, without whom my ideas would never come to life.

We collaborate to refine the overall vibe for the shots. Lighting is everything—whether in a TV show or feature film. I've been on sets for both, and while they look great, it's the lighting that truly brings them to life. That's a fact.

Over the past few years, I've made at least five videos with an incredible team: Andy Warren (videographer) and Rob Bubek (lighting, photographer, locations scout). They're kind enough to help because they love the music—and apparently, I'm a pretty okay guy. 😊 Of course, I pay them, but I get the friend rate—lucky me. I feel fortunate to have their involvement and expertise. It's a small team, but a great one. Together, we always create something that works.

My videos are straightforward: footage of the band performing or me solo, with other shots edited in. That's what an indie budget allows, and it's fine by me. Andy edits the footage to ensure a smooth flow, guided by our loose concept. Rob handles the lighting to add texture and depth, while also capturing superb rock 'n' roll photos on the side.

FYI, we're currently working on a new video for the Graham Brown Band's next single, "Tell The World," from our latest release, *Outside Within*. It should be out soon. Here's a list of the five videos I've done with Rob and Andy:

- Graham Brown Band:

1. Haunted

2. Let’s Get High on Love

3. Drink For Two

4. Courage Comes

- Graham Brown (solo):

5. You Are The Stars

Enjoy! Cheers, GB.

(What's in your gear box)

People have been asking me about my gear, you know, the equipment I play. As for Electric

guitars, I am a Telecaster man… I have some early 70’s Telecasters that I have been playing

since they were brand new. As for amps, my main amp is an early 70’s Hiwatt, with a 50 watt

head and a 4 X 12 cabinet. I only use the 4 X12 cab when playing a larger room like perhaps The

Commodore Ballroom in Vancouver. I also have a 2 X 12 cabinet that I made myself, which I

use with the 50 amp Hiwatt head. It is basically the same wood, wiring and speakers that are in

the stock 4 X 12 Hiwatt cab, but half the size, and yes, I think it sounds damn good to me. As

for my latest Album ( Graham Brown Band – Outside Within ) I used the Hiwatt with the 2 X 12

cabinet for all the tracks. It is so versatile with the clean and dirty channels you can get just

about anything you need from it. As for acoustic guitars on this album I used my 70’s Larrivee

L18 and my Morgan. I also used my Rickenbaker 12 string electric on a few songs.

(AMPLIFIER – Breakdown)

Let’s break down that Hiwatt amp sound a bit… The beauty of the Hiwatt amp and speaker

combination is what gives it the Hiwatt sound. The speakers are FANE purple -back model

12512, they are known for their clean mids and strong bottom end. They are full paper cones

designed for high fidelity with lots of head room. When playing through the BRIGHT channel

input and when these speakers are driven they break-up into such a lovely Rock & Roll tone,

yumm…. You get the distortion required but there still is heaps of clarity between the guitar

strings. As for a clean sound, you can crank up the volume while in the NORMAL channel input

and you will get a strong clean tone that cuts through any mix. Let’s not forget about the

classic Hiwatt transformers within the head of the amp. Of course we are speaking of the

robust flavoured PARTRIDGE TRANSFORMERS, these things are a jewel hidden inside the amp

head, yes more yumm… So with the combination of the Amp head, Partridge transformers,

Fane speakers, birch wood cabinets, this is what gives you the classic Hiwatt sound..

Yes I also have a few Fender Amps that I use in the studio along side my Hiwatt rig.. You really

can’t go wrong with a ( Fender Deluxe ) ( Fender Blues Jr.) ( Fender Princeton )… These babies

will get the job done in high fashion as well..

(PEDAL BOARD – Breakdown)

First of all, I’m not a big pedal board guy, I like to keep it simple. For me, between playing

rhythm guitar, lead guitar, harmonica and singing lead vocals…. Trying to step on multiple

pedals at the same time as doing the above thing, just seems like too much dancing and

footwork for me, so I keep it simple and that works for me. Of course it all depends on what

kind of music or what kind of soundscape you are trying to create. So back to simple, my pedal

board is this, from left to right. I have a BOSS Blues Driver I use for a volume boost and

overdrive for my solos, I have a CRY BABY – Wah Wah Pedal…. a BOSS – Tremelo pedal…. a

Lesley Effects pedal which I use rarely…. a BOSS Tuner pedal….. Pretty simple, that’s it.

( GUITAR – Breakdown )

For Electric guitar, I play early 70’s Telecasters, I have Goto heads on all of them, Seymour

Duncan Stack in the bridge pickup and leave the front pickup stock.

For acoustic guitar, I play vintage 70’s gear…

In the studio I like to use a SM7 for my vocal tracks… seems to work for me…

Enjoy… Cheers GB

INDIE VIBE – SONGWRITER or SCRIBE

Ah, folks, here we are again, fingers flying across the strings—or maybe that's just me dreaming of a good old guitar bend. For some of you, "banging away" might conjure up entirely different scenes, but hey, let's keep it musical for now.

Lately, quite a few folks have cornered me with questions about my songwriting process: How do I do it? Where does the spark come from? I've touched on this before in these ramblings—it's all about letting the inspiration pour through like a sudden rainstorm, no overthinking, just capturing the flow. Editing? That's for later, if at all. Songwriting's no different from penning a novel, a poem, or a screenplay. Sure, a polish here and there can sharpen the blade of your idea, honing that raw vision into something that cuts deep and true. But get it down first; the muse doesn't wait.

Today was one of those days, the kind where the coffee's strong and the notebook's open wide. I dove headfirst into the pile—over 30 fresh songs I've scribbled out in recent months. For me, it's simple: I fire up the guitar (depending on the mood), play each one straight through, start to finish, just as it spilled out. No frills, no band yet. As the notes roll, I'm jotting mental sticky notes—arrangement tweaks here, a vocal melody nudge there. Mostly, it's about carving out the fat, ditching any filler that dilutes the heart. I want a song that's lean and mean: tight arrangement, hooky melody that punches the message home without apology. Sometimes that means slashing a line or two, or slipping in a word that flips the whole vibe. And don't sleep on your voice—the timbre, the delivery. A gravelly whisper can turn a rocker into a confessional ballad. If you're out there scribbling your own tunes, file that away: your vocal approach is a secret weapon, a shape-shifter for the soul of the song.

My songwriting pals? They say I'm brutal on myself—and on the catalog. Guilty as charged. Every few months, I round up the new batch, like I did today, and put 'em all on trial. Does this one hold water? Do I believe in it? Is it tough enough to stand tall in a setlist, or does it crumble under the lights? Invariably, about a dozen hit the scrap heap. I used to stash 'em in the "song garage" for spare parts—lyrics or riffs to cannibalize later. But here's the truth I've learned: anything worth salvaging ghosts its way back, reborn in some fresh form down the line. Tossing the rest? It's liberating. Forces the well to refill, pushes me to dig deeper. That's the scribe's life—ruthless, rewarding, and always hungry for the next line.

Speaking of which, this cull-and-create rhythm is what fuelled Outside Within, my latest dive into the deep end. Recorded live in the studio with the band in just seven raw hours—no overdubs, no safety net—it captures that unfiltered flow I chase. Songs like "Courage Comes" emerged from exactly this: inspiration unchecked, then honed just enough to breathe on their own. If you're digging the indie grind like I am, grab a copy on the site, stream it wherever, and let it remind you why we do this. The road's crooked, but damn, it's ours.

Time to get back at it—strings to tune, stories to chase. Till next time, keep the fire lit.

Cheers,  

GB

Here's a song I wrote in honour of our veterans. Lest we forget...