Josh Bravener plots his next course.
A good artist is always searching for new inspiration. A great artist is one who sees an opportunity and acts on it, because it just feels right. Taking risks is what it’s all about. This pretty much sums up roots/blues/rock troubadour Josh Bravener’s career to date. Since unleashing the audio ass-kicking, In The Mountains, earlier this year, it was easy to tell Bravener was interested in exploring new musical avenues. He’s since dropped his name from the band’s moniker and shuffled the line-up, scaling back to a simple trio. Gone are the acoustic ballads and the tearjerkers that served to introduce his young voice to the ears of the province (at least for the time being). At this point, he just wants to turn up the guitars and see where this road leads.
After establishing the name Josh Bravener and The Hypochondriacs locally and on a recent tour to Toronto, why drop it and start fresh as The Hypochondriacs?
Josh Bravener has been known over the years as a singer-songwriter/ blugrass/folk artist. The Hypochondriacs have not. Sure we do play some of the same songs I play as a solo acoustic artist, but we also incorporate some songs that aren’t so family friendly and heartfelt. It has been a struggle to separate the two as I hate to leave some songs behind. It is needed however, so people know what they are getting themselves into. Also I have found it a tad exhausting trying to write songs that have some sort of deep meaning. I will always strive to write songs that will make people feel something, but I have a lot of fun just whipping out lyrics and music that are fun for me, rather that emotionally draining.
Has the line-up changed as well?
The line-up, funnily enough has kind of resorted back to its original state with myself on guitar, Jamie Guitar on bass and Aaron Bravener on drums. I think it must be fate. I have never loved a group of people so much. Us three have been playing together long before the Hypochondriacs were even thought of. When you get to a certain point, it becomes less like playing with people and more like we are all playing as one. All I have to do is look at them in some sort of way and they know exactly what’s going to happen. We have thought about legally changing Jamie’s last name to Bravener just to make it super-official.
What can you share with us about your new plan of attack with this rebranded ensemble?
Our plan of attack is up in the air right now, but we have some big plans that are just thoughts and not enough serious action has been taken yet. Big things though…big things. I’ll tell you though that Harvest will be nuts. We will take it to the streets, to the bar and then back to the streets. That’s all I got.
The Hypochondriacs | August 15, 2015 | The Capital Complex | Midnight | $6
