brendan o'hara talks to miami nice

brendan o'hara is the front man of Brendan O'Hara and the Big Bounce Collective, let's let him explain: 

Who, what and why is The Big Bounce Collective, The Big Bounce, and
Brendan O'Hara?

BRENDA O'HARA IS THE BAND LEADER AND SOLE SONGWRITER OF A BAND THAT WAS
ONCE A DUO WITH KOMAKOZIE, AND IS NOW A FULL BAND KNOWN AS "BRENDAN O'HARA
AND THE BIG BOUNCE COLLECTIVE" THE COLLECTIVE IMPLIES A GROUP OF PEOPLE
(NOT ALWAYS THE SAME PEOPLE) COMING TOGETHER ON A UNIFIED FRONT FOR A
COMMON PURPOSE

How much is Miami a part of your sound? and what's up with music in  Miami right now?

MIAMI HAS INFORMED A LOT OF THE SOUND WHEN IT COMES TO CELEBRATION AND
HAPPINESS, VACATION, CHASING THE SHADE, THE COCKTAILS AT THE FLORIDA ROOM
AT DELANO, THEY ALL FIND THEIR WAY INTO THE MUSIC, BECAUSE ITS THE LIFE I
LIVE.

You've put together a group of ridiculously talented local musicians, are you guys all BFFs? Did you come together because of your music?

WE HAVE COME TOGETHER FOR THE MUSIC. THIS CITY IS FULL OF TALENTED
MUSICIANS. AND SOME YOU VIBE WITH PERSONALLY AND SOME YOU VIBE WITH ON
STAGE. MUSICIANS, AS SOCIAL AS WE ARE, CAN STICK TO THEMSELVES WHEN NOT
PERFORMING.

Do you know each other outside of jam sessions or is it all about the

music? 
SOME OF US DO, AND HAVE A LONG HISTORY, SOME OF US ARE JUST GETTING
TO KNOW EACH OTHER EACH SHOW!

Do you think that this kind of camaraderie is something special about the Miami music scene? or is it a trend in other cities that are working on their music scene.
I THINK IT'S SPECIAL TO MIAMI, BUT ALSO SPECIAL TO NEW ORLEANS, I THINK IN

ATLANTA THE SCENE IS MORE FRACTURED, IN NY IT CAN BE PRETTY CUT THROAT AND
COMPETITIVE BUT I'M SURE THERE ARE SCENES WITHIN MUSICAL GENRES THAT HAVE
WHAT WE HAVE. I JUST THINK THE MUSICIANS AND THE MUSICAL STYLES ARE SO
DIVERSE HERE AND YET THE PLAYERS ARE ALL PART OF ONE BIG COMMUNITY.
OUTSIDE OF MUSIC I THINK WE ALL SHARE A LOVE FOR LIVING IN PARADISE

Do you really drink champagne and apple juice? I do a disgusting vs. delicious column and I might put it up for debate. I'm falling on the delicious side. What about you?

OF COURSE I REALLY DRINK IT! 
90 PERCENT OF MY MUSIC COMES FROM THE LIFE
I'VE LIVED AND THE OTHER 10 PERCENT COMES FROM THE LIFE I'M LOOKING TO
LEAD (AFFIRMATIONS ETC!) CHAMPAGNE AND APPLE JUICE IS A MORNING DRINK, AND
ITS FAR LESS ACIDIC THEN THE TRADITIONAL MIMOSA..I INVENTED IT, NOW YOU
TEST IT! I'M SURE SOMEONES DONE IT BEFORE ME, BUT IF YOU WERE THERE THE
MORNING IT WAS INVENTED, I DON'T THINK YOU'D EVER TAKE A SIP WITHOUT TRULY
ENJOYING IT!

Speaking of drinking, you have a handful of songs about booze. Is there a pre-show ritual? Do you drink tea for your voice, rum for your mind, or a little cafesito?

CAFFEINE IS OUT. THE NATURAL NERVES AND ENERGY THAT COME WITH EACH
PERFORMANCE TEND TO BE ENOUGH. THERE IS NO ONE RITUAL SOMETIMES IT'S TEA
SOMETIMES IT RUM, SOMETIMES ITS ONE OF MY DEAR MIXOLOGISTS FRIEND LATEST
CONCOCTIONS, SOMETIMES IT'S A GLASS OF PINOT GRIGIO, WHAT EVER IT IS, I TRY
NOT TO DRINK TOO MUCH OF IT, BEFORE THE SHOW, AFTER THE SHOW, I TEND TO
HAVE A FEW. I SING ABOUT BOOZE, BECAUSE THATS WHATS AROUND ME, WE HAVE
BEEN A BAR BAND FOR A LONG TIME, THATS WHERE I CUT MY TEETH AND DEVELOPED
THE "CHOPS" I HAVE (THOUGH ITS A FAKE IT TILL YOU MAKE IT MENTALITY ON THE
"CHOPS" PART) I SING ABOUT THINGS PEOPLE CAN IDENTIFY WITH AND A BUNCH OF
PARTY PEOPLE HOLDING A COCKTAIL, WELL I THINK A SONG ABOUT BOOZE SEEMS
APPROPRIATE NO?

 

What's it like behind that big Lenny Kravitz piano at the Florida Room?

THAT PIANO LOOKS INCREDIBLE AND WITH SOME TLC, CAN AND DOES SOUND
INCREDIBLE, BUT THAT'S AN INTENSE ENVIRONMENT FOR SUCH A PIECE OF
CRAFTSMANSHIP...NEEDLESS TO SAY ITS WONDERFUL TO SIT BEHIND SUCH A
GORGEOUS PIANO

Do the tourists bug you or do you dig having those sandals and sock wearers around? 

NO SANDALS AT THE FLORIDA ROOM, 

AND PREFERABLY BARE FEET

EVERYWHERE ELSE. 
I LOVE HAVING THE TOURISTS, ESPECIALLY THOSE FROM
LATIN AMERICA AND EUROPE, I THINK THEY HAVE A MUCH MORE SPIRITUAL
CONNECTION TO MUSIC AND FUN IN GENERAL, SO THEY EMBRACE MY
ORIGINALITY, AND INSTEAD OF SAVING, "I APPROVE" AT THE END, THEY
SAY "CONGRATULATIONS" THAT'S IT IN A NUT SHELL. PLUS IT'S NICE TO
BE A PART OF THEIR VACATION!

Do you play any other instruments besides the guitar and piano (and,
of  course, your voice)? Have you ever thought about learning to play the
conch like Chad Bernstein in Spam? 

I LOVE WORKING WITH CHAD! WE'RE MAKING A RECORD TOGETHER IN 

NEW ORLEANS WITH ALL NEW ORLEANS BASED

MUSICIANS IT'S GOING TO BE THE BEES KNEES... TENTATIVELY TITLED
"SHOW ME THE HONEY" AND RELEASED BY JANUARY...MAYBE SOONER! I PLAY
DRUMS, IF I WANTED TO PLAY ANOTHER INSTRUMENT IT WOULD BE DRUMS OR
TRUMPET...

Is there anything that you want to say to all the crazy Miami kids that read this blog? 

READING CAN HAVE A PROFOUND IMPACT ON BRAIN CELL

FUNCTION, MANY STUDIES HAVE PROVEN THAT THERE IS A DIRECT
CORRELATION TO READING AND BEING INFORMED, SO READ ON PEOPLE...
OH AND PLEASE VISIT ITUNES AND 
PICK UP A COPY OF "CHAMPAGNE AND APPLE
JUICE" THERE ARE STUDIES ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF MUSIC TOO!


Brendan is at the Florida Room every Tuesday with the rest of his crew (or shall I say "collective"), so go have fun with them. Here are some pics that S.Darna, A.Valls and I snapped that night: 

 

Here's some dude jamming on the drums

 

top image via brendanohara.org