The Opelika/Auburn area is extremely fortunate to feature a thriving music scene.
The Auburn Plainsman has decided to begin a weekly column to highlight the musicians and bands that contribute to the area's unique live music landscape.
This week, The Plainsman is proud to present singer/songwriter Brett McDaniel.
McDaniel was born in Atlanta and resided there until he was 15, where he continued his high school years in Newnan, Georgia.
McDaniel’s early involvement in the Auburn/Opelika music scene actually began with the help of his father.
A: “My family is from around this area, my father actually opened up a club in Beulah. It was called the Osanippa Creek Lodge. I actually moved down here to help him. I learned how to do sound. I got into the music business by basically learning how to do sound.
Q: And that’s how you eventually started working over at Supper Club, right?
A: “Yeah I worked [at the lodge] until they closed. Then I worked for a few bands after that, doing sound, then an opening came at the Supper Club and I jumped on that.”
Q: How long have you been working on the other side of the booth?
A: “Not very long man, about two years, it all started at the Supper Club. I had been working for the supper club for several years when me and Daniel Brooks, who I play with a lot, started playing together on Sunday nights. I was scared to death. I had played in some garage bands; I had never played out and at that time I was just playing guitar and banjo. Then I started singing. I had been writing the whole time but I never told anybody. In fact, I had written a song about the wire road scene called “War Eagle Saturday Night,” and that’s kind of what got me going in the writing thing. I played it at Supper Club, and when I played it that first time that’s really what set me off writing. I’ve been doing songwriter shows and festivals and stuff like that ever since."
Q: Do you think the local music scene incorporates songwriters well? Do you think it's fairly easy to get gigs as a songwriter locally?
A: “No, not that not very easy at all. That’s why I still do shows with Daniel. We do a ton of cover stuff, that’s what gets you booked in clubs. I still do a lot of my own songs in there. 8th and Rail is real cool. I do a little songwriters group there called the Rebellion with Dallas Dorsey and Matt Caine and sometimes Kevin Flannigan. We do covers too, but it’s mainly originals. We get to showcase our own songs and it’s really cool because people come out to listen.”
Q: When do you do those shows at 8th and Rail?
A: “Well I’ll be there again Oct. 21. We want to do that thing at a few different places. We want to play it in Birmingham, they have a great little scene up there. I’ve played at Moe's, but that's about it so far. I play a spot called Cheaha Brewing Company up in Anniston, and it’s a cool little brewery.”
Q: There’s this place I’ve heard about in Waverly, have you ever played over there?
A: “Standard Deluxe? I’ve never played there, but I’m going to be there Friday night for BJ Barham from American Aquarium who’s playing there. He’s probably one of my favorite songwriters in the South right now. John Mooreland will be there Tuesday, he’s really good too, you should check that one out.”
Q: So what is it? It’s like a bar kind of thing?
A: “No, it isn’t. It's a big house. I think Scott Peek still lives there and he prints T-shirts and fliers for all kinds of bands. He has the festival twice a year. He just gets all these awesome Americana bands from all over to come play. He's got a big stage out in the field and then he’s got a smaller building; I think it’s called the Pearidge Listening room It's a real small building that only fits 50 people.”
Q: Back to your songwriting, would you describe yourself as more Americana or Country or a combination of the two?
A: “I kind of fit in the Americana thing. I've got some songs that are traditionally country and I have some songs that sound straight rock 'n' roll, so I guess I’m more alternative country. They all, even the rock 'n' roll ones, tell a story. That’s the way I write. I like songs that have a lot of metaphors; that have random words that rhyme. I love stuff like that, but I can’t write that way. I have to tell a story, every one of my songs kind of tell a little story.”
Q: Who would you say your biggest inspirations in songwriting are?
A: “Oh man, Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark, Steve Earle; they were all buds back in the old days, and they’re just my three favorite songwriters of all time. I’m compared to Steve Earle all the time. I like newer ones too. Chris Night ... I love Chris Night. BJ Barham, American Aquarium, John Mooreland, Temperance Movement. I love those guys, and then there are some local guys I know personally; Adam Hood, he’s from around here and he’s killing it right now. Rick Carter from Birmingham is a big one. He was in the band Rolling in the Hay that played the Supper Club for years. I worked sound for him the first time. The first time I saw them I thought ‘This is what I want to do.’”
Q: As far as playing around here, if you had a choice would you play in this new Opelika scene?
A: “Oh yeah, Opelika for sure. I still play Fat Daddy’s in Auburn, that’s one of the only Auburn gigs that I really do, but [Opelika] is a cooler area for songwriting. I mean I still love Auburn; I love Auburn football. Supper Club was one of the last places that kinda invited original music in, and now it’s gone. It’s like they're taking away all the cool stuff.”
Q: If you had a favorite venue around here, and I know you don’t want to step on anyone’s toes, but if you had a favorite venue what would it be?
A: “8th and Rail for sure. I love that place. Everyone just appreciates everything over there. You can go over there and people listen to the songs and clap and it’s fun. And that goes back to the Auburn scene, there are a lot of these places you’re just background music. I actually wrote a song about that.”
You can experience Brett McDaniel playing with Daniel Brooks at Fat Daddy’s on the night of Saturday, Aug. 27. They will also be playing at Fat Daddy’s on Friday, Sep. 2.
Fat Daddy’s is located on Wire Road in Auburn. McDaniel’s next show with his Rebellion Songwriting group will be at 8th and Rail in downtown Opelika on Oct. 21.
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