Drew Danburry talks indie-rock project Icarus Phoenix’s upcoming single “Nostalgia, for Arannis Morissette, the Half-Elf Bard” + upcoming Japan/America tour
Written by Olivia Stabile
Having built a following from their three studio albums and eight singles, Drew Danburry’s Baltimore-based indie-rock project Icarus Phoenix is preparing to release their newest EP, Son. Almost entirely DIY, Danburry has been independently touring and releasing records since 2002– releasing over 400 songs on over 20 albums/13 EPs and playing 800+ shows worldwide.
After numerous lineup changes, Danburry and co. are heading out for their upcoming Japan/America tour, and before that, the first single titled “Nostalgia, for Arannis Morissette, the Half-Elf Bard” off the upcoming EP is set to release Feb. 2.
Best Left’s co-founder Olivia Stabile had the chance to ask Danburry about the upcoming single, EP, and future tour dates.
Best Left Magazine: Hi! Thank you so much for taking the time to talk about your upcoming single, "Nostalgia, for Arannis Morissette, the Half-Elf Bard.” How are you feeling about the release of the single as well as your upcoming EP?
Drew Danburry: Thank you for spending time with us! We're extremely grateful to anyone willing to share what we're doing and we're really excited about the single and the EP. We have a new single pretty much every month this year. We've been putting in lots of work and we're excited to get it out into the world.
Could you tell us a little bit about the single? It feels incredibly vulnerable, both sonically and lyrically– could listeners expect this kind of theme on the EP? I’m also very intrigued by the single’s title as well as the EP’s title, ‘Son.’
DD: Absolutely. The same vulnerable themes follow throughout the EP and upcoming album. I got divorced over two years ago and had nowhere to live, so I moved in with a friend across the country and spent the time reflecting and healing. Songwriting has always been a way to process emotions and involves a great deal of catharsis. My son is so important to me and it hasn't been easy to give up being a part of his daily life.
The single "Nostalgia, for Arannis Morissette, the Half-Elf Bard” is an homage to Jason Anderson and Jake Bellows (Neva Dinova), two musicians who I really admire as people and songwriters, as well as an homage to my son who loves Dungeons and Dragons. The first character I ever created was a half-elf bard and as I looked through the suggested names in the Player's Handbook, "Arannis" stuck out to me so the natural mental progression for me was, of course, Arannis Morissette.
I could speak extensively on the power of nostalgia, as well as that critical time and place in our lives when forms of media make an impression on us. But I think it's generally understood by most, that we are influenced and shaped by the things we grow up with.
Before forming Icarus Phoenix, you have released over 400 songs on over 20 albums/13 EPs and played 800+ shows worldwide, almost entirely DIY. What does it mean for you to be a DIY artist, and what would a piece of advice be for other independent artists out there?
DD: For me, it's been the only option. I work 40-60 hours a week to facilitate the process and then do all the booking and writing when there's time. It would be a dream to have a booking agent or at least someone to help organize the process. But I stay grateful that I live in a world where I can write a song and play it for anyone in the world to see. That's truly humbling and a little bit mind-bending. For all the cynicism in modern times, I truly feel like we live in a special time. That we're lucky to be alive. It could be so much worse. It could definitely be better. But it could be so much worse.
In terms of advice, I think the only advice I have is to do it for the right reasons, keep doing it and try to enjoy the process.
On top of all of that, you have owned and ran a barber shop in Utah, but are now based in Baltimore where you met the others who now form Icarus Phoenix, correct? I wish my coworkers would start a band with me. How did you manage that?
DD: This is true. Icarus Phoenix originally formed in Missoula, Montana. Reformed in Utah. And then reformed twice in Baltimore. A lot of it was due to moving around so much. 2020-2021 held a lot of change for everyone. Myself included. Even working into the current lineup took some time. Personality wise and music wise, we all fit well together. This March tour to Japan will put that to the test and I'm looking forward to finding out how well we travel together.
I (also) tried to play music with my co-workers initially but it just didn't stick. Leena, Brendan and Eli and I all clicked right away but there were a lot of other musicians that I've played with through the years. With some there was more of a connection than with others. Similar to romantic relationships, knowing when it's working and when it's not is vital as well as moving on when the communication isn't there.
Circling back to the EP! In November 2022, you tracked 40 songs in three days with producer Jed Jones (Post Malone, The Killers, etc.). What was this like, and how did it differ from your usual recording process, if at all?
DD: Icarus Phoenix is defined by my working relationship with Jed Jones. It is the constant that makes up the difference between Icarus Phoenix and Drew Danburry. We initially met because I cut his hair in Utah and after getting to know each other we decided to record a song together (Mediocrity, for Micah Dahl Anderson).
With nearly every Icarus Phoenix album it's been a different band going into the studio, but the one consistency is Jed and I working together. Usually I record for months in advance putting together weird found sound beats and noise ideas and Jed will smooth those things over into a more digestible form. Then I go into the studio and track all the main parts, drums, vocals, guitars.
Honestly, 40 songs in three days was brutal. Definitely more cost efficient. But brutal. After this last time Jed and I decided to go slower in the future. "Nostalgia, for Arannis Morissette, the Half-Elf Bard” was actually one of two songs that I wrote and recorded during that three-day recording session and I feel like in the future it might be more beneficial to start from scratch in the studio. I guess we'll see?
You guys have an upcoming US/Japan tour– are you stoked? Are there any connections to these cities (besides Baltimore, of course)?
DD: We are so excited. It's been a lot of work putting it together, but it's Japan. We're over the moon. We can't wait. We'll play pretty much anywhere, but we were really lucky to have friends help connect us with shows in LA and Tokyo. It still feels surreal and I'll probably be pinching myself when we're in Japan but yes. Absolutely excited. One of my favorite films was made in Japan so I plan on going to some of the filming locations.
Assuming you’re playing some of the upcoming EP on this tour, are there any songs you plan on playing differently than you recorded them?
DD: Great question. I generally enjoy playing things a little bit different from the recording when we perform them live. We just got our set list locked in at the last band practice and we're playing a tight 30-minute set with four songs from previous records and four songs from the EP. We generally play louder and heavier than the recordings and a lot of times create ambient noise bridges between songs. It makes it more freeform. More living in the moment. More fun.
As someone who has done so much touring, if you had the opportunity to tour with any artist, whether you've played with them in the past or not, who would you choose?
That's tough. There's a lot of bands we all love in Icarus Phoenix. The Strokes, Interpol and Big Thief come to mind the quickest but we could easily talk for hours about bands from every decade over a multitude of genres that have been influential or who we'd love to play with or hang out with. In reality, I'm grateful I get to play with the people I am playing with now (ie Leena, Brendan and Eli). Leena and I have been writing songs together and it's been so much fun to get feedback and co-write ideas.
Personally for me, I could talk relentlessly about different decades of musicians crossing every genre and back. It's really just a matter of if you want to talk about old jazz or latin pop or new wave or what, you know? I don't even know where to start. I've dedicated myself to exploring as much music as possible throughout my life.
I’m not really one for “New Year’s Resolutions,” but with the start of a new year, is there anything particular coming up in 2024 that you are looking forward to the most or are hoping to achieve?
DD: I like having a good routine. I feel like maintaining a productive daily routine helps you achieve long term goals. So for example, I had one day off this week (today), I got up, I studied Japanese, exercised, made breakfast, did laundry, and caught up with messages. Now, I'm going to work on a hand drawn animation, put together a D&D campaign for my son, record a promo video for "Nostalgia, for Arannis Morissette, the Half-Elf Bard,” go support a friend's band tonight and spend time with my partner.
Pretty much everyday I'm working on art/music in some small way so I eventually get there. A few months ago my partner and I joined a bouldering gym, it's been a really great way to start the morning. So when it comes to New Years Resolutions, I don't wait. Like Gorilla Biscuits, I start today.
Is there anything else we should look out for from Icarus Phoenix in the near future?
DD: Album coming out in August. Singles releasing each month. Anything else we can manage to make happen we will. Again thank you so much for taking the time with us. Hope you enjoy the songs. They got me through a tough time and I hope they do the same for others.
Remember to check out Icarus Phoenix’s latest single "Nostalgia, for Arannis Morissette, the Half-Elf Bard” — out Feb. 2! And be on the lookout for the band’s forthcoming EP, Son, as well as their upcoming tour dates in the US and Japan!
