Celebrating 30 years of his label, Future Legend Records, Rock Chic writer Annette Valentine caught up with the unstoppable multi-platform artist Russell C Brennan, in the Bookery Gallerie in Marylebone, London.
With 400 releases worldwide as record producer, 100 song releases, 15 book releases along with iconic images, Russell is a pioneer and innovator in all the arts. He is a vocalist and cellist, was signed to the same management as David Bowie, and has had number one hits including You Only Live Twice.
Rock Chic (RC): What is the key to your success?
RB: You need to be an individual and don’t follow the crowd. When you start out, you have to make lots of compromises, especially with a major label. With my ex-wife, Eleanor Rigby, EMI and Virgin wanted to change her image and have a lot of control, so we turned them down and she became successful on our other label. I ran a record shop and saw a gap in the market for cult themes like Bat Man and Mission Impossible; the themes became a lifestyle trend. Clubs were playing it, everyone came dressed as Lady Penelope, James Bond and other famous TV characters. Radio 1 played it and I got loads of exposure for two years running. I broke new ground with the Pop Noir genre. You’ve always got to think of an angle to get publicity so everyone knows you exist. Eleanor’s song I want to sleep with you where I put a free condom with the single got £1million of publicity -
RC: How did you get signed to David Bowie’s management?
RB: My brother lived in Hollywood and was a hairdresser. Madonna and Brad Pitt were clients and he played my song Mysteries in his shop and Madonna liked it. She had her own label called Maverick, and said it’s the most innovative music she’d heard and asked for the album, so Box Office Poison was hitched up. I then became a client of Bowie’s management in New York and after meeting him at the offices, we found we shared common ground as we both came from Brixton and were both multiplatform artists.
RC: Your song One Way Ticket to the Moon has a Bowie sound.
RB: I didn’t mean it to. But others have said that too.
RC: Do the lyrics come easy?
RB: Yes John Lennon’s manager said I was the best lyricist, that is why he wanted to manage me. I’ve always found it easy, especially if there’s prejudice like my song NumbersI like to highlight, or Backstreet Boulevard for the homeless. I went out to get a pint of milk once and three songs popped into my head from nowhere.
RC: Do you have a philosophy for life?
RB: I am spiritual not materialistic.
RC: What would you like others in the business to know?
RB: Buy my book, Music Business Bastards, it tells you everything you need to know. It’s not just about writing songs. People underestimate how important a producer is - songwriter, artist and producer is important, like a triangle to stand out from the crowd.
RC: What’s happening for you now?
RB: Re-releases, an art exhibition and live performance in June at the Bookery Gallerie, my art, new cover sleeves for the album. Looking forward to it!
Buy Psykick Holiday’s album ‘Forever Pop Noir’ here.
Buy ‘When your soul blinds to glide: The poetry of Russell C Brennan’ here.
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