Andrew Barr

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When I was a student at the @berkleecollege of Music in Boston in the mid 1990’s, I met so many people who shaped my musical life and changed the way I would see and hear music for years to follow- some teachers, but mostly other students. One such person is the poet, artist, and creative socket called Leslie Helpert (@lesliehelpert ) Leslies writing seemed to fill up journals in a day, complete with diagrams of the spirit and rich black-ink drawings of the characters that moved through her and out into song. She seemed alive in a different kind of way, the storybooks might have called her whimsical, in the way that creation is whimsical and yet intricately designed to serve a purpose. She was and still is undeniably present. I truly had never nor have I ever met anyone quite like her. To say she was an inspiration sells her influence on me very short. She was light years ahead of me in so many ways, but saw something about me and the way I played music that she liked, and so we spent a lot of time together. At one point in our relationship she trusted me with helping her make a record. We enlisted the great Tim Luntzel to play bass. Tim was playing around town in an amazing band called the Starlight Orchestra - he eventually left Boston and went on to play with legends like Bright Eyes and Norah Jones - sadly Tim is no longer with us - but back then, he was a local legend who’s playing I absolutely loved and I was honoured that he joined some kids on their project. Capturing Leslie on a record is truly like bottling lightning - but I think we did a pretty good job for a couple of 20 year olds with a tiny recording budget. This was made around 2002 in Boston - she remains an inspiration today.

In the summer of 2007 I was living in a yurt on an island, enjoying the first touring hiatus I’d taken in a decade when I received a call from Elizabeth Powell. I had recently moved to Montreal to be with my wife (then girlfriend) and had made friends with her incredible friend group, which included Lizzy. I was a huge fan of Land Of Talks first album, so when Lizzy asked me if I could come help record their next record, I packed my bags and took the next ferry. Lizzy had become close friends with Justin Vernon (soon to be known and adored as @boniver - who had also been a fan of The Slip) and this was during the time between when he recorded and released For Emma, For Ever Ago - he handed me a copy of the unreleased album while we were there, to which I thought - damn, this is good. We spent a week at the @arcadefire studio in Quebec: Lizzy, Justin, bassist Chris McCarron and engineer Drew Malamud @cosmiccabbagecompany . Justin was helping produce the songs. My pal and Montreal drum legend Bucky Wheaton @rauchdidit had already started hashing out the beats for this record and I took over for the recording. I’ve made a few records with Lizzy now, and it’s hard to explain what it is to play with them, except that everything they play feels truly singular; drawn from a deeply subtle interior world and brought out into the light with electricity and energy that is totally unique and full of humanity and expression ; the open tunings, the angular rhythms, their deeply evocative voice, and the totally original and defined song parts all come together to make music that deeply moves me (and I am definitely not alone!). I think Land Of Talk might be the only band that I couldn’t differentiate whether I was sweating or crying during a live show - probably a little bit of both. Happy to say we’ve collaborated as recently as last month! Coming on 20 years and I still love them and their music profoundly.

Around 2007, my band @theslip_band took a break from touring right as our friends in the Benevento/Russo Duo were doing the same. It felt like a mid-career reset for all of us. I had mostly only ever played and recorded music with my brother @bradbarr216 . Around that same time, @marcobenevento22 - who I first met back at Berklee in ’96—called me up and asked if I wanted to record some songs. He’d already tracked half of a record with the mighty @mattchamberlaindrumzz , and wanted to finish it in Brooklyn with me and our mutual pal, bassist @reedmathis . Marco and I have always had an effortless connection; we speak a similar musical language, share a lot of the same influences, and have just as much fun in a kitchen as we do on a stage. We spent two days in the studio with Bryce Goggins and wrapped up what turned into a really special record—one that helped launch Marco’s solo career and kicked off a long musical relationship between us that I’ve been lucky to dip in and out of over the years. It was a joy to make something fresh at that moment in my life, and Marcos creative energy is always brilliant and boundless - CONTAGIOUS! - and of course a real honor to share the session with the one and only Matt Chamberlain - something we would continue to do on the next few records of Marcos. Reed Mathis is a musical force and that trio toured quite a bit from 2007-2010. My brother from another mother, Marco Benevento. ❤️

Sparks are flying on @mumfordandsons tour

Caught this during a soundcheck in Lavaltrie….what does this say about human kind? #drums #andrewbarr #prince #whendovescry #montrealmusic #nasty