Lorquin’s Admiral, a supergroup drawing from the sands of desert rock, the soul of the blues, and the swirl of psychedelia, has released a debut album that both respects its roots and reshapes them. We caught up with bassist Nick Hannon (Sons of Alpha Centauri) and vocalist/guitarist Dandy Brown (Hermano, Orquesta del Desierto) to dive into their creative process, the personal dynamics behind the music, and what it means to make something uplifting in uncertain times.
Your debut album blends influences from desert rock, blues, and psychedelic genres. What was the process like in balancing those different styles into a cohesive sound?
Nick: Everyone in the band is very experienced and it felt like they could wash into or out of a particular vibe really well. If someone had a particularly strong vision for a track then that was really well respected and became the creative tip driving that particular track forward. It was amazing watching Dandy and Dawn work together to explore ideas, themes and cajole each other’s performances. Whereas Dave was layering and driving the tracks forward so he would either drive or lie back depending where the sense of momentum was in the track. I’d lock in with Steve pretty much and we enjoyed created a firm underpinning for the tracks and a sense of rhythm which is so important when you’ve got multiple guitars and layers of vocals. Ultimately, as a result it all locked in really well with collaborators pairing off and honing their craft in unison.
With such a wide range of contributors from bands like Afghan Whigs and Sons of Alpha Centauri, how did the collaborative dynamic shape the songwriting and production of the album?
Nick: Fortunately, we were all very aware of each other’s existing bands and previous ventures which both drove a sense of mutual respect and collaborative admiration. Steve Earle not only drummed on the debut Hermano album Only A Suggestion but also played on Gentleman by Afghan Whigs, so we knew that he had a tremendous scope to perform across multiple genres, rhythms and pacings. On one track My Blue Husband Steve had heard it completely differently than Marlon and it was fascinating to work out this different approaches and angles which we did openly in a really well facilitated manner. Dave and Dandy have worked together for years, as have both of those guys with Steve Earle, and clearly Dandy and Dawn have a unique relationship which all contributed and culminated in a very creatively egalitarian dynamic.
Songs like My Blue Wife and My Blue Husband suggest a thematic or narrative connection. Is there an overarching story or concept that ties the album together?
Dandy: When Dawn and I started writing lyrics and melodies for the record, we had one overriding goal, and that was to focus upon positive and uplifting themes throughout the collection. Definitely, there are juxtapositions and elements of thematic conflict throughout the album, but we were conscious of focusing upon the concept that even in the most dire or downtrodden circumstances that there is always an element of hope and positivity on the horizon. Thinking of the companion pieces, My Blue Wife and My Blue Husband, from the moment we received the initial sketches of the material, at the very beginning of the project, Dawn and I decided we were going to take two songs from the album and dedicate them to each other. Honestly, we get a very similar question about those two songs in every interview we do . . . folks want to know if there is some kind of hidden meaning or secret message embedded into them. In the end, though, those two songs contain the most straight forward messages on the record. They were written to reflect the love, passion, and trust that exists between us. The only thing that may be risqué about them is the overt sexual energy that comes through, but, hey, we are husband, wife, best friends, and lovers. What could be more positive and uplifting than that?
Dawn and Dandy Brown’s vocal harmonies are a standout element. How did their personal relationship influence the emotional depth of the album?
Dandy: Thanks for the kudos on the vocals. Definitely, I think there is a kind of built in “harmonious” element to just about everything Dawn and I do musically . . . or just with art in general. I don’t think that can be avoided being as we are deeply connected emotionally, psychologically, and within the energy that exists between us. We also have the luxury of spending the majority of our time together. Of course, when you spend that much time with someone you truly enjoy being around, there’s always the opportunity to bounce ideas off each other, to share intimate opinions and perceptions in an environment where there isn’t the element of competition or judgement. That’s just the way our relationship works . . . completely based upon an element of trust, which gives us the ability to experiment and not worry about being judged. That kind of freedom really is unique, I think, when it comes to making art with someone.
The record feels deeply rooted in the tradition of “stoner rock” while also pushing its boundaries. How intentional was your approach to innovating within that genre?
Nick: Great question! I think when you’ve got members of Hermano, Orquesta del Desierto, Luna Sol, The Fizz Fuzz and SOAC then clearly, stoner rock is always going to be in the conversation. I’d personally always push towards the ‘desert rock’ side of things. It’s a cleaner motif to me with principles around freedom, desolation and collaboration at the core. Whereas stoner rock is somewhat of a more fixed approach with some of the traditional signposting being a little too contrived for my liking. As such, we tried to take some of the desert principles (and acknowledging that no-one in the group currently lives in the desert anymore) and some of the foundations of our learning from that and evolve with them into what we have with LA. It was an intentional approach and I think the initial demos of the songs were a lot more traditional. Once we had the framework of those tracks, we deliberately worked to innovate and evolve consciously.
Track titles like Inexplicable Things and To Temptation hint at inner turmoil and introspection. What emotional or philosophical ground were you aiming to explore in this debut?
Dandy: Going back to my previous answer, the themes, the emotional or philosophical ground if you will, behind our writing for this album was entirely based in finding the ability to be positive and hopeful. Obviously, we currently live in a world where there is a lack of a premium placed upon empathy. Certainly, this is illustrated almost to a science by our current administration in the United States. It is almost like we have reached the paramount of only caring for one’s self, that the sole goal is putting an extra dollar in one’s pocket no matter what it takes. I won’t take too much time defining just how short-sighted this kind of philosophy is . . . I think it is rather obvious to those who pay attention to such things and wish for a world where the loftier goals of eradicating illness or making the air more breathable or finding solutions that lift people up instead of enslaving them take precedent. That, unfortunately, is not the world we currently live in, though. I think that a song like Inexplicable Things takes a look at the current state of humanity from a unique perspective, starting with the elements of how we have evolved and developed certain ways of looking at our place in the universe. It is, in some ways, “inexplicable,” but there is also the hope that our evolutionary path is not complete yet and that we can find our way toward a higher understanding of our existence and focus more upon humanism instead of power and control. As for the song To Temptation, the concept is much simpler. For years and years, I had a side job as a wedding officiant. Over that span, I helped many, many couples symbolically tie the bonds of their love in matrimony. While I don’t provide that service so much anymore, during those years it was one of the most uplifting and fun experiences I have ever had. To Temptation is a song about that moment when the couple is about to take their vows and the rush of adrenaline and love that saturates the air during the ceremony. Hopefully, it will become a wedding staple in the future and will be played at all wedding receptions. Haha.
There’s mention of ‘mesmerizing guitar textures’ from guest performers like David Angstrom and Country Mark Engel. Can you tell us what kind of gear or setups were key in creating the rich guitar tones on the album?
Nick: Dave and I were trading photos of set ups and recording over the course coming together. Dave was in the same place as we were . . . Marshalls all the way pretty much – JMPs and JCM800s. We have some modded JCM800s that we use too which really drive the amps and Dave’s tone is absolutely soaring so he must be driving the amps really hard! I have to admit that Country Mark Engel’s contributions blew me away. He’s such a great musician – you should check out tracks from him such as Melting into Space and Oblivious which have some awesome crunchy guitars and some awesome vocal performances. I’m not too sure about his gear – I’ll have to ask him!
If Lorquin’s Admiral were a psychedelic sea creature, what would it be called, and what kind of sound would it make underwater?
Dandy: It would be called the Quinny, and it would probably emit gloriously warm harmonies that ripple through the oceans and are responded to by the mating calls of whales. Crazy, huh?
Lorquin’s Admiral is available now on all streaming platforms. For fans of desert textures, honest songwriting, and layered harmonies, this is a record worth diving into—whether on land or as a Quinny in the sea.
Categories: Interviews, Lorquin's Admiral, Music
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