More than a dozen years in the making, Danles unveils “the glendanles brand” album for the first time in Thursday night shows at Louie’s Bar & Rocket Lounge. (Podcast, video)
A Varied Life Shared in Song: Glen Danles (Photo/Anna Sink)
The way Glen Danles sees it, “cutting your first album at 44” has some undeniably compelling advantages.
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For one thing, the singer-songwriter figures he has a “full life of musical influences” to lean on, from the outlaw country of Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson to Bruce Springsteen’s roots rock to ‘80s hair metal bands to The White Stripes’ garage rock to the alt-country songwriting prowess of Patty Griffin and Steve Earle, and “everything else in between.”
“the glendanles brand” CD
For another, the Grand Rapids-area native and Forest Hills Central High School grad has acquired a boatload of life experiences to inspire his music over the years. He’s lived in Europe, California, New York and on Nashville’s music row with stints in film production, as a valet, waiter and bartender, and of course, as a gigging musician.
“The songs on the record have been written over the last 12 or 13. In many ways, to a certain extent, it’s autobiographical,” Danles says of “the glendanles brand” CD recorded over a two-year period at Grand Rapids’ Mackinaw Harvest Music studios.
DEVELOPING A VOICE AS A SINGER AND WRITER AFTER 40
Literally, the brand, aka, temporary tattoo.
“I kicked around a lot my whole life figuring out what I wanted to do. I played some music and had desire to play music as a youngster but I was not at all impressed with what I was creating. So, I set it aside for a really long time and came back to it later in life, and at that point, started to develop my voice not only as a singer, but hopefully as a writer as well. Coming to it late, I have a myriad of influences.”
That’s why Danles describes his approach as “folk ’n’ roll,” music that stays true to America’s rich folk tradition yet still rocks out with rootsy power. For Danles, it’s really all about having “something good and positive to say” through his frank and sincere songs.
“It’s not specifically oriented toward your traditional genres of music where the style determines the genre. The material and the thought process defines the genre. … It’s about what you have to say … something to bring to the table to enrich people’s ives and maybe help people sort through stuff.”
Earlier this week, Danles delivered an example of that “folk ’n’ roll” with an acoustic performance of the song “Mountains” from his new album on Local Spins Live at News Talk 1340 AM (WJRW). Check out a podcast of the radio show here, with a video of his performance below.
AN ‘UNOFFICIAL RECORD RELEASE SHOW’ AT LOUIE’S
Glen Danles
Danles, who performs with his band under the moniker, the glendanles brand, spent 25 months recording his debut, refining some songs that he first wrote many years ago and adding newer material to the mix. And he’s already at work on songs for a follow-up album.
On Thursday night, Danles will unveil the new album for the first time in a pair of “pre-release” shows at Louie’s Bar and Rocket Lounge, 608 Bridge St. NW. The singer, who’ll perform separate one-hour sets at 7:30 and 9 p.m., calls it “the first chance to publicly buy record” with plans for staging an official CD-release show early next year. Those who purchase the album for $20 will also receive a color booklet, a temporary tattoo and commemorative beer glass from Gravel Bottom Brewery in Ada.
After moving back to Grand Rapids in 2008, Danles doesn’t see himself leaving West Michigan again anytime soon.
“I probably spent 20 years in other places and I’d always come back. I love being here now. I wouldn’t go anywhere else,” he insists. “I think Grand Rapids and Michigan is a big deal. We’ve got a really cool, vibrant music scene here.”
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