There’s something to be said for tenacity when you’re trying to get what you want. It can be anything, really. A better paying job, a nicer home, a girl, a guy, or making a dream a reality. In this case, making your way through the music industry with its opportunists and self-serving executives slanted far more to the business than the creative side requires dauntless persistence. Just ask Jonathan Newby, lead singer and primary songwriter of indie rock band Brazil. But he needs a moment to get his thoughts together. Brazil has just finished their set, the opening act on a four-band bill supporting Say Anything’s Seal The Deal Tour. Being the first band to perform, they’ve only got so much time to play…and it didn’t help much that they were late.

“We were supposed to have our sound check at 6:30. We got here at 6:29,” says Newby, trying to settle into his chair and relax, visibly still wired from just walking off the stage to sit and do an interview. “We had to borrow another drummer’s kit. We didn’t get to use half of our own equipment. And the thing is, we’re never late. Just seemed to happen this time.”

Still, Brazil performed with aplomb, racing through a 25-minute set to get the audience amped for the remainder of the evening. Newby exudes a rock star persona through exaggerated theatrics and over the top vocals similar to Freddie Mercury or Robert Smith. Guitarists Aaron Smith and Eric Johnson manage riffs that sound like early Pink Floyd, A Flock Of Seagulls and U2 all blended into one. But make no mistake. While citing Queen, The Cure and the aforementioned bands as influences, the members of Brazil are no rip-off artists.

“The band is like this psychic bubble,” Newby explains. “We’ve had a very fluid line-up since we started, with members constantly coming and going. It’s difficult to find good, dedicated, motivated musicians who also have something to contribute.”

While founding members Newby, his brother Nic, and Smith have remained the core of Brazil, the in-through-the-out-door speed with which other members have either recorded or toured with the band hasn’t seemed to affect Brazil's overall progression.

“The table is open to songwriting,” Newby assures. “Everybody contributes. Everybody has their own take on a song and I think we offer each other a unique spin in the music writing process. A song is a song but everybody adds some character to it. We want to write good songs that resonate with people.”

Resonance is one thing, but what happens when, after months of arduous work and planning, the music is finally out there for people to listen and react to?

“Interpretations of our songs are just that,” Newby says with ease. “Once the song is out there, it’s really out of your hands. There might have been something specific I was thinking about when writing a certain song, but that’s my interpretation. Good songs should spark conversation. I love chatter about what songs mean. Shows we’re doing what we were supposed to.”

Brazil has been around long enough to know the difference between doing what they want to do, what they’re supposed to do and what they have to do. Coming from Indiana, Newby and his band mates weren’t exactly thrust into the limelight. The music scene in the Midwest is rather sparse and it takes a considerable amount of time and effort to get signed to a record label. In fact, Newby and all the other members maintain side jobs just to stay in the green.

“That aspect,” Newby explains, “that we still have to go work hauling lumber or whatever to make ends meet makes the time we have together as a band really special. And wanting to start a band in Indiana was close to impossible. There aren’t many record labels out there so it was really important for us to build a super solid fan base to get noticed.”

Eventually, after small stints of weekend tours, minivan tours and a self-imposed itinerary, enough of a foundation was established to get Brazil signed with California label Fearless Records, which released their first EP Dasein. Their full-length debut album, A Hostage And The Meaning Of Life, was released in 2004, also by Fearless. Afterwards, to promote the album the band embarked on a tour that lasted nearly a year and a half. Now that their new album The Philosophy of Velocity for Immortal records is complete they are already on the road again. The result of such aggressive touring has created that “super solid” support from fans, so much so that it has it’s own name, The Ministry.

“The Ministry is a community of fans throughout the country,” Newby explains. “Many of them we know on a personal level and we keep in contact with them whenever we might be in their town. We also use the Internet extensively to keep in touch. I actually enjoy taking about 4 or 5 hours out of my day to respond to comments and messages left on the band’s myspace page. Of course, it might get a little hectic down the road once we become

more noticed, but I’ll deal with that when it happens. I'm kind of looking forward to it actually.”

Such confidence is illustrated through Newby’s assertion that while Brazil may not be a huge success at the moment, if and when it does happen, he’s all for it.

“I’d like to have the largest performance platform possible,” Newby says. “And if we become a huge success, well, that’s fine with me. It reflects the big fan connection we have and appreciation of what our music is and what we’re trying to accomplish.”

Newby certainly has the band’s ambitions mapped out, with room to spare for spontaneity and creativity.

“Unless you’re putting together a greatest hits album, every album should have a concept and I think our albums have gotten progressively more cohesive. I like themes. I like to blend lyrics with these themes. I’m a huge Terry Gilliam fan. The movie Brazil is partly where we got the name for the band, so this sort of dystopic sci-fi works its way into the themes as well.”

Newby also makes it clear that the band isn’t trying to channel Gilliam or the movie into their music deliberately. He thought it would be interesting if the band’s name could have multiple sources to keep the origin open to interpretation or preference, much like their songs.

“There’s a lot of place names out there too,” Newby grins. “Boston. Kansas. Chicago. Brazil. It’s just something that fit.”

More fitting is the level of recognition the band has earned over the years through a mutual dream of being in a rock band that people want to listen to. Catching a band in their early days is something

of a lost document. You always hear the stories of how a band got to where they were, but in a retrospective manner, not head deep in the fray when they’re still trying to iron out the wrinkles, figure out what works, or having reliable transportation to show up for gigs on time.

“The bottom line is we want it to happen. I want this to happen so we’re dedicated to that. Any band starting out should have that dedication whether they want to be a massive success or any kind of band. And they should go to extensive lengths to promote themselves if they want to go anywhere.”

If Newby already sounds like a seasoned veteran of the industry, it’s because he’s put in his time at the office. He’s been through the ebb and flow that can either make or break anyone trying to get into the role of a successful musician. He doesn’t stress enough how important the Internet has become as a marketing and promotional tool for little bands without record label support. Before the Web, Newby used mail order to get the music into the right hands. Thanks to the Internet, Brazil has been able to get to people who might have been beyond reach before.

“You also want to play live as often as you can,“ Newby says. “And play to as many different types of people as you can. It keeps your fan base diverse and growing.”

It also saves Brazil from being pigeonholed into a specific genre. While the hectic lifestyle can be daunting, there are rewards to be reaped and that aforementioned tenacity pays off. Even better is when a band like Brazil can remain true to its roots, become involved with a major label, and also avoid becoming one.

Related Links:

http://www.braziltheband.com

http://www.nicholasroutzen.com

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Equipment List: Canon Mark II, Profoto Pro7