Brian Henneman
Encyclopedia
Brian Henneman is an alt-country
/roots rock musician
best known as the frontman for the Bottle Rockets
, as a songwriter, lead singer, and guitarist. Artists such as John Prine
, Neil Young
and Merle Haggard
have influenced his songwriting style. Henneman began his musical career in the mid-1980s forming the bands The Blue Moons and Chicken Truck. He also spent time as the guitar tech/additional musician with peers Uncle Tupelo
from 1990-1992, prior to forming the Bottle Rockets in late 1992.
was instrumental in getting Henneman's next band, Chicken Truck, an original outlaw country
rock
band, an opening slot for Uncle Tupelo at Cicero's in St. Louis, Missouri
. Chicken Truck released several cassettes in the 1980s, including "The 90 Minute Tape" and "Loud Music" that had so many songs that Henneman's bands were still using songs from it for their albums over a dozen years later. Some of the songs from that collection were written by or with Scott Taylor, a friend from Festus, Missouri
who still collaborates with Brian. Chicken Truck and Uncle Tupelo remained good friends and a frequent double bill until Chicken Truck broke up in 1990. Chicken Truck was Henneman, Mark Ortmann, and brothers Bob and Tom Parr.
, extensively on March 16-20, 1992
, and also on a couple of the UT tracks that ended up on various compilations ("Blue Eyes," "Movin' On").
Brian Henneman, Jay Farrar
, Jeff Tweedy, and Mike Heidorn
formed a band called Coffee Creek, playing country covers in small clubs and bars between Uncle Tupelo tours. In late December 1991, Coffee Creek played at Cicero's for the first time. In March 1992 Uncle Tupelo, including Brian Henneman, went to Athens, GA to record their third LP at John Keane's studio, this time with Peter Buck
of R.E.M.
producing. Henneman plays guitar, mandolin, and bouzouki on the third Uncle Tupelo record, March 16-20, 1992.
In 1992 Henneman recorded the solo 45rpm single "Indianapolis," an autobiographical song which he had written about Uncle Tupelo's van breaking down on tour. It was released on Rockville Records backed with two more originals, "Get Down River" and "Wave That Flag", featuring vocal and instrumental back-up by Jay Farrar, Jeff Tweedy, and Mark Ortmann. Meanwhile, manager Tony Margherita shopped demos made by Brian Henneman, which had been recorded with leftover studio time from the Still Feel Gone sessions. When those demos garnered a record deal with East Side Digital records, Brian Henneman formed the Bottle Rockets with drummer Mark Ortmann (Chicken Truck, Blue Moons) in 1992.
Throughout 1993-94, during Uncle Tupelo's slow dissolution, these bands continued to be closely interconnected. In addition to Farrar and Tweedy appearing on the Bottle Rockets' debut album, Henneman and the two bands also shared the same management and frequently performed together. When Uncle Tupelo disbanded in 1994, Henneman played lead guitar on Wilco
's debut, A.M.
. That same year, the Bottle Rockets released their critically acclaimed album The Brooklyn Side and toured with Wilco and with Son Volt
in 1995.
"But the late '90s exacted a heavy toll on the band," Peter Blackstock wrote in No Depression issue #48, in a feature aptly titled, "Hell of a Spell: What Hasn't Killed The Bottle Rockets Has Made Them Stronger." Besides having their career held hostage to a staggering series of record companies they'd had contracts with that folded and/or floundered, a UPS strike holding up distribution of one of their new records, and band personnel changes, Henneman's parents both died within 6 weeks of each other. The band had been touring with Lucinda Williams
and had to leave the tour prematurely.
As noted in the New York Times by William Hogeland, the Bottle Rockets' songwriting has been likened to Woody Guthrie
's folk style in spirit, smarts, and satire. Henneman's, Ortmann's, and contributor Scott Taylor's lyrics succinctly and endearingly encapsulate the common experiences of the everyman, and are set to stirring, rousing, searing rock 'n' roll.
The Bottle Rockets' first live album Live in Heilbronn Germany was released in February 2006. The double-disc set was recorded on July 17 2005 at the Burgerhaus, Heilbronn-Bockingen, Germany, which also happens to be Henneman's birthday. It was released in Europe on CD and vinyl by Blue Rose Records.
Bloodshot Records
released the band's next album, Zoysia, recorded in Ardent Studios in Memphis
with producer Jeff Powell
, in June 2006. Zoysia (zoy-zhuh), a metaphor for tolerance and centered values and common ground, is a hardy grass, plentiful in Festus/Crystal City and Saint Louis, Missouri, where these hardworking musicians grew up. After years of misleading portrayals of the band's music as "hillbilly", the band's catalog proves otherwise with themes of maturity, generosity of spirit, neighborliness, insightful self-reflection, personal roots and modern society, individualism, pride of place, slow-mending hearts, and post-9/11 reality through the filter of a couple’s romance.
Zoysia received rave reviews worldwide including a spot on novelist/audiophile Stephen King
's Best Records of 2006 list in Entertainment Weekly magazine.
In 2006, Jeff Tweedy joined Henneman and the Bottle Rockets onstage in Chicago for reunion renditions of "Passenger Side" and "Casino Queen" (both from A.M.), and a cover of Neil Young's "Walk On".
custom guitar Henneman played at each of the shows.
The Bottle Rockets teamed up again with producer Eric Ambel (Brooklyn Side, 24 Hours A Day, Leftovers, Brand New Year) at his Cowboy Technical Services Recording Studio in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York to record their new album Lean Forward that was released by Bloodshot Records
on August 11, 2009.
Alternative country
Alternative country is a loosely defined sub-genre of country music, which includes acts that differ significantly in style from mainstream or pop country music...
/roots rock musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
best known as the frontman for the Bottle Rockets
The Bottle Rockets
The Bottle Rockets are an American rock band formed in 1992, currently based in St. Louis, Missouri. The founding members are Brian Henneman , Mark Ortmann , Tom Parr and Tom Ray . Current members are Henneman, Ortmann, John Horton and Keith Voegele...
, as a songwriter, lead singer, and guitarist. Artists such as John Prine
John Prine
John Prine is an American country/folk singer-songwriter. He has been active as a recording artist and live performer since the early 1970s.-Biography:...
, Neil Young
Neil Young
Neil Percival Young, OC, OM is a Canadian singer-songwriter who is widely regarded as one of the most influential musicians of his generation...
and Merle Haggard
Merle Haggard
Merle Ronald Haggard is an American country music singer, guitarist, fiddler, instrumentalist, and songwriter. Along with Buck Owens, Haggard and his band The Strangers helped create the Bakersfield sound, which is characterized by the unique twang of Fender Telecaster guitars, vocal harmonies,...
have influenced his songwriting style. Henneman began his musical career in the mid-1980s forming the bands The Blue Moons and Chicken Truck. He also spent time as the guitar tech/additional musician with peers Uncle Tupelo
Uncle Tupelo
Uncle Tupelo was an alternative country music group from Belleville, Illinois, active between 1987 and 1994. Jay Farrar, Jeff Tweedy, and Mike Heidorn formed the band after the lead singer of their previous band, The Primitives, left to attend college. The trio recorded three albums for Rockville...
from 1990-1992, prior to forming the Bottle Rockets in late 1992.
The 1980s
Some time in late 1985, Henneman's band The Blue Moons played on a triple bill in Millstadt, IL that included (Uncle Tupelo precursor) The Primitives. A few years later, Jeff TweedyJeff Tweedy
Jeffrey Scot "Jeff" Tweedy is an American songwriter, musician and leader of the band Wilco. Tweedy joined rockabilly band The Plebes with high school friend Jay Farrar in the early 1980s, but Tweedy's musical interests caused one of Farrar's brothers to quit...
was instrumental in getting Henneman's next band, Chicken Truck, an original outlaw country
Outlaw country
Outlaw country is a subgenre of country music, most popular during the late 1960s and the 1970s , sometimes referred to as the outlaw movement or simply outlaw music...
rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band, an opening slot for Uncle Tupelo at Cicero's in St. Louis, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
. Chicken Truck released several cassettes in the 1980s, including "The 90 Minute Tape" and "Loud Music" that had so many songs that Henneman's bands were still using songs from it for their albums over a dozen years later. Some of the songs from that collection were written by or with Scott Taylor, a friend from Festus, Missouri
Festus, Missouri
Festus is a city in Jefferson County, Missouri, United States. The population was 11,367 at the 2009 estimated census. Festus and its neighbor Crystal City are often collectively known as the "Twin Cities"; however, they are incorporated separately....
who still collaborates with Brian. Chicken Truck and Uncle Tupelo remained good friends and a frequent double bill until Chicken Truck broke up in 1990. Chicken Truck was Henneman, Mark Ortmann, and brothers Bob and Tom Parr.
The 1990s
After Chicken Truck (1986-1990) disbanded, Henneman played occasional shows as a solo acoustic act, and sometime in late 1990 he began working as a roadie for Uncle Tupelo, occasionally playing extra guitar or mandolin with them. He became a staple during their encores, coming out to play lead guitar on "Cortez the Killer," "Moonshiner," and many other covers. He played on Still Feel GoneStill Feel Gone
Still Feel Gone is the second album by American alternative country pioneers Uncle Tupelo. It was released in 1991 on Rockville Records and re-released in 2003 by Sony Legacy.-Track listing:...
, extensively on March 16-20, 1992
March 16-20, 1992
March 16–20, 1992 is the third studio album by alternative country band Uncle Tupelo, released on August 3, 1992. The title refers to the five-day span during which the album was recorded. An almost entirely acoustic recording, the album features original songs and covers of traditional folk songs...
, and also on a couple of the UT tracks that ended up on various compilations ("Blue Eyes," "Movin' On").
Brian Henneman, Jay Farrar
Jay Farrar
Jay Farrar is an American songwriter and musician currently based in St. Louis, Missouri. A veteran of two critically acclaimed music groups, Uncle Tupelo and Son Volt, he began his solo music career in 2001...
, Jeff Tweedy, and Mike Heidorn
Mike Heidorn
Mike Heidorn, born 1967 in Belleville, Illinois, is the former drummer and founding member of alternative country bands Uncle Tupelo and Son Volt. Heidorn also played with the Uncle Tupelo precursors the Primitives and the one-off band Coffee Creek with Jay Farrar and Jeff Tweedy of Uncle Tupelo...
formed a band called Coffee Creek, playing country covers in small clubs and bars between Uncle Tupelo tours. In late December 1991, Coffee Creek played at Cicero's for the first time. In March 1992 Uncle Tupelo, including Brian Henneman, went to Athens, GA to record their third LP at John Keane's studio, this time with Peter Buck
Peter Buck
Peter Lawrence Buck , is an American rock guitarist who is best known for playing in and co-founding alternative rock band R.E.M....
of R.E.M.
R.E.M.
R.E.M. was an American rock band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1980 by singer Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills and drummer Bill Berry. One of the first popular alternative rock bands, R.E.M. gained early attention due to Buck's ringing, arpeggiated guitar style and Stipe's...
producing. Henneman plays guitar, mandolin, and bouzouki on the third Uncle Tupelo record, March 16-20, 1992.
In 1992 Henneman recorded the solo 45rpm single "Indianapolis," an autobiographical song which he had written about Uncle Tupelo's van breaking down on tour. It was released on Rockville Records backed with two more originals, "Get Down River" and "Wave That Flag", featuring vocal and instrumental back-up by Jay Farrar, Jeff Tweedy, and Mark Ortmann. Meanwhile, manager Tony Margherita shopped demos made by Brian Henneman, which had been recorded with leftover studio time from the Still Feel Gone sessions. When those demos garnered a record deal with East Side Digital records, Brian Henneman formed the Bottle Rockets with drummer Mark Ortmann (Chicken Truck, Blue Moons) in 1992.
Throughout 1993-94, during Uncle Tupelo's slow dissolution, these bands continued to be closely interconnected. In addition to Farrar and Tweedy appearing on the Bottle Rockets' debut album, Henneman and the two bands also shared the same management and frequently performed together. When Uncle Tupelo disbanded in 1994, Henneman played lead guitar on Wilco
Wilco
Wilco is an American alternative rock band based in Chicago, Illinois. The band was formed in 1994 by the remaining members of alternative country group Uncle Tupelo following singer Jay Farrar's departure. Wilco's lineup has changed frequently, with only singer Jeff Tweedy and bassist John...
's debut, A.M.
A.M. (album)
A.M. is the debut album of Chicago-based alternative rock band Wilco, released on March 28, 1995. The album was released only months after the breakup of Uncle Tupelo, an alternative country band that was the predecessor of Wilco...
. That same year, the Bottle Rockets released their critically acclaimed album The Brooklyn Side and toured with Wilco and with Son Volt
Son Volt
Son Volt is an alternative country group formed by Jay Farrar in 1994 after the breakup of the band Uncle Tupelo.-History:The group formed after Farrar met Jim and Dave Boquist during the final Uncle Tupelo tour. Together with former Uncle Tupelo drummer Mike Heidorn, the band rehearsed and...
in 1995.
"But the late '90s exacted a heavy toll on the band," Peter Blackstock wrote in No Depression issue #48, in a feature aptly titled, "Hell of a Spell: What Hasn't Killed The Bottle Rockets Has Made Them Stronger." Besides having their career held hostage to a staggering series of record companies they'd had contracts with that folded and/or floundered, a UPS strike holding up distribution of one of their new records, and band personnel changes, Henneman's parents both died within 6 weeks of each other. The band had been touring with Lucinda Williams
Lucinda Williams
Lucinda Williams is an American rock, folk, blues and country music singer and songwriter. She recorded her first albums in 1978 and 1980 in a traditional country and blues style and received very little attention from radio, the media, or the public. In 1988, she released her self-titled album,...
and had to leave the tour prematurely.
2000 to Present
Despite those struggles, in 2005 the Bottle Rockets stabilized from the upheavals with their good nature and trailblazing edge intact. Founders Brian Henneman and Mark Ortmann got the band back on course, along with the newest additions John Horton and Keith Voegele, the current line-up of band members. The band also re-hired their manager from the early days, Bob Andrews.As noted in the New York Times by William Hogeland, the Bottle Rockets' songwriting has been likened to Woody Guthrie
Woody Guthrie
Woodrow Wilson "Woody" Guthrie is best known as an American singer-songwriter and folk musician, whose musical legacy includes hundreds of political, traditional and children's songs, ballads and improvised works. He frequently performed with the slogan This Machine Kills Fascists displayed on his...
's folk style in spirit, smarts, and satire. Henneman's, Ortmann's, and contributor Scott Taylor's lyrics succinctly and endearingly encapsulate the common experiences of the everyman, and are set to stirring, rousing, searing rock 'n' roll.
The Bottle Rockets' first live album Live in Heilbronn Germany was released in February 2006. The double-disc set was recorded on July 17 2005 at the Burgerhaus, Heilbronn-Bockingen, Germany, which also happens to be Henneman's birthday. It was released in Europe on CD and vinyl by Blue Rose Records.
Bloodshot Records
Bloodshot Records
Bloodshot Records is an independent record label based in Chicago, Illinois which specializes in roots-inflected indie rock, punk blues, and a Chicago brand of outlaw country...
released the band's next album, Zoysia, recorded in Ardent Studios in Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
with producer Jeff Powell
Jeff Powell
Jeffrey Howard Campbell Powell is a Canadian rower. He began rowing in 1996 and is a graduate of the University of Western Ontario. He won the gold medal at both the 2002 and 2003 world championships for Canada's men's eight team in Milan, Italy and Seville, Spain respectively. In 2004 he competed...
, in June 2006. Zoysia (zoy-zhuh), a metaphor for tolerance and centered values and common ground, is a hardy grass, plentiful in Festus/Crystal City and Saint Louis, Missouri, where these hardworking musicians grew up. After years of misleading portrayals of the band's music as "hillbilly", the band's catalog proves otherwise with themes of maturity, generosity of spirit, neighborliness, insightful self-reflection, personal roots and modern society, individualism, pride of place, slow-mending hearts, and post-9/11 reality through the filter of a couple’s romance.
Zoysia received rave reviews worldwide including a spot on novelist/audiophile Stephen King
Stephen King
Stephen Edwin King is an American author of contemporary horror, suspense, science fiction and fantasy fiction. His books have sold more than 350 million copies and have been adapted into a number of feature films, television movies and comic books...
's Best Records of 2006 list in Entertainment Weekly magazine.
In 2006, Jeff Tweedy joined Henneman and the Bottle Rockets onstage in Chicago for reunion renditions of "Passenger Side" and "Casino Queen" (both from A.M.), and a cover of Neil Young's "Walk On".
Recently
The band celebrated its 15th anniversary throughout 2008 with a series of 15 special shows and a contest to win the Creston Electric InstrumentsCreston Electric Instruments
Based in Burlington, Vermont, Creston Electric Instruments produces vintage-style custom solid body and chambered electric guitars and basses. Known to players as "Crestons", these guitars are sometimes made using unconventional woods for bodies such as Sugar Pine and Hickory...
custom guitar Henneman played at each of the shows.
The Bottle Rockets teamed up again with producer Eric Ambel (Brooklyn Side, 24 Hours A Day, Leftovers, Brand New Year) at his Cowboy Technical Services Recording Studio in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York to record their new album Lean Forward that was released by Bloodshot Records
Bloodshot Records
Bloodshot Records is an independent record label based in Chicago, Illinois which specializes in roots-inflected indie rock, punk blues, and a Chicago brand of outlaw country...
on August 11, 2009.
External links
- The Bottle Rockets website
- Factory Belt's Biography on Brian Henneman
See also
- Bottle RocketsThe Bottle RocketsThe Bottle Rockets are an American rock band formed in 1992, currently based in St. Louis, Missouri. The founding members are Brian Henneman , Mark Ortmann , Tom Parr and Tom Ray . Current members are Henneman, Ortmann, John Horton and Keith Voegele...
- A.M. (album)A.M. (album)A.M. is the debut album of Chicago-based alternative rock band Wilco, released on March 28, 1995. The album was released only months after the breakup of Uncle Tupelo, an alternative country band that was the predecessor of Wilco...
- March 16–20, 1992
- Uncle TupeloUncle TupeloUncle Tupelo was an alternative country music group from Belleville, Illinois, active between 1987 and 1994. Jay Farrar, Jeff Tweedy, and Mike Heidorn formed the band after the lead singer of their previous band, The Primitives, left to attend college. The trio recorded three albums for Rockville...
- Music of MissouriMusic of MissouriSt. Louis, Missouri was an important center of jazz and blues, as well as country and bluegrass. Kansas City was also one of jazz's major centers, with performers such as Charlie Parker, Count Basie and Lester Young, and its own jazz style...