Brian Larsen
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| Brian Larsen | |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Brian Larsen |
| Born | April 9, 1986 |
| Origin |  Baltimore, Maryland |
| Genre(s) | Rock, pop rock, folk rock |
| Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter, musician, producer |
| Instrument(s) | Guitar, Piano, Synthesizer, Bass Guitar, Drums |
| Years active | 1997–present |
| Label(s) | Protocol Records |
| Associated acts | Twilight's Moon |
| Website | www.twilightsmoon.com |
Brian Larsen (born April 9, 1986 in Laurel, Maryland) is a guitarist, singer, and record producer. "Twilight's Moon" is Larsen's main musical project, and as a contributor to other artists' work, he has been awarded three RIAA gold/platinum sales awards.[citation needed]
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[edit] Early life
Born in Laurel, Maryland, a small suburb of Washington, D.C., Larsen was the fourth and youngest son in his family. Growing up in the MTV era, Larsen was fascinated by music from a very early age, and he began taking piano lessons at the age of five[1]. His love of the piano eventually inspired a self-taught fingerpicking guitar technique using the speed and dexterity Larsen gained through piano lessons.
Larsen’s first forays into songwriting took place while he was still in elementary school. Inspired by his older uncle, Bryon Moore, who achieved success in music through his popular South Carolina band Uncle Mingo, Larsen resolved to become a musician and songwriter in his own right.
By the age of ten, Larsen spent most of his spare time writing and recording demos onto a Tascam 4-track recorder his parents bought him for Christmas. Despite his young age, Larsen stated his intention to have his music released commercially, though his early songs were little more than variations of other artists’ work.
[edit] Twilight's Moon
In 1996, Larsen officially formed Twilight’s Moon with schoolmates Trevor Hunter, Alex Masonis, and Andrew Jones, though Masonis and Jones left the band less than a year later over creative control disputes. Hunter and Larsen forged on, with Hunter assuming Jones’ role as drummer and Larsen assuming Masonis’ role as keyboardist. The demos that the duo recorded during this period were intended to be released as “Tarot,” but were shelved indefinitely due to Larsen’s concerns over the quality of the performances. Hunter vacated his role as performer, agreeing instead to concentrate on acting as Larsen’s manager, and in response, Larsen agreed to assume all musical roles within the band[2].
Larsen spent the next year writing new material and meticulously overdubbing tracks. The resulting album, “Pi,” was released in September, 1998[3]. Despite questionable sound quality stemming from Larsen’s extensive overdubbing and use of analog equipment, the album sold several hundred copies. Larsen immediately began recording “The Classics,” a disc composed solely of original and interpreted classical songs. The album was released in February, 1999 to positive reviews but poor sales, even though Larsen performed extensively in support of the disc. The next year, Larsen began writing and recording demos for what would eventually become “The Slope,” his first internationally-distributed album. The album was released on August 3, 2000, to mixed reviews, but became a modest hit thanks to the instrumental track “Zoo II.”
Recognizing the need to refine his songs, Larsen returned to the studio to record a follow-up album with the specific intention of recording tracks that were more radio-friendly. The resulting album, “ClockWork,” was released on January 23, 2001, and featured a guest performance from Larsen’s uncle, Bryon Moore. Overall, the album received a positive commercial and critical response. Inspired by this success, Larsen performed live in support of the album but quickly returned to the studio to record a follow-up album using digital recording equipment. That album, “Emergency Exit,” was received even more enthusiastically by critics and fans alike, being called the beginning of Larsen hitting his musical stride and the best Twilight’s Moon album to that point[4].
After the release of “Emergency Exit,” Larsen took an extensive vacation from the music industry to attend high school. He released “Close to Me,” a five-track EP, on his 16th birthday, but stated on his website that he intended to begin work on an album of trance music. That album, “Electric,” took nearly two years to complete, but was met with great commercial success upon its release in 2003, supported by the album’s self-titled single as well as the track “Casino,” both of which received heavy rotation in American and Asian dance clubs.
Demand for a new album led to Larsen recording his first original tracks of rock music in two years. “Broken Windows,” a mixture of original tracks and cover songs, was released on December 23, 2003, to mixed reviews. Some critics criticized Larsen for his use of cover tracks on the album, something Larsen later stated that he regretted doing. B-sides from the “Broken Windows” sessions were collected and released as “Mind Candy” in early 2004. Similar to the quick follow-up of “Emergency Exit” to “ClockWork” (spaced ten months apart), Larsen indicated that his desire was to release a follow-up album to “Broken Windows,” tentatively titled “The Last of the Romantics,” sometime in late 2004. Writer’s block and Larsen’s involvement in other projects stalled the album, however, and its release date was pushed back several times. In June, 2005, the album was listed on Amazon.com as being available for pre-order, selling enough copies to enter Amazon.com’s best-sellers list before the release date was changed once more[5]. Several singles have been officially released from the album, however, including “In the Fall,” “In the Summer,” “Goodnight,” “I Tried,” and “In the Meantime,” all of which have received significant downloads on Larsen’s official website and MySpace[6]. A six-song EP, “In the Meantime,” was released in August, 2007. On October 10, 2007, Larsen announced on his official website that he intended to disband Twilight's Moon. He also indicated that he is in the process of recording a yet-untitled solo album tentatively planned for a May, 2008 release. The album would be the first official album released by Brian Larsen not to bear the Twilight's Moon name.[7].
[edit] Side Projects
Since his teenage years, Brian Larsen has expressed interest in other forms of entertainment and expression. In 1996, Larsen founded Protocol Records. In 2004, he wrote a book, “In Words,” a collection of song lyrics and commentary with a brief autobiography. Some of Larsen’s avant-garde artwork is featured on his official website, including an abstract 6’ tall steel sculpture of a figure reaching for the stars. Additionally, Larsen had a brief role in the movie “xXx2: State of the Union,” though his part was eventually cut from the movie due to time constraints. In 2003, Larsen founded the band Serrano Terrace. Larsen also endorses products including Thayer’s Lozenges[8]. In 2007, he began working with frequent Howard Stern guest Riley Martin on his Sirius radio show and official website. Larsen regularly receives on air “shout-outs” from Martin, who thanks and praises Larsen for his involvement with Martin and his show[9][10].
[edit] Personal life
Larsen is known for his honesty and candidness in interviews concerning his personal life. Although he was raised a Christian, Larsen converted to Hinduism as a teenager and strongly supports the Hindu faith, even putting a hidden track, “Namah Parvarti,” sung entirely in Hindi, on his “Broken Windows” album. He frequently wears eyeliner and makeup in public appearances and promotional photos. He has a pierced belly button as well as two tattoos on his stomach, a Hindu Om and the Latin phrase “Sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc,” meaning “we would gladly feast on those who would subdue us.” Rumors concerning Larsen’s sexuality have circulated for several years, though Larsen has repeatedly stated that he is heterosexual[11]. Speculation has ensued that the wedding band Larsen wears on his left-hand is an indication that he is married, though Larsen has never publicly addressed his marital status. In 2005, a stalker broke into Larsen’s Maryland home, forcing him to obtain a permanent restraining order[12]. Larsen spent the last half of 2006 mourning the death of his longtime manager, Debra Ritz Mason[13]. His hobbies include snowboarding and cooking, though he claims to be a terrible chef[14].
[edit] Discography
[edit] Albums
| Year | Album |
|---|---|
| 1997 | Pi |
| 1998 | The Classics |
| 1999 | The Slope |
| 2001 | ClockWork |
| 2001 | Emergency Exit |
| 2002 | Close to Me (EP) |
| 2003 | Electric |
| 2003 | Broken Windows |
| 2004 | Mind Candy (Soundtrack) |
| 2007 | In The Meantime (EP) |
| 2008 | Untitled Solo Album |
[edit] Singles
| Year | Song | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | "Picture (in my Mind)" | Pi |
| 1999 | "Zoo II" | The Slope |
| 2000 | "I Have My Doubts" | ClockWork |
| 2000 | "Can't Walk Away" | ClockWork |
| 2001 | "Circles on the Water" | ClockWork |
| 2001 | "The Game" | ClockWork |
| 2001 | "I Should Know" | ClockWork |
| 2001 | "Anyway" | Emergency Exit |
| 2001 | "I'm Not Your Psychiatrist" | Emergecny Exit |
| 2002 | "Sunday Funday" | Emergency Exit |
| 2002 | "Close to Me" | Close to Me (EP) |
| 2002 | "Electric" | Electric |
| 2003 | "Casino" | Electric |
| 2003 | "I Tried" | Broken Windows |
| 2004 | "1,000 Other Things" | Broken Windows |
| 2004 | "I'm Letting You Go" | Broken Windows |
| 2004 | "Mind Candy" | Mind Candy (soundtrack) |
| 2004 | "Kelly" | Mind Candy (soundtrack) |
| 2005 | "In The Fall" | The Last of the Romantics |
| 2006 | "Goodnight" | The Last of the Romantics |
| 2006 | "In the Summer" | The Last of the Romantics |
| 2006 | "I Tried" | The Last of the Romantics |
| 2006 | "Kelly (Remix)" | The Last of the Romantics |
| 2007 | "In The Meantime" | In The Meantime (EP) |
| 2007 | "In The Fall (2007 Version)" | In The Meantime (EP) |
| 2007 | "Slip Away" | In The Meantime (EP) |
[edit] External links
[edit] References
- ^ “[1] “Brian Larsen Biography: Allmusic.com.” URL last accessed 2007-05-10
- ^ “[http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:fcfexqykldte ] “Twilight’s Moon: Overview.” URL last accessed 2007-05-19
- ^ “[http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:fcfexqykldte ] “Twilight’s Moon: Overview.” URL last accessed 2007-05-19
- ^ “[2] “’Emergency Exit’ Album Review.” URL last accessed 2007-05-09
- ^ “[http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0009VXID6/ ] “The Last of the Romantics: Amazon.com.” URL last accessed 2007-05-10
- ^ “[3] “Twilight's Moon: MySpace.” URL last accessed 2007-05-16
- ^ “[4] “Time For A Change - www.TwilightsMoon.com.” URL last accessed 2007-10-10
- ^ ““Thayer‘s Natural Remedies.” URL last accessed 2007-05-21
- ^ “[5] “Riley Martin Show: Episode 68.” URL last accessed 2007-05-12
- ^ “[6] “Riley Martin Show: Episode 69.” URL last accessed 2007-05-12
- ^ “[7] "Brian Larsen: Answering more FAQs.” URL last accessed 2008-01-14
- ^ ““Arrested.com: Brian Larsen’s Restraining Order”. URL last accessed 2007-05-20
- ^ “[8] “DebraRitzMason: Official Tribute Site” URL last accessed 2007-05-19
- ^ “[9] “Brian Larsen's Personal MySpace Site” URL last accessed 2007-05-22
