Cait Brennan

Cait Brennan
Also known as M. C. Brennan
Born 14 February 1969
Phoenix, Arizona
Genres Americana
rock,
alternative country,
singer-songwriter
power pop
Occupation(s) Singer-songwriter, screenwriter, musician
Instruments vocals, piano, guitar, bass
Years active 2010–present
Website http://planetcait.com/

Cait Brennan (born February 14, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter, pianist, guitarist and screenwriter. Brennan's musical style contains elements of Americana, piano-driven rock, alternative country, glam rock, and power pop.[1] Her music and film work has been praised and earned her a cult following.[2][3][4][5]

Early life

Brennan was born in Phoenix, Arizona, the daughter of Linda Parker and musician Ron Dobbins.[6][7] Brennan was raised by her great-grandmother, a Thoroughbred horse racing seamstress, and grew up traveling between Phoenix, Omaha, Nebraska and the San Francisco Bay Area, an experience she credits for her eclectic musical influences.[8] She began a gender transition in her teens.[9]

Music

Brennan's powerful, soulful voice has been compared to Sam Cooke, Etta James and Iris DeMent.[10] Brennan's music combines melodic roots, soul and alternative country sensibilities with dense vocal harmonies and lyrics that occasionally draw on Vaudeville and Music hall themes.[11] Many of her songs draw from her "rootless" early life experience growing up on the road from the Midwest to California, but her lyrics also invoke historical, literary and mythological figures and themes[12] to create hook-laden, often wryly humorous character tales of faded heroes, road-weary romantics and quixotic dreamers.[13] She has cited influences as diverse as Sam Cooke, Iris DeMent, Merle Haggard, Mills Brothers, gospel, Big Star and Sparks as major influences.[14]

Dubbed a "smart, melodic singer-songwriter" by Serene Dominic of Village Voice Media,[15] Brennan is a frequent performer on the International Pop Overthrow Tour[16][17] and has toured throughout the southwest and west coast.[18] International Pop Overthrow founder David Bash described her as "a singer songwriter with a unique brand of glitter glam soulful rock n’ roll sung straight from the heart" and said "you gotta love anyone who can channel Roy Orbison, Elton John, Freddie Mercury, John Lennon, and Etta James in the space of a single set."[19] Brennan is also featured on the KAET/Tempe Center for the Arts public television concert series "Songwriters Showcase" airing on PBS stations in fall 2013. Other notable recent appearances include the "In The Spotlight" songwriters-in-the-round showcase[20][21] and showcase sessions for Kulak's Woodshed in Hollywood. The Arizona Republic named her one of "15 Artists To See In 2013" and praised the "cinematic sweep" of her songs.,[22] while music critic Mark Keresman praised her "spunky, Chris Isaak-esque Americana.".[23] Java Magazine's Mitchell Hillman echoed that praise, calling Brennan "a great musician and a formidable writer,"[24] and author Neil Gaiman praised her cover version of David Bowie's Five Years as "glorious".[25][26]

Writing and Film

Brennan co-wrote the screenplay for the romantic comedy "Love Or Whatever",[27] directed by Rosser Goodman, which made its world premiere at the 2012 Frameline Film Festival.[28] She also appears in the film.[29][30] Bay Area critic George Heymont praised the film as "a rowdy romp" and "that rare gem: a sexy and intelligent gay romantic comedy."[31][32] TLA Releasing is distributing the film for a fall 2013 release.[33] While in college, Brennan received the Arizona Commission on the Arts Screenwriting fellowship in 2002,[34] and the following year, she won the Phoenix Film Festival's Best Screenplay award for "The People's Choice".[35][36] Brennan was honored with the Outfest Screenwriting Lab Fellowship in 2007 for her comic homage to 1980s John Hughes films, "Dramatis Personae".[37][38] Brennan was named a semifinalist in the Austin Film Festival screenwriting competition for "Dramatis Personae" and "The People's Choice",[39][40] and in October 2007, the Rhode Island International Film Festival awarded first prize to Brennan and "Dramatis Personae" in their annual screenwriting honors.[41]

As an actor, Brennan made appearances in local Phoenix commercials[42] and made brief appearances in productions such as The Doors, So I Married An Axe Murderer and Itty Bitty Titty Committee.[43] She appears in an acting role in Fernando Perdomo's 2012 music video "Smile".[44]

In 2010 she joined the staff of Phoenix's LGBT-focused Echo Magazine.[45][46] and is currently the magazine's music critic. Brennan is also a contributing writer at the pop-culture web magazine Popshifter.[47]

Personal life

Brennan is bisexual.[48][49] She has credited Buddhism as an influence on her life and work.[50]

Other work

As a child in 1985, she appeared on KPNX-TV's "Finn and Friends" program with "Weird Al" Yankovic.[51]

Brennan appears briefly in U2's feature documentary Rattle and Hum.[52]

References

  1. ↑ "Puma Press - Everything From Punk To Polka Goes Into Cait Brennan's Music". Retrieved 2012-06-09.
  2. ↑ "Twitter - Neil Gaiman". Retrieved 2012-04-08.
  3. ↑ "10 Reasons We Love M. C. Brennan--Curve Magazine, April 2009". Retrieved 2011-06-14.
  4. ↑ "The Serene Dominic Show: David Bash of International Pop Overthrow". Retrieved 2012-03-16.
  5. ↑ "Puma Press - Everything From Punk To Polka Goes Into Cait Brennan's Music". Retrieved 2012-06-09.
  6. ↑ "Puma Press - Everything From Punk To Polka Goes Into Cait Brennan's Music". Retrieved 2012-06-09.
  7. ↑ "M. C. Brennan biography". Retrieved 2011-06-14.
  8. ↑ "^". Retrieved 2012-06-09.
  9. ↑ "10 Reasons We Love M. C. Brennan--Curve Magazine, April 2009". Retrieved 2011-06-14.
  10. ↑ "^". Retrieved 2013-07-15.
  11. ↑ "Last.fm Artist Bios - Cait Brennan". Retrieved 2012-04-05.
  12. ↑ "Reverbnation - The Tragical History of Dr. Walter". Retrieved 2012-04-05.
  13. ↑ "Last.fm Artist Bios - Cait Brennan". Retrieved 2012-04-05.
  14. ↑ "Kittysneezes - The Sparks Project". Retrieved 2013-07-14.
  15. ↑ "Phoenix New Times - The Serene Dominic Show: David Bash of International Pop Overthrow". Retrieved 2012-03-16.
  16. ↑ "International Pop Overthrow 2012". Retrieved 2012-04-05.
  17. ↑ "International Pop Overthrow Los Angeles 2012". Retrieved 2012-06-09.
  18. ↑ "Cait Brennan - Tour Dates". Retrieved 2012-06-09.
  19. ↑ "International Pop Overthrow 2013 - Artists". Retrieved 2013-07-14.
  20. ↑ "Tempe Center for the Arts". Retrieved 2012-03-16.
  21. ↑ "KPNX-TV - "In The Spotlight" preview". Retrieved 2012-04-08.
  22. ↑ "AZcentral.com - 15 Artists To See". Retrieved 2013-07-15.
  23. ↑ "Arizona Republic - International Pop Overthrow 2013". Retrieved 2013-07-15.
  24. ↑ "Sounds Around Town - International Pop Overthrow 2013". Retrieved 2013-07-15.
  25. ↑ "Twitter - Neil Gaiman". Retrieved 2012-04-05.
  26. ↑ "Twitter - Neil Gaiman". Retrieved 2012-04-08.
  27. ↑ "Echo Magazine - Local screenwriter's film to have premiere at San Francisco film festival". Retrieved 2012-06-09.
  28. ↑ "Love Or Whatever - Frameline36". Retrieved 2012-06-09.
  29. ↑ "Echo Magazine - Local screenwriter's film to have premiere at San Francisco film festival". Retrieved 2012-06-09.
  30. ↑ ""Love Or Whatever"--IMDb". Retrieved 2012-03-14.
  31. ↑ "George Heymont - My Cultural Landscape: Lover, Come Back To Me". Retrieved 2012-06-09.
  32. ↑ "Huffington Post - George Heymont". Retrieved 2012-09-26.
  33. ↑ "TLA Releasing - Love Or Whatever". Retrieved 2013-07-15.
  34. ↑ Robertson, Anne (2002-06-23). "Phoenix Business Journal 2002-06-24.". Retrieved 2011-06-14.
  35. ↑ "Phoenix Film festival 2003 Screenwriting Prize Announcement". Retrieved 2011-06-14.
  36. ↑ "Neil Cohen, Reel Thoughts - Echo Magazine, April 2003". Retrieved 2011-06-14.
  37. ↑ "Outfest Screenwriting Lab fellows". Retrieved 2011-06-14.
  38. ↑ "Windy City Media - Trans Year In Review 2008-01-02". Retrieved 2011-06-14.
  39. ↑ "Austin Film Festival 2007 Program (PDF format)". Retrieved 2011-06-14.
  40. ↑ "Austin Film Festival 2006 Winners". Retrieved 2011-06-14.
  41. ↑ "Rhode Island International Film festival announces 2007 Winners". Retrieved 2011-06-14.
  42. ↑ "As Seen On TV - Phoenix Magazine, June 2006". Retrieved 2011-06-14.
  43. ↑ "San Francisco Bay Times interview". Retrieved 2011-06-14.
  44. ↑ "YouTube - "Smile" video credits". Retrieved 2012-11-12.
  45. ↑ "Echo Magazine - Local screenwriter's film to have premiere at San Francisco film festival". Retrieved 2012-06-09.
  46. ↑ "Echo Magazine". Retrieved 2011-06-14.
  47. ↑ "Popshifter.com contributors". Retrieved 2011-06-14.
  48. ↑ "Wikipedia: List of bisexual people". Retrieved 2012-09-26.
  49. ↑ "Jacob Anderson-Minshall - SF Bay Times 2007-08-30". Retrieved 2012-09-26.
  50. ↑ "Jacob Anderson-Minshall - SF Bay Times 2007-08-30". Retrieved 2012-09-26.
  51. ↑ "YouTube: Weird Al Yankovic on Finn and Friends". Retrieved 2011-06-14.
  52. ↑ "imdb.com: U2 Rattle and Hum full credits". Retrieved 2011-06-14.

External links