January 23, 2023 • 41 mins
Meet Brady; renowned bassist, producer, musician, and cancer survivor. Touring with, recording, and headlining tours with the likes of Talib Kweli, DJ Premier, members of Rage Against the Machine, and Marc Rebillet, this New Hampshire native turned Harlemite that created the viral series "Bass & Bars", which has featured everyone from Matisyahu to Jadakiss, is worth listening to.
In this episode, we learn about the journey of bringing dreams to reality, the power of grit and hard work, and the lesson that no matter what adversity stands in your way, always show the universe you're worthy.
This episode is dedicated to our friend Meghan Stabile, founder of Revive Music, who continuously inspired and brought so many people together.
For the full & uncut episode, along with a number of other perks, please visit www.leavelookingup.com/fans and subscribe!
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:10):
Hey listeners. This is Neil Ludovic and Amir
done, Dolly. Welcome to leave looking at,
where we have uplifting conversations about the state of
the world, with our heroes, withthe intention to demystify
orient and leave you our listeners inspired.
Today, we sit down with Brady, Dw, a critically, acclaimed,
(00:32):
producer multi-instrumentalist bandleader and cancer.
Survivor. He's been on thousands of
recordings has headlined and performed with some of the
biggest artists of nearly. Every genre from hip-hop icon
Talib Kweli and comedian, Dave, Chappelle to rapper Matisyahu,
to members of Rage Against the Machine and electronic artist
(00:53):
Mark rebbe. A you may know Brady from a
series he created called base and bars that features.
Company iconic, musicians and Duets of their most popular
songs Basin bars has garnered, tens of millions of views,
alongside his concerts and performances online.
Culminating in Brady's career quickly, achieving worldwide
(01:13):
recognition before, he's even released a second album and I
first met Brady in New York City.
Back a gin fizz, a local Harlem hangout that hosted a jam
session run by on her son calledThe Shed living and working in
Harlem while running Harlem Arts.
Oil, this was the spot where thebest musicians and artists came
through from multi Grammy Award winners, Robert Glasper and
(01:36):
Bilal to acclaimed harpist. Brandy younger to tap dancer
Michaela Lerman both of us regularly, went there to chill
out after a long day, so it was only a matter of time before we
were introduced to one another. In this episode, we learn about
the Journey of bringing dreams to reality.
Brady talks to us about the power of grit and hard work and
(01:57):
the lesson that no matter what adversity Is standing in your
way, always show the universe that you're worthy.
And so now, without further Ado,let's start this episode, we've
got a pretty special guests, a good friend.
Someone I'm super glad to have on the show.
Brady W, Brady say hello hello, hello for the people that are
(02:18):
listening. I want to give a little bit of
context of who Brady plays with peace.
I'm tell him quality this Brady.What?
This is Basin bars. Let's go.
Hi-yah class material. What we do is not dirty, rice
County to damage. Our Brooklyn.
Peaceful York is in the building.
(02:40):
This is based in bars. My man, bring you out on the
base. Jay with the damaja.
It's on the Box. Hill 3:.
Warren G. And I'm on the go, we can hit
lock with Grady what and it still won't beat you in the
shit. Don't stop.
Aye said one I've seen him too. Tour with and perform with DJ
(03:01):
Premier to live quietly. Mar Crevier the it's a pretty
long list. I was doing Harlem Arts Festival
years ago and he was one of our Headliners there and he's since
just popped off and didn't you just release relatively recently
attract with some of the guys from Metallica, right?
Yeah, we're Robert Trujillo of Metallica.
(03:23):
Yeah, it's nobody home. That's out.
Now, that's me, Robert. And Brad Wilk.
Rage Against the Machine and it's so, you know it's trying to
bring back the the supergroup idea because a lot of my
records, pretty much all of them.
They're all collaborations, you know, even if I'm doing a most
of the stuff, which on this was pretty, even split.
I feel like as a producer I evenif I bring in some drummer
(03:47):
singer or whatever it just makesit into a whole new thing and I
treat all the compositions as Works in progress.
I'll have the original idea together and then I'm like, okay
drums then That takes four months, five months maybe five
days, maybe it. Maybe track is done in one day.
Usually not. But I mean nobody home took a
year and a half at least in the music video and making it all
(04:11):
happens. These songs are really like
babies except this more than nine months.
So you know this is this why we get we get like very attached to
it because you know there's a lot of business steps and things
that have to happen in order forit to get rolled out right?
Which is cool because you don't want to do all that work and
then no. And here's it that's worse.
Had that connection with DJ Premier and to live with because
(04:33):
those I think are the main ones.I mean the Mark.
Mark one is pretty recent but how did those to start while Lee
was Dow Jones. Put me on the gig.
Mmm, I had put him on a gig before that in, you know, that's
kind of how it works. You don't get in no situation
because I just like, hey great, you know, to live needs basis.
(04:55):
Cool. And just kind of threw you in
and he liked you and that was the end of that.
And Then I was just the bass player.
Okay? Yep.
For quality. And that was probably when I was
about 23, the yeah. It's been a while tell, if he's
like, older brother, you know, yeah.
And so been around a lot of greatness in Primo.
(05:16):
He was my favorite producer since I was a kid one of his
interns do, I was a big fan and invited me in one day.
At this point, I already had a reputation.
I was already has probably like,26 27.
If he didn't know about, Anything I had done, but he says
he still remembers seeing me in on the, on the security camera
it with my base and like leatherjacket, and he's like, who's
(05:36):
this motherfucker? Is do look, he looks like a rock
star. He says he's interested, right?
When he saw me on the security if you know, preemies like crazy
about security. So we met and just talked about
base and stuff for like an hour when we talked about music and
Jaco Pastorius James Jameson, all the greats and Jazz.
He knows his shit big time. Even with the players on.
(05:58):
The records because he's a DJ and producer, he loves the liner
notes reading all of them. And he's really knows his Rock
and Roll History too. Much more so than people
understand because he was a rocker and high school.
He was wearing leather jacket and he was on that funk to from
his parents at the. Yeah, he was like a rock and
roll Kid in Houston Texas and welisten to music a lot.
(06:21):
It's always Rock. But yeah, I've been working with
him forever and what happened was he picked me for his band
like it years After our meeting.Oh, that did.
That wasn't like a sequential thing.
That was like, so cool. Thanks for coming.
Bye. See you later.
And then, wow, it was years. I never thought that I would do
anything with him because he does all his beats himself.
He does the base at the keyboardis very particular about it
(06:44):
where I've worked with him and dr.
J and dr. Dre, get a bunch of people in
the studio. He kind of conducts, different
people, a lot of collaboration, Primo, sits in there by himself,
and just doesn't, I'm self. You know, just within the last
few years, She started. Sampling me and Carlos and he
had sampled Adrian Young on thatPrime record, but it took a long
(07:06):
time for me to touch any of my music.
Sam planes. Don't think we're gonna work.
I just thought I'd met a hero ofmine but then he hit me up a few
years later and he got a offer to do a Europe Japanese tour.
Yeah. So he was setting up the band
and they kind of put together with well-known Jazz, dudes, and
they're trying to put a bass player and there and he was
(07:27):
like, oh no, I The bass player. Got the bass player.
Wow. So you always tells a story to
everyone and he had already had me.
He never seen me play but he knew from our conversation that
I was legit and I think he probably looked me up or
whatever. Yeah.
But but yeah, he locked that in for me.
Next thing you know we're in Japan.
Rock and favorite songs is a dream.
(07:48):
Come true. Wow.
And then after that, we rocked all through Europe and I had
released my first solo album as like a producer artist, you
know, featuring a bunch of people Beach.
And quality my album live Tronics.
Yeah. Which people love to this day, I
made that when I was living in an abandoned building on 137.
Yeah I remember you talking about that.
So I was touring in selling thatCD to fans after because I'm a
(08:12):
hustler, I'm getting paid. Yeah and then I'm going out
there selling these for 10 buckseach, they got printed up in the
projects down the street. I picked him up day before we
left, that's great. A fucking Inc with wet smell
like shit. There's the open this bag.
Everyone's making fun of me, dude.
They ain't didn't. I and I went right on the plane
and there was like it was a rotten smell dude - well it's
(08:35):
great traveling around selling them and like this guy's a
hustler Indian was with us on the road.
Yeah, it's his like that's the guy that we should probably
sign, you know, and I started getting some big placements as a
producer. So then Ian started managing me
who's Ian, Schwartzman is the manager of me, primo, and Joe
(08:56):
bought in some others. So that was That but that was
after we known each other for like a year, you've worked with
a lot of people. As we see you've also launched a
whole series called Basin bars, every single one of those has a
video and those videos also popped off on YouTube.
So when we talk about starting at the beginning, talk about how
you got here, working with all these people producing your own
(09:17):
stuff you know you were a basis or producer.
Now you're singing give us a little bit of the origin story
like well I always just tell people.
Everyone has a different phases when they're kids.
They try different. Sports and they start playing
Guitar, they get into rollerblading and I was like
that. I was into breakdancing wrapping
it all this stuff but that's notright.
(09:38):
Not even me rapping but like I liked rap because I didn't
really start writing until way later in life.
But I was a huge just in the culture, all these different
phases. But then when I hit guitar at
age 13, I just never stopped. And I quit everything else and
then one year later, I switch tobody.
(09:58):
Base. Because my punk band needed, a
bass player was the name of yourpunk band.
We had several names but the main name we landed on smashed
City. Okay.
And in my city my trumpet playerclimbed out over you know like
underneath a bridge how there's like a little bit of space.
Yeah, he climbed out underneath and it's like at least a 50 70
(10:20):
foot drop. He's climbed out underneath the
bridge and spray paint is smashed City with two stars on
it and this is when we were 14 years old 59, And what city is
it look for still? No way.
Yeah, because no one else would go up there and then when are
they gonna bring a fire engine to come?
Take it down. It's still there in his all
these other graffiti but no one dared.
Do that says, still up there. Smash city.
(10:42):
Where welcome to city with the city?
Where the city I was in was Nashua, New Hampshire, actual?
Okay. Yeah.
And what was your band members names?
We thank you. In case the police go after you
for for graffitiing that area. But fucking well done.
(11:05):
That's it. I mean we're talking about it
now so yeah. Oh, that's a good job.
Statute of limitations. No, I checked it recently.
I was like still there. So then Callie I love that.
Okay. That was my band and then I just
I kept going from there when I started playing bass I really
locked in on that and practiced every day.
(11:25):
Got a teacher like really, really went in and right.
I started playing bass. I realized it was all these
different techniques, so it's very interesting and everyone
was kind of playing guitar. And I'm like, if I go in on this
it was very obvious that that was my instrument base right?
When I started playing. Okay.
And I'm naturally very dexterous.
My hands moved, my fingers and stuff, but my ear took forever
(11:49):
to work on. I'm not a natural musician by
any means, so that's another whole thing.
Wow, that took just tons of work.
What kind of work we Talking about when you say tons of ear
training and learning so many songs.
And I remember I used to be really nervous about jamming
with people because I couldn't figure out what quiche it was in
for a while even tuning. I just didn't have the ear.
(12:13):
Yeah. It was a concerted effort.
No, I've seen it but I think that's amazing because a lot of
people think if I don't have theear, I just can't do it.
Not some people are just naturally gifted but I think
that's it's a total myth. So, 14, Smash City years of
training And working on your Technique, listening going to
some Jam sessions and you got toBerkeley.
(12:34):
This is Berkeley Boston. Not California.
Walk us through from there to plant a church Berkeley.
I only applied there. That's all I wanted to do once I
realized it was possible to become a professional musician.
So up until this point pursuing music, as a career didn't seem
like a reality for Brady. He didn't know anyone from New
(12:57):
Hampshire that had become A professional musician.
So he spent his time earning money landscaping and doing
masonry work. He figured The Next Step would
be going to a college, like UMass, Amherst.
I'm getting a business degree because that's what people
around him were doing, so that'sall he could imagine for
himself, it wasn't until he attended a music summer camp, at
(13:18):
Berklee College of Music for theweekend that his imagination.
Got to push it needed to consider a new possibility that
music can be a real path and a Real career.
Once I found that out, I apply to Berkeley got in went there
and realize that everyone was way better than me, way better
than me. Like, I was cool but who like,
(13:40):
you know, these kids all went toPerformance high schools or
their relatives were famous musicians.
They had ends, they had been going to Berkeley for years
leading up to this. Yeah, you know.
So that was my competition. Like the Louis caddos of the
world? Yeah, whoo.
Yeah. Abel is there since I was like,
(14:00):
holy shit. I mean the first couple weeks.
I was like, yeah, this might notwork.
You might lose this battle and you know there was sleepless
nights and I remember nights just just sitting there like I'm
not gonna be able to do but thenthen one one night I remember I
pulled an all-nighter and just had some talks with God.
Like it was you know doing it ornot and I was like I'm just
(14:22):
gonna do it. I'm gonna I'm gonna fucking do
it, you know, work really hard. There's the practice rooms right
there. I got the stuff I need, let's
just buckle down and get it cracking.
And I decided then and people asked me if I ever thought I was
going to quit and things got harder in my 20s.
I mean, picture, all that stuff,I had to do now, nope, there's
(14:45):
never been that. There's never been, I might have
to give this up for a job. I've never worked a job what and
I knocking that. But, but nah nah, because the
second I did that is the second I show the Verse that I'm not
worthy of this shit because it don't be Givin it to everyone,
man. It ain't supposed to be easy and
I would feel really bad if I, ifI ditched it.
(15:08):
Yeah, it once again, not and notknocking anyone.
That's done it. I just would never be able to
come to terms with that, right? No.
Almost like a fun time since that night, I've never had a
doubt. Like disrespecting the door that
was open for you. Yeah but if we're actually
diving back into the history a little bit you know something
that we often ask our guests is,is there a first heartbreak
(15:32):
anything that really informed your identity or some of the
music that you're writing or your mindsets?
There's a lot of different kindsof barriers meant to one's
physical ones and some curious if there's something in your
mind that really provided a definition for you, I guess 11
turning point was when I was first moved to New York, I
audition for Lady Gaga like whenshe was really big like at the
(15:55):
at the peak in like everyone in the world audition for it like
flew in and there was this wholething and you'd go up and play
solo, which is weird. And I was like, 22, 23.
I remember even like my mom, letme use your credit card to like
buy a fly outfit for it was a big deal like grandfather's
rooting for me. I kept on getting it.
(16:17):
I kept on moving on and I'm like, oh shit.
Yeah, I made it again. It was like, weed, and down, and
down, less, and less. People showing up to this
audition. I made it all the way to the
end. It was really between like me
and Kern Brantley at the end of it and he was 46 and I was 23
and he ended up getting the gig in and they toured forever, you
(16:39):
know, my God. But through that, I gained a lot
of confidence in the fact that Imade it past all these other
folks, And I just moved to New York and I was like, maybe this
will work out because they thinkI'm dope.
So one door closes. Another opens.
Always you always going to live Brady?
That's beautiful. Did you feel that way?
(16:59):
When that door closed, or did ittake you a while to kind of be
like Oh wait. This is just a redirection.
Yeah well the the dude I was up against was so good it was just
like you know damn okay yeah he's got the gig.
They all they're all friends. The whole band he probably had
(17:22):
it. Yeah.
Before. So no I was fine.
I don't really be taking shit topersonal man.
Hmm. And there's someone really
disrespects me. Yeah, that's big man.
Don't take it personal in the music business.
I have to do it at all time. People ghost Basin bars shoes
where I paid for the whole film crew happens all the time, dude,
(17:43):
Jack Harlow. Who during Basin bars season
early on, before Jack Harlow wasfamous.
We've agreed to do a basin bars day of.
He, he canceled. And I had already had my film
crew set up location all this, he canceled, but he called me.
(18:04):
In was very apologetic and you know, I would never do this.
But I got this video shoot with Cole Bennett and I'm like, oh,
that's gonna any artist, that does a cold Bennett video blows
up. You should probably do that.
No problem. I don't like your pending
Bobcats, was the biggest song that year, maybe the joint got
like, you know, that's that's a huge round, dad.
(18:26):
Blew him up. That was double booked with
Basin bar. No, that was my biggest song of
that. Yeah it's so good and then he
went on. Yeah.
You know and we were going to dothat record to.
I have like a whole base likely I was like now go ahead and do
that and like I said he was apologetic.
I'm interested. Right in like, how did that?
(18:49):
I guess. Thousands of there was a first,
right? And the second and a third,
where was that first introduction?
What was the first rap record? And how was that experience?
Was that how was that experience?
Where you just? Oh cool.
Here's our bases. He's from New Hampshire.
He's pretty. Adobo is always an original
music guy, start and bands and working with this artist and
(19:09):
then going to New York to recordwith different.
Producers far as the size and upgoes, you have really proved
your worth if you play real goodthough, you know, let you in the
door you know? Yeah I am appreciating all the
the humanizing moments that werehearing.
It sounds like you were kind of putting out a sound you were
really validated by that by people be like yo come hop on
(19:30):
this or come help us with that and you're just like okay cool
there's something here. Mmm, right.
And then eventually your thing just starts to expand and then
people look to you. What comes out for you, as I say
that, yeah, bills over time the confidence thing, people look at
me and they see someone really combine the way I am on stage
and just the whole thing in, it takes a long time.
(19:52):
It wasn't just like that. That's why I always bring that
up, even with the ear. Think I'm not, I'm not just some
freak who, yeah, can go up and not give two shits.
What anyone thinks? You know, I mean because we're
in these extremely judgmental situations.
When you get on stage it took a while to get there.
I'm still getting better at it, you know?
Yeah, the confidence builds overa really long period of time.
(20:16):
What are some of the greatest insecurities you have around
being on stage and presenting performing?
Anything lingering? I mean I just try to prepare a
ton now, you know, and now that what I do now is wait, Way more
difficult than what I used to do.
I did my first, my vocal debut was witmark rebbe.
(20:39):
A, I sang a little bit there butfucking around, but like my
vocal debut with my full set wasin fall in the fall open and for
Mark in LA in front of 3,000 people.
I had never even sang in front of a coffee house, dude.
So everything I do now is already in front of you.
Yeah. Oh my God.
(21:00):
Yeah, so everything. You know, there's only that
built-in pressure yo Get to thatmoment.
What's it like? What's that, like step onto the
stage, you see how those people what's that?
What's good prepared? Like crazy.
Like the last couple years, I'vehad a vocal trainer who's
actually Carlos, homes, wife, Jamie homes, the stage thing.
Luckily I have Carlos with me everyday to and he's signed to
(21:21):
the label. He's fucking musical genius.
I keep him around because he's better at me, the music so
there's all these people around me that are like really good at
shit. Yeah.
You guys off, you know? Yeah, my managers like, Like a,
like a with you with business. He's a maniac.
That's why it's dope. Now I'm kind of like that
because I'm with them every day.Yeah, I'm with DJ Premier every
(21:42):
day and I mean texture what thatdoes to your production when I'm
making beats next to that dude every day so everything I do is
get to be fire. Like I'm not making any weak
shit in that room. Dude, may happen every day is
like that so eventually now withthe Beats I can always make dope
beats. It's just it's just automatic,
(22:02):
it's not mine. To be inspired today.
It's like throw the shit on. Yeah, I know how to do this.
It's a process. I've made thousands of them.
We're all trying to elevate and this way you're talking about
rubbing off, I got to be around the best of the best of the best
in anything. That's not that you know and
this is the irony of that, right?
You want to be around people that are better than you but
(22:24):
just better enough that they'll still tolerate right, right?
Because otherwise if you're thatperson, like not like, thanks.
But that's, that's the beauty oflearning and whether it's sports
or music. Isaac, this is The Mastermind
Alliance that we've spoken aboutin the past that Napoleon Hill
and Think and Grow. Rich talks a lot about where he
says, The Mastermind Alliance, is a group of people that are
better than you that make up foryour gaps, but your
(22:47):
responsibility to those people that have these abilities is to
give them more than they give you so that you will always have
a purpose in that group. Having been on thousands of
recordings, collaborated with countless major artists as a
bassist and producer and solidified.
Professional representation, Brady's career seemed to be on
(23:07):
fire and only growing bigger when things suddenly took a
serious turn. In late 2021.
Brady was diagnosed with testicular cancer.
He didn't want to shift the focus away from his music but he
decided to announce his diagnosis on social media
through it all he kept his fans updated.
Letting them know about his surgery, months of chemotherapy
(23:28):
documenting, his hair loss and everything.
It took to fight his cancer. Fortunately, his doctors caught
it early enough and he was able to recover and is now in
remission. But what I found most impressive
was that he continued to releasehis own music and promote new
releases from his fellow musicians throughout treatment.
(23:49):
I want to bring it into present-day a little bit.
You've been pretty vocal just even in the past six months
about your day, has changed pretty significantly.
Since you had a diagnosis of cancer and I think, you know,
it's another hat that you're wearing and so as someone that
knows you, I want to know how has it changed your mindset.
I talked to me about that experience because there's a lot
(24:10):
there I guess, man. Same values though.
I mean still like I remember when I was on chemo I kept on
being like man, I can't wait. After to just be chilling, my
family drinking beers on the beach smoking weed.
You know? Because I couldn't do none of
that. While I was like 'hey, why they
wouldn't let me even smoke wheatbecause of the certain cancer.
(24:31):
I have the THC messes with the test the ASO and I'm not even
like a pothead but, you know, I just like smoking.
Yeah. Just like I was like, Ah, that's
gonna be nice when I can do everything normal again.
Yeah, I looked forward a lot to family and just continue in the
path. I was on on which I kind of just
(24:51):
did and there's also a, really Peak position when it struck me.
Like I was in really good physical shape and then the
career was really good and it hit a time where I was up and I
was like shit, man. I get remember how you feel
right now because you're gonna have to get right back here to
keep going and I had already done the work so it was like
this. Pause a little breadcrumb.
(25:12):
Yeah. It was like, don't forget you
know what you're doing and it iseasy to forget because when
you're on that shit, you don't really?
I want to write you don't reallywant to write you want to like
get through the day in like eat enough food in the I yest enough
to get back in there. Ya go get filled with fucking
toxic shit. Again you know, you got to just
(25:34):
get in there to do it. So now I'm just getting back to
where I was and luckily I got a whole team of people that I'm
here. I get the support system, the
family's super tight, but then my business colleagues and my,
you know, I got Iain kives prememy lawyer.
Several videographers I work with the creative director.
(25:56):
Like I wasn't going to fall because these people are fully
invested in me. Yeah, she kept moving.
I had enough money coming in there.
Wasn't there wasn't no fundraiser.
There was no Brady W fundraiser for chemo.
You know, not knocking it but that didn't happen.
Yeah, I'm going took five monthsoff as a musician, you know, so
(26:17):
I'm shit. I'm proud of that.
Yeah. Can bills or pay.
I mean, if that did hit me a fewyears ago, wouldn't be cool.
Yeah, you know, so I'm blessed that we may do that and the
things one thing I would say is,I know, with my vocals and all
my creative decisions, I'm standing by him, like a hundred
(26:39):
percent because I had, you know,my, my hands are mad swollen and
they still hurt, you know, it hurts when I play, I'm still
doing it. And so that shows from the
chemo. Yeah.
Yeah. What what?
Like, they're like swollen. They've gone down considerably
but but like this would only go to like here in and my voice was
(27:03):
really messed up during all that.
So I lost like a noise into the video to see that, right?
Yeah. That's where the video only
subscribers right there. The pretty good now is still it
still hurts though little sore. So I know what it feels like to
have my voice. Taken away and my hands.
I'm pretty much both of my in Endeavors were taken.
(27:24):
Yeah. And it was possible that she
would be gone forever. Those part of the, the chemo of
his on, it could have severely damaged.
My lung capacity, rendering me, not able to sing and do the
whole thing that I do. You know, I mean, and with the
hands and neuropathy was possibility, so my whole
(27:45):
everything could have got taken away.
So I have just mad conviction but I had That before but now
it's like really solidified, fuck it.
Dude, it was just like a nasty time period man, like glad to be
Beyond it. Like just pretty gross dude, you
know saying yeah, you're here glad glad that it's gone.
Just push through it showed up and did what I had to do.
(28:08):
How I do anything. You know, just showing up.
Yeah. Knowing you look great by the
way, yeah, yeah, thanks. Absolutely for real.
Yeah, here's just now coming. And I was saying, like not a lot
of People can pull off the, the bald look and I think you're,
you're making, you're making it look good for any man that's
losing their hair. That's weird.
Yeah, one day I'll probably haveto do it again, you know, right.
(28:31):
You're inspiring me. I got a Syrian bald spot kind of
form informant in the back. I'm very, very Arab.
Okay, you know, and I see my future self at some point.
Like, I think, I think when I gain maybe like 15 20 more
pounds, and I mean with, like, Burly chest and that whole bit,
and I'm going to shave my head. Yeah, the shaved head listen.
There was no shortage of Age of messages from women with the
(28:52):
with the shaved head really chicks.
Dig it. I've been there, you know I'm
saying? Like confirm like for real.
Yeah it's all good like to anyone losing their hair out
there and let it rip. And yeah, they got like the
Horseshoe thing. Just yo just shave it off of
this. Is this is your this is your
order right now, alright? It's gonna be alright.
(29:13):
You're gonna look flyer confirmed.
I think we got the biggest Insight of the episode.
Yeah, I've been down, right. All right, Brady's Journey To
Success was filled with countless twists and turns from
auditioning, for Lady Gaga, to being diagnosed with cancer or
singing. For the first time in front of
(29:33):
thousands of fans. Every moment presented a new
opportunity, and a new challengefor Brady to face.
It also gave his imagination at push, just like when he attended
the Berklee College of Music summer camp, all those years
ago, every time he reached a goal of His his imagination
continue to stretch to fit the next goal.
(29:54):
So what'd your past self one foryou.
Now it changes, it changes oftenlike my main goal, when I
started playing bass was to playat the Middle East downstairs,
the venue in Cambridge. And that was like, if I could do
that, yo, that was it. I love it.
I love it. Yeah, then I would just be the
man and yeah you just hang it up.
(30:15):
So sick. Yeah, and then you do that so
many times. And then then you just like
doing tour dates, you remember, where the hell you are the
goalposts constantly changes. But I would say in a nutshell it
was always to be like a like legendary bass player that was
that was the overarching thing. Yeah.
Which then I became a producer at some point during that which
(30:38):
kind of mixed into it. We often like to have a part of
the episode of thing. Take a beat and think like who
haven't you given? Thanks to that, you might want
to give thanks to now, hmm and why?
Well since the timing is exactlyexactly right.
Got to thank Megan. Stabile.
Yeah for introducing Neil and I it at Jam sesh lausanne 1/25.
(31:03):
What was that club? That was a fly Club.
Gin fizz gin fizz? Yeah, yeah, so she introduced us
in introduced me to like mad people man.
I mean you know got me my first premiere at okay player when I
dropped First record and has lots of stuff like that, you
know? And it's not just me it's like
(31:24):
everyone she United tons of people just these little intro
like texting show change your life.
Yeah. It was like, yeah.
She been doing that for all of us for a long time.
I've noticed since I was 18 36. So yeah, half my life.
Got a shout-out, Megan stabile on my behalf and everyone met
(31:46):
everyone. You know, I knew her very
Clothes and rest and power. Man, this is a hard one.
So Megan stabile was an iconic, music, producer and the founder
of Revive music. But more importantly she was a
close friend of mine for many years.
(32:07):
She was a huge inspiration to myself and many musicians like
Brady trying to make it in the world of Music.
She's shocked, the musical worldwhen she sadly passed away at
age 39 by Taking her own life inJune of 2000, 22.
After a lifelong battle with depression and addiction She
came up in our conversation withBrady because the news of her
(32:29):
passing had just come out the news, really rippled through the
community, she was a hero to so many of us.
And if she was here today, she would be on the show.
She, that's the woman with the vision and she did a lot for a
lot of people. No words describe the impact
(32:50):
that that Megan had changed my life and perspective in that
position. Is that I could say that
position doesn't get a lot of upfront.
Thanks, it's the dudes. It's on stage and in blowing up
and they they get there the recognition and unfortunately
that character the connector doesn't always get the
recognition and yeah nor does they get payment like a lot of
(33:14):
having been in that position? It is one of the most difficult
places. Has to be.
And I mean, I would even say more so like those are some of
the more upfront challenges but as a woman in the industry, and
especially if you're not coming from a super privileged
backgrounds and with everything else, it's something to be
recognized and she brought people together made some
incredible things that were all fortunate, better off that she
(33:37):
was here. Yeah, absolutely, yep.
I guess very apropos to the nameof the podcast.
Is what have you learned recently?
That's left you looking up. I'd say, I've been trying to be
really present in all my momentsand kind of take my time.
(34:00):
I'm really efficient but I kind of like to take my in between
time and slang throughout the day and not rush into things and
I was just like eating a sandwich on like lean against my
car on Steinway yesterday, but in a way it was like it's not
going to get much better than this.
I mean this is it. Yeah, nice out.
(34:23):
Keep it simple fucking chillin just don't work out.
Feel good. Hmm.
This is it man. You know in China China feel
that a lot. Really, just contentment and
wherever we are so easy to jump forward.
Excellent word. Yeah.
Yeah. That's my favorite acronym that
I was taught by a social studiesteacher.
Shout out to mr. Pathak kiss, keep it simple
(34:45):
stupid, you know, nice and easy.And I think on that van were
talking, I like was leaving. You looking up is thinking about
our listeners and what would youwant them to do?
What the first thing to do afterthey listen to this podcast?
Well, all the bass players go practice the heck.
(35:07):
Yeah. I said yeah, all the musicians.
Go practice. Nice.
Yeah. What about is that?
You? Can you access more but you
better go practice. I'm gonna go screen.
Write a film that's been poppingoff in my head for a long time
and feel very motivated. Very motivated.
It's impossible to not leave motivated after talking to
(35:27):
Brady, though. Your will is contagious, right?
Yeah, I don't know if that's natural or what.
I don't know. I'm pretty give yourself some
credit, man. Optimistic, I'm an optimistic
guy is Well, be, you know you might as well.
Yeah. It's the same amount of effort
to be negative so you might as well be positive.
Just don't do nothing to be - manage.
It doesn't lead anywhere else not good.
(35:48):
Even if the shit's gonna hit thefan is going to do it and then
you're gonna keep going. Truth couldn't have said it
better myself you. All right.
So I think this is we're about to switch to one of our favorite
Parts, the rapid fire round. Hmm, rapid.
And we're going to switch off back and forth.
I'm going to ask the question. He's going to ask the question.
You got three to five seconds. We're not going to time you.
(36:09):
That's gonna be like a little trust in contrast things.
Just just give it first thing that pops off in your brain,
whatever you think. Think of, that's, that's what
you should say. So I'm going to start off.
Brady. Favorite food, Italian.
Name a four-letter word, that starts with the letter, B Band
(36:32):
Thousand Miles. So yeah, name an onomatopoeia
boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. What is your favorite type of
music? Hmm.
So the listener like rock and roll.
I like epic rock and roll. Have you ever written a song for
someone? Oh yeah.
(36:52):
So many last one. You wrote for someone?
Whoo. Working on one right now is
called she's fun, but she's not the one.
Oh, that Reza get to know who it's for.
We're gonna have to find out later.
It's actually about, it's a lot of my songs.
I'll start right at about someone and then it will become
(37:13):
about a lot of different people that I go.
Yeah, yeah. Sometimes it's about one person
and then sometimes it takes a life of him who I remember her
and then her and yeah, you got to be careful too.
Because with the, with the song,Works in Primo talks about this
all the time they'd be coming true and you know, this is
coming from someone who is with big and POC and, you know, yeah,
(37:37):
Guru seen a lot of people get killed in the rap game.
And you know, the thing about the lyrics manifested in real
life and nobody home my single. Yeah, the lyric is, I've been
fighting with the devil inside of me.
Every time I check upstairs is nobody home and I wrote that a
year and a half ago. And then I got cancer.
(37:59):
I cannot even write it about that but that's what manifested.
I'd written. It originally about kind of
something else actually just like fit and I was like, think
about the duality of mind, but then, it actually manifested as
an actual fucking getting cancer.
Yeah, well I'm Year and that, you know, the timing it just get
has right after. Wow, crazy!
(38:22):
I didn't know that none of this was gonna happen.
That's just an example man. It comes true which is why with
these rappers you might as well think a little forward and be
like Cruise the city and a bulletproof Dozer heavy metal
like is No Leaf Clover, you know?
I mean yeah you might as well bedriving in your mind in the fly
car before you even have it. Yeah.
(38:43):
And like, did he? It's about that they were the
shit they're talking about but big and Mason did, he?
They weren't rich and they wroteit.
Wow, they're rich. But a year later and had them
thinks. I mean this is what is Road and
into reality. I've seen I've been in the rap
game so long. I've seen people do this for a
long time. Yes, I mean this is like with
Jim Carrey world. A 10 million dollar check
yourself. What's your favorite store?
(39:04):
The deli, I guess. And what time do you usually go
to bed at night? Geez.
Somewhere between 9:00 and midnight.
Brady, thank you so much for joining us today for being a
guest on leave. Looking up.
You seriously kick ass as a human, as a musician, as an
everything. It's been incredibly, inspiring
(39:26):
speaking to you today and as ourfirst in-person guess 20.
That's that's really special. I mean, you've added a lot of
fuel to this fire. Aw, thank you very much.
Thank you. You can follow Grady and all
social channels at Brady At baseor on his website at
www.breckwell.com or folks that love what they're hearing today
(39:47):
and want to hear and see more. We have the complete uncut and
raw episodes in video form available online on our fan page
via patreon at www.levitt.com, up.com fans there.
You can support, what we're creating here.
Sound bites, that didn't make itto the Final Cut gain wisdom
from our guests score. Merch, be the first to access
(40:09):
our content and more Also, we'd like to take a second to thank
you for joining us today. So, if you haven't already,
please be sure to leave a ratingand review of the podcast in
your app of choice. Leave looking up is hosted by
myself neelu, devic and my co-host, a mere Jun Dolly and
produced by our small. But Mighty team at Moon 31, a
(40:31):
company dedicated to creating platforms for Meaningful
conversation. That tackle, the important
issues of today, this episode was created through the combined
efforts. It's of myself.
As executive producer, our lead producer, Lou Chic low to sleep
with support from Eric Aaron, the moon 31 team also includes
designer andreea, Kang glass, slipper medium and engineer.
(40:52):
Justin jet Carter. Original theme music by Brady W
and background music. Provided from Blue Dot sessions.
It's of myself. As executive producer, our lead
producer, Lou Chic low to sleep with support from Eric Aaron,
the moon 31 team also includes designer andreea, Kang glass,
slipper medium and engineer. Justin jet Carter.
Original theme music by Brady W and background music.
Provided from Blue Dot sessions.
Hey listeners. This is Neil Ludovic and Amir
done, Dolly. Welcome to leave looking at,
where we have uplifting conversations about the state of
the world, with our heroes, withthe intention to demystify
orient and leave you our listeners inspired.
Today, we sit down with Brady, Dw, a critically, acclaimed,
(00:32):
producer multi-instrumentalist bandleader and cancer.
Survivor. He's been on thousands of
recordings has headlined and performed with some of the
biggest artists of nearly. Every genre from hip-hop icon
Talib Kweli and comedian, Dave, Chappelle to rapper Matisyahu,
to members of Rage Against the Machine and electronic artist
(00:53):
Mark rebbe. A you may know Brady from a
series he created called base and bars that features.
Company iconic, musicians and Duets of their most popular
songs Basin bars has garnered, tens of millions of views,
alongside his concerts and performances online.
Culminating in Brady's career quickly, achieving worldwide
(01:13):
recognition before, he's even released a second album and I
first met Brady in New York City.
Back a gin fizz, a local Harlem hangout that hosted a jam
session run by on her son calledThe Shed living and working in
Harlem while running Harlem Arts.
Oil, this was the spot where thebest musicians and artists came
through from multi Grammy Award winners, Robert Glasper and
(01:36):
Bilal to acclaimed harpist. Brandy younger to tap dancer
Michaela Lerman both of us regularly, went there to chill
out after a long day, so it was only a matter of time before we
were introduced to one another. In this episode, we learn about
the Journey of bringing dreams to reality.
Brady talks to us about the power of grit and hard work and
(01:57):
the lesson that no matter what adversity Is standing in your
way, always show the universe that you're worthy.
And so now, without further Ado,let's start this episode, we've
got a pretty special guests, a good friend.
Someone I'm super glad to have on the show.
Brady W, Brady say hello hello, hello for the people that are
(02:18):
listening. I want to give a little bit of
context of who Brady plays with peace.
I'm tell him quality this Brady.What?
This is Basin bars. Let's go.
Hi-yah class material. What we do is not dirty, rice
County to damage. Our Brooklyn.
Peaceful York is in the building.
(02:40):
This is based in bars. My man, bring you out on the
base. Jay with the damaja.
It's on the Box. Hill 3:.
Warren G. And I'm on the go, we can hit
lock with Grady what and it still won't beat you in the
shit. Don't stop.
Aye said one I've seen him too. Tour with and perform with DJ
(03:01):
Premier to live quietly. Mar Crevier the it's a pretty
long list. I was doing Harlem Arts Festival
years ago and he was one of our Headliners there and he's since
just popped off and didn't you just release relatively recently
attract with some of the guys from Metallica, right?
Yeah, we're Robert Trujillo of Metallica.
(03:23):
Yeah, it's nobody home. That's out.
Now, that's me, Robert. And Brad Wilk.
Rage Against the Machine and it's so, you know it's trying to
bring back the the supergroup idea because a lot of my
records, pretty much all of them.
They're all collaborations, you know, even if I'm doing a most
of the stuff, which on this was pretty, even split.
I feel like as a producer I evenif I bring in some drummer
(03:47):
singer or whatever it just makesit into a whole new thing and I
treat all the compositions as Works in progress.
I'll have the original idea together and then I'm like, okay
drums then That takes four months, five months maybe five
days, maybe it. Maybe track is done in one day.
Usually not. But I mean nobody home took a
year and a half at least in the music video and making it all
(04:11):
happens. These songs are really like
babies except this more than nine months.
So you know this is this why we get we get like very attached to
it because you know there's a lot of business steps and things
that have to happen in order forit to get rolled out right?
Which is cool because you don't want to do all that work and
then no. And here's it that's worse.
Had that connection with DJ Premier and to live with because
(04:33):
those I think are the main ones.I mean the Mark.
Mark one is pretty recent but how did those to start while Lee
was Dow Jones. Put me on the gig.
Mmm, I had put him on a gig before that in, you know, that's
kind of how it works. You don't get in no situation
because I just like, hey great, you know, to live needs basis.
(04:55):
Cool. And just kind of threw you in
and he liked you and that was the end of that.
And Then I was just the bass player.
Okay? Yep.
For quality. And that was probably when I was
about 23, the yeah. It's been a while tell, if he's
like, older brother, you know, yeah.
And so been around a lot of greatness in Primo.
(05:16):
He was my favorite producer since I was a kid one of his
interns do, I was a big fan and invited me in one day.
At this point, I already had a reputation.
I was already has probably like,26 27.
If he didn't know about, Anything I had done, but he says
he still remembers seeing me in on the, on the security camera
it with my base and like leatherjacket, and he's like, who's
(05:36):
this motherfucker? Is do look, he looks like a rock
star. He says he's interested, right?
When he saw me on the security if you know, preemies like crazy
about security. So we met and just talked about
base and stuff for like an hour when we talked about music and
Jaco Pastorius James Jameson, all the greats and Jazz.
He knows his shit big time. Even with the players on.
(05:58):
The records because he's a DJ and producer, he loves the liner
notes reading all of them. And he's really knows his Rock
and Roll History too. Much more so than people
understand because he was a rocker and high school.
He was wearing leather jacket and he was on that funk to from
his parents at the. Yeah, he was like a rock and
roll Kid in Houston Texas and welisten to music a lot.
(06:21):
It's always Rock. But yeah, I've been working with
him forever and what happened was he picked me for his band
like it years After our meeting.Oh, that did.
That wasn't like a sequential thing.
That was like, so cool. Thanks for coming.
Bye. See you later.
And then, wow, it was years. I never thought that I would do
anything with him because he does all his beats himself.
He does the base at the keyboardis very particular about it
(06:44):
where I've worked with him and dr.
J and dr. Dre, get a bunch of people in
the studio. He kind of conducts, different
people, a lot of collaboration, Primo, sits in there by himself,
and just doesn't, I'm self. You know, just within the last
few years, She started. Sampling me and Carlos and he
had sampled Adrian Young on thatPrime record, but it took a long
(07:06):
time for me to touch any of my music.
Sam planes. Don't think we're gonna work.
I just thought I'd met a hero ofmine but then he hit me up a few
years later and he got a offer to do a Europe Japanese tour.
Yeah. So he was setting up the band
and they kind of put together with well-known Jazz, dudes, and
they're trying to put a bass player and there and he was
(07:27):
like, oh no, I The bass player. Got the bass player.
Wow. So you always tells a story to
everyone and he had already had me.
He never seen me play but he knew from our conversation that
I was legit and I think he probably looked me up or
whatever. Yeah.
But but yeah, he locked that in for me.
Next thing you know we're in Japan.
Rock and favorite songs is a dream.
(07:48):
Come true. Wow.
And then after that, we rocked all through Europe and I had
released my first solo album as like a producer artist, you
know, featuring a bunch of people Beach.
And quality my album live Tronics.
Yeah. Which people love to this day, I
made that when I was living in an abandoned building on 137.
Yeah I remember you talking about that.
So I was touring in selling thatCD to fans after because I'm a
(08:12):
hustler, I'm getting paid. Yeah and then I'm going out
there selling these for 10 buckseach, they got printed up in the
projects down the street. I picked him up day before we
left, that's great. A fucking Inc with wet smell
like shit. There's the open this bag.
Everyone's making fun of me, dude.
They ain't didn't. I and I went right on the plane
and there was like it was a rotten smell dude - well it's
(08:35):
great traveling around selling them and like this guy's a
hustler Indian was with us on the road.
Yeah, it's his like that's the guy that we should probably
sign, you know, and I started getting some big placements as a
producer. So then Ian started managing me
who's Ian, Schwartzman is the manager of me, primo, and Joe
(08:56):
bought in some others. So that was That but that was
after we known each other for like a year, you've worked with
a lot of people. As we see you've also launched a
whole series called Basin bars, every single one of those has a
video and those videos also popped off on YouTube.
So when we talk about starting at the beginning, talk about how
you got here, working with all these people producing your own
(09:17):
stuff you know you were a basis or producer.
Now you're singing give us a little bit of the origin story
like well I always just tell people.
Everyone has a different phases when they're kids.
They try different. Sports and they start playing
Guitar, they get into rollerblading and I was like
that. I was into breakdancing wrapping
it all this stuff but that's notright.
(09:38):
Not even me rapping but like I liked rap because I didn't
really start writing until way later in life.
But I was a huge just in the culture, all these different
phases. But then when I hit guitar at
age 13, I just never stopped. And I quit everything else and
then one year later, I switch tobody.
(09:58):
Base. Because my punk band needed, a
bass player was the name of yourpunk band.
We had several names but the main name we landed on smashed
City. Okay.
And in my city my trumpet playerclimbed out over you know like
underneath a bridge how there's like a little bit of space.
Yeah, he climbed out underneath and it's like at least a 50 70
(10:20):
foot drop. He's climbed out underneath the
bridge and spray paint is smashed City with two stars on
it and this is when we were 14 years old 59, And what city is
it look for still? No way.
Yeah, because no one else would go up there and then when are
they gonna bring a fire engine to come?
Take it down. It's still there in his all
these other graffiti but no one dared.
Do that says, still up there. Smash city.
(10:42):
Where welcome to city with the city?
Where the city I was in was Nashua, New Hampshire, actual?
Okay. Yeah.
And what was your band members names?
We thank you. In case the police go after you
for for graffitiing that area. But fucking well done.
(11:05):
That's it. I mean we're talking about it
now so yeah. Oh, that's a good job.
Statute of limitations. No, I checked it recently.
I was like still there. So then Callie I love that.
Okay. That was my band and then I just
I kept going from there when I started playing bass I really
locked in on that and practiced every day.
(11:25):
Got a teacher like really, really went in and right.
I started playing bass. I realized it was all these
different techniques, so it's very interesting and everyone
was kind of playing guitar. And I'm like, if I go in on this
it was very obvious that that was my instrument base right?
When I started playing. Okay.
And I'm naturally very dexterous.
My hands moved, my fingers and stuff, but my ear took forever
(11:49):
to work on. I'm not a natural musician by
any means, so that's another whole thing.
Wow, that took just tons of work.
What kind of work we Talking about when you say tons of ear
training and learning so many songs.
And I remember I used to be really nervous about jamming
with people because I couldn't figure out what quiche it was in
for a while even tuning. I just didn't have the ear.
(12:13):
Yeah. It was a concerted effort.
No, I've seen it but I think that's amazing because a lot of
people think if I don't have theear, I just can't do it.
Not some people are just naturally gifted but I think
that's it's a total myth. So, 14, Smash City years of
training And working on your Technique, listening going to
some Jam sessions and you got toBerkeley.
(12:34):
This is Berkeley Boston. Not California.
Walk us through from there to plant a church Berkeley.
I only applied there. That's all I wanted to do once I
realized it was possible to become a professional musician.
So up until this point pursuing music, as a career didn't seem
like a reality for Brady. He didn't know anyone from New
(12:57):
Hampshire that had become A professional musician.
So he spent his time earning money landscaping and doing
masonry work. He figured The Next Step would
be going to a college, like UMass, Amherst.
I'm getting a business degree because that's what people
around him were doing, so that'sall he could imagine for
himself, it wasn't until he attended a music summer camp, at
(13:18):
Berklee College of Music for theweekend that his imagination.
Got to push it needed to consider a new possibility that
music can be a real path and a Real career.
Once I found that out, I apply to Berkeley got in went there
and realize that everyone was way better than me, way better
than me. Like, I was cool but who like,
(13:40):
you know, these kids all went toPerformance high schools or
their relatives were famous musicians.
They had ends, they had been going to Berkeley for years
leading up to this. Yeah, you know.
So that was my competition. Like the Louis caddos of the
world? Yeah, whoo.
Yeah. Abel is there since I was like,
(14:00):
holy shit. I mean the first couple weeks.
I was like, yeah, this might notwork.
You might lose this battle and you know there was sleepless
nights and I remember nights just just sitting there like I'm
not gonna be able to do but thenthen one one night I remember I
pulled an all-nighter and just had some talks with God.
Like it was you know doing it ornot and I was like I'm just
(14:22):
gonna do it. I'm gonna I'm gonna fucking do
it, you know, work really hard. There's the practice rooms right
there. I got the stuff I need, let's
just buckle down and get it cracking.
And I decided then and people asked me if I ever thought I was
going to quit and things got harder in my 20s.
I mean, picture, all that stuff,I had to do now, nope, there's
(14:45):
never been that. There's never been, I might have
to give this up for a job. I've never worked a job what and
I knocking that. But, but nah nah, because the
second I did that is the second I show the Verse that I'm not
worthy of this shit because it don't be Givin it to everyone,
man. It ain't supposed to be easy and
I would feel really bad if I, ifI ditched it.
(15:08):
Yeah, it once again, not and notknocking anyone.
That's done it. I just would never be able to
come to terms with that, right? No.
Almost like a fun time since that night, I've never had a
doubt. Like disrespecting the door that
was open for you. Yeah but if we're actually
diving back into the history a little bit you know something
that we often ask our guests is,is there a first heartbreak
(15:32):
anything that really informed your identity or some of the
music that you're writing or your mindsets?
There's a lot of different kindsof barriers meant to one's
physical ones and some curious if there's something in your
mind that really provided a definition for you, I guess 11
turning point was when I was first moved to New York, I
audition for Lady Gaga like whenshe was really big like at the
(15:55):
at the peak in like everyone in the world audition for it like
flew in and there was this wholething and you'd go up and play
solo, which is weird. And I was like, 22, 23.
I remember even like my mom, letme use your credit card to like
buy a fly outfit for it was a big deal like grandfather's
rooting for me. I kept on getting it.
(16:17):
I kept on moving on and I'm like, oh shit.
Yeah, I made it again. It was like, weed, and down, and
down, less, and less. People showing up to this
audition. I made it all the way to the
end. It was really between like me
and Kern Brantley at the end of it and he was 46 and I was 23
and he ended up getting the gig in and they toured forever, you
(16:39):
know, my God. But through that, I gained a lot
of confidence in the fact that Imade it past all these other
folks, And I just moved to New York and I was like, maybe this
will work out because they thinkI'm dope.
So one door closes. Another opens.
Always you always going to live Brady?
That's beautiful. Did you feel that way?
(16:59):
When that door closed, or did ittake you a while to kind of be
like Oh wait. This is just a redirection.
Yeah well the the dude I was up against was so good it was just
like you know damn okay yeah he's got the gig.
They all they're all friends. The whole band he probably had
(17:22):
it. Yeah.
Before. So no I was fine.
I don't really be taking shit topersonal man.
Hmm. And there's someone really
disrespects me. Yeah, that's big man.
Don't take it personal in the music business.
I have to do it at all time. People ghost Basin bars shoes
where I paid for the whole film crew happens all the time, dude,
(17:43):
Jack Harlow. Who during Basin bars season
early on, before Jack Harlow wasfamous.
We've agreed to do a basin bars day of.
He, he canceled. And I had already had my film
crew set up location all this, he canceled, but he called me.
(18:04):
In was very apologetic and you know, I would never do this.
But I got this video shoot with Cole Bennett and I'm like, oh,
that's gonna any artist, that does a cold Bennett video blows
up. You should probably do that.
No problem. I don't like your pending
Bobcats, was the biggest song that year, maybe the joint got
like, you know, that's that's a huge round, dad.
(18:26):
Blew him up. That was double booked with
Basin bar. No, that was my biggest song of
that. Yeah it's so good and then he
went on. Yeah.
You know and we were going to dothat record to.
I have like a whole base likely I was like now go ahead and do
that and like I said he was apologetic.
I'm interested. Right in like, how did that?
(18:49):
I guess. Thousands of there was a first,
right? And the second and a third,
where was that first introduction?
What was the first rap record? And how was that experience?
Was that how was that experience?
Where you just? Oh cool.
Here's our bases. He's from New Hampshire.
He's pretty. Adobo is always an original
music guy, start and bands and working with this artist and
(19:09):
then going to New York to recordwith different.
Producers far as the size and upgoes, you have really proved
your worth if you play real goodthough, you know, let you in the
door you know? Yeah I am appreciating all the
the humanizing moments that werehearing.
It sounds like you were kind of putting out a sound you were
really validated by that by people be like yo come hop on
(19:30):
this or come help us with that and you're just like okay cool
there's something here. Mmm, right.
And then eventually your thing just starts to expand and then
people look to you. What comes out for you, as I say
that, yeah, bills over time the confidence thing, people look at
me and they see someone really combine the way I am on stage
and just the whole thing in, it takes a long time.
(19:52):
It wasn't just like that. That's why I always bring that
up, even with the ear. Think I'm not, I'm not just some
freak who, yeah, can go up and not give two shits.
What anyone thinks? You know, I mean because we're
in these extremely judgmental situations.
When you get on stage it took a while to get there.
I'm still getting better at it, you know?
Yeah, the confidence builds overa really long period of time.
(20:16):
What are some of the greatest insecurities you have around
being on stage and presenting performing?
Anything lingering? I mean I just try to prepare a
ton now, you know, and now that what I do now is wait, Way more
difficult than what I used to do.
I did my first, my vocal debut was witmark rebbe.
(20:39):
A, I sang a little bit there butfucking around, but like my
vocal debut with my full set wasin fall in the fall open and for
Mark in LA in front of 3,000 people.
I had never even sang in front of a coffee house, dude.
So everything I do now is already in front of you.
Yeah. Oh my God.
(21:00):
Yeah, so everything. You know, there's only that
built-in pressure yo Get to thatmoment.
What's it like? What's that, like step onto the
stage, you see how those people what's that?
What's good prepared? Like crazy.
Like the last couple years, I'vehad a vocal trainer who's
actually Carlos, homes, wife, Jamie homes, the stage thing.
Luckily I have Carlos with me everyday to and he's signed to
(21:21):
the label. He's fucking musical genius.
I keep him around because he's better at me, the music so
there's all these people around me that are like really good at
shit. Yeah.
You guys off, you know? Yeah, my managers like, Like a,
like a with you with business. He's a maniac.
That's why it's dope. Now I'm kind of like that
because I'm with them every day.Yeah, I'm with DJ Premier every
(21:42):
day and I mean texture what thatdoes to your production when I'm
making beats next to that dude every day so everything I do is
get to be fire. Like I'm not making any weak
shit in that room. Dude, may happen every day is
like that so eventually now withthe Beats I can always make dope
beats. It's just it's just automatic,
(22:02):
it's not mine. To be inspired today.
It's like throw the shit on. Yeah, I know how to do this.
It's a process. I've made thousands of them.
We're all trying to elevate and this way you're talking about
rubbing off, I got to be around the best of the best of the best
in anything. That's not that you know and
this is the irony of that, right?
You want to be around people that are better than you but
(22:24):
just better enough that they'll still tolerate right, right?
Because otherwise if you're thatperson, like not like, thanks.
But that's, that's the beauty oflearning and whether it's sports
or music. Isaac, this is The Mastermind
Alliance that we've spoken aboutin the past that Napoleon Hill
and Think and Grow. Rich talks a lot about where he
says, The Mastermind Alliance, is a group of people that are
better than you that make up foryour gaps, but your
(22:47):
responsibility to those people that have these abilities is to
give them more than they give you so that you will always have
a purpose in that group. Having been on thousands of
recordings, collaborated with countless major artists as a
bassist and producer and solidified.
Professional representation, Brady's career seemed to be on
(23:07):
fire and only growing bigger when things suddenly took a
serious turn. In late 2021.
Brady was diagnosed with testicular cancer.
He didn't want to shift the focus away from his music but he
decided to announce his diagnosis on social media
through it all he kept his fans updated.
Letting them know about his surgery, months of chemotherapy
(23:28):
documenting, his hair loss and everything.
It took to fight his cancer. Fortunately, his doctors caught
it early enough and he was able to recover and is now in
remission. But what I found most impressive
was that he continued to releasehis own music and promote new
releases from his fellow musicians throughout treatment.
(23:49):
I want to bring it into present-day a little bit.
You've been pretty vocal just even in the past six months
about your day, has changed pretty significantly.
Since you had a diagnosis of cancer and I think, you know,
it's another hat that you're wearing and so as someone that
knows you, I want to know how has it changed your mindset.
I talked to me about that experience because there's a lot
(24:10):
there I guess, man. Same values though.
I mean still like I remember when I was on chemo I kept on
being like man, I can't wait. After to just be chilling, my
family drinking beers on the beach smoking weed.
You know? Because I couldn't do none of
that. While I was like 'hey, why they
wouldn't let me even smoke wheatbecause of the certain cancer.
(24:31):
I have the THC messes with the test the ASO and I'm not even
like a pothead but, you know, I just like smoking.
Yeah. Just like I was like, Ah, that's
gonna be nice when I can do everything normal again.
Yeah, I looked forward a lot to family and just continue in the
path. I was on on which I kind of just
(24:51):
did and there's also a, really Peak position when it struck me.
Like I was in really good physical shape and then the
career was really good and it hit a time where I was up and I
was like shit, man. I get remember how you feel
right now because you're gonna have to get right back here to
keep going and I had already done the work so it was like
this. Pause a little breadcrumb.
(25:12):
Yeah. It was like, don't forget you
know what you're doing and it iseasy to forget because when
you're on that shit, you don't really?
I want to write you don't reallywant to write you want to like
get through the day in like eat enough food in the I yest enough
to get back in there. Ya go get filled with fucking
toxic shit. Again you know, you got to just
(25:34):
get in there to do it. So now I'm just getting back to
where I was and luckily I got a whole team of people that I'm
here. I get the support system, the
family's super tight, but then my business colleagues and my,
you know, I got Iain kives prememy lawyer.
Several videographers I work with the creative director.
(25:56):
Like I wasn't going to fall because these people are fully
invested in me. Yeah, she kept moving.
I had enough money coming in there.
Wasn't there wasn't no fundraiser.
There was no Brady W fundraiser for chemo.
You know, not knocking it but that didn't happen.
Yeah, I'm going took five monthsoff as a musician, you know, so
(26:17):
I'm shit. I'm proud of that.
Yeah. Can bills or pay.
I mean, if that did hit me a fewyears ago, wouldn't be cool.
Yeah, you know, so I'm blessed that we may do that and the
things one thing I would say is,I know, with my vocals and all
my creative decisions, I'm standing by him, like a hundred
(26:39):
percent because I had, you know,my, my hands are mad swollen and
they still hurt, you know, it hurts when I play, I'm still
doing it. And so that shows from the
chemo. Yeah.
Yeah. What what?
Like, they're like swollen. They've gone down considerably
but but like this would only go to like here in and my voice was
(27:03):
really messed up during all that.
So I lost like a noise into the video to see that, right?
Yeah. That's where the video only
subscribers right there. The pretty good now is still it
still hurts though little sore. So I know what it feels like to
have my voice. Taken away and my hands.
I'm pretty much both of my in Endeavors were taken.
(27:24):
Yeah. And it was possible that she
would be gone forever. Those part of the, the chemo of
his on, it could have severely damaged.
My lung capacity, rendering me, not able to sing and do the
whole thing that I do. You know, I mean, and with the
hands and neuropathy was possibility, so my whole
(27:45):
everything could have got taken away.
So I have just mad conviction but I had That before but now
it's like really solidified, fuck it.
Dude, it was just like a nasty time period man, like glad to be
Beyond it. Like just pretty gross dude, you
know saying yeah, you're here glad glad that it's gone.
Just push through it showed up and did what I had to do.
(28:08):
How I do anything. You know, just showing up.
Yeah. Knowing you look great by the
way, yeah, yeah, thanks. Absolutely for real.
Yeah, here's just now coming. And I was saying, like not a lot
of People can pull off the, the bald look and I think you're,
you're making, you're making it look good for any man that's
losing their hair. That's weird.
Yeah, one day I'll probably haveto do it again, you know, right.
(28:31):
You're inspiring me. I got a Syrian bald spot kind of
form informant in the back. I'm very, very Arab.
Okay, you know, and I see my future self at some point.
Like, I think, I think when I gain maybe like 15 20 more
pounds, and I mean with, like, Burly chest and that whole bit,
and I'm going to shave my head. Yeah, the shaved head listen.
There was no shortage of Age of messages from women with the
(28:52):
with the shaved head really chicks.
Dig it. I've been there, you know I'm
saying? Like confirm like for real.
Yeah it's all good like to anyone losing their hair out
there and let it rip. And yeah, they got like the
Horseshoe thing. Just yo just shave it off of
this. Is this is your this is your
order right now, alright? It's gonna be alright.
(29:13):
You're gonna look flyer confirmed.
I think we got the biggest Insight of the episode.
Yeah, I've been down, right. All right, Brady's Journey To
Success was filled with countless twists and turns from
auditioning, for Lady Gaga, to being diagnosed with cancer or
singing. For the first time in front of
(29:33):
thousands of fans. Every moment presented a new
opportunity, and a new challengefor Brady to face.
It also gave his imagination at push, just like when he attended
the Berklee College of Music summer camp, all those years
ago, every time he reached a goal of His his imagination
continue to stretch to fit the next goal.
(29:54):
So what'd your past self one foryou.
Now it changes, it changes oftenlike my main goal, when I
started playing bass was to playat the Middle East downstairs,
the venue in Cambridge. And that was like, if I could do
that, yo, that was it. I love it.
I love it. Yeah, then I would just be the
man and yeah you just hang it up.
(30:15):
So sick. Yeah, and then you do that so
many times. And then then you just like
doing tour dates, you remember, where the hell you are the
goalposts constantly changes. But I would say in a nutshell it
was always to be like a like legendary bass player that was
that was the overarching thing. Yeah.
Which then I became a producer at some point during that which
(30:38):
kind of mixed into it. We often like to have a part of
the episode of thing. Take a beat and think like who
haven't you given? Thanks to that, you might want
to give thanks to now, hmm and why?
Well since the timing is exactlyexactly right.
Got to thank Megan. Stabile.
Yeah for introducing Neil and I it at Jam sesh lausanne 1/25.
(31:03):
What was that club? That was a fly Club.
Gin fizz gin fizz? Yeah, yeah, so she introduced us
in introduced me to like mad people man.
I mean you know got me my first premiere at okay player when I
dropped First record and has lots of stuff like that, you
know? And it's not just me it's like
(31:24):
everyone she United tons of people just these little intro
like texting show change your life.
Yeah. It was like, yeah.
She been doing that for all of us for a long time.
I've noticed since I was 18 36. So yeah, half my life.
Got a shout-out, Megan stabile on my behalf and everyone met
(31:46):
everyone. You know, I knew her very
Clothes and rest and power. Man, this is a hard one.
So Megan stabile was an iconic, music, producer and the founder
of Revive music. But more importantly she was a
close friend of mine for many years.
(32:07):
She was a huge inspiration to myself and many musicians like
Brady trying to make it in the world of Music.
She's shocked, the musical worldwhen she sadly passed away at
age 39 by Taking her own life inJune of 2000, 22.
After a lifelong battle with depression and addiction She
came up in our conversation withBrady because the news of her
(32:29):
passing had just come out the news, really rippled through the
community, she was a hero to so many of us.
And if she was here today, she would be on the show.
She, that's the woman with the vision and she did a lot for a
lot of people. No words describe the impact
(32:50):
that that Megan had changed my life and perspective in that
position. Is that I could say that
position doesn't get a lot of upfront.
Thanks, it's the dudes. It's on stage and in blowing up
and they they get there the recognition and unfortunately
that character the connector doesn't always get the
recognition and yeah nor does they get payment like a lot of
(33:14):
having been in that position? It is one of the most difficult
places. Has to be.
And I mean, I would even say more so like those are some of
the more upfront challenges but as a woman in the industry, and
especially if you're not coming from a super privileged
backgrounds and with everything else, it's something to be
recognized and she brought people together made some
incredible things that were all fortunate, better off that she
(33:37):
was here. Yeah, absolutely, yep.
I guess very apropos to the nameof the podcast.
Is what have you learned recently?
That's left you looking up. I'd say, I've been trying to be
really present in all my momentsand kind of take my time.
(34:00):
I'm really efficient but I kind of like to take my in between
time and slang throughout the day and not rush into things and
I was just like eating a sandwich on like lean against my
car on Steinway yesterday, but in a way it was like it's not
going to get much better than this.
I mean this is it. Yeah, nice out.
(34:23):
Keep it simple fucking chillin just don't work out.
Feel good. Hmm.
This is it man. You know in China China feel
that a lot. Really, just contentment and
wherever we are so easy to jump forward.
Excellent word. Yeah.
Yeah. That's my favorite acronym that
I was taught by a social studiesteacher.
Shout out to mr. Pathak kiss, keep it simple
(34:45):
stupid, you know, nice and easy.And I think on that van were
talking, I like was leaving. You looking up is thinking about
our listeners and what would youwant them to do?
What the first thing to do afterthey listen to this podcast?
Well, all the bass players go practice the heck.
(35:07):
Yeah. I said yeah, all the musicians.
Go practice. Nice.
Yeah. What about is that?
You? Can you access more but you
better go practice. I'm gonna go screen.
Write a film that's been poppingoff in my head for a long time
and feel very motivated. Very motivated.
It's impossible to not leave motivated after talking to
(35:27):
Brady, though. Your will is contagious, right?
Yeah, I don't know if that's natural or what.
I don't know. I'm pretty give yourself some
credit, man. Optimistic, I'm an optimistic
guy is Well, be, you know you might as well.
Yeah. It's the same amount of effort
to be negative so you might as well be positive.
Just don't do nothing to be - manage.
It doesn't lead anywhere else not good.
(35:48):
Even if the shit's gonna hit thefan is going to do it and then
you're gonna keep going. Truth couldn't have said it
better myself you. All right.
So I think this is we're about to switch to one of our favorite
Parts, the rapid fire round. Hmm, rapid.
And we're going to switch off back and forth.
I'm going to ask the question. He's going to ask the question.
You got three to five seconds. We're not going to time you.
(36:09):
That's gonna be like a little trust in contrast things.
Just just give it first thing that pops off in your brain,
whatever you think. Think of, that's, that's what
you should say. So I'm going to start off.
Brady. Favorite food, Italian.
Name a four-letter word, that starts with the letter, B Band
(36:32):
Thousand Miles. So yeah, name an onomatopoeia
boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. What is your favorite type of
music? Hmm.
So the listener like rock and roll.
I like epic rock and roll. Have you ever written a song for
someone? Oh yeah.
(36:52):
So many last one. You wrote for someone?
Whoo. Working on one right now is
called she's fun, but she's not the one.
Oh, that Reza get to know who it's for.
We're gonna have to find out later.
It's actually about, it's a lot of my songs.
I'll start right at about someone and then it will become
(37:13):
about a lot of different people that I go.
Yeah, yeah. Sometimes it's about one person
and then sometimes it takes a life of him who I remember her
and then her and yeah, you got to be careful too.
Because with the, with the song,Works in Primo talks about this
all the time they'd be coming true and you know, this is
coming from someone who is with big and POC and, you know, yeah,
(37:37):
Guru seen a lot of people get killed in the rap game.
And you know, the thing about the lyrics manifested in real
life and nobody home my single. Yeah, the lyric is, I've been
fighting with the devil inside of me.
Every time I check upstairs is nobody home and I wrote that a
year and a half ago. And then I got cancer.
(37:59):
I cannot even write it about that but that's what manifested.
I'd written. It originally about kind of
something else actually just like fit and I was like, think
about the duality of mind, but then, it actually manifested as
an actual fucking getting cancer.
Yeah, well I'm Year and that, you know, the timing it just get
has right after. Wow, crazy!
(38:22):
I didn't know that none of this was gonna happen.
That's just an example man. It comes true which is why with
these rappers you might as well think a little forward and be
like Cruise the city and a bulletproof Dozer heavy metal
like is No Leaf Clover, you know?
I mean yeah you might as well bedriving in your mind in the fly
car before you even have it. Yeah.
(38:43):
And like, did he? It's about that they were the
shit they're talking about but big and Mason did, he?
They weren't rich and they wroteit.
Wow, they're rich. But a year later and had them
thinks. I mean this is what is Road and
into reality. I've seen I've been in the rap
game so long. I've seen people do this for a
long time. Yes, I mean this is like with
Jim Carrey world. A 10 million dollar check
yourself. What's your favorite store?
(39:04):
The deli, I guess. And what time do you usually go
to bed at night? Geez.
Somewhere between 9:00 and midnight.
Brady, thank you so much for joining us today for being a
guest on leave. Looking up.
You seriously kick ass as a human, as a musician, as an
everything. It's been incredibly, inspiring
(39:26):
speaking to you today and as ourfirst in-person guess 20.
That's that's really special. I mean, you've added a lot of
fuel to this fire. Aw, thank you very much.
Thank you. You can follow Grady and all
social channels at Brady At baseor on his website at
www.breckwell.com or folks that love what they're hearing today
(39:47):
and want to hear and see more. We have the complete uncut and
raw episodes in video form available online on our fan page
via patreon at www.levitt.com, up.com fans there.
You can support, what we're creating here.
Sound bites, that didn't make itto the Final Cut gain wisdom
from our guests score. Merch, be the first to access
(40:09):
our content and more Also, we'd like to take a second to thank
you for joining us today. So, if you haven't already,
please be sure to leave a ratingand review of the podcast in
your app of choice. Leave looking up is hosted by
myself neelu, devic and my co-host, a mere Jun Dolly and
produced by our small. But Mighty team at Moon 31, a
(40:31):
company dedicated to creating platforms for Meaningful
conversation. That tackle, the important
issues of today, this episode was created through the combined
efforts. It's of myself.
As executive producer, our lead producer, Lou Chic low to sleep
with support from Eric Aaron, the moon 31 team also includes
designer andreea, Kang glass, slipper medium and engineer.
(40:52):
Justin jet Carter. Original theme music by Brady W
and background music. Provided from Blue Dot sessions.
It's of myself. As executive producer, our lead
producer, Lou Chic low to sleep with support from Eric Aaron,
the moon 31 team also includes designer andreea, Kang glass,
slipper medium and engineer. Justin jet Carter.
Original theme music by Brady W and background music.
Provided from Blue Dot sessions.
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