Catching Up with Brantley Gore: Unveiling 'At the Ready' and Reflecting on California Dreams

[00:00:00] .

[00:00:10] Bradley, thank you for joining me today on Pop Culture Unplugged.

[00:00:13] Yeah, glad to be here. Thanks for having me, man.

[00:00:15] Excited times with our friend, new album at the ready.

[00:00:19] Congratulations by the way.

[00:00:21] I'm on the release of the record.

[00:00:24] Yeah.

[00:00:24] Yeah. Thank you, man.

[00:00:26] It was a long time coming out with this one.

[00:00:28] So thank you. I appreciate that.

[00:00:30] What was the inspiration behind this project?

[00:00:32] And what can the listeners expect from the from this track?

[00:00:35] From the side?

[00:00:36] I think, I think generally, you know, I've kind of been sharing about it in the same way.

[00:00:42] You know, this these songs were all done over the course of a long period of time

[00:00:48] in LA and New York.

[00:00:50] And all these songs were co-written.

[00:00:53] So they were all done at a pretty high level with some pretty

[00:00:59] supreme musicians in high and studios.

[00:01:04] And they just kind of sat there.

[00:01:06] I think they were like four or five different studios that this record was done

[00:01:11] in in LA and New York.

[00:01:13] And finally, after a long-labor time sitting on my hard drive at home,

[00:01:21] I was like, I'm just going to put this record out as it is.

[00:01:24] So I combined the four or five different sessions that all are co-written.

[00:01:33] They were done with master musicians and it just sounded like it was a good release.

[00:01:40] So I know there's a long explanation for a short question.

[00:01:43] But I don't worry.

[00:01:45] How is this?

[00:01:46] How is that like after ready different from like your previous work that you've released,

[00:01:50] both musically and thematically?

[00:01:53] I think, you know, I kind of bounced around genres like a lot of people

[00:01:58] in our demographic.

[00:02:00] You know what I mean?

[00:02:00] You know, I'm not all stones.

[00:02:03] I'm not all Beatles and I'm not R&B and I'm not hip hop and I'm not, you know,

[00:02:08] but I'm all of those things, you know?

[00:02:11] And I think this record was pretty right up the middle.

[00:02:17] It was really done, you know, and they were all co-rides for one

[00:02:23] which I've never released a co-written record.

[00:02:26] Everything that I've done has pretty much been on my own.

[00:02:29] It would all just solo songwriting.

[00:02:32] And these were all done with a pretty, pretty supreme, amazing,

[00:02:38] co-riders, songwriters as well.

[00:02:41] So I think it's a pop rock record is what I think it is.

[00:02:46] You know, it's basically, you know, it doesn't fall that far

[00:02:51] from the California Dreams fan base, you know what I mean?

[00:02:55] What was like the biggest challenge trying to do this album?

[00:03:03] There's a lot of red tape that goes into releasing

[00:03:08] a record like this and a lot of that has to do with finances.

[00:03:12] Basically, what happened is is that I got deals, record deals,

[00:03:17] and we would do like four songs here and four songs there and five songs there

[00:03:22] and three songs there.

[00:03:23] And all of those record deals, you know, weren't they were,

[00:03:31] they were the finances were given to me.

[00:03:35] Basically, you know, fronted to me.

[00:03:38] If those turned into a major record deal label,

[00:03:42] then they would be reimbursed and some of that happened

[00:03:45] and some of it didn't.

[00:03:46] So really just sort of getting the blessing of the patrons

[00:03:51] and the people that supported and believed in me all these years

[00:03:56] was the best part, you know, in the most difficult part.

[00:04:00] You know, I got blessings from everyone, so it was good to go.

[00:04:04] At the ready, the title, how did you cope with that title?

[00:04:06] What's the meeting behind that?

[00:04:10] You know, I labored over that.

[00:04:15] Ready enough for anything.

[00:04:16] We're in a crazy time.

[00:04:18] You know, the music business is pretty,

[00:04:23] it feels slightly obsolete, you know, the music business in general.

[00:04:28] It's not like I'm going for a major record deal label where, you know,

[00:04:32] they front me 100 grand or, and then give me money to go on the road.

[00:04:37] I mean, even that is just kind of ridiculous.

[00:04:41] So at the ready was just like, I'm up for letting this go,

[00:04:46] getting this out there, letting people that want to hear it, enjoy it,

[00:04:50] letting people that don't not shove it down their throats.

[00:04:54] If people want to come and they are there into it, I'm all about it.

[00:04:58] And if they're not, I'm not about trying to like four-speed people.

[00:05:02] People don't, we don't want that.

[00:05:03] Right.

[00:05:04] Right.

[00:05:06] Your past albums too, you worked with the late producer, Don Smith.

[00:05:10] How did you like now without him in your life?

[00:05:13] Like how did you like start like this album?

[00:05:16] Yeah, like how did you get through this album?

[00:05:19] Well, Don Smith.

[00:05:22] So Don Smith produced Keith, you know, Keith Richards is right.

[00:05:26] Yeah, of course.

[00:05:27] Don Smith recorded Keith Richards' solo records.

[00:05:32] He recorded the traveling wolveries, Tom Petty and Bob Dylan, all those guys.

[00:05:38] He recorded, I mean, massive, amazing people.

[00:05:44] He asked me to, he wanted to produce some tracks on me.

[00:05:49] So he wasn't the one, he, my first record was called Up Until Now.

[00:05:55] And it was every song I'd done in a major studio at that time.

[00:06:00] Some of these tracks were done before that record that I had done with Don Smith.

[00:06:07] And then some of those tracks were done after.

[00:06:12] But these producers and people that I met are basically people that I knew from

[00:06:18] musicians, for example, I did the Paul McCartney.

[00:06:25] It's called Ram, Ram On, which was his first solo record after the Beatles

[00:06:30] and they asked different musicians to sing different songs.

[00:06:34] And I did backseat in my car with the original drummer who was Paul McCartney's first

[00:06:40] drummer after Ringo.

[00:06:43] And he asked, he's the one that introduced me to Don Smith.

[00:06:48] So you know, they're like, hey, you got to meet this guy.

[00:06:52] You know, he was doing TV, but he's a full on musician.

[00:06:56] And you know, I think you should work with him and sure enough, I played him some

[00:07:00] songs they listen and you know, that's kind of how all of the stuff happens is by word of

[00:07:08] mouth and by people hearing what I've done for demos and things like that.

[00:07:13] And it just kind of words spread that way.

[00:07:16] And that's how I got these amazing opportunities.

[00:07:19] I mean, we remember you from the 90s also like I mean, we met you in California,

[00:07:22] dreams and everything.

[00:07:23] How much has the music industry changed from the 90s that you know, you and I heard

[00:07:27] by it our 20s back then to now?

[00:07:31] How much is the music business changed?

[00:07:33] Yeah.

[00:07:34] In the industry.

[00:07:34] Yeah.

[00:07:36] Well, internet changed everything.

[00:07:41] Television, film and music.

[00:07:44] So for things like this, it's great.

[00:07:48] You know, we're people that want to see our shows and see what it's all about.

[00:07:54] We can present that without having to have a million bucks to do that in an

[00:07:58] on a proper studio.

[00:07:59] It's the same thing with music.

[00:08:02] When the internet happened, you know, musicians made money first and foremost

[00:08:08] selling records and T-shirts and touring.

[00:08:11] The touring is the only thing that really happened.

[00:08:14] Now people just pay for our streaming services, Spotify, Tunes, etc., etc.

[00:08:21] And the musicians get, I mean, we just, the musicians just get cut off, you know.

[00:08:27] So the only way we're making money is by whatever we're doing, selling T-shirts,

[00:08:35] playing shows, things like that.

[00:08:37] That used to, that business model was a lot different back in the 90s.

[00:08:44] Until, you know, until it became what it is now,

[00:08:48] it kind of just dwindled down as far as paying the musicians, you know,

[00:08:54] because everyone in a computer with a computer can make music.

[00:08:58] So it just flooded the market like movies and Netflix.

[00:09:03] You know, it's like everything's just flooded, content, content, content.

[00:09:06] Everyone can be have their own show.

[00:09:09] So business wise, you know, you don't need to buy a CD even or an album.

[00:09:15] You don't have to do that to listen to music.

[00:09:19] It's kind of funny to guys.

[00:09:20] I was just talking to one of my buddies and I said to him like,

[00:09:22] remember the days where you had to wait like every Tuesday or Thursday for a release

[00:09:25] of a CD or a movie at your at circuit city or best buy whatever just to get your hands

[00:09:30] on it.

[00:09:30] Yeah.

[00:09:32] It's like, it's crazy now.

[00:09:33] But like do you feel like now though, like because of all this technology and streaming

[00:09:37] services, you have more exposure though?

[00:09:41] Quicker exposure.

[00:09:43] You do.

[00:09:44] I mean, it's way more exposure.

[00:09:46] The issue in the dilemma is that you're not,

[00:09:50] it's not one entity.

[00:09:52] It's everyone with a laptop and an internet can reach out to the find their

[00:09:57] audience.

[00:09:58] So in some ways, that's amazing because you year,

[00:10:01] you're quick to reach your audience.

[00:10:04] But in other ways, you know, financially it's not as good because

[00:10:09] you don't, you're, how do I get paid?

[00:10:13] How do we get paid?

[00:10:15] So most people and arts, you know,

[00:10:19] and entertainment business have to get paid other ways.

[00:10:23] You have to find other ways.

[00:10:25] You need to be selling something, providing things.

[00:10:28] It's like everything's Amazon.

[00:10:30] You know, you got, you need a product attached to your music.

[00:10:35] Right.

[00:10:35] Basically.

[00:10:37] And so yeah, it's changed.

[00:10:40] And you know, for me, I had to come to terms with the fact that

[00:10:47] am I going to do it regardless of whether I'm going to make any financial

[00:10:51] gain from it or not?

[00:10:54] And yeah, I am because it's just part of who I am.

[00:10:57] I'm going to do it anyway.

[00:10:58] Do I need to let people hear it?

[00:11:00] No, it could sit on my hard drive.

[00:11:02] But that's what this record was.

[00:11:04] It's that of my hard drive for years.

[00:11:06] And I was like, why is it just sitting there?

[00:11:08] Just let people that want to hear it hear it.

[00:11:11] So it could change.

[00:11:14] I think people are finding different ways to do that.

[00:11:18] You know, that's a whole podcast in and of itself.

[00:11:20] There's a ton of content that explains, you know, if you get a million streams,

[00:11:26] you know, I know people that wrote songs and got a million streams and they got

[00:11:30] 700 bucks.

[00:11:33] It's like 100 bucks.

[00:11:35] You know, like you can't live on that.

[00:11:37] You can.

[00:11:39] You know, I let it not.

[00:11:40] Not well.

[00:11:41] You know, so in a million streams.

[00:11:43] I don't have a million streams.

[00:11:44] I am California dreams isn't even on streaming service.

[00:11:48] So even that show in the 90s doesn't have a million streams.

[00:11:52] But you know,

[00:11:55] we just have to find different ways to satisfy, you know, a lifestyle.

[00:12:02] I believe someday though, California,

[00:12:03] you'll be streaming.

[00:12:05] I think the fans wanted they've asked for it.

[00:12:07] Yeah.

[00:12:08] Yeah, definitely.

[00:12:08] I mean, we have some hardcore fans and, um, you know, I was fortunate.

[00:12:13] I'm just kind of like the last of the Moheekens and not with that Hollywood thing

[00:12:18] because, you know, when the internet came along,

[00:12:23] the change everything and we were right before the internet busted out.

[00:12:27] Yeah.

[00:12:28] You know, and streaming wise there again, it's the music.

[00:12:34] So it costs a lot of money.

[00:12:37] And you can say, I don't think I've ever said this in an interview,

[00:12:40] but it costs a lot of money to stream California dreams because of the music.

[00:12:46] Uh, so it's not saved by the bell or it's not, you know,

[00:12:52] uh, you know, those, that's a whole different thing.

[00:12:56] So, but they'll work it out.

[00:12:58] They will.

[00:12:59] I agree with you.

[00:13:00] People want it and if there's a demand, well, you know, it's applying demands, you

[00:13:04] know, that's right.

[00:13:05] That's right.

[00:13:06] People will want it and they'll figure it out.

[00:13:08] And I'm sure it will happen.

[00:13:10] So we're all for it.

[00:13:12] Are you now?

[00:13:12] Are you planning any tours for your album?

[00:13:14] You know, that's how.

[00:13:15] Yeah.

[00:13:16] I want to definitely play shows live.

[00:13:18] I'm what I'm trying to do is to combine that with some California dreams events

[00:13:24] because a lot of people want the California dreams event.

[00:13:27] So I'm just kind of tag teaming that and, uh, trying to get some of that together.

[00:13:33] But even that's difficult because we're all scattered throughout, you know,

[00:13:38] Jay's in Australia.

[00:13:40] You know, so.

[00:13:42] But we're working on some of those shows and trying to do some of the comic

[00:13:46] cons and play shows that way.

[00:13:48] And I'll play shows locally and in the southeast probably.

[00:13:53] And I'll definitely keep streaming because I get a lot out of that as well.

[00:13:58] Just for my own creative.

[00:14:01] You know?

[00:14:02] And yeah, I'll put, I'll definitely be playing live shows.

[00:14:07] Amazing.

[00:14:07] How about a, tell us a little about that.

[00:14:09] Reunion that you guys did last year.

[00:14:11] Like, how did it feel stepping back with the cast members?

[00:14:14] That was really good.

[00:14:15] You know, we're, we're like, I keep saying this and keep it's like going back to high school.

[00:14:20] You know, you just, you go back and, and you just pick up right where you left off.

[00:14:25] You know, everyone kind of fits right into their roles.

[00:14:30] You know, it's funny how that happens.

[00:14:32] Like even as people like you kind of fit right into your role.

[00:14:36] Like, Sly was like Michael Cade was like a bus in my chops.

[00:14:41] Like just like it was yesterday.

[00:14:43] You know, playing shows and stuff.

[00:14:48] Playing that show and rehearsing was awesome.

[00:14:52] It felt so good.

[00:14:53] You know, when you have the whole, you know, this was basically about 300 people.

[00:14:58] You know, sold out bar kind of deal.

[00:15:01] And you bar in New York City and everyone's screaming the words and singing.

[00:15:06] And then you're like, you know, I'm going to go back to you.

[00:15:08] You know, that's a good feeling.

[00:15:10] It's a great feeling.

[00:15:11] And so I think it was really you fork, very nostalgic and people wanted people came from all over the world to that.

[00:15:19] In New York, England, England.

[00:15:22] You know, it was crazy.

[00:15:23] How many people showed up for that?

[00:15:24] And people want more of that.

[00:15:25] So, you know, we're planning more.

[00:15:28] I don't know if you've heard of there's a huge 90s cons that happened.

[00:15:31] And there's one in Florida.

[00:15:32] And there's one in the Hartford, Connecticut.

[00:15:34] So like you guys got to try to hit one of those.

[00:15:36] Well, we met that I know the Connecticut one happened and I don't know what the red tape is with that.

[00:15:43] Maybe maybe we weren't prime time and they didn't like that.

[00:15:47] But we certainly had so many fans go to these cons wearing California dreams.

[00:15:53] On the show.

[00:15:54] They want to learn their California dream shirts and stuff.

[00:15:57] And so, you know, I think we.

[00:16:01] I don't know why that doesn't happen.

[00:16:04] I, you know, I've never been a book or an agent.

[00:16:07] So I don't know why that doesn't happen.

[00:16:10] Whose idea was it last year for the reunion?

[00:16:12] Was it like one of you guys or somebody from the outside?

[00:16:15] So Jenny Kwan who is does a lot of what she works a lot and Kelly Packard,

[00:16:24] who is now married, they're both married.

[00:16:27] But they had their idea to do it in LA, which I wasn't able to make because I was working.

[00:16:36] And then the fall after that went so well in LA, they said,

[00:16:41] we want to do one in New York.

[00:16:43] And so Jenny and Kelly just put the whole thing together.

[00:16:47] Jenny really steam spearheaded it and kind of,

[00:16:51] she put on the producer hat and made it happen.

[00:16:54] It was a lot of work for her.

[00:16:56] So props to her for making that happen.

[00:16:59] And we were all on board, you know, we wanted to help so much that we do it again.

[00:17:04] It's just a matter of it takes a lot of time and energy and she's busy doing.

[00:17:10] Working on other things.

[00:17:12] Right.

[00:17:13] So I'm trying to step in a little bit to that role and help her.

[00:17:18] So she and I are kind of trying to find some ways for us to revisit that in a different location.

[00:17:24] Right, especially if you like decided to do it every year,

[00:17:27] you can get bigger or bigger and bigger also.

[00:17:29] Totally, totally.

[00:17:30] It should be once a year at least.

[00:17:32] And then if we did, if we did kind of where we got together and we did like three or four shows and hit different states,

[00:17:40] I think even that works, you know?

[00:17:42] So we're just, you know, we're kicking around those ideas.

[00:17:45] And all that ties in with my music too, you know, because it's, you know,

[00:17:50] you guys are my fan base.

[00:17:52] You know, let's just call it what it is.

[00:17:54] You know, and I, there's new, new people that of course,

[00:17:59] you know, can climb on that bandwagon.

[00:18:03] But it certainly is California dreams that kind of, you know, got me any notoriety in any way anyway.

[00:18:10] Yeah, I'm not going to lie.

[00:18:11] I had to soundtrack when I was younger.

[00:18:14] Yeah, I think we all had it.

[00:18:16] I mean people, you know, if we just start off seeing these surf dudes with attitude,

[00:18:21] I mean, Jimmy Fallon, when we went on that Jimmy Fallon show,

[00:18:24] you know, I didn't realize how he's like, I love that's my favorite theme song.

[00:18:29] And he's singing my part, you know, like surf dudes without you just kicking it off.

[00:18:33] And I'll just, you know, it's, it was, it's a warm fuzzy for people in their time and our day and age back then.

[00:18:42] You know, we were young, right?

[00:18:44] You know, it was a good time.

[00:18:46] It was, it was now we're now we're like, remember those times.

[00:18:51] Right.

[00:18:52] We're like our parents.

[00:18:53] Remember those times back there, man.

[00:18:55] It was so nice and easy.

[00:18:57] Now it's crazy.

[00:18:58] If I could go back in the 90s, I'm going.

[00:19:01] Oh, I'm with you, man.

[00:19:03] I'm taking a take.

[00:19:05] I always have a take in my head.

[00:19:09] I'm worried.

[00:19:11] So yeah, let's do it.

[00:19:14] Let's go back.

[00:19:15] I mean the 90s cons definitely represent that because people show up for those all the time.

[00:19:19] Right.

[00:19:20] Uh, Brent Lee.

[00:19:21] Now, how can the listeners and viewers keep up with you?

[00:19:23] So hopefully for the album more stuff and future California dreams of reunions.

[00:19:28] Always my socials.

[00:19:30] Um, Brent, you know, I made, I had a website got a website at my name, Brent Lee Gore.

[00:19:36] Calm that has everything every LinkedIn, you know, all of that stuff.

[00:19:42] Link, um, link tree.

[00:19:44] Okay.

[00:19:45] All that stuff that just, you know, points you to Instagram, Facebook, all of that.

[00:19:49] Um, and uh, so if you just go to my Google my name and look up Brent Lee Gore.

[00:19:54] And they can find it and streams everywhere.

[00:19:58] Um, I'll keep everyone posted.

[00:20:00] I started a new channel on my Instagram page where I'm kind of people that are wanting to know.

[00:20:06] I kind of have 100 people that are kind of wanting to know inside stuff.

[00:20:11] That's just kind of starting out, but it's been fun to do that and build that up because I never really did that a ton before.

[00:20:19] But now I'm kind of jumped on that train and kind of just people that are interested in want to do stuff.

[00:20:27] Can find me there.

[00:20:29] Amazing.

[00:20:30] Really, I want to thank you for giving me a few minutes today.

[00:20:32] This was great and let's get you back on hopefully with another reunion or something.

[00:20:35] Love it man.

[00:20:36] Thank you for your time and all the best to you all.

[00:20:39] I'll check your stuff out and I'll see you next time.

[00:20:42] Thank you.