Planetary Group took some time to get to know Brendan Wright, of the Boston-based indie-rock project Tiberius.
Planetary: Tell us about your latest release. How did you come to create it?
Brendan: As a whole, “Fish in a Pond” came about as I spent time exploring the music scene in Allston, MA over the last few years. I was spending a lot of time at house shows, eating at 7 eleven, and inevitably came to understand myself in my early twenties through this really interesting community of artists in a post-pandemic environment. Like all my records thus far, I made it at home and our rehearsal space at odd hours, fueled by lots of caffeine.
P: Share a bit about your musical journey, from when you first started making music until now.
B: I first fell in love with guitar when I was 13. The Beatles got me into loving music, but it was Kurt Cobain and Nirvana that got me to pick up the guitar and start writing songs. When I was in high school I started a band with my two best friends, and started to play a lot for our community. Mostly birthday parties, and bar mitzvahs. And oddly, the mall. There was a little less than a robust scene in Rutland, VT
Going off to college, music became much more of a therapeutic crutch for me. Tiberius started as a dorm room recording project, and as a way for me to work through some intense feelings of anxiety and depression. It eventually stemmed into the full-fledged ‘rock show format’ that it is today.
P: Let’s talk about the music that you love. Pick one album for each category below & tell us a bit about it!
1. An album you grew up listening to:
The first album that comes to mind is probably Nevermind by Nirvana. It really did inspire me to pick up the guitar and start writing songs. My cousin Pat told me about them when I was 13. Changed my life. Thanks bud.
2. An album that inspires you as an artist (I’m sure there are many, but pick one of your choosing):
How To Leave Town by Car Seat Headrest is definitely up there for me. I love how this album (or as described as an EP by front person and creator Will Toledo, despite being an hour long) is super unapologetic for how rough around the edges it is. I love the production so much. It’s forward-thinking and effective and actively denies what a ‘professional’ rock record should sound like, especially at the time. Most importantly, its poignant lyrics and willingness to be so honest and intimate with its listeners, make this record feel like a note from one struggling person to another. It’s gotten me through a lot, as a lot of CSH releases have, and I don’t think I’ve wanted more from music.
3. The album you currently have on repeat:
I’ve been very hype for the new Field Medic record ‘Light is Gone 2.’ It isn’t out yet, but I’ve had the two singles ‘iwantthis2last!’ and ‘everything’s been going so well’ on repeat all summer. It sounds like there’s some experimentation going on with his freak-folk style that’s got me itchin’ to hear more, as well as to try to experiment with my own stuff at the moment.
P: What do you want people to take away from your music?
B: Doing Tiberius helps add significance to my mundane experience in this world, but more importantly, it helps me process and understand my life as it unfolds. I think a lot of what I tend to talk about are pretty universal anxieties and experiences. Perhaps there are folks out there who might resonate with a line or a feeling. If someone felt a little less like they’re going through it on their own because of that, that would make me really happy.
P: What’s next up for you?
B: I’ve been writing and demoing a ton this summer. A lot of pretty raw stuff at the moment that I’ll probably have to refine at some point, but I’m really excited to start putting together the next release (or series of releases). It’s all I’ve been thinking about recently.
Other than that, we’ve got some live shows coming up in the northeast. Perhaps a lil’ acoustic release at some point this fall. We’ll see how things shake out!
