Every week I write a column called BE YOU for one of the local papers (The Times of Acadiana) – Each week someone different answers the questionnaire – the paper often has to edit them, here are all the answers: This week is local singer/songwriter, Sean Bruce.
Sean Bruce is a singer/songwriter who impressed me at festival. It wasn’t just his way with his (adoring) audience but the sincerity of both the lyrics and the man singing them. To put it simply, he tells stories – with a guitar. If you missed him at festival go and see him on May 25th at the Blue Moon, hell, even if you caught him at festival you should go see him again. You’ll wish you had when he makes it big!
What was your first job?
I boiled crawfish when I was 16 at Paul’s Pirouge.
Describe a typical day in your life.
8 am-12 pm (“Feeding the Muse”): Slow but most important and productive
part of the day. I work on music, read, exercise, booking/emailing then
eating the latest breakfast possible. This is a timely process. Can’t
rush the morning.
12 pm – 5 pm: Run errands. Post office, grocery, or bank. Worst part of the day.
5 pm – 2 am: Playing a gig or waiting tables. Finally, toast a well deserved beer and laugh with friends.
What advice would you give the younger you?
Well, the younger me wouldn’t listen. Being 23, I think I could use the same advice I’d tell myself 10 years ago. Don’t you ever eat fast food. No matter how broke, hungry, or drunk you are. DON’T EAT IT!
What event in your life most shaped who you are now?
When I finally stepped out on my own. I had only one person to prove, me. I learned to value the right things. Listen to the right people. Make the right decisions. There are still many more life shaping events ahead me.
What values do you live by?
There’s only one rule in my life, to love. Under that rule, I’ve discovered many values to live by.
What do you most appreciate?
A good rhythm section. My family. Great conversation. Art. Autumn. Spring. Health.
What is your favorite journey?
The pursuit of happiness.
Where is your favorite place to be alone?
Being on the road. Driving through a new city. No radio. Just me listening to the hum of the road.
What living figure most inspires you?
There’s plenty, but none of those philosophical, literary, song crafting legends can touch my parents.
What was the best advice you were ever given?
“All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.”
-a wizard
What book would you tell everyone to read?
Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse
What is the best thing about where you live?
The people. Everyone here is so passionate. Whether they are cooking, dancing, playing music, talking, cutting grass, drinking, or relaxing. Everyone here lives life with so much grace.
How do you “let the good times roll” ?
Starts with the marinating process. Then, chopping vegetables (so therapeutic) . Add my favorite beer. Step out side. Cook. Laugh. Jam session. Goodnight.
What did you want to be when you grew up?
A middle school teacher asked me and I told her I wanted to be a baseball player. She laughed and told me to pick something realistic. That day on, I was too embarrassed to ever consider the question, which caused my high school and college days to be very long and stressful. I wonder what she would of said if I told her that I wanted to be a musician.
What is your motto?
“Roll the Dice” – Charles Bukowski
How would you like to be remembered?
Happiest man that ever lived.
What do you say to yourself when you doubt yourself?
Ouch, that hurt.
What three things are vital to BEing YOU?
Trust. Love everyone. Work hard.
Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
The word “moon”. On my first album, 6 of 11 songs mention the moon. I
have this really romantic obsession. Did ya’ll see the SUPER MOON?
What is your favorite word?
Paradiddle – a quick succession of drumbeats slower than a roll and alternating left-
and right-hand strokes in a typical L-R-L-L, R-L-R-R pattern.
Try it!
What do you collect?
Cookbooks. Not purposely. I just seem to have collected many over the years. You can learn a lot from a good cook book.
What food could you live on for a month?
Oyster Poboys.
What would you change about yourself?
The way I remember peoples names. I’m so horrible at it.
What literary, movie or cartoon character do you most identify with?
Benny “The Jet” Rodriguez: The Sandlot. Benny pickled the beast, stole home, and busted the cover off of a baseball. Mythbusters later proved that it is impossible to bust the cover off a baseball with a bat. That says a lot. Plus, he made it to the big leagues.
“Heroes get remembered. Legends never die.”
Describe yourself in five words.
Simple. Patient. Ambitious. Understanding. Hungry.
What is your idea of happiness?
Heaven.
What is your favorite movie?
Lord of the Rings – No argument.
What music defines who you are?
There’s an album out there on iTunes titled “Daytime Hopes”. It’s a whole collection of songs that I think defines exactly who I am/was.
Check it out.
What do you most regret?
“It doesn’t matta, it’s in da past” – Rafiki from The Lion King
What question do you wish I’d asked?
If you were to go back in time, which era would you live in and what would be your occupation?
What would the answer be?
I would be a spice merchant (pirate) from the 1500’s traveling the world discovering and trading (stealing) new spices under the name of “Tony Chachere”. The founder of cajun/creole seasoning.
Nothing will ever quite be the same again. The people who bought us idea paint (yes, I have mentioned it before) – the paint that turns any surface into a whiteboard have launched a new product – CLEAR.
