Pop Culturalist Chats with Reeve Carney

Reeve Carney is no stranger to the stage or screen. He began performing in childhood and hasn’t stopped. From performing music with his band Carney and doing solo shows to acting in TV shows like Penny Dreadful and leading Broadway shows like Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, Reeve Carney is a multi-talented artist. Later this spring he will be a part of the highly-anticipated West End transfer to Broadway of Hadestown.

In the meantime, though, you can catch him at The Green Room 42 performing two solo shows. We were excited to catch up with him to hear all about his music.

PC: Since you’re in the middle of rehearsing for Hadestown and you have these two solo shows coming up; has that been challenging?
Reeve: I find quite a lot of freedom in performing solo because you’re in total control of the dynamics, the pace, and every aspect of the tonality of the show. For me, it’s quite freeing.

I play a few instruments, and I used to stomp a lot while I was playing the guitar and singing because I had all these percussive elements in my head. I wasn’t necessarily trying to communicate them, but, I guess, subconsciously I was. So I came up with the idea—from seeing a few people doing it and just thinking, “You know, that would be kind of cool”—to actually use percussive elements. I play the kick drum and tambourine while I’m playing guitar. It doesn’t look as goofy as it sounds! I’m probably saving my knees in the long run by not stomping all the time. I really enjoy it.

It’s totally different in a musical theater production, obviously; the acting portion is the primary difference.

PC: When you’re developing these shows, you’re picking the music. You’re performing the production elements–as opposed to having a team on a theater production do all of that. Is that hard?
Reeve: I don’t give a whole lot of thought to any sort of pre-planned visual aspects. The only part of that that I do [is that] the morning of the show I figure out what I’m going to wear. [laughs]

It’s always nice to have a light show, but if the music isn’t interesting on it’s own…I don’t know if lights or bells and whistles add to that anyway. I’m always grateful to have somebody there who knows what they’re doing though!

PC: Your first show features songs from your album, Youth Is Wasted. What inspired you to create that album?
Reeve: I was signed to Interscope Records for eight years with my band Carney. It’s really incredible to have an opportunity like that. When you’re with a machine that large and they’re investing money, they, rightfully so, want to have a say in what music you’re putting out.

So, when I was able to release an album independently I found it quite freeing. I really just wanted to have the opportunity to make an album that was 100% my voice without any outside influence other than the influences that made me who I am. That made me put out Youth Is Wasted.

PC: Is there a particular song you’re excited to perform live?
Reeve: Honestly, it’s hard for me to whittle it down to be a 75 or 90 minute set because there’s a lot of improv in the set. A song could be three minutes long on the album, but then [it could be] seven to ten minutes long depending on the night. There’s a lot of guitar solo stuff, sometimes.

I don’t know if there’s one I’m particularly excited about. The good thing is everyone has their own favorite song. I don’t commonly hear just one. That’s good—you’re connecting with different people on different levels.

PC: Is performing live something you prefer to being in the studio?
Reeve: I know it’s really popular these days to say or to hear people say, “I’m such a nerd,” but there is a part of me that is that way; and that exists in the recording studio. It’s very insular—almost like you’re in a lab. There’s nothing like playing live either, though. They go hand-in-hand.

I think what I’d like to do is get more experience juggling them at the same time. That’s a challenge: to be in the studio in the morning and at night play a concert. That’s an interesting challenge that I haven’t really done a whole lot of.

PC: When you’re writing new music, do the lyrics come first or the music?
Reeve: For me, the music almost always comes first. Sometimes a title comes first. Sometimes you get the music and lyrics simultaneously which is pretty cool. Lyrics in their entirety rarely come first. That’s something I’d like to work on. One of my favorite songwriting duos of all time—most people would probably say the same—is Lennon and McCartney. The only song that Paul wrote the entire lyrics to first, in their entire catalog, is “All My Loving.” I have a song called “Looking Glass.” It’s the only song I’ve ever written all the lyrics to first…but I’d like to start doing that.

For me as a child, it was different. I would be able to sing back the bass part of the song—even though I didn’t play bass—before I could sing back the lyrics. I don’t know why that is; that’s where my attention has always gone. But I think the lyrics are what most people notice first, so I’d like to work on that.

PC: Your second show is all Queen songs. How do you select the songs you want to cover?
Reeve: Queen is one of my greatest influences overall. Part of it is the register Freddie sings in is one an eight-year-old boy can sing along with. I got really used to singing in that zone from a young age.

I really just picked my favorite songs. There’s no real theme to the show other than it’s Queen songs. I might even play a few of my own that are directly influenced by Queen because I think that might be more interesting to the audience, and I can tell some stories. I like telling stories. I try to make it a little bit of the behind-the-scenes thing instead of a traditional cabaret. I don’t really know what I’m going to say beforehand; I don’t plan anything out.

PC: Is storytelling your favorite part of performing in this type of setting?
Reeve: Yeah! That’s one of my favorite things about performing solo shows because you don’t feel bad about not talking between songs; in fact, it’s encouraged. When you’re with a band, you almost feel bad like, “Aw man, none of these guys are talking.” Thankfully, with my band, we all do talk. A lot of bands, it’s almost like it’s “too cool for school,” and you’re not allowed to do that.

PC: How are you preparing for your shows since you’re in rehearsals during the day?
Reeve: There’s not a lot of time for sleeping, that’s for sure! I’m also moving simultaneously because I live in Los Angeles, but I’m moving here for Hadestown. It is quite a lot, but when you love something it makes it easier. You just do what you gotta do.

PC: Would you cover another singer/songwriter?
Reeve: I probably will. I’m probably going to do a David Bowie set the next time I play. I did a Beatles one, in LA.

PC: As a performer, do you have a bucket list item?
Reeve: Yeah definitely: headline Madison Square Garden. That’s gonna take a bit more work, though. One step above that is when I play my song “Think of You” to be able to actually hear a pin drop in the room. That would be great.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

Last TV Show You Binge-Watched
Breaking Bad. That’s the only show I’ve ever binge-watched fully. I watched all six seasons in two weeks. And I’d do it again.

Favorite Film
Forrest Gump or V for Vendetta

Favorite Book from Childhood
Bram Stoker’s Dracula

Favorite Play and/or Musical
That’s too hard. I can’t pick!

Favorite Place to Perform
Anywhere where there’s a listening room.

Artist or Band You Could Have on Repeat
The Beatles

Place You Most Want to Go to
Istanbul

Person you most want to meet someday
Tony Robbins or Jerry Seinfeld or Tom Cruise. [laughs] they sound unrelated, but there is a similar thread between those three people. I have found one! It’s what I perceive their outlook on life to be. Or, I mean, I like what I perceive to be their outlook on life.

If You Were Not a Performer, You Would…
There’d be a lot of jobs I’d be interested in. Part of me thinks a tour bus driver, but I think I might get frustrated by young rock bands who aren’t respectful. But I do love driving.

Stay up-to-date with Reeve Carney by following him on Twitter and Instagram.

For more information and to buy tickets to Reeve Carney’s shows at The Green Room 42 on Sunday,  February 24 at 9:30 p.m. or Sunday, March 3 at 9:30 p.m., click here.

Photo Credit: Robbie Jeffers