Brendan Healy, longtime drummer of American Grim, steps into the spotlight with his explosive solo debut Bonkeytown. Fusing chaos, freedom, and industrial grooves, he redefines drumming as the driving force of music.
1.
Brendan, you’ve been the drummer for American Grim for nearly 15 years. What
inspired you to finally step into the spotlight with a solo project?
After being with American Grim and releasing three studio albums, I decided I wanted to show my versatility within my drumming and songwriting. I also felt like it was something unique from any other projects I’ve worked on. Finally, growing up in the metal scene, I have always had strong roots within the metal genre, and wanted to show those heavy, industrial roots. Mainly, I wanted to have an album where the drums were the focal point of the music.
2. The title Bonkeytown is intriguing. What’s the meaning behind it, and how
does it reflect the music on the album?
Well, Bonkeytown is really a nonsense word that I interpreted as freedom.
Everything in music feels so serious today, and I wanted to capture ‘no
boundaries,’ though a few times I wondered if ‘Bonkeytown’ was too nonsensical
to use for an album. ‘Bonkeytown’ represents chaos, freedom, and
individuality.
3. You
wrote, performed, and produced the entire record yourself. What were the
biggest challenges of handling every aspect of the process, and what did you
enjoy the most?
The biggest challenge was to allow that freedom to flow throughout the entire
album. Ear fatigue was frequent and brutal. I wanted ‘Bonkeytown’ to be one
moment of creative burst. However, I enjoyed creating the drum fills from my
repertoire that would normally be ‘over the top’ for a radio tune. Hearing the
connection between the drums and synth lines was another part of the process I
enjoyed. When the chaos of the drumming and melodic synth parts fused was when
the magic happened.
4. Your
influences range from 90s hip hop to Limp Bizkit, Korn, and deadmau5. How do
these seemingly different genres come together in your sound?
Bands like Limp Bizkit and 90s hip hop inspired me by bringing sounds that are incredibly different from one another and creating a cohesive piece of music. Korn and similar bands created a new kind of groove with their drum and bass rhythms that inspired my playing as a drummer. Finally, deadmau5’s dynamics, synth sounds, and mixes inspired my production process.
5. Drums are at the core of your musical identity. How did you approach
showcasing your drumming ability while still balancing it with songwriting and
production?
Having been a drummer since I was a kid, playing in multiple bands, and releasing studio records, I learned how to serve the music. With ‘Bonkeytown’ I wanted the chaotic drumming to still be tasteful and complement the song itself. I incorporated grooves, fills, recurring melodies, and song structure to showcase my drumming while still creating something anyone can listen to and enjoy.
6. Recording in your home studio in New Jersey must have given you creative
freedom. Can you walk us through your typical writing and recording day during
the making of Bonkeytown?
I would wake up in the morning, have breakfast, and then I would be a drum instructor for the next six hours. After that, I would head home, relax for about an hour, and then would sit in the studio all night. There were many times where the sun was rising as I was going to bed. Once I was in the studio, I tracked the drums first. I would lay down an entire songs worth of drums and then create a song around it. At times it almost felt like I was in a dream or a trance while writing this album.
7. Every artist has a moment in the studio when they know they’ve struck
gold. Was there a particular track on Bonkeytown where you felt, ‘This is it’?
Yes, it was Tunnels. This song created the pathway for the rest of the album. Everything started to come together.
8. How does your solo work differ emotionally and creatively from what you
create with American Grim?
It’s really not that different. Honestly, I keep some of the same structures
and elements I use when writing for Grim; however, the only difference is not
having to worry about other instruments. This allows the drums to ignore
all boundaries.
9.
You’ve described Bonkeytown as an ‘experience.’ What do you want listeners to
feel or take away when they dive into the record?
I want listeners to feel the explosion of chaos. I want them to hear my version
of ‘experimental’ while still being able to fit into your playlist.
10.
You’re currently touring with American Grim but planning a clinic tour as well.
How do you envision bringing Bonkeytown to life in a live setting?
I do see ‘Bonkeytown’ live, and I’ve thought about the idea of a live show a lot. I envision a show mixed around a more theatrical drum performance featuring different musicians for the instrumentation. A new flavor of performance in entertainment.
11. Looking back at your journey so far, from being a band drummer to now a
multi-instrumentalist and producer, what personal growth are you most proud of?
I am most proud of my time growing as a songwriter. My songwriting has evolved so much since I first started. I got better at editing my songs; I was able to identify the pieces of a song that worked and pieces that needed to be scrapped, more easily over time. I learned how to create cohesive pieces of art (an album, for instance), and with ‘Bonkeytown’ I learned how to allow myself to create chaos while still making every piece fit.
12. With Bonkeytown set for release on May 27th, 2025, what’s next for you?
Do you see yourself expanding further as a solo artist, or will this remain a
special passion project alongside American Grim?
Because of
my love for songwriting, I will continue to release albums, singles, etc., as
part of my solo collection; all within the busy schedule of American Grim.
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