Graham Brown Band releases new CD

If anybody could write the handbook for old rockers, it would be Graham Brown. But when he picks up a pen, Brown just writes more songs.

After surviving a ruthless industry for more than three decades and having been burned a few times, he’s learned a thing or two about marketing music.

“I’m a one-man industry,” Brown laughs in a telephone interview from his Vancouver home.

His new album Give & Take, which was released Oct. 5, still freezes you with explosive rock, but the lyrics suggest he’s looking through the prism of a mature man.

A lot has happened in Brown’s career since growing up in St. Albert and adopting a porkpie hat and dark glasses as his signature look.

He’s switched bands on several occasions, criss-crossed Canada more times than he can count, and toured Europe to meet new fans. It’s a gritty lifestyle that changes a man and puts the world in perspective.

Although at times world-weary, the lyrics of his new 12-track are still poetic and full of wisdom, complexity and contradiction – much like the man.

At times reflective, the album continues to elegantly celebrate the positive virtues of relationships while at the same time struggling to understand loss.

“There’s definitely a few of those moments with family and friends and life situations that happen.”

Give & Take, both and music and words, has more of an ageless depth.

“I’m way smarter now. I’ve still got the same old attitude, but I feel I’ve grown younger and fitter. I’m smarter in my choices and I know what you have no control over and standing up for what you believe in.”

This is a good time in history to be a veteran road warrior. Just look at Tom Petty, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Greg Allman, Robert Plant or Paul McCartney.

And Brown, whose DNA is composed of musical notes, is right in there showing us that older roots rockers can do it better.

Not interested in past achievements or failures, he’s just looking to the future.

“You already know the outcome of the past. The future is open to anyone. Anything can happen.”

The Graham Brown Band, additionally composed of Mark Gruft (drums), John Werner (bass) and Rob Blackburn (piano-organ-guitar), will perform at LB’s Pub on Saturday, Oct. 18.