This article was published on january 9,2017.
When Brandon Jack released two songs online on Friday afternoon he was nervous, it was the first time he’d put out music he created for anyone to hear.
Unsure if his music would be taken seriously and laughed at on social media, the 27-gamer put out a link to two songs, written, performed and mixed entirely by himself in his one-bedroom apartment in Sydney.
Playing instruments forms a big part in the 21-year-old’s life — scroll through his Twitter feed and the majority of his content stems from his two loves — football and music.
And while the two are vastly different activities, Jack told Aflplayers.com.au music produces a similar feeling to lining up on the field.
“When I’m playing the guitar it’s like nothing else is really there. It’s like playing football in that regard, it’s another way to escape,” Jack said.
“It’s hard to explain to people who don’t play an instrument or aren’t into music, but playing is something that makes me extremely happy.
“It’s a time when you can free yourself and are in the moment — I always chase that feeling I get when I’m playing.”
Click here to listen to Brandon Jack’s music
It’s clear Jack has the makings of someone who has been playing for most of his life.
Teaching himself to play since he was nine years old purely because his older brother, Kieren, had a guitar at home and was getting lessons at school, Jack was so excited by his first guitar that it was initially a detriment to his fragile pre-teen body.
“I vividly remember getting my first guitar. I played it that whole afternoon and that night. I played it so much that I woke up in the middle of the night screaming because my neck had got a kink in it from staring down at the instrument all day.
“So waking up in the night with a bit of pain sums up my first experience with the guitar but I haven’t put it down since.”
Fast-forward 12 years and a bit of free time in the last week has led Jack to producing his first tracks for public ears.
He describes his two songs as a bit retro and a bit of old school rock but not too heavy, and he wants to leave their specific meaning open to the listener’s interpretation.
“It’s whatever you want it to be when listening to it to be honest,” he said.
It’s no surprise that Jack’s style stems from his taste in music.
He’ll give most artists the time of day but prefers a few bands that populated the airwaves in yesteryear.
“I have a pretty broad taste but I’m a big fan of classic rock bands. Nirvana was probably my first love and then it was Oasis from there, even as far back as The Ramones,” Jack said.
“I admire a lot of musicians at the moment and I’ll listen to just about anyone, even Adele — I find a lot of her stuff really interesting and Amy Winehouse was a big one when she was around.
“I probably prefer the older stuff and my interests have always leaned towards the guitar, bass and drum setups.”
Jack plans to continue writing and producing more music and has reached out to some high school friends with the intention of forming a band.
He’d also like to venture into a studio to record if he’s good enough, but for the moment is content with seeing how the first first few projects go before producing anymore.
“If I get anymore inspiration, I might record and put up some more. It helps a little bit being the off-season but even during the year I can still find plenty of time to come home and relax and instead of watching TV or playing video games, I play music instead.
“For now, I’m happy to wait and see what the reaction and the feedback is to these songs.”