Alexander Wren – photo by Landon Edwards
- Artist Name: Alexander Wren
- Hometown: Nashville, TN
What project(s) are you currently working on?
Right now I’m in the process of recording my first full-length project. In the past, I’ve done EPs, which are great for numerous reasons. But a record is to an EP as a novel is to a short story; I started down this path to make records — to write novels, if you will. And I’m glad to be over that waiting hump. I was always waiting for perfect and clear-cut time to undergo the first record; now I realize that there’ll never be a first record if I keep waiting for perfection.
What inspired you to pursue a career in music and when did you know?
I can’t really put a particular moment on it… I was never good at sports so that wasn’t a fantasy in my head. And when I was in middle school, I did the whole forming a band thing, as I think is a rite of passage for midwesterners — maybe that was it. We had the big amps and the guitar solos. Fact remains though, you do have to be kind of crazy to pursue something in this business; I guess I might be more crazy than I’d like to admit.
If you weren’t pursuing a career in music, what would you be doing for a living?
If I couldn’t pursue music as a career I would be dead because I can’t do anything else. Ha ha!
What is your favorite downtime activity?
Reading. Currently reading Mitch Albom’s “The Five People You Meet in Heaven,” along with its sequel — what a joy!
Who is your biggest celebrity crush?
Emma Watson. No question about it.
Who is your favorite sports team(s)?
I’m not a sports guy, but baseball is by far the best sport there is. I know that’s an unpopular opinion, but I’m convinced. When I was younger, my dad and I used to drive into Chicago (we lived in Indiana) to watch White Sox games. South side pride! There’s a strategy to baseball — a quietness, a history, and respect for the game — that I don’t think is paralleled anywhere else.
What is the last movie that you watched?
“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.” Oh my god — watch it. And the one before that was Tim Burton’s “A Nightmare Before Christmas”… what great things weirdos accomplish.
What is the last album you listened to?
Justin Townes Earle’s Harlem River Blues — a 10/10 record. I bought that LP years ago when I was in high school. I was so saddened to hear about his recent passing.
If you could only listen to one album for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Eric Clapton’s Unplugged. Strange, right? I don’t like Eric Clapton’s other stuff. All I like of his is that one record. But that one record really encompasses everything that I love about music.
What is the greatest country song of all time?
All of the above. Ha ha! One that comes top of mind is T. Graham Brown‘s “Wine Into Water.” Lyrically, it might just be the best piece I’ve heard in my life.
What has been your favorite city/town that you’ve visited out on the road?
New York City, by far. The plan is to make a move there soon. I just have this inner Seinfeld in me that needs to be realized.
What is your favorite meal?
Indian food! Palak paneer is my go-to. Ha ha!
Who is your dream duet partner?
Dead would be Ray Charles. He is my favorite artist of all-time. Living would be, maybe, Randy Newman? He’d probably be an awful duet partner, though. Or maybe even someone like Norah Jones — what a voice.
Who would you like to go on tour with?
Oh man… I would love to do some shows with other songwriter artists. Like someone in the John Moreland or Tobias Jesso Jr. realm.
What is your ultimate career goal(s)?
Before COVID, my goal was to be as successful as possible by cultural standards — have the money and notoriety, etc. But I’ve learned that life is too short for that stuff. Now I’m only concerned with writing the best songs I can, releasing the best records I can, and living the best life I can — even if that means living in an apartment and touring small clubs the rest of my life. As long as I am doing my work, and hopefully inspiring others and pointing people towards hope, well… I’m a happy man.