Brian Fallon: "There’s everything to be learnt"

Brian Fallon returned to Reading Festival this weekend under very different circumstances. He was here last year as The Gaslight Anthem played their final show and now, twelve months later, he’s headlining the Festival Republic tent under his own steam. “It was a happy ending,” he starts. “It wasn’t sad. I felt good about that. That was one of the easiest shows we had in a long time because I felt like, I’m just going to do what I’m going to do. I don’t care. I’m not trying to sell the brand or make the thing. I’m going to play songs with my boys and I don’t care if anyone pays attention. It’s just about us.” That focus on the music and devil-may-care attitude is something Brian has carried over into his solo career. “I’ve learnt how fortunate this is to be doing it the second time, a lot of people only get one chance. A lot of people get no chances. I’m getting a second chance and I’m trying to do what makes me feel good. I do care about what my fans think,” he continues before asking, “Does it make sense to say I want to include them but I don’t do it for them? I do care what they think but everyday, I just try and do what makes me happy onstage. If I don’t and I chase some giant hit, then I might as well work as a mechanic, I could be a lawyer, I’m pretty smart. The way I look at it now, I’m about to work on another record and the way I’m going at it is realising I don’t need to be famous. I don’t need to write a hit song. If I write a song and it becomes a hit song by itself, I’m going to say ok but I’m just going to write what I like. I think I could have a very long career just being honest, writing good songs, putting a lot of effort into it and working hard. I think that’s what I can do. I don’t need to be anybody’s darling.”