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Keith LuBrant
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Keith has more than 100 of his songs placed on television
on networks like CBS and NBC as well as cable's MTV and HBO.
Not bad for someone who claims his first original song was "bad"!
Today, Keith is a successful TAXI member anxious to tell you
his story: [Download Disconnected.mp3]When did you first start playing music? Did you come from a musical family?
I picked up the guitar around the age of 13. I used to sneak
and play my brother's guitar (armed with my Mel Bay guitar
chord book!) while he was out. My father helped me purchase
my first real guitar (Fender Squire Strat) and the rest was
history. My family is very musical. My father, brother, uncles,
cousins, and grandfather... they all played.
What instruments do you play? Are you self taught
or schooled?
My main instrument is guitar, but I can play bass, keyboards,
drums, woodblock... whatever it takes for the song. I normally
play all the instruments when recording these days.
When did you write your
first original song? What was it called? Was it good?
I wrote my first song when I was maybe 14. I remember it to
this day. It was called "Night Watcher," and it
was bad! The lyrics were about somebody that was always watching
you. I am a huge horror movie fan, so it had that creepy vibe
to it, but lyrically, it sounded ... well, like a 14-year-old
writing lyrics! But I did use the main riff just not too long
ago for an instrumental cue, and it worked perfectly!
Did you spend a lot of
time playing out with different bands? What was that experience
like?
I played with a bunch of friends in an original band. I think
that is really where I "cut my teeth" as far as
songwriting. As the years passed, my songwriting became stronger.
You know how that goes, compare the first song you wrote to
the one you just finished up … big difference! I did
the cover band thing, which was tons of fun, but as a songwriter,
you really want to write and play your own material. The best
thing is that those guys I played with are my close friends
and still play on the albums I have released.
At what point did you realize
you could give up the live performances and still make money
with your music?
I think I basically grew tired of the, "Yes, we can get
you on at 11 p.m. on a Tuesday, but you need to guarantee
that you bring 30 people!" I was not getting any younger,
and even though it was great to jam with my friends, it just
was not worth it in the long run. I got my first placement
on a MTV show called Sorority Life. It was a track
from my first CD, Face in the Crowd, and was blown
away. I recorded that on my old VS-1680 I had (this is years
back). I started hitting the Internet hard, looking for opportunities,
and it seemed that the music I was recording seemed to go
over well with the music supervisors (or whoever was listening).
As I started to get more placements, I then realized that
this could be next "step" of my music career.
How much did you know about
the music business at that stage of your career?
Nothing! I bought some books and educated myself the best
I could. I think it is important to be able to speak well
when you first make contact with a client. If you are fumbling
around and sound unprofessional, it will definitely hurt you.
How did you first hear
about TAXI and did you become a member immediately?
I used to see those ads in magazines all the time. The funny
thing is that initially I thought TAXI was a scam. They were
just out to prey on artists like myself, looking for that
"golden ring"! So I stayed away for many years.
While I was researching contacts for licensing, TAXI's name
would always pop up. In a strange coincidence, I received
a TAXI newsletter that explained that they would offer a money
back guarantee if I was not satisfied. I then joined, knowing
that they would be returning my money(!). Fast forward a couple
years, and I am glad I did join.
How has TAXI helped your
career?
TAXI is incredible with opening doors to industry contacts.
One of the roadblocks with sending unsolicited material out
under your own name is that it rarely gets listened to. TAXI
can open that door by submitting your material under their
name. These supervisors TRUST the music that TAXI sends. Once
that door is open, you can then talk to the company, showcase
more of your work, and then work on creating a working relationship
with them. I have done this with many companies and have had
multiple songs signed.
Do you recommend TAXI to
other writers and if so, why?
Absolutely! I consider it another great tool for a songwriter/composer.
You can use TAXI to improve your songwriting (with their critiques)
and also open doors that you probably would not be able to
open on your own.
What was the proudest achievement
of your career so far?
I think just looking back and the fact that I have more than
100 television placements on various networks like NBC, CBS,
MTV, VH1, HBO, and more. When I think about how many people
are in the same business, trying to do the same thing, it
makes me feel good that I can carve out a little piece!
What's your plan for the rest of
2009?
I hopefully would like to place more music on television and
maybe try to get some material used for some smaller movies.
I always am recording, so my library is constantly expanding,
and with TAXI, it has helped me expand my genres. I may record
rock one week, then kids music the next. It is always changing,
which keeps it fun! I am also working on my third solo album,
which will be out in December 2009. For more information,
please go to www.keithlubrant.com.
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