Cosmic comeback: Brent Rademaker talks Beachwood Sparks' stellar return

 By Andy French 

 

1990’s cosmic country-pop pioneers Beachwood Sparks, have returned from their celestial journey with a new album, Across the River of Stars. After a 12-year hiatus, the band has reunited to create a sonic tapestry that weaves together their signature hazy Americana with a fresh, expansive sound. Guided by the production wizardry of The Black Crowes’ Chris Robinson and fueled by late-night studio sessions and the occasional psychedelic ceremony, the album promises to transport listeners to new realms of cosmic consciousness. Andy French, founder of the music website Raven Sings the Blues caught up with bassist Brent Rademaker for a freewheeling conversation about the band's resurrection, their creative process, and the cosmic forces that shaped their latest opus.

 

Heads Lifestyle: Let’s get into it! It’s been about 12 years since the last [Beachwood Sparks] album. So, what brought you guys back into the studio for Across the River of Stars?

Brent Rademaker: It had a lot to do with the communication between me and Chris Gunst. I think when I started Curation, he came to me and said, “Hey, we should do a record.” And I agreed, “I have a label, we should do a record.” The friendships that existed before we even started Beachwood Sparks really grew into a family throughout all the years of living together, playing together, recording, and touring. It was such a shared experience—like a family, and families need to gather. We were all in such good places that it felt like the perfect time to create. But what finally got us into the studio was a dinner I had with Chris Robinson. I told him we’d been starting and stopping—we had gotten together a few times, made some iPhone voice memos of new songs, but we hadn’t really committed. He offered to come on board and help us out.

 

Left to right: Jen Gunst, Andres Renteria, Benji Knight, Chris Gunst, Gemma Gunst, Brent Rademaker, Farmer Dave Scher at Malibu rehearsal loft. Photo: Emily Badgley

 

 

HL: So Chris ended up being a bit of the impetus to really nail it down?

BR: Honestly, yeah. You know Britt at Spiritual Pajamas? The month that COVID hit, he had booked Wally Heider’s studio for Beachwood Sparks, and Chris was going to produce it. We had already bounced around some ideas up in Santa Cruz, so we said yes. We booked hotel rooms and were ready to go. This guy, John Anderson from Lawrence, Kansas, who used to be in some emo bands that Chris Gunst and Strictly Ballroom knew, was going to play drums. Then sheltering in place started—that’s when everything got canceled. So, we had the concept but needed to follow through on how and where we’d do it.

 

 

HL: How was it working with Chris Robinson, and how did that shape the album? The Black Crowes are Americana incarnate, but the Brotherhood’s sound seems to share similar influences as Beachwood Sparks. Did you both have a specific sound in mind, or was it more fluid?

BR: Well, I finally got to play with him when he invited me to be part of Los Hermanos Cosmicos. When I played and sang with him, I realized I wasn’t as intimidated as I thought I’d be. I’m not really into jamming or cover bands like Farmer Dave or Ben Knight—they’re great at playing other people’s songs. But after playing with Chris for those two weekends, I felt like we were kindred spirits. After Neal [Casal] passed, Chris and I got really close. We’ve known each other since 2000, but we didn’t get close until then. We do projects together with our labels, and Chris Gunst and I both recognized that Chris Robinson loved our music. He’s made so many great records, not just with the Black Crowes and Chris Robinson Brotherhood, but with a bunch of other projects, so we trusted him. 

Chris really made the album happen. We had music parts and lyrics, but they weren’t fully realized songs. Usually, Beachwood writes as the tape’s rolling, but Chris had us do a little pre-production. We took one day in the studio to go through each song—he’d suggest things like, “Kick that part out” or “Do that part twice.” For “Torn in Two,” we worked on it for a whole day but couldn’t find the right arrangement. Chris came up with one in 10 minutes. We gave ourselves over to the process of being produced.

 

Chris Robinson and Farmer Dave, listening to playback at Discount Mirrors.  Photo: B Rad

 

 

HL: Was it nice to have that kind of environment?

BR: Yeah, it was. It was nice to have someone else on the outside helping steer things a bit. It was different from working with Tom Monaghan and Michael Deming, where we were the ones calling the shots. With Chris, he was telling us what to do because we didn’t want to repeat ourselves. We had ideas, but they were spinning in a cycle and not finishing.

For example, the song we called “High Noon” was originally just Chris Gunst playing an electric piano, and it was almost going to be a minimalist piano song. Then Chris Robinson suggested we just play like Beachwood Sparks. We recorded it in 10 minutes, and we loved it. Sometimes, you overthink things, and it helps to have someone else guide you.

Chris didn’t change the core of the music. He didn’t write any parts or tell us to think differently. He worked with what was there, took some of it away, maybe had us repeat parts, and it came out great because of that.

 

 

HL: The record has a bigger sound but still has that classic interplay between you guys. You mentioned how Gene Clark’s No Other was constantly on the stereo— I think you can feel that in the horns. Were there any other big influences on this one?

BR: Gene [Clark] is always on my mind. No Other is a crafted masterpiece, whereas Across the River of Stars was done in a few days. I think Neil Young Zuma vibes were also present—it shifts between country, disjointed folk, and soft moments. Early on, we wanted to be a country band, but we didn’t know how. We were more of an indie band exploring modern sounds along with country and Western influences, more like the late ‘60s, early ‘70s, not quite ‘50s country.

Before making Across the River of Stars, Chris Gunst and I talked about wanting the next album to be a country record. We didn’t get there with Across the River of Stars because it was already hard enough to get everyone on board. But for the next album, we want to bring in some country musicians—maybe our friends from The Sadies—to really shape the songs. Even though “Gem” goes in a shoegaze direction at the end, it still has that little country swing.

 

 

HL: “Gentle Samurai” has that classic Beachwood country feeling, that hazy country vibe you guys always tapped into. It feels informed by the past but carries that indie spirit. 

BR:Yeah, Neal [Casal] left us all guitars after he passed away. I used his White Falcon on the new GospelbeacH album, and he left Dave a black 12-string Gretsch, which Dave wrote that song on. It’s kind of dedicated to people like Neal, Jackknife, Sleigher, Rex and our friends who are now in space. There was talk of having Kurt Vile play banjo on it, which would’ve made it even more country. It almost has a Lilys vibe, like Better Can’t Make Your Life Better.

That song, and a couple of Chris’s, like “Falling Forever,” really feel like it could have been 1998 and we were just showing each other our songs—simple and pure Beachwood. Paul Stacey and Chris Robinson helped get it on tape, mixed it, and kept it pure. In the past, we would’ve overthought everything, but this time, Chris was like, “Keep playing that; don’t stop, that’s it!”

  

 

 

 

HL: I was wondering, since this is your first record not only on your own label but as the head of the label, do you feel like Beachwood Sparks has always been kind of an outlier, preserving the flame of an old guard while moving in a completely new direction? Do you feel like this is the first time Beachwood Sparks has been in the right place at the right time, sound-wise, especially with the recent rise of Cosmic Americana? 

BR: Yeah, yeah, and thank God people came around to it. I don't know if we were the purveyors of that, and I don't think Across the River of Stars is the ultimate example of it. But even though our sound is more familiar these days, we’re still “outliers.” There’s a country version of our music that hasn’t come yet—a crafted record like something Sylvie would make. It was all set up for us to just do that, but we couldn’t do it at this time.

 

  

HL: Is there an organic plan already in place for a follow-up album?

BR: Well, Chris and I have talked about it, but right now, honestly, no. It might look really different, but if it’s us in the studio, we call it Beachwood Sparks. If it's me, Chris, Farmer Dave, and Ben Knight, we can call it Beachwood Sparks. But it'd be great to get more players and do something that’s more real country because we love that music so much. It’s going to take some planning and writing, though.

Hopefully, it happens. We don’t want to say it’s going to happen and then not make it happen. We were asked to do a record with The Sadies, and then Dallas passed away, so it never came to fruition. Those guys play all sorts of instruments—fiddles, mandolins, stand-up bass—that would really expand the sound into something classic. I think it’d be fun. Yeah, I think it’d be really fun.

  

Chris Gunst, Farmer Dave and Brent “The Crucial Three” in Malibu. Photo: Emily Badgley

 

 

HL: With this record, was it a freeing experience to be more hands-off?

BR: Absolutely. I didn’t touch a single microphone. I didn’t even ask what the signal path was—like, what compressor was being used or anything. Normally, that’s something I’d always be on top of because I know what gear was used on records we love, and I know what we've used on things we liked in the past. But this time, I didn’t say a thing. I just let Eric and Chris handle everything.

I got to focus on playing bass, and it was amazing not to have that mental space occupied by technical stuff. On most Beachwood Sparks records, you can barely hear the bass. On the first one, it’s clear—Michael Deming was great. Chris played a lot of acoustic guitar, but on the ones I mixed, like The Tarnished Gold, the bass is soft and muddy. But on this album, man, you can hear it clearly. It’s a punk rock studio, a garage rock studio, so they were like, “Turn it up all the way.” They literally cranked my amp up to 10—my ‘72 Bassman—and it sounds great.

 

 

HL: It must be a different experience recording in a studio like that, which is primarily for loud, aggressive sounds, yet capturing something more nuanced.

BR: Totally. The studio doesn’t look like how the record sounds. You’d expect a lot of slanted, cool cypress wood or a Southwestern motif, but it’s nothing like that. It’s pure garage and indie punk. That’s something we wanted because, as much as I love Tarnished Gold, everything on that record got very well-rounded and crafted, and the edges were smoothed off. This time, it was fun to just get the first or second take once we knew what we were doing. It's a great place. Color Green recorded there, along with a bunch of newer bands.

 

Chris Gunst says "high" between takes.

 

 

HL: Did the idea to record with Eric at Discount Mirrors come from Chris? Where did the idea to bring those two forces together originate?

BR: Yeah, that came from Chris. One morning, we were at the Kitchen Mouse eating, and he said, “Let’s go look at my friend’s studio.” It was a gray morning, just like today. We went in, checked it out, and I thought, “Oh my God, I could put Curation bands in here.” I met John and Eric, and the studio was really cool. Then Chris said, “We should make the Beachwood Sparks album here,” and I was like, “Yes, right by my house—I love it!”

 

 

HL: You mentioned Color Green and Sylvie earlier. As the head of Curation, you must be deep into the Cosmic Americana wave. Is there anything else that’s been on your radar or in the speakers while you were working on this record? Any new favorites? 

BR: Yeah, all the bands on Curation, for sure. All those experiences shape it. That band Steel Fringe is funny—they sound a lot like early Beachwood, coming from that same place we did with all the reverb and the Notorious Byrd Brothers vibe. But for us, it’s still the same old bands—the Byrds, Gram Parsons, the Louvin Brothers—always the Louvin Brothers. When I hang up, I’ll probably think of a million things.

Honestly, it’s the experiences, not just the sounds, that shaped this album. Doing GospelbeacH and Farmer Dave and the Wizards of the West, all of that helped influence the new Beachwood Sparks songs.

 

Benji Knight, Chris Robinson and Farmer Dave share a joint between takes at Discount Mirrors studios Highland Park CA. Photo: B Rad

  

 

HL: The title Across the River of Stars is evocative. Is there something behind that? Is the imagery tied to the music?

BR: Yeah, if you listen, Chris actually says it. At the end of the song “Gem,” which is obviously about his daughter—he hadn’t had a kid before when making a record, so this time he had something different to write about. It’s not a relationship song; it’s about his daughter. Chris has always done these country songs with talking parts, kind of as a joke. I think at the end of one of the songs, Chris Robinson, who was producing, said, “You should do a talking part.”

Chris was like, “I don’t know what to say.” I think Chris Robinson fed him the line, and then Chris just started talking, saying, “Across the River of Stars.” He made up his own words after that. It’s mixed really low, which is cool. When it comes to album titles, it’s usually the first thing you come up with that sticks. 

It’s about all those little things—going against the stream, going with the flow. For the most part, we all just flowed like a river. In Farmer Dave’s song “Gentle Samurai,” when he says, “Save a burrito in space for me,” it’s such a weird line. But in California, we used to get burritos with friends, go to shows, go surfing, and get burritos. When he says that, I picture all of our lost friends, not in heaven, but in space.

 

 

HL: Maybe a natural segue, but since this is for Heads Lifestyle, was there any particular strain or substance that aided the record?

BR: Well, here’s the thing: Chris doesn’t smoke when he’s on tour because of his voice, but he wasn’t on tour this time. So, every session, there was a big joint burning. Even if you didn’t smoke, you’d get a contact high. I remember one night, Farmer Dave did a late-night session after we all went home. The engineer, Eric, called me the next day and said, “Oh yeah, Dave came in at one in the morning, set up all these lights, took some medicine, and did the middle part for ‘Dolphin Dance.’ It was a whole ceremony—definitely psychedelic.”

Usually, we just eat a tiny bit of gummies or drink hemp or THC sodas—something very designer. But this time, we actually rolled a joint, got high, and listened to the playback. I think we had Eric play back the end of “Wild Swans” over and over because it just sounded so cool.

 

 

Beachwood Sparks makes a triumphant return with Across the River of Stars, produced by Chris Robinson (The Black Crowes). Featuring their signature blend of Cosmic Americana and dreamy melodies, the band not only delivers new tunes but also graces the live stage once again after a twelve-year hiatus, captivating audiences worldwide with their mesmerizing performances.

Available for purchase here 

 

"Wild Swans" single with limited 12" Remix coming in October

 

More about Beachwood Sparks here

Follow Beachwood Sparks on Instagram at: @beachwoodsparksofficial

 

 

See Beachwood Sparks live on tour. 

~ Sept 28th Evolution Festival. St Louis MO

~ 2025 UK and Euro shows to be announced soon.

 

 

Listen on Spotify 

An 18-track playlist of music that inspired and influenced the creation of the "Across the River of Stars" LP. Custom-curated by all six members of Beachwood Sparks. Check out the "River of Sparks" Mix on Spotify.

 

 

About the Author

Andy French is the owner and curator of the site Raven Sings the Blues, a daily music review website in operation since 2006. He is the host of Crawl Out From The Fallout on Hudson, New York's independent, freeform station WGXC. The show can be heard every 2nd Tuesday of the month from 8-10 PM. Andy has been helping keep the Upstate music scene vital, booking shows in Hudson and Kingston, New York at venues like BSP, The Half Moon, and Tubby's. He's the founder of the Deep In The Valley Festival, which brings together cosmic Americana, psych, jazz, and folk at the scenic farm brewery From The Ground in Red Hook, New York. He lives in Hudson with his wife, Dani, and their two daughters, Florence and Mae.

 

 

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