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==Early life and career==
==Early life and career==
Brannan was born 1982 in Texas in a middle-class family and grew up as the son of a petroleum engineer and a teacher.<ref name=NYT061008>{{cite news|last=Bernstein|first=Fred A.|title=Living Small, Thinking Large|publisher=''[[The New York Times]]''|date=October 8, 2006|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/08/realestate/08habi.html|accessdate=2009-08-11}}</ref><ref name=AMG>{{cite web|last=Leggett|first=Steve|title=Jay Brannan - Biography|publisher=[[Allmusic]]|url={{Allmusic|class=artist|id=p881291|pure_url=yes}}|accessdate=2009-08-11}}</ref><ref name=Dazed>{{cite news|last=Hoad|first=Phil|title=Film: Jay Brannan|publisher=''[[Dazed & Confused (magazine)|Dazed & Confused]]''|page=42|date=December 2006}}</ref> He described his family as conservative [[Baptist]]s.<ref>{{cite news|last=Bruni|first=Frank|title='Shortbus' Cast Didn't Study for This in Acting Class|publisher=''The New York Times''|date=September 24, 2006|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/24/movies/24brun.html?pagewanted=all|accessdate=August 11, 2009}}</ref> Brannan went to college for one semester in [[Cincinnati]], [[Ohio]], and went to California with a man he met on the internet, first to [[Palm Springs, California|Palm Springs]] and later to [[Los Angeles]], trying to become an actor.<ref name=NYT061008 /><ref name=Dazed /> In 2002, he was shown a casting notice and, after the end of a relationship, moved to New York City and submitted an audition tape.<ref name=NYT061008 />
Brannan was born 1982 in Texas in a middle-class family and grew up as the son of a petroleum engineer and a teacher.<ref name=NYT061008>{{cite news|last=Bernstein|first=Fred A.|title=Living Small, Thinking Large|publisher=''[[The New York Times]]''|date=October 8, 2006|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/08/realestate/08habi.html|accessdate=2009-08-11}}</ref><ref name=AMG>{{cite web|last=Leggett|first=Steve|title=Jay Brannan - Biography|publisher=[[Allmusic]]|url={{Allmusic|class=artist|id=p881291|pure_url=yes}}|accessdate=2009-08-11}}</ref><ref name=Dazed>{{cite news|last=Hoad|first=Phil|title=Film: Jay Brannan|publisher=''[[Dazed & Confused (magazine)|Dazed & Confused]]''|page=42|date=December 2006}}</ref> He described his family as conservative [[Baptist]]s and discussed their difficulty with accepting his homosexuality.<ref>{{cite news|last=Bruni|first=Frank|title='Shortbus' Cast Didn't Study for This in Acting Class|publisher=''The New York Times''|date=September 24, 2006|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/24/movies/24brun.html?pagewanted=all|accessdate=August 11, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Dumenco|first=Simon|title=Half Boyfriend|publisher=''Zoo Magazine''|date=April 2007|format=PDF|url=http://jaybrannan.com/images/brannan%2013-03.pdf|accessdate=July 16, 2011|quote=It didn’t help that he was accidentally outted when he kissed a boy outside his house one night, thinking nobody would see them. But his brother did, and told their mom. To Brannan's parents, homosexuality "fits in this category of, like, the whole sin, sinner, hell thing," he says with a sort of weary resignation.}}</ref> Brannan went to college for one semester in [[Cincinnati]], [[Ohio]], and went to California with a man he met on the internet, first to [[Palm Springs, California|Palm Springs]] and later to [[Los Angeles]], trying to become an actor.<ref name=NYT061008 /><ref name=Dazed /> In 2002, he was shown a casting notice and, after the end of a relationship, moved to New York City and submitted an audition tape.<ref name=NYT061008 />


Brannan was cast in 2003 for the movie ''[[Shortbus]]'', which featured him in an explicit sex scene, and worked as a proofreader and in other jobs to support himself.<ref name=TST061020>{{cite news|last=Hartl|first=John|title=Willing to go along for a long, circuitous ride|publisher=''[[The Seattle Times]]''|date=2006-10-20|url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/movies/2003312892_shortbusint20.html|accessdate=2009-08-11}}</ref> He contributed the song "Soda Shop" to the film's soundtrack, which he stated was his "first professionally recorded track".<ref name=TST061020 /> The song was also released on [[Team Love Records]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Visakowitz|first=Susan|title=Billboard Bits: Trey Anastasio, Foxy Brown, Jay Brannan, Brendan Canning|publisher=''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]''|date=2005-05-05|url=http://www.billboard.com/news/billboard-bits-trey-anastasio-foxy-brown-1003798842.story|accessdate=2009-08-11}}</ref> Brannan began to record sparse music videos for [[YouTube]], accompanying himself on the guitar, and built an international fan base without corporate sponsorship, using [[MySpace]] and [[Blogger (service)|Blogspot]].<ref name=TBG080714>{{cite news|last=Reed|first=James|title=Brannan charms with naive vulnerability|publisher=''[[The Boston Globe]]''|date=2008-07-14|url=http://www.boston.com/ae/music/cd_reviews/articles/2008/07/15/brannan_charms_with_naive_vulnerability/|accessdate=2009-08-11}}</ref><ref name=TAJ080718>{{cite news|last=Eldredge|first=Richard L.|title=PEACH BUZZ: Fans buy into singer's way with words|publisher=''[[The Atlanta Journal-Constitution]]''|date=2008-07-18|url=http://www.ajc.com/search/content/metro/stories/2008/07/18/buzz.html|accessdate=2009-08-11}}</ref> In 2007, he appeared in the movie ''[[Holding Trevor]]'' as the promiscuous best friend of the protagonist, and released a limited-edition [[Extended play|EP]] with fours songs named ''disasterpiece'' or ''Unmastered'', adding two additional songs for a 2008 re-release.<ref name=AMG /><ref>{{cite news|last=Holden|first=Stephen|title=Desperately Seeking Sex and Identity, With Snark|publisher=''The New York Times''|date=2008-07-04|url=http://movies.nytimes.com/2008/07/04/movies/04trev.html|accessdate=2009-08-11}}</ref>
Brannan was cast in 2003 for the movie ''[[Shortbus]]'', which featured him in an explicit sex scene, and worked as a proofreader and in other jobs to support himself.<ref name=TST061020>{{cite news|last=Hartl|first=John|title=Willing to go along for a long, circuitous ride|publisher=''[[The Seattle Times]]''|date=2006-10-20|url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/movies/2003312892_shortbusint20.html|accessdate=2009-08-11}}</ref> He contributed the song "Soda Shop" to the film's soundtrack, which he stated was his "first professionally recorded track".<ref name=TST061020 /> The song was also released on [[Team Love Records]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Visakowitz|first=Susan|title=Billboard Bits: Trey Anastasio, Foxy Brown, Jay Brannan, Brendan Canning|publisher=''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]''|date=2005-05-05|url=http://www.billboard.com/news/billboard-bits-trey-anastasio-foxy-brown-1003798842.story|accessdate=2009-08-11}}</ref> Brannan began to record sparse music videos for [[YouTube]], accompanying himself on the guitar, and built an international fan base without corporate sponsorship, using [[MySpace]] and [[Blogger (service)|Blogspot]].<ref name=TBG080714>{{cite news|last=Reed|first=James|title=Brannan charms with naive vulnerability|publisher=''[[The Boston Globe]]''|date=2008-07-14|url=http://www.boston.com/ae/music/cd_reviews/articles/2008/07/15/brannan_charms_with_naive_vulnerability/|accessdate=2009-08-11}}</ref><ref name=TAJ080718>{{cite news|last=Eldredge|first=Richard L.|title=PEACH BUZZ: Fans buy into singer's way with words|publisher=''[[The Atlanta Journal-Constitution]]''|date=2008-07-18|url=http://www.ajc.com/search/content/metro/stories/2008/07/18/buzz.html|accessdate=2009-08-11}}</ref> In 2007, he appeared in the movie ''[[Holding Trevor]]'' as the promiscuous best friend of the protagonist, and released a limited-edition [[Extended play|EP]] with fours songs named ''disasterpiece'' or ''Unmastered'', adding two additional songs for a 2008 re-release.<ref name=AMG /><ref>{{cite news|last=Holden|first=Stephen|title=Desperately Seeking Sex and Identity, With Snark|publisher=''The New York Times''|date=2008-07-04|url=http://movies.nytimes.com/2008/07/04/movies/04trev.html|accessdate=2009-08-11}}</ref>

Revision as of 15:10, 16 July 2011

Jay Brannan

Jay Brannan (born March 29, 1982) is a New York City-based American singer-songwriter and actor. He was born in Texas and briefly studied in Ohio, but moved to California to become an actor. Brannan appeared in the 2006 movie Shortbus, which included one of his songs in its soundtrack, and began to build a fan base by performing on YouTube. He released an EP and acted in Holding Trevor in 2007. Since then, he has toured and released two albums.

Early life and career

Brannan was born 1982 in Texas in a middle-class family and grew up as the son of a petroleum engineer and a teacher.[2][3][4] He described his family as conservative Baptists and discussed their difficulty with accepting his homosexuality.[5][6] Brannan went to college for one semester in Cincinnati, Ohio, and went to California with a man he met on the internet, first to Palm Springs and later to Los Angeles, trying to become an actor.[2][4] In 2002, he was shown a casting notice and, after the end of a relationship, moved to New York City and submitted an audition tape.[2]

Brannan was cast in 2003 for the movie Shortbus, which featured him in an explicit sex scene, and worked as a proofreader and in other jobs to support himself.[7] He contributed the song "Soda Shop" to the film's soundtrack, which he stated was his "first professionally recorded track".[7] The song was also released on Team Love Records.[8] Brannan began to record sparse music videos for YouTube, accompanying himself on the guitar, and built an international fan base without corporate sponsorship, using MySpace and Blogspot.[9][10] In 2007, he appeared in the movie Holding Trevor as the promiscuous best friend of the protagonist, and released a limited-edition EP with fours songs named disasterpiece or Unmastered, adding two additional songs for a 2008 re-release.[3][11]

In July 2008, Brannan released the album goddamned through his own label, Great Depression Records, and toured ten dates, a departure from his previous practice of short tours comprising just four concerts or so.[9][12] The same year, Brannan left his proofreading job and sustained himself with earnings from concerts and merchandise.[10] His second album, In Living Cover, was released in 2009 and reached number ten on the Billboard Top Heatseekers chart for the week of July 25, 2009.[13] Brannan promoted the album in an interview on ABC News's Now in July 2009.[14]

Style

Jay Brannan in Hamburg, Germany, in 2009

Brannan is a tenor.[2] Allmusic described his style as contemporary singer-songwriter and compared him to female artists, including Ani DiFranco, Lisa Loeb, Sinéad O'Connor, and Liz Phair.[3] Goddamned was described as lo-fi and Brannan compared his concerts to intimate performances in his home.[10][15] He has performed with Terra Naomi and both were compared in style and described as performing indie folk.[15] The New York Times stated in 2006 that Brannan was sometimes compared to Rufus Wainwright, "another openly gay young singer-songwriter", and that Brannan saw himself as echoing the angry and sad sound of female singers like Tracy Chapman and Joni Mitchell.[2]

Discography

EPs
  • Unmastered (aka disasterpiece) (2007, re-released 2008 with additional tracks)
Albums
Songs
  • "Soda Shop" (track on the 2006 Shortbus soundtrack)
  • "Lower My Gun" (track on the 2008 Holding Trevor soundtrack)

Filmography

References

  1. ^ Brannan, Jay (March 29, 2010). "welp. it's the 29th here i ..." Twitter. Archived from the original on March 29, 2010. Retrieved March 29, 2010.
  2. ^ a b c d e Bernstein, Fred A. (October 8, 2006). "Living Small, Thinking Large". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-08-11. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  3. ^ a b c Leggett, Steve. "Jay Brannan - Biography". Allmusic. Retrieved 2009-08-11.
  4. ^ a b Hoad, Phil (December 2006). "Film: Jay Brannan". Dazed & Confused. p. 42. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  5. ^ Bruni, Frank (September 24, 2006). "'Shortbus' Cast Didn't Study for This in Acting Class". The New York Times. Retrieved August 11, 2009. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  6. ^ Dumenco, Simon (April 2007). "Half Boyfriend" (PDF). Zoo Magazine. Retrieved July 16, 2011. It didn't help that he was accidentally outted when he kissed a boy outside his house one night, thinking nobody would see them. But his brother did, and told their mom. To Brannan's parents, homosexuality "fits in this category of, like, the whole sin, sinner, hell thing," he says with a sort of weary resignation. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  7. ^ a b Hartl, John (2006-10-20). "Willing to go along for a long, circuitous ride". The Seattle Times. Retrieved 2009-08-11. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  8. ^ Visakowitz, Susan (2005-05-05). "Billboard Bits: Trey Anastasio, Foxy Brown, Jay Brannan, Brendan Canning". Billboard. Retrieved 2009-08-11. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  9. ^ a b Reed, James (2008-07-14). "Brannan charms with naive vulnerability". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 2009-08-11. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  10. ^ a b c Eldredge, Richard L. (2008-07-18). "PEACH BUZZ: Fans buy into singer's way with words". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved 2009-08-11. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  11. ^ Holden, Stephen (2008-07-04). "Desperately Seeking Sex and Identity, With Snark". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-08-11. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  12. ^ "Feature - Jay Brannan". Billboard. 2008-08-13. Retrieved 2009-08-11. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  13. ^ "In Living Cover – Chart Listing For The Week Of Jul 25 2009". Billboard. Retrieved 2009-07-29. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  14. ^ "ITunes Chart Climber Jay Brannan". ABC News. July 29, 2009. Retrieved November 26, 2010.
  15. ^ a b Peitzman, Louis (2009-07-23). "Jay Brannan and Terra Naomi: Getting close". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2009-08-11. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
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