Brian Dewan
Created | Updated Jan 7, 2003
Who is Brian Dewan?
Well, I'll tell you who Brian Dewan is. You would be very hard-pressed to put this man in a peg of his own. Musician, visual artist, craftsman: any of these titles could be attributed to him, and each of them is put to use on the stage.
Visual Artist
In addition to doing his own intricately designed album covers and flyers for live performances, Brian has also done non-musical work for some other bands (whom you might consider "non-musical" yourself). His work includes:
- Cover art for David Byrne's "Uh-Oh"
- Cover art for "Neutral Milk Hotel"
- The cover of "Lincoln" for They Might Be Giants
- An accordion photo which appears on "Severe Tire Damage" by They Might Be Giants
- The cover lettering for Yazbek's "The Laughing Man"
Craftsman
Musicians do so much more than just write, record and perform music; in fact it's a bit crazy to think that's all their life is. Some fill up time by going to court, others by trying to get on board the big drug craze. Dewan, however, travels down a much less beaten path: He makes furniture.
Interested? Perhaps the best example would be on the cover of They Might Be Giants' album "Lincoln." While not exactly furniture, the large monolithic item on the cover was built by Brian. (The eggshell-blue keyboard stand that John Linnell of the band uses in live concerts was also built by Brian.)
He also runs a company by the name of Dewan Luxury Products. You could contact them, but if you really want to buy something related to the man, a t-shirt might be a bit more cost-effective.
Musician
Here's how his record label "Bar-None" describes him:
In a world grown weary of turgid rock and tired Euro-dance rhythms, the classically-trained Dewan weighs in mightily with this awe-inspiring compendium of original, electrically-charged folk tunes and cranky Yankee tales. Already a favorite of BBC tastemaker John Peel, Dewan is an American original and truly a Renaissance man.Brian is proficient such instruments as the accordion, the autoharp, the Moog Synth, Mamola banjo, the Organ, the theremin, and most famously, the electric zither.
The Electric Zither
When one thinks of instruments that should be amplified by electricity, the zither does not often spring to mind. Brian Dewan asks you (politely) to consider the zither. This amazing contraption was built by the fellow himself. It sits like a table and is plucked like a regular zither. The main difference, of course, is that it has eight Humbucker pick-ups that allow him to give the instrument a sound entirely it's own. Citing his record label's words once again, it sounds like "Jimi Hendrix on smart drugs."
Albums
As of writing, Brian Dewan has put out two albums:
- The Operating Theater
- Brian Dewan Tells the Story
You may have heard of an off-Broadway show by the name of "The Blue Man Group." Brian is a co-founder of the group and also composes and performs for them. Both their show and their self-titled album have received magnificent reviews from critics.
"You belong in a bin, a bin..."
And so there you have it. That is who Brian Dewan is: a multi-talented modern-day Renaissance-man. With a veritable cornucopia of wit, wisdom, talent, and general likeability, it is baffling that this man isn't busier; record companies should be kicking his door in asking him to sign. Do yourself a favor and pick up an album or two.
