Hearing B.J. Barham of Raleigh sing on his band’s latest album, Small Town Hymns, you wouldn’t guess he only began to have a serious interest in music six years ago. While studying history at N.C. State University, Barham decided to learn guitar so that he could write his own songs.
Originally from Reidsville, Barham always had an interest in music, growing up listening to such singer-songwriters as Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young and Ryan Adams.
Barham performed Wednesday in Reidsville with American Aquarium, and he will perform a solo acoustic set Friday at The Garage in Winston-Salem.
“I really dig people that have something to say and are really good at saying it,” Barham says
When Barham got together with three other N.C. State students and two other musicians from the Raleigh area, he realized that he might have something to say as well. In 2005, the six musicians formed American Aquarium, an alt-country/rock/Americana band, and they have spent the past five years developing their sound.
“At first it was just throwing as much against the wall as we could, because when you have six people in a band there’s going to be six completely different influences coming at you,” Barham says. “But we’re definitely coming into our own, as far as a sound that we’re going for.”
The steady development of a sound and the band’s growing fan base are due partly to its hardworking attitude. This is the second year American Aquarium has been on the road for more than 300 shows, and it has put out four albums and one EP in the past four years.
“We wanted to be known as a hard-working touring band, but we also wanted to have a studio output as well,” Barhamsays. “Usually when we’re not on the road we’re doing some kind of recording.”
While all the band members enjoy being on the road, for Barham it is practically a necessity. “I love being on the road, I would be on the road 365 days a year if I could,” he says. “I could stay at home about three or four days, but after that I start getting an itch to go back out and play.”
It may be the catharsis of performing that keeps Barham on the road. “Some people go hit a punching bag when they’re upset or pissed off or mad or angry or hurt,” Barham says. “It’s nice to have something that’s not going to hurt my fingers. Instead of negatively putting it on someone or holding it up until it bursts up, it’s nice to be able to write it out, and every night kind of exorcise those demons.”
Up until now, songwriting was mainly a way to explore love, heartache and the challenges of relationships, but with the most recent album, Barham explores the complexities of growing up in a small town.
“I really appreciate the values that a small town puts in you; I think small towns do it without even trying,” Barham says. “I feel like I have a really solid upbringing, but then there’s also that really closed-minded kind of attitude that gets spread throughout small towns, and that’s what I ran from. It’s a mixed bag — I wouldn’t grow up anywhere else, but I kind of wish I grew up somewhere else.”
For audiences, the small-town charm of Barham and his songs is clear.
“I think that they relate because it’s real,” he says. “We’re the kind of band when we get on stage we definitely want to hang out and talk.” Further, the most recent album continues an autobiographical theme, with many of the songs based on real people Barham knows from Reidsville.
At the end of the day, Barham just hopes to keep playing and introducing people to their music. “We’re just trying to focus on playing solid rock-and-roll music. We’re not trying to put a label on it,” he says.
“We don’t want anything to be given to us. We’re very happy and content working for it, and you know, just meet people one at a time and try to get them to listen to our music.”
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