Interviews: Lorquin's Admiral

On this new occasion, we had the opportunity to interview the Psychedelic Rock band Lorquin's Admiral. Check out the interview and enjoy the band!

1. Where did you get the idea for the band name, did you plan it or come out just like that?

D. Brown: The Lorquin’s Admiral is a butterfly that is native to California. Living in northern California, Dawn and I have the privilege of being immersed in one of the most beautiful areas on the planet, and the Lorquin’s Admiral is one of the most unique visitors to our strawberry garden.

2. Why did you want to play this genre?

D. Brown: I don’t think anyone in Lorquin’s Admiral likes to identify with the genre game. Music, for us, is just something that comes from the moment without a whole lot of thinking that goes into fitting it into any specific pigeonhole. If you take a look at the previous releases of the folks who wrote and performed on the Lorquin’s Admiral album, there is a common thread of guitar-based blues and psych rock, but we have all definitely swam in waters far outside of that genre as well.

3. Did you know each other before the band was formed?

D. Brown: Since Dawn and I are husband and wife, we have obviously known each other for quite some time. Definitely, though, I have quite a long history with Steve Earle, going all the way back to the early 90s. The same is true for my relationships with both Dave Angstrom and Country Mark Engel. We were all part of a pretty thriving music scene that took place in Cincinnati during that time, so our paths crossed on many projects and jam sessions. As for Nick and Marlon, my association with them goes back close to a decade and our work on the Yawning Sons album, Sky Island. I had the great honor of being asked to sing a few songs for that album, so our friendship and musical relationship sprung from there and continued to grow into what would eventually become the Lorquin’s Admiral sessions.

4. Who or what inspires you to write songs?

D. Brown: I am inspired by so many sources that it is almost impossible to name them all. Certainly, though, my deepest inspiration comes from my writing partner, Dawn. I have the incredible luck of being married to one of the most talented artists I have ever known . . . and I have known a lot of artists.

5. Where was your last gig?

D. Brown: Due to the sheer distance between band members, being as Marlon and Nick live in the UK, and the rest of us are spread across the USA, Lorquin’s Admiral has not had an opportunity to perform live yet. We hope to rectify that within the next year, though, and we’re looking at dates in 2026.

6. Where would you like to perform?

D. Brown: With the groups I have been a part of, I have had the honor of playing in venues all over the United States and Europe, but the first venue that comes to mind for a Lorquin’s Admiral performance would have to be the Southgate House Revival in northern Kentucky. Being born and raised in that area and having recently been able to see a festival there while visiting my family not too long ago, it would be a tremendous thrill to play a Lorquin’s Admiral show there as sort of a homecoming event. It is an absolutely majestic place that is operated by one of the finest individuals I know.

7. Whom would you like to feature with?

D. Brown: Honestly, there are two answers to this, and both happen to be my favorite groups I was lucky enough to find out about over the last decade or so. First would be Alice Tambourine Lover, an amazing duo from Bologna, Italia. Their songwriting is absolutely phenomenal. The other would be the Church of the Cosmic Skull. I first heard their work about six or seven years ago and I have been completely blown away by them ever since. Bill Fisher is definitely one of the finest songwriters and producers of our time.

8. Have any of you ever suffered from stage fright? Any tips for beginners on how to beat that?

D. Brown: I don’t think I have ever suffered from stage fright. I usually get some butterflies in my stomach just before a performance, but they dissipate as soon as the music begins and I enter into that dream state of flowing with the song. My advice, though, to those who do have stage fright is to remember that when you get on stage it is the culmination of everything that brought you to that moment. Don’t give a fuck about what people think and don’t let what they think influence your state of mind. Let go of all that and live out your dream.

9. What bands have inspired you the most?

D. Brown: Again, this is a question that has so many answers that it is almost impossible to respond to. I have been inspired by so many musicians, both those I know personally and those I am a fan of, that my list could go on for days. I always come back, though, to the guys who I first played music with, Pete Davidson and Todd Quincy, and how the hours and hours we spent jamming as kids laid the foundation for everything I do today.

10. What's the weirdest thing a fan has ever asked you for?

D. Brown: Fans are awesome. I really can’t think of anything “weird” that someone has asked for. I’m a pretty unique and “weird” person myself, so it would take quite a request from someone for me to label it as “weird.”

11. What do you think of your fans?

D. Brown: The folks who have followed the various groups I have been a part of over the years are absolutely incredible. There are fans of Hermano and Orquesta del Desierto who have been following my musical career for over 25 years, and I can’t put together words that truly relate just how much I appreciate their interest in what I do musically. There are also more recent fans of the Fizz Fuzz, Yawning Sons, and now Lorquin’s Admiral who are just as awesome. Additionally, there are fans of my writing, folks who have picked up a copy of my novel, Carnival Songs, or some of the shorter pieces I have published. I would still be playing music and writing even if I had never gathered fans, but they definitely are instrumental in giving me a feeling of validation for the work. That is such a tremendous thing that they do for the artists they enjoy, and I think that every artist is very grateful to know that what they have created is appreciated.

12. What do you think of our site?

D. Brown: I love it. I have an immense appreciation for any site or publication that provides support and an avenue for an artist to show their art to the world. What you do is critical and important, and I hope you receive, on a daily basis, the kudos you deserve. Thank you.