Tony Kamel: Analogue Album Reassures We’re All Gonna Live

If the bells and whistles of the digital world are not your thing, it isn’t Tony Kamel’s either. His latest album, We’re All Gonna Live, is full of energy and saturated in analog.

“I’m not against Pro Tools (digital recording software),” says Austin, Texas, singer-songwriter Tony Kamel. “What I have learned is you don’t need everything that it offers. You can live without certain things if the energy is there.

“One of my favorite things about [analogue] is there’s no computer screens, so you can’t see the [audio] wave forms,” explains Kamel, who recorded his latest album on an analogue tape machine. “When you really dig into digital recording, it can trick your brain into things being wrong.”

The Grammy-nominated performer favors cutting live tracks with his band.

“It’s hard to put into words. You’re chasing this feeling! It’s like feeling and emotion. It has almost nothing to do with perfection.

“We sat down, we talked through the songs, and we sussed out some of the arrangements. It’s just so that we go into the studio a little more prepared. When you’re doing everything live, a little preparation can go a long way.”

But over-rehearsing, Kamel warns, isn’t always a good thing.

“I think it’s important to leave room for stuff that could happen. Too much preparation can be hindering.” 

The former Wood & Wire frontman says cameras were rolling while they recorded.

“I like pressure! It’s not because I’m some bad ass dude, it’s because I procrastinated on everything my entire life,” explains Kamel who was comfortable while filming. “I love to perform, so I always thrived on that kind of thing.

“Now the record is out, I’m going to release videos from the session periodically for the next couple of months.”

He teamed up again with fellow Texas songwriter and producer Bruce Robinson,

“I learned a lot,” Kamel says about Robinson, who collaborated with him on his debut solo album, Back Down Home. “He has taught me to hold myself to a higher standard. We just connected as friends and people—we’ll always be connected and I’m happy about that.”

The breakup of his former band Wood & Wire left Kamel uncertain about the future. “I thought maybe I could do music for fun again and then get a job. Fortunately for me, Bruce Robinson wanted to make a record—so we did!”

Kamell says the lyrics to the songs on his new album are about life’s ups and downs.

“It’s very important to be positive in life. You will notice on the front cover of the new record that I’m all beat up. It’s based on a quote I got from my grandmother, which is printed on the back of the record. She said, ‘Eventually life starts to knock you around, --you’ve got to be ready to fight with a smile.’

“I think a lot of people were confused,” the songwriter shares about the album cover. “I wanted to have some artistic expression around it. It definitely started some conversations.

 “I’ve been too self-conscious in the past to do something like that [laughs]. But now that I’m getting older, I thought, You know what? Who cares!”

 Kamel credits his old bandmates for guiding him early on.

“Wood & Wire was extremely fulfilling. There is a lot I miss about them. Those guys are the best musicians I've ever played with,” adding, “We were so locked in!”

“I was so green when I came into Wood & Wire. I learned so much from them,” reminisces Kamel, sharing that the other members should have gotten more attention. “I don’t think they have been given their due as the instrumentalists and musicians that they are.”

The Austin singer expresses gratitude for his current band, which features musicians Noah Jeffries, Cameron Owens, Kym Warner, and Josh Blue. “I was lucky enough to play with some of the best musicians in the world on this album (We’re All Gonna Live).”

Kamel feels the album will succeed in drawing a bluegrass audience, but could be a little confusing for some.

“If you’re a bluegrass fan, listen to this record like you would a John Hartford record, not a Bill Monroe record. If you are expecting the unexpected, then I think you will enjoy it.”