



Touted as the heir to Bruce Springsteen's New Jersey throne and the frontman of one of the most successful bands in modern times, just who is Brian Fallon?





From Red Bank, New Jersey, Brian Fallon has had a music career spanning over twenty years now. From recording the "Coffee House Sessions" as a teenager to his last album "Sleepwalkers", Fallon has achieved a lot in his career so far and has played many genres of music, showing he's a musician of many skills.





For me, I discovered The Gaslight Anthem in 2012 whilst watching a special show on Kerrang! that was showcasing all the different acts that were playing at Metallica's Orion Music and More festival. The second the intro riff started in the video below, I was hooked instantly. 7 years later I am still hooked.













Come Wander With Me





There is a great fan community for Brian Fallon and The Gaslight Anthem. I chatted to members of fan groups on Facebook to talk about Brian Fallon and what his music means for them.





For many people, they discovered Brian Fallon when they were young and in college or a family member introduced them to Brian's work. For Nikos Bakirtzis from Thessaloniki, Greece, it was slightly different. While creating his own rock encyclopedia in his local library, he was told of a shop where he could buy international magazines and that led to Nikos buying Rolling Stone auf Deutsche which was a "waste of money". He also bought Classic Rock which had a CD consisting of the best of 2008. Song number 4 was The 59 Sound by The Gaslight Anthem. Nikos never listened to song number 5.





The 59 Sound





Discussing Brian Fallon's career means we cannot leave out "The 59 Sound". This The Gaslight Anthem's second album and is the album that propelled them to stardom. The success of this album led to a performance with Bruce Springsteen on many different occasions throughout their career. It led to a show on the pyramid stage at Glastonbury in 2011. Fallon has stated "there would be no Sleepwalkers without The 59 Sound." They broke their hiatus last summer to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the album. Shows across Europe and America brought people together. Fans were excited to see their heroes on stage one more time, maybe for the last time. I want to avoid the Bruce Springsteen comparisons for Fallon. I also want to avoid making this a piece solely about The 59 Sound. There is so much more to Fallon.













Ferris Wheel's, Girls Called Maria and Diners





Throughout Fallon's career, many images and tropes have appeared. With his ever constant changing style of music, many images have been portrayed. For New Jersey native, Erika Szumel, the images of the "central Jersey skies, the Navesink banks and anytime he mentions a diner" resonate for her.





Another image that features heavily in his work are cars. It's evident in the song Steve McQueen from the album "Painkillers"





You and me in British racing green





The song Old White Lincoln is another song that conjures up so many images for people.

You and your high-top sneakers and your sailor tattoos And your old fifty-five that you drove through the roof Of the sky up above these indifferent stars While you just kept coming apart right in my arms Right in my arms





And I always dreamed of classic cars and movie screens And tryin' to find some way to be redeemed Bring a dollar with you, baby In the cold, cold ground





Hannah Scott, from Exeter, can't drive anywhere with out a Fallon CD in her car. "I feel so free when I'm driving with their (The Gaslight Anthem) music on. I dream of being able to own a vintage car one day so that I can listen to them and drive along the beach."





Not all images are of cars or diners and starry skies. Pain and heartache are also a part of Fallon's work. The Horrible Crowes album "Elsie" is a dark, melodic album that deals with pain and love. Songs like Crush and Sugar are two perfect examples of this. These images of hurt and pain hit home hard for Kyle Plenderleith from Glasgow - " I'd have to go with wound. He's constantly makes reference to wounds through his work...everyone can relate to whether mental or physical."

















His latest album "Sleepwalkers" features dark themes with cheery and catchy melodies. The last track See You on The Other Side is a perfect example of this.





And when we both grow old And there's nothing left to say I want you to know That I loved you all my days And when we close our eyes on this lifetime I'll see you on the other side Yes, I'll see you on the other side

















I don't wanna survive, I want a wonderful life





When I came up with the idea to write this piece, I wasn't sure how it would pan out. Like many journalists, it's easy to come up with an idea, but formulating that idea into something worthwhile can be difficult. I asked people about their favourite images, songs and themes. I asked people for their favourite songs. It was all about finding out what Brian Fallon's music does to people.





Jake Novak, another New Jersey native I interviewed for this article feels that Fallon is the "truth". He also stated " dreams, hope, potential and a brighter tomorrow. I feel like those all go hand in hand and in my opinion, a lot of songs have these themes in varying combinations. You can apply these sentiments to love, being a musician, and just getting out of your hometown or anything else really."





He went on to mention that the song Meet Me By The River's Edge is the song that resonates wildly with him. "I’m amazed at all the stars beneath that old Hollywood sign" is a line from the song that speaks to him. Whether it's wanting to leave your home town, or chasing that special someone or just trying to make it through the day, Fallon's music inspires people. It helps people.





Ashton Beebe from New York claimed that the song Here's Looking at You Kid, is a song that has played important part in his upbringing. " It really just tells how quickly a kid can grow up." Not does it just inspires people, Fallon's work can guide people.





The title of this section is a lyric from the song A Wonderful Life on "Painkillers". It's a song that came up a lot in the interviews and it's also symbolic of Fallon's music post Gaslight. For Kyle, it was the album "Sink or Swim" that got him hooked. For others it was the "The 59 Sound."





A Wonderful Life was the lead single from "Painkillers" and for Erika, it "filled her heart with joy and pride." I wanted to know what Brian Fallon's music meant for people. For so many people, Brian Fallon and The Gaslight Anthem make people have a wonderful life.

















"An authentic singer-songwriter who sings about love, loss, and New Jersey diners." - Erika Szumel





"When I first heard The Gaslight Anthem I felt like he was talking to me" - Nikos Bakirtzis





"this, this is the music I need" - Kyle Plenderleith





"Brian Fallon is my hero, my biggest inspiration and I owe him so much of the person that I have become" - Hannah Scott





"Honestly, not even kidding, it was a life changing feeling. They had the sound that I craved, but didn’t know needed. It was exciting because I felt like I opened up a door to a whole new musical world." - Jake Novak





"I really honestly got those butterflies in my stomach and I got goosebumps, as weird as it sounds." - Ashton Beebe.



















