You could say musician Barney Bentall had to get away from the recording industry in order to make beautiful music.
Bentall, a celebrated bar-room rock 'n roller with a string of releases since the '80s, took a hiatus from the musical fray and became a cattle rancher in 1998. But by August this year he was back, with his latest album Gift Horse.
"This record is probably a little more rootsier, and stripped down," he explained.
His break provided plenty of fresh fuel for his imagination.
"It gave me different perspectives on life, and is what inspired me to make this record," said Bentall. After a few years away, "I started writing songs again and felt I had something to say again."
But even during his time away from the music industry, Bentall continued to play 30 to 40 concerts a year.
"I love the contact with the audience. That was always the purest part of the music business, along with song writing. You get the thrill of writing a song, and when it comes full circle you get the thrill of playing it for people who want to hear it," said Bentall.
This last album took two years to make.
"Sometimes a song strikes you like a bolt of lightning, sometimes it percolates and you start chipping away at them. And sometimes songs take left turns, and you end up writing something completely different," described Bentall.
"I am the type of person that when I see some side street, I go and follow it. I try not to be too single minded in my purpose and direction," he added.
Bentall performs at the Brackendale Art Gallery Nov. 11 at 8 pm. Tickets are $18 and can be bought at the BAG and Mostly Books. With him on stage will be Leslie Alexander, Rob Becker and John Ellis, who produced Gift Horse.
"They are a great ensemble of musicians, and the BAG is a lovely place to play," Bentall noted. You can check out more about Bentall, and sample tracks from Gift Horse at barneybentall.ca
