Oregon Duo Brings Their DIY Sound To OC Fans

Portland Duo Priory

Portland Duo Priory opens for the Kooks at the Observatory Sept. 24
Photo by: Nick Walker

Portland-based duo, Priory makes nothing less than a band that embodies electronic beats and gracious harmonizing vocals. While living in the same rundown bachelor pad, Kyle Sears and Brandon Rush decided to make Priory  a reality. Priory will be performing on Wed, Sept. 24 at The Observatory opening for The Kooks.

The band just released a new video for their single ‘Weekend,’ starring Bailey Noble (True Blood) and Nick Krause (The Descendants, Boyhood). We filmed it at a roller rink that closed down a week later.

Rush and Sears met in a flophouse; sold everything they had (including their own blood), built out a studio in an old cement factory, and made a record they felt represented everything they were capable of. They dealt with hardships during the recording process – family members with cancer, friends that died of drug overdoses – but turned their life experiences into positive songs with meaningful, cut-to-the-bone messages.

The OC Concert Guide spoke to the pair about their music and touring with the Kooks.

OCCG: Why did you guys decide to call yourselves Priory and how did you guys meet?
Rush: Kyle and I met at a Pretty Girls Make Graves show and hit it off. Shortly thereafter we ended up randomly living in the same flophouse in SE Portland. That is where we started writing music. Our musical connection was obvious from the first time we sat down. The Priory is a rehab clinic in London, and it is also by definition a place where monks live. Neither of those things influenced the name decision. We do, however, identify with separating yourself from the outside world in order to focus on a singular goal. We quit our day jobs and locked ourselves in a basement studio for a year and a half.

OCCG: How did you know that music is what you guys wanted to pursue?
Rush: Kyle and I have both been playing in bands since we were kids. It is the only thing either of us has ever wanted to do. I bought my first guitar when I was twelve, with lawn mowing money. I went to a public art school instead of a traditional high school where I focused on upright bass and guitar. I went to three different colleges for music, but never really liked learning music that way. Kyle and I both went through music engineering programs as well. I honestly think music school is valid, but the real growth happens when you start making music every day, all day.

Sears: My first guitar was my mother’s old classical that I strung up with electric guitar strings, I played trumpet in jazz band and took bass and guitar lessons at about 12 years old.

OCCG: What do you want for your fans to gain out of your latest video for the single, “Weekend?”
Sears: Weekend is a song about feeling marginalized and acting out in turn. We have definitely done our share of acting out. I think everyone feels oppressed by an authority figure at some point in life. It could be a strict parent, a boss at work or the standard forced upon us by western culture. We use escapism to feel momentarily empowered. The sad skating rink job was a great way of highlighting the message of the song. We hope that people have fun and can laugh as well as relate to the awkwardness of wanting more and trying to escape to someplace better, even if that place is in your own daydreams.

OCCG: How does it make you feel to be praised by top media outlets from Entertainment Weekly, Billboard and Time who have recognized you as “Artist You Need to Hear?”
Rush: The positive reaction from everyone has been overwhelming. We worked on the record for well over a year so it feels amazing to finally have our stuff out there. It is still pretty surreal to hear our songs on the radio when we are touring.

OCCG: How did you cope with all of the hardships during your recording process?
Sears: The best way to cope with hardships is to channel that energy into songs. There is something very freeing about being able to explore emotional moments in life through art. We both had parents dealing with late stage cancer treatment during the time of creating this album. The journey took us down to the last 5 cents in our bank accounts many times even giving plasma to pay for the week’s groceries. We are lucky to have the outlet we do and it continues to be a source of renewal and calm in both our lives.

OCCG: What do you expect to gain out of your upcoming national tour with the Kooks?
Sears: It is really exciting for us to be playing with such a great band like the Kooks. This tour gives us a great opportunity to showcase ourselves in front of a new audience. Nothing is more thrilling than winning over a crowd that has either not heard all your songs or, in some cases, not of the band.

OCCG: What are you most looking forward to your show at The Observatory on Sept. 24 in Santa Ana?
Sears: One of the big things we are looking forward to is playing songs from our upcoming full-length album. We spent so long working in the studio on this record that it’s great to be back playing live and experiencing the music in a different way.

OCCG: What’s next for you guys?
Sears: We finish the Kooks tour and will be playing some shows on the east coast and Midwest. We then head back and play a festival in Vegas and San Diego on our way home to Portland. Brandon and I will be spending some time in our home studio, Loudwar, working on new ideas for a few weeks then back out on the road. We are going to be touring a lot in the next year with the release of our EP on Oct. 14 and album later next year.