Brendan Fowler

Brendan Fowler (born March 24, 1978) is a Los Angeles-based musician and multi-disciplinary artist who works in photography, sculpture, and performance.

Early life

Fowler grew up in Berkeley, California, before moving to rural Maryland as a child with his mother. According to Fowler, his father died from a heroin overdose.

Career

While living in New York City, Fowler began performing music under the name BAR. He described this early era of solo performance as being "really hostile. Attacking and grabbing people and wrestling the audience—really physical". After graduating from Sarah Lawrence College in New York, Fowler formed a band called The New England Roses alongside his college friends JD Samson (of Le Tigre) and Sarah Gertrude Shapiro. They began to write their own indie rock songs and performed altered covers of popular songs.

In February 2002, Fowler moved to Los Angeles. He continued performing music but shifted style in response to the calming atmosphere around him. After a short hiatus he changed the name of his act to BARR, intended as a tribute to his friend Mick Barr. He was signed to the indie label Kill Rock Stars.

Fowler was a co-editor of the arts magazine ANP Quarterly (meaning "Artist Network Program"), which was financed by the clothing company RVCA. He worked alongside artists Ed Templeton and Aaron Rose on the publication.

In 2009, Fowler presented shows at the Art Basel and New Art Dealers Alliance fairs in Miami, Florida.

In 2017, he held an exhibition at Richard Telles Fine Art in Los Angeles titled "New Portraits".

Fowler has created two clothing brands. The first is Election Reform!, which uses streetwear to engage the public in politics and reform of the American electoral system. The second is Some Ware, a collaborative project with artist Cali DeWitt.

Personal life

Fowler has spoken openly about his obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), saying that "I feel like it's a good thing to talk about [...] I spent so many years feeling so alone".

Discography

• Split 7" (with Lil Pocketknife) (2004), Deathbomb Arc, Abstract Machine
• What Would the Second BARR (2004), Doggpony Records, Tapes Records
• Split 7" (with This Song Is A Mess But So Am I) (2005), Oedipus Records
• Beyond Reinforced Jewel Case (2005), 5RC
• PPM9 7" (2006) PPM
• Summary (2007), 5RC

External links

• Doggpony Records
• Summary Review at Pitchfork Media