Spotlight: Brett O'Connor

Q&A with Mr.Sneezy Himself

1. What’s your name, your instrument, and how long have you been with Sneezy?
   Brett, since the beginning
   

2. How did you first end up in this band?
   Jack and I were in a band together in first grade called The Hound Dogs. Jack and I met in red rose choir in kindergarten and his parents helped us put together the hound dogs. Start an acoustic hip-hop trio called Sneezy in high school. Once Tom and Austin joined, we dropped the trio and officially became Sneezy.
   

3. Describe the Sneezy sound to someone who’s never heard us — but you can’t use the word “funky.”
   A culmination of lifelong friendships, melting their musical taste together. Each song is a different genre in my eyes. So, depending on what the energy of the song calls for dictates the “genre.”
   

4. What song in the set do you look forward to playing the most, and why?
   Any of the new ones. It’s really exciting to write and perform new stuff and watch it evolve.
   

5. What was your toughest gig with Sneezy?
   Years and years and years ago, there was a gig. I won’t say the name of it, but the stage was so far away from the bar and no one was interested in listening to us except for one really drunk guy, and that drunk guy threw up into a fountain, which was in front of the stage.
   

6. What was your favorite gig with Sneezy?
   There’s so many amazing gigs that we’ve played but my favorite one is the last gig we played because every gig we play we get better.
   

7. Who is the artist who most inspired you to pursue music?
   My band members. I wanted to get better for them.
   

8. What’s a skill, hobby, or obsession you have that has absolutely nothing to do with music?
   Wilderness backpacking, basketball, football, and anything to do with experiencing new cultures.
   

9. Who in the band would you call if you had a flat tire? Who would you call if you had an extra ticket to a show?
   Without question Jack to help with a flat tire. Probably Danny to see a show with, we have the same let’s do something crazy last minute attitude.
   

10. The van is gone but Boogie Nation showed up. What does that mean to you?
    It’s hard to accept the reality that we have so much love and support behind us. I’ve been campaigning for Sneezy all my life and never expected to get anything in return. To see our fans actually support us in a time where we need. Their help is an inspiring feeling and makes me want to work even harder as a musician. Love you guys.
    

You heard our leader, the next gig’s always the best one. Help us get there. If you haven’t donated yet, do it for the kid who started singing in kindergarten and never once thought about stopping. See you on the dance floor, Boogie Nation!