Interview: A Power Breakfast With Timmy

HT: You’ve gone through two major lineup changes in the last two years. How would you say that’s changed the personality of the Breakfast?

TP: Personality-wise, we’ve gained through Matt and Chris more of a jazz sensibility. As for the Breakfast itself, over the years we’ve gained a resilient nature. We’re flexible. When Jordan left, I played guitar and keyboards right away, and then Matt came in and—boom!—the band sounds better than ever. Then we lose Ronnie, and that’s a big piece, but we have the same bounce back factor. The Breakfast has a lot to say still. Adrian and I have that core—one other musicians can step into. And we’re lucky to play with such wonderful musicians.

HT: Have you had any particularly memorable shows this year? Shows or moments when the four of you guys just sort of felt “the new Breakfast has arrived”?

TP: Just recently we did two festivals, including Strangecreek, and those sets overall were just magical. We felt completely melded as a unit and thinking as one brain. Then recently at Utica, at the Electric Company where Vinnie from moe. sat in with us one night…In those four sets we achieved a great level of synergy. But we’ve had a lot of great moments. Our first show we we played with Chris our second set that night was beautiful. When people are playing straight from the gut, it’s going to work and work beautifully.

[Photo by Jess Reis]

HT: Sometimes when I talk to bandleaders who have gone through changes like the Breakfast has, I find that a lot of them, especially guitarists and singers, have had to put their own development on hold to keep the band together as it moves through that transition. True for you?

TP: Not so much. I just take it as it comes. Unfortunately I am road managing, playing and also doing solo acoustic gigs —I got a lot on my plate, yeah, but I’m dealing with it daily and I’m still having fun making music. I try to challenge myself while still having fun.

HT: Do you have plans yet to record?

TP: We want to and we have talked about it and we might this fall. I’m thinking maybe after this October tour—we plan on doing a national tour again—but the sound is still so new and everyone wants to keep writing more, give it more time to solidify.

HT: Will your national tour plans include any brand new markets?

TP: Probably not brand new markets. We’re sticking with where we know is going to pay us so we can, you know, put gas in the van. We’ve played more this year than we’ve played in the last two years, but there’ve been so many transitions and you’re just not going to go out and beat your head in without making any money. When Ron left, we were going to hit it hard. But with Chris and how good he is, we’re still going to hit it hard. Why keep it a secret?

The Breakfast return to Toad’s Place in New Haven on Saturday before hitting Milford’s Daniel Street on Sunday. Next, Timmy and the boys head to the Stone Pony for a Thursday night double bill with Tea Leaf Green and a Friday evening headline slot at NYC’s Sullivan Hall.