Ben Bridwell and Band of Horses will perform Friday, March 7, at Sunset: The Festival at The Espee. Credit: Sarah Gee

Ben Bridwell’s life is pretty transparent.

Just listen to the Band of Horses lead singer’s lyrics and you’ll understand where Bridwell is at any given moment. The group’s catalog plays out like a roadmap of his life journey.

“I’m such an open book that it can be quite annoying to myself,” said Bridwell via Zoom from his home outside Charleston, S.C.

Band of Horses will perform Friday, March 7, at The Espee as one of the headlining acts of the inaugural two-day Sunset Festival, which also features Spoon, Santigold and Warren G.

During a recent discussion with the Current, Bridwell talked about his deeply personal lyrics, the upcoming show and how Band of Horses songs have taken on new meaning over the years.

The following interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Band of Horses’ music is driven by your songwriting. What’s your process like?

It usually starts with me fumbling with an instrument. I’m not really proficient at any of them, but some melody will reach out to me. I just hope I’m a good enough conduit to receive it and push it correctly. Then with the words, there’s usually a process of me trying to talk myself out of revealing too much.

With “No One’s Gonna Love You,” I remember specifically having to talk myself into saying it. And I’m like, “Come on man, you grew up with Marvin Gaye and these beautiful love songs.” These guys were more men because they could say it.

I think fans connect to your music because it’s very personal and reveals deeper truths. Have songs like “No One’s Gonna Love You” or “The Funeral” evolved in meaning over time?

Let’s take those two songs, our two biggest. I could say “No One’s Gonna Love You” has aged kind of oddly because it sounds like I’m an incel stalker. No one? More than I do?

(Laughs.) I never thought of it that way.

I can ruin it for you. (Laughs.) Or “The Funeral.” One time I went and sang at a person’s funeral and they wanted me to play that song. I was like, “It’s too weird. Come on.”

Over the years, people have gravitated toward the band or me for commiseration or something. I guess they feel I’m open enough to talk about personal experiences with people they’ve lost and things like that. So, it sometimes takes a more heavy tone when I was writing it, like a foreseeable omen in the distance. Even with my kids now, I feel a deeper connection to what I was talking about at the time.

A few years ago, you collaborated with J Mascis of Dinosaur Jr. who sings on “In A Drawer.” How did that come together?

I sang on J’s first solo record, singing backup for him. Years later, I have this song that I was stuck on what to do with the chorus. I was listening to Dinosaur Jr. covering The Cure and started doing an impression of J singing over my chorus. And I was like, “Shit, maybe J’s voice can get in there. It would be perfect.” So it started by listening to a Cure song, and now we have J on a Band of Horses record, and I’m proud of that.

Any plans to tour behind the 20th anniversary of Everything All the Time?

Knowing that it’s been coming, I’ve been talking about it. But we have so much reserves, other songs and materials to pull from. More than anything, it’s full steam ahead writing new music. It’s hard to slow down that train, and at this age, you’ve got to keep leaning.

I do plan on celebrating the 10-year anniversary of a covers album I did with Sam [Beam] of Iron & Wine. But maybe some scientists, behind the scenes, have a bigger idea for Everything All the Time.

Last thing, talk about coming to San Antonio for this new festival at the Espee with Spoon.

I have so much respect for Spoon. I was actually a big fan from their first days, and my Dad, brother and me nerd out over Spoon records. It’s always a good day when you get to be at a festival with a band that you not only respect but just love their tunes.

We’ve grown up in age where we’ve seen a lot of small festivals grow before our eyes. I’m always stoked for those, because they feel so homey. And I’m excited to be in Texas before it’s too hot.

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This article appears in Mar 5-18, 2025.