Today is a great day to get re-acquainted with The Disappearing Act, who are releasing their first taste of new music in nearly nine years with “Gun Barrel City.” The band is John Dufilho, Salim Nourallah, and Bob Blumenfeld, and on this great-sounding single they quickly show why they were meant to play music together. The new single comes from The Disappearing Act’s new LP, An Illusion, that will be released everywhere music is sold on September 27th. Nourallah shared about the new track, “‘Gun Barrel City’ is actually a real place in Texas. Unlike two other songs I have with Texas towns in the titles, ‘Terlingua’ and ‘See You in Marfa,’ I’ve never been to Gun Barrel City. I don’t even have any idea where in Texas it’s located. One morning, I asked a friend how he was doing, and he proclaimed he was, ‘Fed up and moving to Gun Barrel City!’ It struck me as being pretty hilarious, because I imagined Gun Barrel City being the opposite of a city. Later, I incorporated it into this song about leaving behind an unsatisfying life.” If you’re enjoying the latest single, please consider supporting this artist here. I was also able to catch up with Salim Nourallah for a brief interview below.
What does this song mean to you? What do you hope that it means to those who listen to it?
I think there is a vague theme of restlessness at the center of the upcoming Disappearing Act full-length record. “Gun Barrel City” perfectly exemplifies that feeling, with the protagonist being disillusioned with his current life and plotting his escape. I often feel restless; I think there is something inherently in the soul of most musicians – a need to keep moving, to keep pushing, a need to travel. Maybe this song will somehow speak to a similar feeling that a listener might have?
The lyrics are about a person who wants a change, of pace, of scenery and surroundings. Do you have a favorite lyric line or two from the song?
The lyrics are fairly simple compared to many of my other songs. It’s one of the qualities I like about it. It gets to the point with no excess verbiage. I do like the bit about “leaving at first light.”
\Why do they resonate for you?
There’s something slightly cinematic to me about the image of driving away from a place as the sun is just beginning to creep up over the horizon. There’s a symbolism in it.
Do you find songwriting to be helpful in sorting things out in your mind, or in dealing with emotions and thoughts?
It’s always been extremely helpful. When I first started writing songs, back when I was in my early teens, it was all about trying to express emotions and thoughts I was having difficulty processing. I knew already that I wanted no part in the conventional world. I felt strongly that pursuing a life as a business man, for example, was absolutely of no interest to me. Songwriting not only became a form of self-therapy but also my ticket “out” of having a more conventional life.
How did this song come about, in a songwriting sense? What was your process?
Well, the idea came from something a friend said. But the music came about before that. The other two members of The Disappearing Act – John Dufilho and Bob Blumenfeld – had been composing instrumental tracks that they’d bounce off of me to see if I heard a vocal melody. In this particular instance, I’d been thinking about Gun Barrel City, and when I tried singing it over their backing track, I felt like it worked nicely. I constructed the rest of the lyrics and vocal melody from there.
The video is really cool! Whose idea was the video treatment and who worked on the video with you?
I’m glad you enjoyed the video. It was an idea I took to John Dufilho who shot and edited it.
What is your favorite aspect of the video?
The image of a static man not actually moving or going anywhere struck me as being a humorous juxtaposition to what the song was actually saying.
What is next for The Disappearing Act?
We are anticipating the release of our third album, An Illusion, on September 27th. Also hoping to get started on a new batch of songs with the guys!
Photo Credit: Jayme Okerblom