Behind The Lens: Sanford:

Charles Luberisse
2 minutes ago
3 min read

What can fans expect from you this year? Any new music, projects, or milestones you're aiming for?

Well, 2026 starts with the Big Tent Revival album release and hopefully later in the year, the untitled 4th album. I'm already in production at home on it and playing the songs live. It's another wide mix of tunes genre-wise. Between those two albums, I'm growing the fanbase and touring more, so folks can hear the music live.

You’re creating a song in a brand-new genre—what’s the name of it, and how would you describe the sound?

So. I'm a huge Zappa fan. I consider him to be his own genre, simply because he incorporates so many genres into his music. So I have the same mindset, I don't limit what direction a song goes in organically. If it's leaning soft americana, cool. If it's a weird prog rock thing with multiple sections, that's what it is. But I think any artist or musician doesn't want to be known as part of a genre, but immediately recognized on their own name.

Which of your songs best amplifies the feelings of love, freedom, or pure joy?

Anymore might be the best choice for freedom. I wrote it in 2018, but it came out on the first album. It's a song that's about not walking the same steps you have in the past, forging your own.

Which song in your catalog best expresses heartbreak, sorrow, or a time of loss?

There's a few from the new album: Wasn't Born Yesterday, The Tour, and Hooked On A Dream all are analyzing things and moving on, but not necessarily in a heartbreak way -- rather, in more acceptance and recognition.

If a new biopic dropped today, whose life story in music would you want to see and why?

I'm not a biopic person exactly. I'd rather watch a music documentary. Currently, I'm watching the Todd Hayne's Velvet Underground doc. The Peter Jackson Get Back doc was fantastic from a music nerd. So as much as I love Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen, I didn't see either biopic. But I would love deep dive documentaries on Captain Beefheart, Tom Waits, Joni Mitchell, and more looked over musicians both from jazz, R&B, rock, etc. I would recommend to folks, Mike Judge's Tales from The Tour Bus and going on Youtube deep dives to find live performances and interviews from Letterman in the 80's.

What’s a book, podcast, TV show, or movie you’d recommend right now and what drew you to it?

So, I'm a pro-wrestling fan. Every Monday, for the most part, my favorite podcast drops- Between The Sheets. It takes a week from a random year in the past and talks all through it. Playing clips, analyzing things, etc. Not uncommon for an episode to be 5 hours long. There are some wrestling references scattered throughout my tunes.

What’s been the hardest life lesson you’ve had to learn and how did it shape your growth?

Be yourself, but realize no one owes you shit. Try and do as much of the work as possible, even when it feels like you're trying to push a concrete wall with your skull.

Which family member gives you the most inspiration and what about them fuels your passion?

I draw inspiration from a lot of aspects of life, both real and fictional. So family and family history plays a part in the large wealth of lyrical and story ideas, as well as just one liners to throw in.

Where do you go, physically or mentally, when it’s time to create?

I have a ton of voice notes memos with random ideas that popup. When I'm actually writing and working on constructing a song, it's usually on my couch with the guitar, phone and notepad. I also have a thesaurus and a rhyming dictionary on hand. Occasionally something is on in the background, Criterion 24/7 channel, or King of the Hill (which you can hear in one of my voice memos)

What’s a call to action for fans and where can fans connect with you to follow the journey?

Just go listen to the music, not just for me, but all actual musicians. If you can, buy merch and physical media. If not, liking, sharing, following, etc is free, but helps in the current landscape of the music industry. Also, please reject AI as a creative medium. I hope it cures diseases, but the streaming of AI music is gross. Publications covering AI music get more eyeballs on it, increasing their playcounts that have already been inflated by bots -- it isn't a great thing.