Mookie Brando

Mookie Brando is a singer-songwriter currently based in Budapest. He was born in Toronto in 1968. In 1993, after having dabbled with piano, bass and saxofone, Mookie started playing acoustic guitar. Right away he decided that the best way to learn would be to compose as he went along. That process has led to close to 200 songs written. Mookie began performing in the fall of 1993 in Syracuse, NY, where he was attending graduate school. These performances generally meant a spot on open stage nights, where he crossed paths with a handful of now-established musicians. In 2002 (in Budapest at this point), after some prodding from friends, Mookie was convinced to put a band together. After a few months the Second Cousins (a.k.a. the Burning Sensations, the Plastic Sturgeons, the Acts of Contrition, etc.) were ready to go public. Since then Mookie Brando and the Second Cousins have been regulars on the Budapest scene. The shows have moved from being acoustic-based to now mixing folk, alt.country, and rock styles. On stage Mookie plays acoustic guitar, electric guitar and harmonica. He even sings. If forced to name his musical influences, Mookie would likely list (in no particular order) Elvis Costello, George Harrison, Blue Rodeo, Wilco, the Beatles, Emmylou Harris, Lucinda Wiliams, Steve Earle, Bob Dylan, Rush, and the Counting Crows.