Brian Sachs of Mynd Reader: Songs, Space, and Second Chances

On this episode of The Bandwich Tapes, I sit down with Brian Sachs, drummer, songwriter, and co-founder of Mynd Reader, for a conversation about returning to music, discovering songwriting later in life, and learning to approach creativity with a different set of priorities.

Brian’s first musical life took place in New York City with The Authority, a band that came up alongside the Spin Doctors, Blues Traveler, and Joan Osborne in the city’s club scene. After years away from making music, Brian eventually found his way back, but without the ambition and competitiveness that accompanied his younger years. With Mynd Reader, he describes making music from a place of gratitude, curiosity, and a desire to serve the song rather than himself.

We spend a lot of time talking about craft. Brian explains how his background as a drummer shapes his songwriting, why new ideas need a safe collaborative environment, and how his partnership with Tonin allows fragile ideas to develop without being dismissed too quickly. We also get into his evolution as a drummer,  from progressive rock influences like Bill Bruford, Phil Collins, Keith Moon, and Stewart Copeland to discovering James Brown, funk, Latin rhythms, and a completely different understanding of groove.

We also dig into Mynd Reader’s new EP, Sunday Drive, and the decision to record the band without a click, allowing the music to breathe naturally. Brian talks about working with Grammy-winning mixer Michael Brauer, the importance of Shelby Kemp’s voice and the lyrical content of the songs, and the band’s attempt to capture something timeless rather than simply make stripped-down versions of previously recorded material.

At the center of the conversation is an idea Brian returns to repeatedly: serve the song. Whether he’s writing, playing drums, collaborating with another musician, or deciding not to play at all, Brian has learned that maturity in music often means knowing when to step forward — and when to leave space for somebody else.

Key Takeaways

• Returning to music later in life gave Brian a different perspective, replacing much of the ambition and competitiveness of his younger years with gratitude and appreciation.

• Brian discovered songwriting after years of identifying primarily as a drummer, and his rhythmic background continues to shape the melodies and phrasing of his lyrics.

• His songwriting partnership with Tonin depends on trust and a “yes, and” approach that allows vulnerable new ideas to dev