The C2C Sit Down with The Kruse Brothers
The Kruse Brothers, Miles and Chandler, are headed over to play C2C Berlin and C2C London for the first time ever. Ewan caught up with them to learn more about their journey, what they are looking forward to on their tour and obviously, their favourite films…
Hey guys it’s a pleasure to meet you! Where abouts are you right now?
Miles: Great to meet you as well – we’re in Santa Cruz, California right now. We’re out on tour and just played here last night. Today we are enjoying a quiet morning in the Redwood Forest
How’s the weather? Because I call tell you that right now London is possibly the worst it’s been all year.
Miles: Oh geez, it’s beautiful, like 70-80 degrees. Sunny blue sky, not a cloud and right on the beach.
Well I’m now cosy and warm in my house and to get you guys settled in, let’s start with a TV or film recommendation?
Chandler: Oh Miles is definitely the movie guy
Miles: I’d go for the Count of Monte Cristo – it’s my favourite movie of all time. There’s two versions and I’ve only seen the later ones. I think 90s movies are probably my favourite era of movies
Chandler: Well, I’m a little more boring but I’d have to for the Last Samurai and I’m a Disney Movie guy – Hercules is one that I can’t stop listening to the soundtrack of right now.
It’s actually on in the West End over here at the moment so maybe you guys should try and catch it while you’re over here! But onto the reason you’re over here, for those that maybe don’t know you, can you tell us a bit about yourselves and how you got into music?
Miles: We’re originally from Albuquerque, new Mexico but we grew up in Phoenix Arizona. It’s a very wild west Cowboy kind of area. If you’ve ever seen the movie Tombstone or anything like that where they go out in the streets and have shoot offs ahaha! There’s a lot of stories and the landscape is beautiful so that really inspired us artistically in how we expressed ourselves within country music. We grew up playing in the Church and then coffee shops and then anywhere we could have a guitar and a microphone. About 4 years ago we started playing together as the Kruse brothers at The Honky Tonks which is just like the country bars out here that have a dance floor. We released our first song about two years ago and now we’re touring the country and getting to play overseas and our own songs!
It’s been one hell of a rise - was music always the plan?
Chandler: I definitely had a backup plan and it was super lame looking back – working the same job for 40 years, live in the same place and never change anything about my life – that was my plan pre-music. But when we started playing in the bars it was honestly one of the most life-changing things for me. As a kid you have dreams that seem unachievable. Playing with miles was a reignition of a lot of those dreams from when I was a kid and it really changed my life and made be think bigger about what my life could be.
That must be an amazing feeling, and as you guys continue to grow, it must have been a great feeling to release your debut album this year?
Miles: It’s been awesome having these songs out as we’ve been playing them for a couple of years. We headlined our first show since the album came out last night and it was so fun to see people singing words to songs that people didn’t know before. We’ve played Tulsa County Jail for two years and every time we introduce it as a new song, and yesterday people were shouting “play Tulsa County Jail!”
Hey guys it’s a pleasure to meet you! Where abouts are you right now?
Miles: Great to meet you as well – we’re in Santa Cruz, California right now. We’re out on tour and just played here last night. Today we are enjoying a quiet morning in the Redwood Forest
How’s the weather? Because I call tell you that right now London is possibly the worst it’s been all year.
Miles: Oh geez, it’s beautiful, like 70-80 degrees. Sunny blue sky, not a cloud and right on the beach.
Well I’m now cosy and warm in my house and to get you guys settled in, let’s start with a TV or film recommendation?
Chandler: Oh Miles is definitely the movie guy
Miles: I’d go for the Count of Monte Cristo – it’s my favourite movie of all time. There’s two versions and I’ve only seen the later ones. I think 90s movies are probably my favourite era of movies
Chandler: Well, I’m a little more boring but I’d have to for the Last Samurai and I’m a Disney Movie guy – Hercules is one that I can’t stop listening to the soundtrack of right now.
It’s actually on in the West End over here at the moment so maybe you guys should try and catch it while you’re over here! But onto the reason you’re over here, for those that maybe don’t know you, can you tell us a bit about yourselves and how you got into music?
Miles: We’re originally from Albuquerque, new Mexico but we grew up in Phoenix Arizona. It’s a very wild west Cowboy kind of area. If you’ve ever seen the movie Tombstone or anything like that where they go out in the streets and have shoot offs ahaha! There’s a lot of stories and the landscape is beautiful so that really inspired us artistically in how we expressed ourselves within country music. We grew up playing in the Church and then coffee shops and then anywhere we could have a guitar and a microphone. About 4 years ago we started playing together as the Kruse brothers at The Honky Tonks which is just like the country bars out here that have a dance floor. We released our first song about two years ago and now we’re touring the country and getting to play overseas and our own songs!
It’s been one hell of a rise - was music always the plan?
Chandler: I definitely had a backup plan and it was super lame looking back – working the same job for 40 years, live in the same place and never change anything about my life – that was my plan pre-music. But when we started playing in the bars it was honestly one of the most life-changing things for me. As a kid you have dreams that seem unachievable. Playing with miles was a reignition of a lot of those dreams from when I was a kid and it really changed my life and made be think bigger about what my life could be.
That must be an amazing feeling, and as you guys continue to grow, it must have been a great feeling to release your debut album this year?
Miles: It’s been awesome having these songs out as we’ve been playing them for a couple of years. We headlined our first show since the album came out last night and it was so fun to see people singing words to songs that people didn’t know before. We’ve played Tulsa County Jail for two years and every time we introduce it as a new song, and yesterday people were shouting “play Tulsa County Jail!”
That’s so cool – it’s always amazing how quickly fans pick up your music. For your new fans over here and Germany, how would you describe your sound?
Chandler: We like so many different types of music you know? You have songs like “Breaking Blue” which is like a slow Blues track and then you have “Tulsa Country Jail” which is just straight rock and roll, and then you have the classic country with “Making Mama Cry.” Maybe one day it will be like, the Kruse Brothers sound.
So, Country to Country, both here and in Germany is how we can enjoy the Kruse Brothers sound! What are you looking forward to most about coming back over to the UK, and playing for the first time in Germany? With a surname like Kruse I’m sure you will fit right in!
Miles: I think one of our favourite part of these festivals is when there’s so much music happening at all times. We can pop around and go check out some other artist that we’re good friends with – Liam St John, Alex Lambert Benny G. We have a few friends in Germany as well – we had a German exchange student growing up for a year so we’ve stayed in touch with her and her family and either go there or she comes here every year.
One thing that you can count on with UK fans is how much authenticity resonates and in 2025 you recorded the “Living Room Sessions”, some stripped back versions of your biggest songs – are we going to see some of those versions over here?
Miles: Absolutely – we are going out there and we’re playing acoustic, just two guitars. And that’s honestly our favourite way to play.
Miles: The whole idea behind the living room was that Chan and I grew up playing there and our mum would get us to play for guests and things at dinner parties – it’s how we learnt to play together. We wanted to capture that and give people something that was unedited. There are mistakes in those tracks that we kept in.
Chandler: We like so many different types of music you know? You have songs like “Breaking Blue” which is like a slow Blues track and then you have “Tulsa Country Jail” which is just straight rock and roll, and then you have the classic country with “Making Mama Cry.” Maybe one day it will be like, the Kruse Brothers sound.
So, Country to Country, both here and in Germany is how we can enjoy the Kruse Brothers sound! What are you looking forward to most about coming back over to the UK, and playing for the first time in Germany? With a surname like Kruse I’m sure you will fit right in!
Miles: I think one of our favourite part of these festivals is when there’s so much music happening at all times. We can pop around and go check out some other artist that we’re good friends with – Liam St John, Alex Lambert Benny G. We have a few friends in Germany as well – we had a German exchange student growing up for a year so we’ve stayed in touch with her and her family and either go there or she comes here every year.
One thing that you can count on with UK fans is how much authenticity resonates and in 2025 you recorded the “Living Room Sessions”, some stripped back versions of your biggest songs – are we going to see some of those versions over here?
Miles: Absolutely – we are going out there and we’re playing acoustic, just two guitars. And that’s honestly our favourite way to play.
Miles: The whole idea behind the living room was that Chan and I grew up playing there and our mum would get us to play for guests and things at dinner parties – it’s how we learnt to play together. We wanted to capture that and give people something that was unedited. There are mistakes in those tracks that we kept in.
That level of authenticity is definitely something that is appreciated over here. When it comes to songwriting, I was watching a video you guys had on Instagram where Chandler you said that you prefer to write songs when you’re happy and Miles you prefer writing songs when you’re sad. How does that dynamic affect you when you work together?
Chandler: It’s one of the coolest things in the world to do it when you’re brothers, because you can explain things in ways that you can’t with others. If I say to Miles, “this lyric should be about this smell and this place when we were 10 and we went to that place”, he would know exactly what I mean. We also bring different things to the table – Miles is a lyrical wizard and I really like the song arrangement kind of things. Being brothers and working together is pretty special.
And just to finish off with you guys, we wanted to know who your dream collab is?
Miles: Chris Stapleton is kind of our all-time guy. He’s like the guy who, even though we grew up listening to loads of different music, made something click in our minds. There’s a lot of artist right now that inspire us. Zach Top – I love what he’s doing to the industry and opening doors for different styles of country music.
Stapleton has played C2C a couple of times and has blown us away – I think there’s something about his voice that just makes it the best in the world. But my final question is one I’m asking all my interview guests this year – I’m getting married in December so I want to know what song from your catalogue I should add to the wedding playlist?
Miles: Well we’re actually recording a wedding song in two weeks – we wrote it for somebody’s wedding and we’re going in the studio in two weeks to record it – it’s gonna be called “When You Kiss Me”. Miserable songs are easier to write!
Thanks so much guys, it’s been great to speak to you and look forward to seeing you play over here next month!
C2C: Country to Country will take place in Berlin and Rotterdam over the weekend of on Friday 6th to Sunday 8th March where you can full more details about the German event on their WEBSITE or on INSTAGRAM & FACEBOOK.
The event then heads to the UK for the following weekend where London, Belfast and Glasgow will host the showpiece of the country music calendar which you can more details and ticket information on their WEBSITE and socials (FACEBOOK INSTAGRAM & TIKTOK)
Chandler: It’s one of the coolest things in the world to do it when you’re brothers, because you can explain things in ways that you can’t with others. If I say to Miles, “this lyric should be about this smell and this place when we were 10 and we went to that place”, he would know exactly what I mean. We also bring different things to the table – Miles is a lyrical wizard and I really like the song arrangement kind of things. Being brothers and working together is pretty special.
And just to finish off with you guys, we wanted to know who your dream collab is?
Miles: Chris Stapleton is kind of our all-time guy. He’s like the guy who, even though we grew up listening to loads of different music, made something click in our minds. There’s a lot of artist right now that inspire us. Zach Top – I love what he’s doing to the industry and opening doors for different styles of country music.
Stapleton has played C2C a couple of times and has blown us away – I think there’s something about his voice that just makes it the best in the world. But my final question is one I’m asking all my interview guests this year – I’m getting married in December so I want to know what song from your catalogue I should add to the wedding playlist?
Miles: Well we’re actually recording a wedding song in two weeks – we wrote it for somebody’s wedding and we’re going in the studio in two weeks to record it – it’s gonna be called “When You Kiss Me”. Miserable songs are easier to write!
Thanks so much guys, it’s been great to speak to you and look forward to seeing you play over here next month!
C2C: Country to Country will take place in Berlin and Rotterdam over the weekend of on Friday 6th to Sunday 8th March where you can full more details about the German event on their WEBSITE or on INSTAGRAM & FACEBOOK.
The event then heads to the UK for the following weekend where London, Belfast and Glasgow will host the showpiece of the country music calendar which you can more details and ticket information on their WEBSITE and socials (FACEBOOK INSTAGRAM & TIKTOK)
