Meet Marc Sennett | Rock and Roll Singer/Songwriter

We had the good fortune of connecting with Marc Sennett and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Marc, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
Long long ago as a five-year-old kid south of Boston, Dad brought home the record “Who Are You” by The Who. I had just watched a cool teenager playing a drum set…and now this! I was smitten. Music was never something in the background for me. Since age five, it was EVERYTHING…ALWAYS. I paid attention to music in a way other kids didn’t. I absorbed and studied it. By age 9 I already had a Beatles Phase, studied Pink Floyd The Wall, and was jamming out to Sly and The Family Stone with mom.

My plan was to be a drummer, but drum sets were big, noisy, expensive, and annoying to parents. Didn’t stop me, though. I used the back of moms headrest in our VW dasher to play along with anything on the local rock station. Poor woman. Later in Childhood, I discovered Michael Jackson, and learned his dance moves, As I moved into adolescence, I saw U2 at Live Aid, bought a Genesis Cassette, and was introduced to Van Halen’s first record. Mom had a classical guitar and I started plucking away, figuring out how it all worked. Got the first electric guitar at 13. I joined my first band at 15, hoping to be just a guitar player. They already had two though. I wanted to be in a band so badly by that point I reluctantly agreed to be the singer. I have been doing music in some way shape or form, with only a few breaks, since then.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Really interesting story how I ended up here in LA,, how ended up performing and recording so much, and how I’m now here talking to you.

In 1992 (well into my pursuit of rock stardom) I finally had my first “date” with my dream girl, Chapin, whom I had known since Childhood. She was a “family friend” from the other side of Boston. We crushed on each other when we saw each other, every six months or so. But the date went terribly, and instead of becoming an item, she stopped speaking to me. It was heartbreaking, because I knew we were an incredible match, and I had fallen in love, but she backed away, hard., My song “Driveway” is about this.

Two years later I was in a fairly hot college band in Dayton, Ohio, and was now dating someone else…a great girl named Jenn. The plan was to either be a touring musician, or a journalist. Life had other plans, though. I came back from Thanksgiving break and learned I was going to be a dad. There would be no tour…no band. I had to get a real job and make real money. Apparently when Chapin learned of this she was pretty upset, I officially became a dad in 1995, moved to Ohio from Boston in 96, and had three more kids over the next ten years.

I found Chapin on social media around 2007, and reconnected as old family friends. We stayed that way for 15 years, during which I climbed the corporate ladder, so to speak, and raised kids. I had a minivan ,rode a lawnmower, did teacher conferences, chaperoned field trips…all the suburban stuff. I did music, but mostly cover bands and solo/duo shows that helped drum up extra cash. I had stopped believing I could ever do anything significant with music. THIS is when I actually started writing the lyrics for my new single, “The Relentless Pursuit of Mediocrity” I loved my dad job…tolerated the day job…but always wondered, what if?” What if I had the time and resources to really push this music thing?

In 2021, Chapin and I had “COVID divorces” and finally had a conversation that went deeper than “How’s the job? How’s the kids?” Everything blew open. After 29 years, I GOT THE GIRL! I moved out here in 2023.

My first open mic was in May of 2024 at The Barrel in Sherman Oaks. I got bit by the bug. Hard. Pretty soon I was doing multiple open mics a week, then showcases, then writing and recording. In just a little over a year, I have recorded with some known session players, released two songs, shot a real video with a fancy camera, busked in Santa Monica, jammed with some pretty famous musicians, played hundreds of shows in cool places, and look now, ma! I’m doing interviews!

I have improved my writing, playing and performing skills exponentially since I got here, thanks to all the repetition, AND the inspiration I’ve gotten from this insane arts community. I just put out the two best songs I’ve ever made. BUT I’m a 52 year old man who runs a staffing firm, has four kids back east. I have Chapin, two step kids, and a love of traveling and exploring. I mean who wouldn’t here in So Cal?.

Yes, I have the time and resources to explore just how far I can ride this thing, and that’s exactly what I’m doing here. I am swinging the bat as hard as I can…setting aggressive goals, checking off musical bucket list items (make a video…check…busking…check…play with a famous person…check (kinda)… What am I proud of? Well…pulling all this off for one. I’m proud to be an ambassador for traditional rock music amongst a mostly younger group of fellow musicians. I’m proud that I know how to write fully formed, dynamic rock songs with big hooks and honest vulnerable lyrics. I’m proud that I perform these songs like my life depends on it and leave all my shows dripping in sweat.

This is coming with a price, though.. Late nights in bars, which takes away from the day job…lots of time promoting on social media, which has fueled an addiction to it. I can’t do this half way. I love it TOO MUCH and I have something to prove…mainly to ME. I have a song called “One or the other”, and I’m realizing it applies to me, right now. “It’s gonna have to be one or the other” So…

I’m going to TRY to do as many of the things I dreamt of as a young aspiring rock star, as I can. I’m leaving it all on the field, right now. If it works out, and I can actually make a career out of it, GREAT. I mean, I got the girl! Why not make this dream come true? I’d also like to win the lottery. Similar odds. SO, if I don’t set the world on fire and become a 52-year old, “best new artist” (has that ever happened?), then I want to look at this time, say…I took my best shot, and then… scale it all back with NO REGRETS!

Want to hear a great P.S. to this story. I went to college to be a journalist, but ultimately moved into sales/recruiting to support my kids. My first born, Ellie is now a world class political journalist in Washington DC. I also put my touring aspirations aside to be a dad. My son Ryan is a touring professional musician. He plays all over the world with bands Corker, The Drin and Artifical Go.

Isn’t life crazy?

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Well, shoot…are we talking music? Keep in mind I am new here. Go to an open mic or a showcase. Really. The entertainment is in the variety. I’ve played after hip hop artists, and before spoken word artists. I’ve shared the stage with people who were on “The Voice”, and people who just started doing this. And usually, you’ll see one or two people where you’re like “How are they not superstars!?” We all zip through a million music genres when we’re driving around listening to Spotify.. Why not go see music that’s equally ADHD? .Variety!

I think I’d do this. It’s a long day so rest up. Get up early on a Saturday…drive EAST . Take the 14 to Palmdale. Hit Charlie Brown Farms, get overwhelmed by the menu and the layout…get a weird soda.. Then hike at Devil’s Punchbowl. Burn off those calories climbing some rocks! Keep going south and go up up up to Lake Arrowhead Village…tool around, then drive to Culver City, and jam at The Bamboo! Maybe hit Mel’s Diner afterwards for Gravy Fries.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Austin and Paula Sennett for giving me their deep love of rock and roll. Every person in every band I have ever been in, because they were all learning and growing experiences. William Rustrum at Saint Luminous Studios for approaching me and offering to record these newest songs. All my friends in the Open Mic “Barrel Bamboo” community, A
and Chapin Young…my significant other, love of my life, pseudo manager, muse, sometimes writing partner, and biggest cheerleader.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marcsennettshiny/

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/user-109616372

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marcsennettandtheshinythings/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@marcsennett

Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6qrWNhWkR7FmHSQ38L9GOf?si=WeD7TyyTRr2i5WTQyFY0Lg

Image Credits
Pictures include me and Chapin Young as a teenager and adult on the beach. Son Ryan Sennett performing with band “Artificial Go”: on Tour from Ohio, but here in LA at Permanent Records Roadhouse, Ellie Sennett, daugter, on the job as a Journalist..she does NOT work for CNN. All my kids at a wedding, and various shots of me, including one with my college band and bandmate, Ian Cunningham.