rockyourlyricsTell us more about your new EP “A thousand Shadows, A single frame”….Is there a link, lyrically speaking, between all the songs?
They are all allegorical stories designed to convey meaning through the use of symbols.
How do you usually write your lyrics?
I keep a running list of song titles.
Words collected from books, news headlines, or overheard in conversation.
Once I get a sense for the musical direction of a song, I’ll select a title that fits the mood and build a world around it.
Sometimes all the pieces fall together painlessly, but more often than not, I’ll go through many drafts, revising until I feel the intention is clear.
When it was last time you wrote some verses?
This morning. I try and write daily.
It’s not always good, but it’s a way to foster the environment in which ideas grow.
Sometimes words I feel are unfocused, in the moment, gain clarity when viewed from another time and a new perspective.
What does music mean to you?
Music has a beautiful way of communicating feelings and experiences in a way that words alone cannot.
It’s a language that reaches across all borders, with open arms. I can never fully understand what it is like to be a Tuareg rebel, a book can teach me their history, but I can also listen to Tinariwen and FEEL their human concerns.
That is the power of music and it’s what keeps me creating.
What inspired “Ferryman”?
I had just finished reading Hesse’s Siddhartha and was processing a new way of thinking about spirituality. Spirituality outside of religion.
I was raised in a Catholic family, attended Catholic schools and studied some theology, but stopped identifying myself as such while in college.
I believe most organized religions have become so caught up in their socio-political agendas that their members have lost touch with their core values and the result is sadly unrest, war, terrorism, and hatred between cultures.
There’s a simple solution; love and respect for all things. True mindfulness.
Do you remember the day you wrote “ravens eye”?
We were practicing in our drummer Cole’s living room.
I had a little riff that was more aggressive than anything I usually came up with and I played it for the band.
They didn’t miss a beat, stepped in and we were on our way.
The lyrics were written piecemeal over a couple weeks following that session.
I was having strange dreams at the time. Death dreams, where I’d wake up after I’d passed.
I once read that you’re supposed to wake up before dying in your dreams, but I consistently wasn’t. It was very unnerving.
Ravens Eye is about those encounters.
Are you planning to be in tour soon?
We’ll tour the East Coast and Midwest following the EP release. I plan to spend the winter working on our follow-up LP.
What is your biggest dream?
For human beings to learn how to live with true compassion for each other and the planet we inhabit.
Your favorite Sunday morning record?
Duncan Browne’s 1973 Self Titled album.
It’s a very mellow singer-songwriter record with beautiful acoustic-guitar playing, lush mellotron arrangements, and just enough weirdness to keep things interesting.
| Photo Cred: Dusdin Condren |
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