Ashrr – Interview with Josh Charles

How do you usually write the lyrics of your songs?

After a musical idea starts to come into shape, we start singing melodies with nonsense words or syllables.. usually that starts to form words that are coming deep from within the subconscious mind.. After we have some down, we’ll set up a FaceTime if we’re not all together and just hash out the lyrics that we like and keep refining them until they’re finished.

In your opinion, what is the most important thing in songwriting?

Understanding the craft is very important so you can learn to break the “rules”.

Are you ever scared of revealing aspects of your personal life/experience to strangers through your music?

Writing songs is cathartic and I used to say it’s saved me from years of therapy. A great songwriter isn’t afraid to express their emotions through music. In fact, those who manufacture songs that don’t have any spirit or honesty are the ones we can’t stand.

What is the best lyric that you ever wrote (the most meaningful for you)?

With ASHRR, the words to the chorus of “Paper Glass” are really relevant socially and politically right now – “ watch it all fading fast, all that’s left is paper glass.”

What inspired “Artifact”, part of your latest self -titled EP?

Ethan and I came up with the main riff and started singing some melodies that sounded good. The hook itself represents the idea of whether a relationship still has vibrancy and hope or it’s just remnants of passing time.. an artifact.

And “Paper Glass”?

Everything happening in our politics and climate right now feels like we’re in a very fragile place. “Paper Glass” musically was an experiment of rhythms and bass lines I had made an early demo for and we ended up writing to a bass line and a click track and nothing else.. The track turned into a monumental task by the end of different feels and flavors all held together by a time conscious bizarre lyric. We felt the musical inspiration of Byrne, Bowie, Eno on the musical side of this and lyrically, it’s rooted heavily in the fragility of the world right now.

Do you remember the day you wrote “Waiting For Silence”?

Ha, yes it was over many days and months before it took final shape. We came up with a killer drum beat and bass line which goes through the song and then the chorus ended up being written several times over lyrically before we were content on what we were trying to say.. There’s a complexity of rhythm and melody in this song and it’s really special for the band.

What are your plans for 2019?

Our full album will come out in the spring and we’re working on finishing up the mixes and setting up live shows to support the finished EP and forthcoming album. We really want to start playing as much as we can around LA and build up our name. We’ve been so fortunate with NPR and also just having played a sold out show at the Moroccan Lounge as our debut concert… That was amazing!

To conclude the interview a short Q/A session, please answer the first thing that comes to your mind:

Define in one word your EP “Ashrr”: Camaraderie.
The best show you ever played: Our last and first one at Moroccan Lounge this past week.
The one thing that you must have in your backstage: Water, throat spray, towels.
The soundtrack of your childhood: I can’t speak for the band, but for me U2 and The Police, Van Halen, held a place that always helped me draw my inspiration from as an artist.
Your favorite song lyrically speaking, but not written by you: “Imagine” by John Lennon.
Last question is “unusual”, we want to know your best relationship advice: Always be honest and don’t go to bed mad at each other… Give it a minute to simmer down, but make sure you at least, acknowledge that you want to come to a resolution before the night ends.