rockyourlyricsHow do you usually write the lyrics of your songs?
The music always comes first, then I’ll sit with it a while in my head and try and write, or we’ll record a demo and I’ll write to that.
In your opinion, what is the most important thing in songwriting?
The most important thing in songwriting is to speak your truth and to elevate all who are listening.
Are you ever scared of revealing aspects of your personal life/experience to strangers through your music?
No, music is the way I best express myself. My lyrics tend to stay on the vague side. They all have a specific meaning to me but I try to leave it open for others interpretation.
What is the best lyric that you ever wrote (the most meaningful for you)?
“Wildfires” is a very special song for me. It deals with loss of faith and innocence, but in such a cool linear/story fashion that I don’t usually employ. The second stanza is my favorite.
‘I fell asleep for a little more
And when I opened my eyes my world was on fire
I felt the smoke burn the back of my throat
And I taste no heaven cause there’s no heaven
Sore eyelids blistering I stumble blindly
For the softness of your song born of a fever dream
From an errant heat that burned my forest down.‘
What inspired “Moon Sign Gemini”, part of your latest album “Clairvoyant”?
Sometimes just a setting can inspire me. I was laying in bed one night next to my sleeping wife, the TV on, but I was staring at the ceiling, and all the shadows casting lines and just pondering everything that had lead up to that moment, and then I rolled over, grabbed my phone and wrote it.
And “Contaminature”?
‘Contaminature‘ is a statement on the horrid state of our government and the way humans can treat each other in a “free world”.
Do you remember the day you wrote “Olive Tree”?
I don’t remember much as it was four years ago that it emerged in its first form, except demoing all of the instruments as best as I could in our tiny practice studio to show the guys.
Is there a link/a common theme among the songs of the new album?
The common theme is “Let Real Love Reign Free”. It’s about letting go of negative emotion and loving yourself and all others.
What is the best suggestion your producer gave you?
That’s hard because Jack is so knowledgeable and constantly blowing our minds with his skill. He also doesn’t really make suggestions as far as song writing or anything. We recorded everything live with just a couple overdubs and vocals. We would just play like we normally would, no headphones, no click, and just feel the right take happen, and I think you get such an organic record that way.
What are your plans for 2019?
To tour as much as possible anywhere possible! We’re hitting the West Coast in June and Europe in July with our friends in Shirokuma from Sweden.
To conclude the interview a short Q/A session, please answer the first thing that comes to your mind:
- Define in one word your album “Clairvoyant”: Visceral.
- The best show you ever played: The best show we ever played was probably this church in LA with Badmouth, Plagues and our friends Ruptures back in 2012. That was a wild gig!
- The one thing that you must have in your backstage: Place to clear my head, even for a second.
- The soundtrack of your childhood: Scorpions, Def Leppard and Garth Brooks.
- Your favorite song lyrically speaking, but not written by you: Probably “Nonobjective Portrait of Karma” by Circle Takes the Square. I had their lyrics on my binder junior year of high school.
- Last question is “unusual”, we want to know your best relationship advice: Communication is key. Don’t let little things build up.
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