rockyourlyricsTell us more about your new album “Do I Look Like I’m In Love”…..are you happy of the success it obtained so far?
Those that have heard it seem to really like it. I’ve also had some dear friends say it’s their favorite, so I find that satisfying.
What inspired the majority of the lyrics?
I think I was indulging my obsession with death and our mortality and just stopped pretending that’s not all I think about.
So all though the songs are about a great many things, when I hear them I hear me ruminating on the same theme.
That my reality is temporary and terminable and how that’s both terrifying and comforting.
How do you usually write your songs?
Sometimes I’ll sit with an acoustic guitar and write a verse and a chorus then I send a rough version to Mistina (vocals/bass) and she’ll either like it, love it, or hate it. If she loves it I’ll write another verse.
We also “jam” together and write that way, with me writing lyrics and melody listening back to a recording we made at rehearsal.
On this record Mistina contributed Mangled Hearts which I think is very beautiful and very sad. Which I think is our goal, really.
What is the best verse you ever wrote?
Not sure it’s my best but I’ve been told this has touched a few people. It’s from our song “Something Difficult”
I know that you can’t forget it
Love me through the wall already
In a never gentle corner of the past
Look around
You might find meaning
Here among the days repeating
Whatever’s left, I’ll hold until I can’t
and your favorite song off the album?
I really like Elizabeth Ann.
Maybe because I think it can be a challenge to write blatant love songs, to even go as far as using a name in a chorus saddles you with an expectation of cheesy banality. Yet, here I think the song shares the sweetness of love but manages to explore the tragic side of being a troubled person who’s in love.
Lou Reed comes to mind, his songs with girls names in the title are some of his saddest.
do you remember the day you wrote “Mangled Hearts?”
Mistina- I do. A friend was going through a rough spot juggling relationships with a few different women, which went on for months.
And I decided to write about it after hearing the drama daily.
A lot of my songs are written to be like 60s girl group anthems, or I’d say my biggest influence is actually Lesley Gore.
So the relationship subject matter suits my writing kinda perfectly. Sugary pop songs about loss and longing.
and “Haunted”?
This was one of the song we wrote in rehearsal.
I remember taking the rehearsal recording, then pacing around the room like I usually do with my headphones on singing and humming to it.
I remember coming up with the chorus, “Everywhere I go, leaves me right there” and something about the melody made me think ELO and that Mistina is gonna love this.
Tell us more about your forthcoming tour.
We’re really excited to be playing with The Pains of Being Pure of Heart and The Courtney’s.
We’ll be playing six shows beginning the 22nd in Vancouver B.C and ending the 30th in San Diego.
What is music for you?
It’s pretty much the whole game for me, I’m not sure there is a trauma The Smiths can’t get me through or over.
Maybe music wouldn’t matter so much to me if life was easier.
That’s pretty funny…
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