rockyourlyricsHow do you usually write the lyrics of your songs?
It all comes down to connecting with a feeling and channeling it. Sometimes I’ll be lost in thought and a line or two will just kind of come to me. From there I’ll sing those few lyrics I have over and over and play with the melody and see what other lyrics will instinctively dance off my tongue. Other times, guitar in hand, I’ll strum a section of a song idea over and over, close my eyes and just adlib as I completely immerse myself in the energies brought on by the instrumentation.
In your opinion, what is the most important thing in songwriting?
I think the most important thing in songwriting is to express a feeling. Write from within. In my own listening experiences, it’s imperative that instrumentation sets the tone and mood of a song. Lyrics need to not only tell a story but create a scene that puts the listener in to a certain place or time. It needs to be something immersive that the listener can get lost in.
Are you ever scared of revealing aspects of your personal life/experience to strangers through your music
Not really, no. I like to share in my own experiences to try and give the listener something to relate to with their own experiences. Maybe I can provide guidance or insight based upon my own struggles or mistakes, or help give the listener a sense that they aren’t alone and there are others who understand how they feel or what they may be going through. I won’t divulge personal information or talk about everything in specific detail, but I incorporate aspects of my personal life to create an honest and sincere representation of a situation.
What is the best lyric that you ever wrote (the most meaningful for you)?
I think it’d be from While I Drown for both meaningfulness and caliber. “Heads a hole with nowhere to go, clawin’ at the walls as they erode, once saw the world in rose and gold now it’s black and oh so cold. Can’t spend your whole life running, these demons are too cunning, don’t turn your back they’ll attack, one false step could be your last”
What inspired “The Distance,” part of your upcoming EP “Lost in Make Believe”?
‘The Distance‘ was inspired by our goals and aspirations as a band. We’re all dreamers and I wanted to encompass the drive that keeps us going on this musical journey. In part, it was written as motivation for myself. It’s easy to feel defeated on one’s quest for growth and success and sometimes they need a reminder that things get tough and you may hit some bumps on the road, but it can help shape you and push you in the right direction. Failure or setbacks should be treated as learning opportunities and not the end of the road. I think the song does a pretty good job at expressing that.
And “It’s True”?
‘It’s True‘ is about 7 years old, maybe older so the details are a little hazy. I was in a happy relationship so I’m not entirely sure where the subject of a breakup came from. However, the chorus drives home a profession of love and wanting to give someone your all and wanting to be your best self for them. That’s just the workings of young love, I guess.
Do you remember the day you wrote “While I Drown”?
Vividly! While we were waiting to start rehearsals one day when Omar and Nathan started playing this random jazz groove and it just kind of clicked for me. I told them to play it over and over as I worked out the main riff. From there we all smoothed out the progressions and a rough structure in about 15 minutes. I adlibbed some of the first verse and sat down with my notebook that night to smooth it out. I struggled to get in the right mindset to work out lyrics I was happy with and ended up writing the chorus and bridge while we were in the studio recording the song. I then wrote the second verse in bed one night between studio sessions!
Is there a link/a common theme among the songs of the new EP?
The Human Experience. Love, loss, success, failure, pain, joy and everything in between.
What is the best suggestion your producer gave you?
Our producer, Sam Guaiana, had a lot of cool production techniques he shared with us and incorporated in to the songs so it’s hard to name one suggestion above all. However, he had some great suggestions for vocal harmonies and there are a few that stand out to me every time I hear the songs.
What are your plans for 2019?
We’re releasing another single and music video before ‘Lost In Make Believe’ comes out. We’re going to be playing a couple local release shows and we are going to get ourselves a vehicle capable of touring so we can make our way to the US!
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 “Lost in Make Believe”: Expressive.
- The best show you ever played: The last show we played, and I’m sure the next will be better than that!
- The one thing that you must have in your backstage: Herbal tea.
- The soundtrack of your childhood: blink-182 – The Mark Tom and Travis Show. I used to listen to it religiously.
- Your favourite song lyrically speaking, but not written by you: I’ve never considered one favourite as I appreciate so many different songs for their lyrics and writing styles, but lets just throw out Helena by My Chemical Romance as an honourable mention.
- Last question is “unusual”, we want to know your best relationship advice: Communication is key. Listen intently, speak openly and respectfully even if you are upset. If you can’t do either without emotions negatively impacting an interaction, step away from the situation to collect yourself and level out, then try again.
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