rockyourlyricsRYL: Your new album “Philosophies for the modern ant” will be released 7th of April. Which is the main message you want to give with it? What means for you lyrically?
Jon: The record is basically a whole bunch of thoughts. Happiness, depression, angst, hate & love are all up for discussion. I want people to just sit & listen.
Don’t focus on what the lyrics are actually meant to be about…instead, think about what they mean to you as an individual.
That’s where the songs stop being just words sang to a heavy backbeat. They become more personal. Paint your own canvas & find your own meanings.
RYL: What inspired “Cynical”?
Jon: As you’ve probably worked out by now, I don’t tend to talk about my lyrics.
So, maybe it’s about my personal failings, or those of another. Maybe its about neither of those things, & its based on the experiences of a couple of fictional characters. Or as I’ve said, maybe it’s about you, or it reminds you of a situation or a person. Its whatever you want it to mean.
RYL: Is there a common inspiration between all your songs?
Jon: Some yes, but not all. I draw from far too many different places for things to ever fully link.
RYL: Do you remember how the lyrics of “DOWN” have been written?
Jon: I’ll give you this one…Its partly based on a fictional conversation that I had with my daughter while she was still In Utero. Its a fathers thought, what does the world hold in store?
RYL: How do you usually write your songs?
Jon: Everything stems from the world that I see around me, or personal experiences. I normally write some poetry at first.
Later I’ll pull pieces that I like, to fit around the melody that would already have been playing in my head. Its sort of like the ‘cut up’ method used by William Burroughs.
The technique has been used by many writers throughout the years. It can be traced back as far as the 20’s, to the likes of T.S Eliot. Though my own method involves taking excerpts only from my own work.
RYL: What is the meaning behind the verses of “All in A lie”?
Jon: Its me basically me voicing my hatred for certain times of my life & certain people. It was a great way to get out some pain that I held onto for far too long.
RYL: Which is your favorite rock song (lyrically speaking)?
Jon: Thats a tough one. There have been far too many great writers & poets to ever make that call. I mean, John Lennon, Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, Son House, Maynard James Keenan, Robert Johnson, Kurt Cobain…the list is longer than I could ever write.
RYL: Do you remember the day you started as a band?
Jon: I do. It was Boston, Nov 2009 when we all met up & played together for the very first time. I think I speak for all three of us all when I say, we just knew from that moment.
We played live almost instantly, but It wasn’t till 2010 that we recorded our first FLM demo in London.
RYL: Which is the last song you wrote (not yet published) ?
Jon: It’s a quite song. Very melancholic. No name as of yet. Just words, & quite a personal meaning.
RYL: tell us about your upcoming tour projects….
Jon: At the moment we’re planning a bunch of shows for our summer tour. We’ll be hitting Europe & the U.S, so go to www.facebook.com/freakslikememusic to stay up to date with all the goings on.
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