CAPTAIN HIGHSIDE
Q: Thanks for joining us! Now, about “Magic Sunday”: What was the inspiration behind writing such a warm, cozy song?
A: Thank you so much for the opportunity to talk more about this song! My buddy Skip Jones and I cowrote this song (he plays guitar on it) and he brought me the basic initial chord progression and said he wanted to create a song with a classic Motown feel that expressed the concept of a beautiful weekend day that even though it is it with someone you just met, it feels like you’re with your soulmate. We went to a concert and the next morning woke up and went down to my basement studio and laid out a demo in less than 2 hours!
Q: The opening line says you got to know this person, but it feels like anything but new. What does that emotion represent to you?
A: One of pure assurance, security but most importantly, bliss and joy. No inhibitions, no reservations. Just happiness regardless of that. When you know you love someone from the instant of connection, from the initial spark. I think that’s the emotion.
Q: The chorus talks about spending time on the couch with your partner, no matter the weather. How much comfort and simplicity mean for relationships according to you?
A: Relationships are the best when you can rely on an ability to be yourself while being with someone else. So a likemindedness that doesn’t detract from your individuality. The examples listed in this song are derived from periods of relaxation felt with our significant others, so because we included them I think we value with great importance this ability to feel comfort with the one we are with.
Q: The lyrics proclaim not wanting to lose your partner’s number for another “Magic Sunday”; what does that say about the value of consistency and presence in a relationship?
A: I think this lyric placed at the end of the song is something of a realization that this has the potential to just be a fleeting moment, but because the day was so perfect it’s a longing for more, say a “comfortable thousand” more days as indicated at the open of the song. It’s a reminder to the subject and listener to recall how beautiful this moment was and to maybe spark and interest of returning to it.
Q: Do you think this is where love actually is-in those moments, so unassuming and quiet, rather than some great, dramatic gesture?
A: Yes, I think this is why the notion of something so simple, just a day of breakfast, crosswords, laying in the sun, and talking is built on top of a lively full band structure. These simple activities, in this song, are meant to feel like the emotion of the instrumental: strong, warm and fulfilling. So yes, I do think love is found in these small things, and I think that is what this song is meant to portray.
Q: Was there specifically anything in personal experiences that more provoked the lyrical drive behind “Magic Sunday,” or was it more conceptual-that is, an overview on relationships themselves?
A: Skip and I have been with our partners for a long time, but I think the motif was inspired by the feeling we felt in our first meetings with those people, and maybe how that informed the staying power of the love we feel today. And I think we just both like that feeling of knowing when something is right.
Q: The imagery of the sun, being “drenched in the sun”, is so alive. What do you hope listeners feel when they hear that line?
A: I hope they are able to revisit a time, period or day when there was ample sunlight, a day that not only was emphasized by beautiful weather but what that day entailed from an activity standpoint that brought happiness. Being drenched in the sun, to me, is the feeling of absorbing all that light and warmth in a way that boosts your endorphins. A seat atop a grassy knoll, a light breeze, not a cloud in the sky, not to hot, not to cold; but you feel the entire sun on your skin. That’s what I want to portray.
Q: Do you approach writing love songs differently than other songs? What are you trying to capture when you’re writing about love?
A: All my lyrics stem from experience. So even when the base idea for a song doesn’t come directly from me, I call back memories of those sensations for myself to be able to write authentically and realistically. When it comes to love, I want to portray the happiness it brings, but always want to make sure I talk about the complexities and areas where it can be flawed, because that’s real. I think all my songs, whether about good or bad things, try to see both sides of the situation. So I want to be a mediator for the emotions in every song I write. But yes, when I write about love, I generally surround myself in things I enjoy so I can create a positive prevailing picture.
Q: How do you think “Magic Sunday” fits into your overall artistic vision and style? Is it representative of a particular side of you as an artist?
A: I bill myself as an artist that tries to merge nostalgia with innovation. One that tries to make the listener think by juxtaposing simple lyrical ideas or concepts with more robust instrumental arrangements, emotions that conflict between lyrics and the instrumentals. I am a student of music history, especially classic music from 1960s-1970s America. So this song is meant to be a homage to Motown, from the instrumental arrangement to the timbre of the vocals, to the cadence of vocal delivery, to the relative simplicity of the lyrics. In this way, I think this song perfectly emphasizes my nostalgic side and trying to bring it into modern relevance as many artists like Marcus King, Leon Bridges, Amy Winehouse, Jalen Ngonda, St. Paul and the Broken Bones, The Dip, and Vulfpeck have done and continued to do.
Q: Was there something, mood-wise, atmosphere-wise, musically and lyrically, that you were trying to do in this song?
A: Warm, upbeat, happy. Like being drenched in the sun, or a plush couch. Or being in a solarium, making eggs on a day when you have no responsibilities. I think that’s the mood.
Q: If you had to explain the song ‘Magic Sunday’ to someone who’s about to hear it, what would you tell?
A: Magic Sunday is a song about a truly perfect day that doesn’t need a lot of planning or events. Just someone you love, no matter how long you’ve known them, and you sharing a prolonged moment that feels nostalgic. It’s a tribute to the sound of Motown and that accentuates the idea of nostalgia. There are two versions, “Midday” and “Dusk” to set different moods: the former more vibrant and upbeat, the second more smooth and intimate. Both are filled with soul and sincerity.
Q: Besides this song, what other aspects of a relationship will you be needing to explore in your music?
A: I’ve explored many aspects of relationship dynamics in my music thus far: including mental health struggles of one or both partners, reconciling when you know you shouldn’t, being awed by and even intimidated by the others’ beauty. As a medical professional, I explore the aspects of relationships between human beings on either side of care: the provider and the patient. I even discuss some of these dynamics in my previous work. Moving forward I would like to do more to explore more abstract, larger scope ideas that affect humankind and to continue to chronicle human’s relationship with nature and the general world around them (things like a city at night, etc).
Q: The lyrics almost are meant to speak of timelessness and the present, it seems. Does mindfulness have a role in your songwriting?
A: Coming from an Indian household, the teachings of the Vedas have inherently become somewhat instilled; one of the traditions here is meditation, which I will admit I haven’t practiced as mindfully recently. Being meditative and mindful of relationships is why my songs tend to explore as many sides of an emotion as possible. Since I try to practice some form of mindfulness as constantly as possible (outside of outburst of emotion that are unavoidable), an idea comes to me often at any random time and they tend to be constant, which is lucky for the ability to make as music as I have. I do try to process what I’ve written after I’ve written, but because of my goal of being mindful at most times, I generally let my ideas fly free pretty early after creation. Part of living in the present, after all, is to not dwell too much to keep living!
Q: How is it to create relatable lyrics that can speak for the listeners about their own experiences?
A: I guess I’m just happy people can relate. We all live our own experiences, but some feelings and moments are common. Finding commonality is important but so is showing one’s unique self. If that Venn diagram is able to intersect, that makes me happy. But it is not necessary; music should be made to provide relief to one’s own soul.
Q: Switching gears, what is your songwriting process? Do you begin with the lyrics, or does it befall the music first?
A: There is no clear system. If an idea comes, whatever it is, I either write it in my note app in my phone or go down to my piano in my basement and fumble around with chords around the idea in my head. Sometimes the idea wakes me in my sleep, and I just go and get it out. Based on the mood of either the words or the chords, I will write. And it just goes from there!
Q: How do you balance personal storytelling with creating music that feels universal to your audience?
A: As said before, I always make music for me first. From my feelings, my experiences and inspired by my musical influences. Luckily I have ideas that others have, so finding commonality isn’t difficult. I also work with other artists and musicians who have been charitable with honoring my musical truth and adding pieces of excellence that relate more to a wider audience. I’m very grateful for the resources I have found and been able to use.
Q: How do you feel your life experiences and personal growth have impacted writing lyrics over the years?
A: I’ve lived a lot of life in a short time. I’ve travelled the world, lived alone as a teenager, dealt with mental health crises, experienced deeply profound love and crushing loss. I’ve seen a lot of pain and suffering in my work as a physician and have been able to connect with people from all walks of life through that profession. I’ve had to work hard but have also had the blessing to cherish the fruits of my labor. I believe this gives me more perspectives to work with and makes my music richer and more holistic. The older I get, the more experiences I have and thus, the stronger my music will get, I feel.
Q: Are there any specific artists or songwriters that you draw inspiration from, particularly in approaching your lyrical and storytelling qualities?
A: Music has been engrained in me since before I could walk, talk, sing or play. Growing up in a South Indian household, Carnatic ragas and melodic liturgical changes were the first pieces to grace my ears. Swiftly thereafter, the music of Kollywood and Bollywood took over, especially the songs of A.R. Rahman, one of my all time idols. Then it was my dad’s record collection, a vast array of classic, prog and pscyhedelic rock, acid jazz, blues and instrumental music from around the world. Then in wind ensemble as a bassoonist and marching band as a saxophonist, I learned more about western Classical music. Then I did musical theater in college. Then I fell in love with French nu disco and indie rock (think Daft Punk, Justice, Breakbot, Phoenix) and ran a radio show about world music. Growing up and living my whole life in the Southern US, country, folk, R&B, soul and blues colored my world. So, basically, I’m all over the place. My own music started as long form, stream of consciousness instrumental electronic pieces and evolved into adult contemporary singer-songwriter projects informed by blues, rock, funk, R&B and soul as I matured. I am inspired by everyone under the sun. But if I had to pick a few, they would be: A.R. Rahman, Billy Joel, Elton John, Vulfpeck, Chris Stapleton, Leon Bridges and Motown as a whole.
Q: What is next now? Can we expect more of those types of songs in the same laid-back, intimate feeling as “Magic Sunday”?
A: To live life and let it guide me! I’m looking to tap more into my Indian heritage with future projects, but I anticipate there will be more songs with this mood in the future! Thanks for listening and supporting!
