BE|AH
Q: What were you thinking when you wrote “Would You?”
Hi, thanks for the question!
On the surface, I was thinking about the devotion to wishful thinking — to that lovably pathetic hero-character we all play in our own lives. This song is a celebration of that sentimentality. In that way, it’s also a celebration of empathy.
The idea behind Would You? came from a very personal place. I was diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson’s a few years back. TMI — I know, I’m that guy at the party. Ha! With medication, I manage and get through my day, but in the mornings, before it kicks in, I’m a real mess: one eye shut, shuffling across the floor, stumbling around for a glass of water, trying to make some sense of the world.
My initial idea was to write and record a love song during that moment — the raw, low point at the start of the day. A kind of calling out. A lament. And maybe, on some level, a silent apology to my wife and kids for losing control.
Q. Is there a lot of you in this song?
Yes, now that I reflect on it — definitely. I’m playing a character, but it’s that old “when I say I want to tell you a story about you, I really mean I want to tell you a story about me” kind of thing.
Q: Do you believe there’s power in admitting when love isn’t shared?
Yes — but only quietly, in the mirror to myself. Ha! For me, confronting my insecurities and shortcomings — and putting a name to them — can be cathartic. A good dose of humility.
Q: Do you believe that saying the words aloud, even if nothing changes, can heal?
I’m not sure it heals, exactly. But it helps get the conversation started.
Q: How do you know when a song like this is finished?
It’s a feeling. When I’m creating anything — music, writing, the 3 Songs podcast — it starts out as this impossible space to move around in. But then something sparks. That first moment where what you’re doing touches exactly what you were trying to say. From there, you ride that feeling until you know, instinctively, you’ve made it to the end. It’s like your belly knowing it’s full.
Q: What do you want people to get from the questions you ask in “Would You?”
Exactly what I felt when I wrote it — that emotional connection between the voice and the text that evokes something universal. In this case: melancholy and loss.
Q: Do you listen to the song as a goodbye, or an attempt at one last connection?
I hear it as a soliloquy — a note to self. Not a last attempt at connection. It’s over.
Q: Is losing love harder to write about than being in love?
That’s a good question. Thinking about it now… I think I only write about lost love. I’ve never written a song about being happy in love! That’s kind of sad — ha! Next song is on you. Thanks for the inspiration.
Q: How is it listening back to “Would You?” now?
It still takes me back to that morning space — performing under those conditions I mentioned. That experience gives it another layer of meaning. I still connect with it.
Although… I’ve got a new song in the works called Romance. Oh man Another lost love song! I really need to work on that!
Q: What made you want to start the RoomRock 3 Songs podcast?
Ah yes, RoomRock 3 Songs Podcast! Thanks for asking. I’m a writer at heart, and over the last year or so I’ve been meeting musicians and seeing their devotion to songwriting. Their original music felt like little personal stories — and there was this clear sense of shared humanity, no matter where they came from. I wanted to capture that.
Q: How have discussions with fellow musicians on the podcast impacted your own songwriting?
Not so much on a technical level, but it’s given me a broader window into what drives people to create. A deeper appreciation of why we do it. That motivation — the impulse behind creativity — that’s stayed with me.
Q: You said you’re more process-driven than results-driven. How does that affect how you craft a song like “Would You?”
It changes everything. I trust the process. I lean into the small steps, the instincts, the unknowns. I’m not chasing perfection — I’m looking for something true. That mindset shapes how I write music, and how I build podcast episodes.
Q: Do the podcast’s discussions ever unlock new concepts for your own music?
It usually works the opposite way — my songs and the creative structure behind them inform the podcast. How I break down each episode, how I deal with insecurity, how I know something’s finished — all of that comes from the songwriting process.
Q: What’s one thing that surprised you while speaking with a guest on RoomRock 3 Songs, and has stayed with you?
I love talking about RoomRock! One moment that sticks with me is from a Brazilian composer named Overdrive. He shared how he nearly died from COVID, and how it still affects him today. But the bigger surprise is that every guest, without fail, brings a story — a theme — that’s deeply important to them and to the people around them.
What I’m left with, more and more with each episode, is how important our stories are. How meaningful each life is in the bigger picture. I know that sounds like something you’d find on a greeting card — but I believe it deeply. Come listen and see for yourself!
At the end of the day, “Would You?” was never meant to make a big statement or anything — just to document a moment I couldn’t explain any other way– a feeling. And maybe that’s what most of my songs end up doing.
Thanks for having me.
