CANNING

Q: Where did you draw inspiration from for “State of Mind”?

The inspiration for “State Of Mind” came from time spent in Roma, Italia. I purchased a green Samick guitar from a local music store and within a few weeks the riff/groove had flourished.

 
Q: The lyrics for “State of Mind” are so imaginatively replete with the sensations of relaxation and calmness. Do you ever do personal experiences, or do you take those scenarios off of your mind?

Every lyric written is a part of our lives that we have lived and breathed or are deeply connected to.  

Q: You said in the song, “Ain’t got no troubles or worries on my mind.” Would you say that this is a state of tranquility that you try to work into your life each day?

That lyric is definitely a state of tranquility that is rather hard to achieve on any basis. When the chance comes around, notice must be taken to lose one’s self in the moments. Always seems hardest to live in the present.

Q: You’ve used “new-found friends” in the lyrics. Does this symbolize the importance of human connections in finding peace?

I would say, human connections in the sense of learning and experiencing ideas and directions that are new and exciting that can eventually lead to a sense of satisfaction or an inner peace. 

Q: Your imagery in your lyrics is just so rich, like the “bright moon over the seven hills.” Do you draw from specific places or landscapes when writing?

The seven hills refer to the landscape that makes up the ancient city of Roma, which is such a magical, invigorating place.

Q: How do you reflect on the balance between simplicity and depth in your lyrics, especially in a song like “State of Mind”?

The hardest thing to do as a lyricist is to connect with the listener within only a few lines. All the complexity that one wants to portray must be done within a simplicity whereas the musicality allows the depth to present itself. The balance though, ever fluctuates with every listen.

Q: There seems to be a thread of mindfulness and living in the present threaded through your lyrics. Is that something that you actively subscribe to as a philosophy?

We try to be in the present as much as possible but that’s not easy. Sometimes the pen just flows and you learn about your past and sometimes emotions that are understood much further ahead.

Q: It’s such a chilled song. Is your music honest in reflecting your personality, or is it more of an escape for you?

We live and breathe every note we play and it’s ever changing as with life, in which these songs are born from.

Q: Do the lyrics just come out naturally, or do you find yourself really sculpting them for the mood you’re going for?

Some just flow, then some can be very, very resistant cause you’re trying to understand a side of you that’s not quite understood yet. There’s always that “Story” question. Our answer is that we write the emotional story that’s found within the lines.

Q: How do you feel the mood of “State of Mind” fits within the larger body of work that you do? Is this a new direction, or does it fall in line with what you’ve done before?

We write rather dynamically, but “State Of Mind” definitely is a welcoming, comfortable groove that we can embellish and bounce off of each other so it’s rather familiar. I’d say it’s a happy place in life, but some of the other songs are surely darker. 

Q: “State of Mind” feels like a call for inner peace. Do you think music is or will be a tool to develop mental well-being?

Music is absolutely a tool for mental well-being. Energy needs a place to go and can’t be held because it must flow, otherwise…

Q: Generally, what place do the lyrics hold for your music? Is it the foreground, or does it form the body with the melody?

Having been a guitarist first and foremost, lyrics naturally came second. Having a speech impediment at a young age made singing something that never seemed attainable. Lyrics now hold such a special unique place in our music that I had never known existed.

Q: Your songs tranquilize people. Do you see yourself continuing to make music that touches people with similar feelings?

We always have written the emotional story but leave doors open enough for those to allow their own story to enter thus experiencing moments and understanding together. As lives grow and time unfolds, the ‘similar’ will possibly maybe, become a new and different tranquility.

Q: How has your lyrical style evolved through the years? Are there topics that you might have become more interested in now?

Never thought of writing as a style or topic aspect. I’d say it’s probably the hardest thing I personally do in life. To leave thoughts and emotions on the table, but it feels hella good to scream into a microphone with no cares in the world because it’s a positive, natural release.

Q: If you had to distill it down, what would you say is what you’d hope that people feel when listening to the words to “State of Mind”?

That any reality is tangible, possible and creatable.