J MICHAELS & THE WANNA-BE-A BAND
Q What inspired the emotional tone of It’ll Be Alright as a full album? Was there a particular moment that sparked the project?
Our thought was that life isn’t pretty sometimes and we all go through some rough times. It’s a reminder that the bad is transient, there could be something good just waiting around the corner.
Q Across the album, there’s a real focus on authenticity and emotional honesty, how important is that to your songwriting process?
Write what you know….all of these are real experiences I’ve had, except for outlaw…that came from a family story passed down through generations. Don’t know if it’s true or not, but it’s a good story nonetheless.
Q Songs like I Like Daisies and She Rocks Anything She Wears touch on identity and being unapologetically yourself, were those drawn from real people or experiences?
oh yes…absolutely. “I Like Daisies” is a story about my wife’s clueless ex and her not being seen or appreciated for who she is. With her singing, we think it adds that touch of emotional authenticity. With “She Rocks Anything She Wears” I painted a picture of this woman at work who wore things that most offices would deem inappropriate….super hot. Good news is that she still works there and still dresses the same way.
Q You take a very compassionate but raw approach to darker themes like addiction in No One Left to Blame, how do you find the balance between storytelling and emotional truth?
It’s a tie-in to my life and trying to bring awareness to the mental damage done to soldiers in combat. My father came back from Vietnam with severe PTSD and no one at the time knew what it really was or how to treat it. So he turned to alcohol. In the end, I was that kid looking out of the rear window as my mom drove away for the last time.
Q American Beauty feels like the emotional heart of the album. Can you talk about how that song came together and why you chose to tell a story from multiple perspectives?
It’s a true story. I simply tell it. Each perspective is important. The challenges and adversity both faced, while not the same, forced them to adapt and grow stronger. The song always creates anemotional impact when we do it live. I felt it needed to be written to help vets and others who go through such tragedies to know that life isn’t over yet, and the future is theirs to write. Don’t give up.
Q Outlaw (Don’t Waste Your Time) stands out for its narrative voice, what drew you to writing from that kind of fictional, almost cinematic perspective?
Outlaw is inspired by a family story. According to the legend, one of my ancestors was returning from a livestock auction and fell in with another rider for about a mile. They chatted amicablyand parted ways. My ancestor found out later he had been riding and chatting with Jesse James. The thing that stood out to me in this story is that the James Gang and the Youngers were all family men who had deep roots in the area they lived. They lived, farmed, raised children, took care of family and……fell in love.
Q Humor shows up in unexpected places on the album, like in I’m Just a Mongrel (Livin’ in a Poodle World). How do you decide when to bring that lighter tone into your writing?
Balance. With some heavier themes in the album, it’s there to give the listener a break and have some fun.
Q Summer Rain feels almost meditative in its simplicity. How do you decide when to let a lyric be minimal versus more narrative?
I don’t think one needs a lot of words to describe something like a “summer rain”. I think we all can picture it, smell it, feel it. I use it in this sense to convey how I feel for my partner in crimeand love of my life.
Q Several songs reference emotional miscommunication in relationships. Do you find songwriting helps you process your own experiences in that area?
Most definitely cathartic. I spent a lot of time in a one-sided relationship and so did my partner. It’s something I wouldn’t recommend to put it mildly. My hope is that someone who is in a relationship like that can take something from these songs and gain the courage to make a change and find the good relationship they deserve.
Q In Perspectives, there’s a real poignancy in the brief reconnection between father and child. Was it difficult to write something so emotionally delicate?
Very much so….because again….it’s a true story. This story takes place 45 years after those events in “No One Left to Blame”. I have a hard time performing it because of the emotional ride of joy and loss in being gifted just a few days reconnecting with my father before he passed away.
Q E27 (Wanna Dance With You) brings such high energy to the album. How important is it to include those feel-good, movement-driven tracks alongside the heavier ones?
E27 came about from a drum track (E27 on the looper) and about 4 hours of us playing with it onmy front porch, annoying the hell out of the neighbors. We decided to make sure this was on the album because it’s just fun, positive energy. It’s always on our set list because people spontaneously get up and dance.
Q The title track, It’ll Be Alright, closes the album on a hopeful note. Why did you choose that song to carry the name and final message?
For exactly that reason. Regardless of the trials life sends you, because in the end, there is hope for a better life, a better love, or even a better beyond if it comes to that.
Q Are there any lyrics on the album that you’re particularly proud of or that came to you in a surprising way?
I like all of them, but Mongrel was the most fun to write. The lyrics just flowed as the song seemed to write itself.
Q How does collaboration with your band shape the lyrical direction of the songs, if at all?
We form a very close, what I would call family. Everyone contributes to the arrangements, and we all give each other creative license to make suggestions or put forth ideas. and they can have an immense impact. Brian (harmonica) added a simple riff on the harmonica and it changed the entire emotional direction of “She Rocks Anything She Wears” in the midst of recording. I had to literally rewrite the entire song from that perspective while in studio. The bass line in “Let’s Do Sunset” changed it from a mostly acoustic approach to something more produced with and entire rewrite of the third verse into a verse/bridge combo. And of course Daava throws in ad-libs that just HAVE to be put into the final recording. The entire outro of “Let’s Do Sunset” was her ad-libbing and is now part of the permanent song.
Q What’s next for you in terms of storytelling, are there topics or emotional spaces you’re eager to explore that you haven’t yet?
Yes, we are going to explore some really heavy topics in the next album (which we’ve already started recording)….subjects ranging from abuse, neglect, survivor guilt, but also balanced with a good dose of gratitude, tongue in cheek humor, and hope.
