THE SKBS

Q: Your album Where This Leads Us is a highly introspective and personal-sounding album. What made you write these types of themes of change and redoing?

The honest answer is I don’t know! I didn’t intentionally set out to write an album with a theme, nor is it necessarily a reflection of my life, or personal feelings. I guess we all go through ups and downs, and “change and redoing” is part of life’s process. My lyric writing is 99% of the time driven from the music, and whatever emotion comes to me when I listen back, tends to be reflected in the lyrics.

Q: The opening song, “Welcome to My Life,” sets such a positive tone. Was that always the plan to begin the album with this song, or was it an afterthought?

I’d love to say yes it was planned for this to be the opener, but “Welcome” was the last song to be completed, and at one stage wasn’t even going to feature. All the songs are musically different, and I wanted to start with a cheerful uplifting song, to set the tone for the album. “Welcome” seemed to be the perfect fit!

Q: There is a strong undercurrent of learning from the past throughout the album. Do you see songwriting as a process of coming to terms with personal change?

Not at all. I’m well into my middle age now and couldn’t be more content with life. Songwriting for me is cathartic, and usually the most difficult part is to come up with lyrics. Sometimes they are just there, sometimes they take work. I try to write lyrics that are not necessarily personal to me, but maybe to someone else. Whether it gives them strength, makes them laugh, or whatever, I’m happy. If it annoys them there’s a volume and skipbutton!

Q: “Nothing to Me” is a pretty sharp critique of internet culture. What was the moment where you had to make the transition and push out this song?

I guess once it became clear that the project was going out into the world, rather than remaining the personal “bucket list” project it once was. I hadn’t been on Social Media for years, but it became clear that I’d have to take the plunge on behalf of the collective to market it.

Q: Was it difficult balancing the humor and gravity of “Nothing to Me”? That song is almost a satire and a true frustration.

Thanks for spotting that! Most people of my age will identify with the lyrics, as we grew up in a world where there were no smart phones, social media was sending a letter, and if we liked a girl/boy, there would be absolutely no swiping! We’d simply pluck up the courage and talk to them in person. The satire comes from observing how people behave. It’s puzzling and scary in equal measure.

Q: How do you as an individual deal with the stresses of the internet, especially as an artist?

I ignore it as much as I can, don’t post anything unless I have to. So because I eschew it, I’m not bothered by it.

Q: Several songs mention being emotionally stuck or unsure. Do you find that getting it down on paper, so to speak, helps you muddle your way through them?

Not at all, as I alluded to earlier, the songs generally just come to me. I’m not at all emotionally stuck or insecure, if anything the opposite! I guess some of it must come from my youth, where like most teens of my day, I was riddled with insecurity and fear of what the future held.

Q: “Room in My Heart” and “Understanding” both reference love that isn’t simple or straightforward. Why did you need to write about those complicated emotions?

Again, they are mainly written in the Third Party. With understanding, I was mainly responsible for the music arrangement, but I know the lyric writer wrote them at an emotional time in their life, so I guess to get them onto paper was cleansing.

Q: There’s a lot of emotion subtexted in “Understanding.” Was that a particularly tricky one to write?

I would imagine that the writer just let the emotions they were feeling at the time flow.

Q: The people in some of your songs seem to suffer heartbreak with a sort of dignity. Is that how you, yourself, deal with those situations?

Sounds like I’ve created a depressing album!! I’m not so sure it’s all about heartbreak. I personally haven’t had my heart broken in years! I’m a happily married middle aged man with no worries. Having said that, if someone can get some positivity or can relate to the song, then that’s a job well done.

Q: “Dust in the Light” resonated surprisingly well with its portrayal of modern work life. Was that from personal experience?

The title came about when I was sitting on the edge of the bed, putting my socks on! I was fascinated to see a shard of light coming through the window and noticed the dust “dancing” in the stream. I then sang the hook and went off to write the rest of the song!  99 times out of 100 I do the music first, and this was the case here. I felt the verse had a pedestrian feel about it, sort of laboured, resolving into anger. I’d ben reading the news and was annoyed with how those in power just seem to ride rough over everyone else to personally “better” themselves. So many people seem so angry but are powerless to do anything about it. They have to go through the treadmill of work and conforming.

Q: “Hold on to the Moon” is the most relaxing song on the album. For whom did you compose that song?

My wife. I woke up one morning at 5am with the song in my head. Got up, and by 5.15am I’d finished it totally, words and music!

Q: “Everything Must Change” brings the whole album full circle. Did you have it planned to end the album on that note from the very start?

No, I had the music roughly completed for sometime, and didn’t like the original lyrics. So rather than read a book on holiday, I wrote the lyrics!

Q: There’s a real truth in your lyrics about how life doesn’t always pan out as we expect at first. Was that something you wanted to tackle directly?

I think (if I can say so without sounding arrogant) that the lyrics are pretty relevant to most of us. When we are young, we are carefree, with the whole world ahead of us. We dream of all the things the song mentioned and in our minds it’s all plain sailing. But in reality, there’salways something that gets in the way, or causes unhappiness. But generally we all come out ok in the end.

Q: “Whale Edge” is a more playful name than some of the other tracks, but there are still themes of pressure and identity there. What was that track like to write?

Only a few know the true meaning of the song… and we’ll keep it that way, except to say The Whale Edge was a play on the name of a Leisure Centre, or “Leesure Centre” as it’s pronounced in the US!

Q: Do you find there is room for humor even when you’re addressing serious issues?

Humour is a great mechanism for coping with what crap life chucks at you! As the saying goes, you may as well laugh or you’ll cry!

Q: There’s just this kind of emotional dualism throughout the record — change and loss, hope and introspection. Did you see that in the writing, or did it develop when you were assembling the songs?

I’ve no idea where it comes from. I’m not really clever or literate enough to culture works of great depth or meaning. I guess I can tell a story in a funny and moving way, and this theme seems to have naturally developed in my writing . Geez that sounds pretentious!!!

Q: You generally write from a fairly down-to-earth, normal sort of place. Where do most of your ideas for lyrics come from, personal experience, observation, something else?

That’s kind of you to say, as it’s exactly how I am. Most of my ideas pop into my head from nowhere, someone can say something, and I’ll write it down, and develop it. Sometimes, when I have an idea for a song, I’ll “la” the melody, and then when it gets to the hook, put a random sentence in, which seems to fit! Sometimes this becomes the title!
I am very inspired by those who tell great stories in a simple way in songs. Chris Difford and Glen Tilbrook from Squeeze, and Mark Knopfler’s solo work do exactly that. If I can get 1% of their genius, I’ll be a happy man.

Q: Looking back on Where This Leads Us, are you satisfied with where it led you, creatively or personally?

It’s still going…
I’m delighted with how the album has turned out so far, it’s way better than I ever dreamed. Whether you like the songs or not, we are all hugely proud of what we’ve achieved!

It’s a dream come true. I’ve met some truly amazing and talented people along the way. I’ve made new friends for life. We are going to do a second album and do at least one live performance of the music!

So yes, I’m satisfied so far, and can’t wait to see what’s next!