Q: I was just reading the lyrics to your song, ‘Sowing Scorn’ and I’ve noticed you write traditional poems that some use when it comes to writing in rhyme to help add musical elements to readings. Did you start out as a poet first before a musician?

I actually started off writing parodies of songs as a joke, as a kid, and poetry later grew on me because it allows one to express several ideas all at once, something you can’t easily do with prose because of its linear nature. But I do give much thought to the musicality of speech, like meter, consonance, assonance, and alliteration. When it comes to music alone, I consider myself more of a songwriter rather than a musician – in the strict terms of a performer. I am not partial to musicianship as a sport or as an academic pursuit. I think one can easily start being all anal about it and miss the point; and I also think academies can breed unhealthy competition, starting as early as reception or year one of school, something that rock is directly opposed to in my mind. With a simple instant YouTube search, you’ll find, readily available, endless attention seekers rattling along musical exercises, something that I can’t get the appeal of. Maybe it’s because I hadn’t been to the circus as a kid (laughter). We are not the best musicians out there, but I think the fact because someone is not exactly Mozart should not put them off doing Music, exactly like them not being Chomsky should not stop them from talking and expressing ideas. Music is everybody’s first language, and it’s easily spoken and understood by everyone. In the same manner,  anyone can sit and practice sophisticated phrases, and develop their oratory skills to be able to articulately say absolutely nothing; like a politician who can talk endlessly without committing to an idea; as much as to communicate to people a sincere heartfelt message with the simplest language ever used, and every shade between the two.

Interviewer: Brianna Brackett
Publication: Obscure Chaos (NY)
Period: June 2012