What’s the story behind your latest song/album?
This song came to me over 20 years ago when I was trying something new and difficult–teaching English in Vietnam. New country and a completely new line of work. The music and words came to me one night in my hotel room, during the first difficult days of wandering around Hanoi applying for teaching positions. The city was extremely busy, really difficult to even cross the streets because of the mass of humanity whizzing around on motorbikes, scooters, cars and buses. I had never taught before, knew no one there, didn’t speak the language. Having my guitar with me was a good comfort, and helped me find a way to express the difficulties I was going through. The verses of this song came through, telling me everything was okay, to keep going despite the difficulties. The words were comforting and also a challenge to show up for myself and give this new life a try.
Who or what has been inspiring your music lately?
A really interesting development is that I’m waking up with melodies in my head, and I’ve started to make sure to grab my phone and do a quick voice recording. Another big inspiration is just to draw whatever is happening for me in my daily life. For instance, there are people I know who are not talking to each other–I know that deep down they love each other but for whatever reason, they’re not talking–boom, that’s a song. Another person in my life is constantly trying to ignore negative things and wants everything positive all the time–boom, that’s a song. One of my best friends has been brainwashed by conspiracy theories–another song. Life is full of opportunities for creativity, and it’s often the difficulties I’m having, the painful parts, that are ripe for creative expression, which can help me understand the problem better, and come to some kind of resolution.
How do you handle creative blocks or self-doubt?
Great question. For me, creative blocks just mean I have to keep working on it. I can definitely take a break and come back to it, but usually I just need to roll up my sleeves and work. Self-doubt, always lurking nearby, comes on strong after a rejection (or sometimes just because nothing positive has happened). The smallest thing can set it off. I’ve done a lot of work on myself over the years, a lot of therapy, a lot of work getting alert to the voice of the inner critic. It is still around, and can be brutal and devastating, and sometimes the answer is to just take a break and do self care things like meditate, get into nature, exercise, see loved ones, watch shows, overeat, whatever. And then get back on the horse and keep going!
If you could collaborate with any artist, living or dead, who would it be and why?
Oh my God, how do I choose?! It would be hard to beat sitting down with Paul McCartney and John Lennon, (or either one of them separately). Paul, because my God, those melodies he comes up with–if I’m ever able to write anything like “Eleanor Rigby” or “Yesterday” or “Blackbird,” I would be over the moon. John, because his altruistic ideas, to really have peace on earth, and to create something like “Imagine,” I can’t think of a more worthwhile dream for my songwriting.
What’s next for you—any exciting projects or goals on the horizon?
It’s an extremely creative time for me. Songs have been coming through faster than I can fully write and produce them. That’s a great problem to have! I hope it continues. I don’t have anything specific on the horizon other than continuing to write, produce, record as the songs come through me, but I do have a wish for more collaboration. I’ve heard the expression that alone we can go faster, but together we can go farther. Ask Paul and John, they were able to do both!