The Stars

I've been working at Iona Catholic Girls School as a songwriting coach to a couple of groups of girls, and it's been interesting to say the least.

Modern songwriting is an artform but it's also structured and rule based.  I remember reading about Rivers Cuomo and how he studies songs and the breakdown of chords and format etc, and immediately I thought... what a nerd.  But really, the dude's right.  How else can I get better at a craft I'm devoting my life to unless I study more of the greats.

You talk about your influences like it's your taste in music but the music you listen to is BOUND to influence your songwriting right?  I grew up listening to The Beatles and Queen and The Hollies, all the while studying classical on the piano which gave me the foundations to play my instrument.  Later I fell into the songwriting of Billy Joel in a big way.  His progressions were so refreshing, and yet still based in the classical.  Remember 'This Night' by Billy Joel?  If not, check it out. The chorus is a direct rip of the second movement of Beethoven's Pathetique Sonata. He credits Beethoven as a co-writer of the song which is awesome, but it goes to show how much classical music EASILY fits into the world of pop music.

I guess I wanted to say that if inspiration doesn't immediately come, I'll listen to the greats and something will come.  That's not to say I'm going to copy anything I hear, but I'll sit for a few hours and work out progressions of things, and out of that... something new will come.  Then it's just a matter of making the song mean something to you.

One of the groups of girls decided they wanted to write about light pollution; and by that I mean... our cities are so bright we're missing out on the stars.

It's SO true.  I've just been on the road to all parts of WA and at some points we'd stop the car at night in the middle of nowhere (probably because nature called) and we just were amazed at the show the stars put on for us; shimmering, dazzling...  it made me think that these girls had a point.

What a romantic thing to write about.  The fact that we miss out on this natural amazement because we live in a world of light.  Streetlights, headlights, buildings full of lights... they all work toward ruining a beautful night... and there's nothing we can do about it.

Doing these workshops has shown me that it doesn't matter if my music is clever and well thought out; if the lyrics don't hold something true, then there's no point.

Inspiration is everywhere... even the sky... even if we can't see it.

Love Court.