Killian Ruffley On the Making Of “Spun Out”
What was the creative process like for "Spun Out?"
The song was mainly built upon the guitar riff in the chorus which just came from jamming. I wanted the melody to sound like a question followed by an answer, as if the lower notes were having an argumentative discussion with the higher notes. I wanted to mix elements of blues, punk, and funk together and see what happened!
Could you discuss the lyrical themes or messages conveyed in "Spun Out?"
Most of the time the first few lyrics come from scatting over the music and that will kick things off. Then, I end up ascribing a meaning to them later when I write the rest. I don’t like having too much of a fixed meaning to songs because I’d like people to interpret them in their own way, but most of the lyrics are intended to be sarcastic and keep you guessing as to who the finger is being pointed at, but overall, the lyrics touch on feelings of despair and how one can try to justify their short-comings through self-victimization and mob mentality. The urge to blame everyone else is insatiable when you’re your own worst enemy and don’t even know who you’re running from. So somewhere along those lines!
What did you enjoy most about making "Spun Out?"
The whole process was an absolute joy. The recording was done with my very modest home setup and renting out spaces to record vocals and acoustic guitar. I played all the instruments myself which took some time. There were hours of mistakes and frustration, but I knew every mistake was teaching me something. It challenged me to think about the song from different perspectives. It was so much fun to make, and the process grew my love for the instruments I play even further.
How did you get started in music, and what inspired you to become a singer-songwriter?
When I was 11, a friend of mine gave me a lend of his drumkit and I would race to my bedroom every day after school to play it without a notion of what I was doing. I was lucky enough to get some lessons from a friend of the family, then I taught myself to play bass and guitar after that. I wanted to be able to play all the parts of the songs I liked. The songwriting just came naturally afterward, and it helped me deal with certain situations growing up. Anytime I was worried about something I would just think, this would be a great idea for a song!
How do you continuously grow and evolve as an artist?
Always challenging yourself and listening to new types of music is a good way. I started listening to a lot of hip-hop when I was writing the lyrics for my new songs. I don’t think you have to be reading poetry to write a folk song, for example. Listening to a rapper like Notorious B.I.G to me is like listening to a jazz drummer. He never stuck to one formula, and you never know which word he’s going to rhyme with or what beat he would hit, but it always flowed so well. Likewise, listening to classical music could help inform the structure of a rock song. It’s good to absorb as much as you can from the world around you, it will reflect in the art. So, I think, not getting too cornered with your own preferences keeps things exciting and if you’re passionate, you’re going to evolve!