5 Q&A With Salads
What was the creative process like for this particular "Bonnie and Clyde?"
The creative process behind “Bonnie and Clyde” was actually more simple than it seems. I'm a person who writes the melody first and then I kind of go from there. So I played a couple chords on the guitar and I kind of got the progression down.
And after that I just kind of hummed to it. I just went da da da da da da and I was like that's it. I felt like that was a good melody and then I just went from there. Just hummed more while playing the same progression. And it just keeps on building until eventually I get to the end. And eventually when I go into the pre-chorus, I didn't have that part yet, I just recorded the progression and then I layered the humming on top as a demo. And whenever I hum or I sing gibberish, I always somehow have a voice in those parts. So I just kind of went with gibberish sounds. Like da da da da. In my brain it sounds like words. It sounds like the beginning of the words. So I just went with, she said she loved me. And then I was in a relationship at that time. And so I was like, okay, I know where this song's going. And I just kind of wrote the lyrics from there.
And I did the same for the pre-chorus and I did the same for the chorus, just melody first. Because I think that's just how I grew up writing songs. I just got uncomfortable with making the melody first. Because when I was little, when I first started writing songs, I did not know how to write lyrics. And if I did, it was really corny, I can tell you that.
Can you talk about the recording and production process for "Bonnie and Clyde?"
After I got the song down on the acoustic guitar, I went into my home studio because that's where all my songs are recorded. I went into my home studio and I laid the guitar first with the metronome as loud as possible because I've learned from being a drummer, I'm not that in time. So metronome on full blast, laid the guitar down and then doubled the guitar left right and then I kind of had the idea of adding a little sparkly high end note to the guitar, the lead guitar and then I just had that part and then it just kind of came together really quickly. The instrumental, so I just laid my first verse right then and there and I'm not saying it's one take, it's not, but I started to try record that first verse with the lyrics I've written down and I've changed the lyrics so many times because sometimes it sounds good. But it just doesn't feel right. right to the meaning of the song because this song has a special meaning to me personally.
I wrote it for my girlfriend at the time so I didn't want to have it not be true or sugarcoat the lyrics in any way if you've listened to the song you know what I mean. And so I just did the same for the pre-chorus too, instrumental first and then vocal.
So that's kind of how I produce my music, instrumental first and then I layer the vocal on top because I find that I kind of sing with more emotion and I sing better when there's an instrumental there. It doesn't have to be finished, it's just a demo. And then after I finished that I listened back to the song and of course the vocal was dry even with all the effects on it so I was like I don't know what's missing until. Thank you Ángela Torres. Good plugin company, but although I just had a harmonizer and highlight that layer. And it sounded really good, so I decided to record it naturally singing just what the harmonizer did. and it sounded really it sounded even better because it was my real voice and so that's how the harmonies came about except for the chorus because I wanted to have the big contrast between the verse pre-chorus and the chorus where the chorus gets big and so I layered my harmonies my main vocals and I also used the harmonizer from Antares to just thicken the vocal and just have that high and super low end of almost like a choir singing the chorus and I remember while I was producing it and recording it I couldn't stop listening to it and that's how I knew like I was gonna release this song because right now I still have a bunch of songs unreleased or unfinished and I think all musicians are like that but this song just spoke to its just...super catchy, it meant a lot to me and it just came about. I was just in that so-called flow state and it was just really cool how it came about really quickly. The writing part, producing took a while because I'm a perfectionist and I like everything to sound exactly how I want it to sound.
But after I recorded there, I just sat there in front of my computer multiple nights just tweaking little details that you probably won't notice or if you listen to it three times maybe you'll notice. But I weirdly enjoy it because I don't know, that OCD part was really cool. part of me just satisfies it.
What has been one of your most favorite memories along the path to making "Bonnie and Clyde?"
Oh, this one's easy. I don't have to think that much. Simple answer. My girlfriend. I was writing it for my girlfriend as a Valentine's Day gift at the time before I released it to the public, out to the scary world. And that made it even more special knowing that I really liked the song and it was personal and I was making it for someone I love. And the whole time I knew, I kind of knew it was young love. Nothing's guaranteed. That's why the lyrics are the way they are. But it's kind of, it's kind of, what's the word Nihilistic optimism. There we go. I had that the whole time, you know, just enjoy the moment while you can, you know. And having that mindset just made the song so much more special. Looking back at it. Now, it just has a lot of personal meaning. And I'm glad that my fans also find their own personal meaning in that song. And I love how people interpret the words of the song in multiple ways. Because music is subjective and especially lyrics. It means one thing to one person. It means one thing to another person. But to me, it was that moment of just being in the present. It's enjoying life. In the present. Which I don't do a lot. But making that song was one of those moments. And every time I hear that song when I put my Spotify on shuffle or when I play it live. It's just an amazing feeling.
Can you share a bit about your musical background and the journey that led you to where you are today?
I'm not going to get into my whole life story because that would be a book. Nah, I just ramble on a lot. But my musical background, I started, my first love for music was actually playing Guitar Hero and then The Beatles rock band and then Green Day rock band. So I guess you could say those were my two first loves of music. The Beatles and Green Day. And I would always switch around with multiple instruments. I would sing, I would play the guitar, I would play the drums. And I think that's how I learned to love all the instruments. And that's why I self-produce most of my songs. I just kept at it. I never stopped making music. I started using Audacity to GarageBand to Cubase to Logic and now Ableton. And then my good friend Don. Who's also a producer. Shout out Don. He put me on Ableton and I never looked back since. It's been amazing. Such a good door. Personally, don't fight me. Other musicians who love Logic. But... The stuff I write about. The stuff I write about. It's kind of just...It's all in the language. It's just what I've been through. What I went through as a kid. My struggles as a 21 year old, quote unquote, adult now. Young adult. I don't know. I feel like a kid. But...I've struggled with mental health and addiction all my life. And that comes through in my lyrics. And...If...There's a line where...It seems like I'm romanticizing any use of those substances. The next line will...Like...Contradict that right away. Because I'm more talking about...How I used to think. And...How I used it. And abused it. To cope. And...How that sickness...Corrupted my mind. Into thinking...And romanticizing it...The wrong way. Instead of seeing...It for what it really is. An addiction. But...I went to rehab.
And I'm alive.
And I'm here to tell the tale.
And I'm alive.
And I'm here to tell the tale.
And I'm alive.
Are there any specific venues or festivals that you dream of performing at?
The dream venue would have to be in the UK, The O2. I almost got to perform at The O2 with my band once but it fell through last minute and I was so bummed. I was so excited to say in Matt Ahealy's voice, "good evening The O2."
But that didn't happen. But I know one day, one day I'll get to do that. And it'll be funny. I don't know for who but it'll be funny for me. And I'm trying to think, any other venues?
I love intimate venues actually. Like I know it's not bougie or anything.
Or fancy or extravagant.
But I really like the intimacy and seeing people like seeing their faces enjoy my music. It's just every time I play a gig and it's intimate, I just kind of get this feeling of like this is what I'm supposed to do. Like this is what I'm supposed to do with my life. Like this is my place. Seeing people just - Even just hitting a little dance in the middle of the song or whatever. I'm just like, yeah. This is my thing. And I love it.