Feature: Secular Era & Drexl Bowie Decodes “While Nero Played”
What was the creative process like for this particular single?
The creative process was rather angry and isolated, up until my bandmates in Secular Era recorded the bass and drums. At the time I was struggling to deal with the shadow I was experiencing in both humanity and myself, which led me to begin a concept album in an attempt to study our dark sides further. When it comes to “While Nero Played,” I had the title rather quickly, wanting to study societal collapse with the fall of Rome as a backdrop, specifically the story of Nero playing a fiddle while Rome burned. I already had the opening guitar riff saved from years back on my phone and from there I added each section according to the feel I was looking for, the original theme always in mind. I say the original, because as I began the lyrics, the themes of fire and death brought new ideas to my mind, so there was a noticeable shift from that point. After spending a great deal of time working through the song alone in my office, I took it to Mike Sullivan, my singer in Secular Era, who produced while I recorded guitar and vocals, and suggested revisions of his own, which worked quite well in my opinion. Mike then recorded bass and his brother Mark recorded drums, both with basic directions on my part, but with freedom to give their own spin to things. Overall the process ended up being quite cathartic and enjoyable.
Could you discuss the lyrical themes or messages conveyed in "While Nero Played?"
The themes of “Nero” revolve around climate change and impending societal collapse. I refer to the song as my lament to the end of the world. A warning regarding the future we as a species have brought upon ourselves: one of drought, famine, extreme weather, and mass relocation to avoid the ever increasing danger. Another dimension deals with our apathy and unwillingness to take the necessary actions to combat all of this, how our blind furthering of this capitalistic nightmare is digging a deeper and deeper grave not just for us, but for untold amounts of the Earth’s ecosystems. The main motifs are fire, ash, and rising tides. I did my best to fill each line with layers of meaning, though two perhaps embody the song’s messages most succinctly. The first is: “…if it’s so we must exist, it should not be to further this.” The second: “We fall with disgrace. There he plays.” The song is quite pessimistic in nature, filled to the brim with the emotions of rage, grief, and shame, among others.
What did you enjoy most about making this track?
I don’t know if there’s a single aspect I enjoyed most about the making of “Nero,” but if I had to name something it’d be the sense of wonder and discovery that came with its writing, both the guitar and the lyrics. Other than the opening riff, I didn’t know where I was going to go with the guitar from one point to the next, other than a vague “feeling” I had in mind. I found it quite fulfilling to build upon each section and find new aspects I could work with to create a vast array of emotions. When it comes to the lyrics, I always find writing them enjoyable, though the shift in focus brought me much pleasure in the sense that it was nice to get those feelings out. I’d known they were there, but bringing them to the surface presented new layers of insight regarding myself and the pain I was (and at times still am) experiencing. And that’s quite likely my favorite thing about art in general: when it unlocks new perspectives within people so they may be born anew in some manner. That, to me, is the defining purpose of any artistic endeavor.
Can you tell us more about you as an artist?
As an artist I try to make it a point to create work that is not only enjoyable, but intelligent and layers deep in meaning. My goal is to reveal something within each listener in order to help them create meaning out of their lives. To present them with difficult, yet universal truths regarding the human experience so that they can gain both understanding and the means to fight back against those destroying the world out of greed and lust. I believe that the only defense against the horrors of our world is a thorough knowledge of them and their causes and it is my hope to inspire such knowledge in others so that we may build a better world together. My influences are wide ranging, stemming from music as well as art, history, literature, philosophy, religion, and political theory. Musical inspirations include My Chemical Romance, Green Day, and Slipknot. Other inspirations come from philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, director Stanley Kubrick, and author Cormac McCarthy, whose works have served as bases for themes, symbols, and subject matter. In addition to all of this, I also play guitar for Rock band Secular Era and have worked at becoming an author as well. Currently I’m writing the first draft of a historical fiction novel, while in the past I’ve written several screenplays and published multiple short stories, so I’m quite busy and diverse with my work.
Can you share a valuable lesson or piece of advice that you have learned along your musical journey?
This isn’t specific to music or necessarily art in general as much as it is generic life advice. However, I always come back to this quote from my favorite filmmaker Stanley Kubrick, which in many ways describes why I’m an artist and take pride in being such. His words are as follows: “However vast the darkness, we must supply our own light.” That message hits me to my core. We need each other. We need community, family, friends. Yet at the end of the day, it’s also up to us as individuals to create our own purpose. To find meaning and to supply our own light. That’s what I’m doing when I create my art. I’m supplying my own light. This world is bleak. This world is unforgiving and fraught with danger. Still, it is our duty to hold flame against the dark. For both our own sake and the sake of others. I’ll end this question with one last quote that ties in, this one being from the novelization of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith oddly enough. As the author Matthew Stover wrote to end: “The dark is generous, and it is patient, and it always wins—but in the heart of its strength lies weakness: one lone candle is enough to hold it back. Love is more than a candle. Love can ignite the stars.”
