Secret Smiles On the Making Of “Every Choice”
How does "Every Choice" fit into your overall artistic vision?
I think this song captures more of my old school classic western musical influences like Johnny Cash and Marty Robbins, etc, but also feels very much in the Gun Club world. I really like writing songs that tell a story; in this case I always had the idea of someone trapped in a cult-like environment where everyone is supposed to be "following the leader," so to speak, and not having their own thoughts or goals. This song represents the moment they realize they can be free from those chains.
Were there any challenges or breakthrough moments during the songwriting process for "Every Choice?"
I wrote this song around five or six years ago, so I'm not sure if I remember any specific breakthroughs or challenges, but when I brought the song to the band, it changed. The demo was originally recorded as a more country ballad with that kind of strumming pattern reminiscent of Johnny Cash. It became a much simpler reverb / tremelo soaked song that became incredibly dependent on the overarching bassline.
What did you enjoy most about making "Every Choice?"
It's a song where I don't have to focus as much on playing guitar. I just let the chords ring out over the rest of the song. That allows me to transition into storyteller mode.
Can you tell us more about you as a band?
Well, I've known everyone for a while now as friends, probably around eight or so years. I met everyone through the music scene in Los Angeles - Zeh is my roommate! We all share a lot of the same influences, and also have our own things we bring to the table, which makes bringing songs to them really interesting and inspiring. They always come out better than they were before.
What do you enjoy most about performing live and connecting with your audience?
I come from an acting background, and I guess it sometimes feels like live theater, in a way. Except you can get away with getting more words wrong in a song, ha! But I really love it when I feel people are connecting to the music, or the lyrics, or the story of it all; there's nothing better than a show where your audience is locked in.