Please note that this is how I write my songs and you may have varied results if you are trying to copy our sound. This is because We are all individuals and have our own ways on going about it.
Step 1: Inspiration to write the song.
I cannot stress to you enough how important it is to have a reason to write a song.
If it wasn't for all the drama I have had since releasing "Controversial" E.P i don't know if the next E.P would be as complete as it currently is.
You must use your life as the statement in the songs. If you do not have an emotional connection to your songs, how can you expect other people to relate?
This is the problem with alot of up and coming Pop Punk bands - especially the last two I played in - B.I.B and Waiting on Arrival (now renamed) is that neither of them really wrote songs about life... all they wrote about was: Girls who wore skinny jeans and fell in love with the mad hatter and then played songs to empty bars.
The reason they play to empty bars is because NO one can make a connection to there music.
People have made connection to my music because they have felt how I felt or are going through something that my music is helping them through.
^ I feel bigheaded by saying that, but I am only repeating what people have told me.
Step 2: Politics.
"Politics" can help you write a song, but only if you smoke politics responsibly and carefully. Use, Do Not Abuse!
Now i'm not going to go into why I think it should be legalised etc simply because thats not what this Blog is about but what I will say is that I think it should be and thats it.
Step 3: Listen to LOTS OF MUSIC.
Personally I like to listen to a lot of obscure music.
In my previous Post, I mentioned my influences... but that.... Like the cake.... WAS A LIE! (Portal joke).
Well it wasn't a full lie... I did use them as influences, but they weren't the only artists I listened to.
One band I listened to a lot was my cousins old band From The Get Go.
Despite not talking to my cousin for quite a while due to issues we had with each other, I still loved his old bands music.
You can listen to them here:
https://soundcloud.com/fromthegetgo
When they broke up, I was distraught, they had such a good stage presence, the vocals were gritty and powerful, the guitars were HOLY FUCK great. I didn't see how other bands were more popular.
Another band I used to listen to a lot that are quite obscure were my old band (who go under a new name).
They inspired me to think: well if that shitty short singer can do it, why can't I?
Its weird what can inspire you isn't it?
Step 4: Get Yourself a Damon Springthorpe (or something close)
Thanks to damon, i was able to get my ideas from head to computer. He knew what I wanted even when my descriptions were shocking of what i wanted.
If you need help, thats fine, but make sure you credit them.
Step 5: USE A DAW.
Logic, Abelton, Anything will work.
Step 6: Rock It Out
Do whatever you feel like doing when it comes to making your music. You are the only one who needs to be happy with it, no one else.
This post is about the time when I was writing the Debut E.P: "Controversial" and about what I was going through at the time.
Take us back to May 2013 Mr Doctor:
So I had just left my old band... well I was kicked out due to not being "Committed" to the band, when all I ever did was learn the songs and come up with ideas.... As well as look at me now: I am committed to Bitter Sweet Departures: IT IS ALL I DO - YES I HAVE FRIENDS AS WELL BUT I MAKE THEM LISTEN TO MY MUSIC SO IT GETS STUCK IN THERE HEAD....
After them sending the "HI, YEAH, UM YOUR OUT OF THE BAND BUT CUZ WERE KIND AND YOU'D PROBABLY SUE US IF WE TAKE YOUR SONG, YOU CAN HAVE I CANT FACE THE FACTS BACK" - LETTER - IN THE POST - NOT IN PERSON - IN THE POST - 2ND CLASS STAMP - CUZ THEY OBVIOUSLY THOUGHT THAT A 1ST CLASS STAMP IS TO CLASSY FOR A SASSY HOE THAT I AM - LETTER,
I went through a real deep depression. I couldn't really cope with music, I was about to start "Access To Music" College 4 months later and pursue my dream of becoming a Technician for bands and yet the thought of music was sickening.
I decided that I had to get my form of revenge: Continue and prove them that I didn't need them.
I got myself out of the rut that I was in, I started hanging out with my old friends "Tom and James - The Twins". They introduced me to this artist who used to go by the name of "Rekkah" who then taught me about making Electronic-Dubstep in a program called "FL STUDIOS" (Fruity Loops). He tried to teach me about making "Fat Drops" and "Dirty Bass's" but I saw a different potential in FL...
My favourite bands at the time were bands like "Blink 182, Blood On The Dance Floor, Breathe Carolina, Jeffree Star, Green Day, My Chemical old-mance (the old My Chemical Romance), Adam Lambert, Box Car Racer, Nicki Minaj, Ke$ha, Skrillex, Four Year Strong.
I saw a way to blend stuff in a way that it had Pop Punk feel but at the same time for it to sound like an anime.
Because I wouldn't let "Rekkah" help produce my music, simply because I have a fear of letting people mess around with my own music because then they would have part ownership - and I don't want to share anything with anyone when it comes to BSD, We decided to stop talking to each other.
(Served him right for getting me pissed and then taking me to his bed.... Oops).
So by this point I had "I Cant Face The Facts" written and Japanese sounding, But no Other songs.
I started on a track that was not released due to it being too in your face and had no meaning.
From this point on, I will be listing songs i wrote and released and un released:
Just Try (You Wont Stop Me) - Unreleased
This song was about "No one will stop me now, I will make it cuz i know somehow all my dreams will all come true, I'm gonna make it through"
It was basically a really bad song about being able to achieve my dreams and no one will stop me.
I would compare the composition similar to Ima Monster by Blood on The Dance Floor.
It was SHIT.
Point Of View - Track 4 On "Controversial"
This song was written around the time when my ex girlfriend - (codename) Grenville, 's Boyfriend TyieWyie was trying to have an argument with me all because I was talking to Grenville and she was telling me about how he treats her. - let me clarify no I didn't have any feelings for her, but he continued to persist that I did and he told me what he thought of me.
The first verse was almost like a conversation I had with her about the matter:
"What do you expect me to say, when you don't wanna listen to me
You wont face any of your problems, why cant you see"
It was me telling her she needs to stand up to him and kick his ass or get him out of her life.
She still hasn't listened to me.
The Departure - Track 5 On "Controversial"
The Departure was written about the band incident.
I was getting annoyed with the band and there members. I had to make a statement about myself.
I decided to take a different approach to this one however.
I decided to write about all the underdog hero's. The people who do have talent but no one believes in because of the image they portray.
In this track, I knew I had to find a movie sample from a famous actor out of a classic movie.
I decided to use "Rocky Balboa" Sylvester Stallone.
The song is about going out of your way to be able to achieve what you want from life.
People don't realise this, but imagine if we lived in a computer game. The only way you will be able to get the secret unlocks or achievements is if you do the hard stuff to be able to unlock them.
The same with life. You must go though a lot of shit and still come out of the other end to be able to unlock what you want from life and then take it.
This Is Not A Love Song (But It Comes Close)
If you want to listen to an interview about this song please go to this link:
I guess I should talk about the first crush first.
The song was written about my first guy crush in Year 7 (Aged 11). I had a crush on my best friend (codename) Drummer. The first day of high school. I was nervous, sweating more than a whale on sand. I walked into my line for my form, whilst there I start talking to this guy. He liked Oasis, and in the future Green Day - Thanks to me enlightening him on real music.
He was talented as fuck at the drums as well as other instruments.
I wrote the song about him because if he hadn't of been there then I might not have realised who I was (Bisexual) in the same way.
Now the guy who fucked me up.
His name was "Cunt" if i remember right? Anyways Cunt messaged me one morning in the summer "Hey, your really hot :)"
Now if you know me, you I don't have high self esteem, So i wasn't too sure to take the compliment - I don't know how to respond haha.
We started talking, he was attractive. Blue eyes - my favourite feature on guys.
We got pretty close... We'd text each other at night with a text to read to wake up to.
It was cute.
Until I found out about his boyfriend.
I was broken. He was seeing someone all this time. He was with them first. It was painful.
This song was very therapeutic for me. "Then I checked my watch to see the time that I'd lost" was a perfect metaphor for looking back and seeing how much time I had wasted on this guy when I could have been seeing someone a lot better.
The New Guy In My Life:
The lyrics "5 years have gone now but ill pull through" would be a perfect metaphor for how long I'd wait to see him... EVEN if it took 5 years to see him again, I'd wait.
This song was written before I met this guy. It was already recorded and released (the same day, hours before i met him).
It was only be by chance that I'd meet him again. I attended a Blood on The Dance Floor show 2 days beforehand and met a girl who went to the same gig.
She invited me to go with her again to Manchester to see them again.
SHE HAD BEEN OFFERED "2 GUEST LIST TICKETS" to the show. We even went and hung out with Dahvie Vanity, (the very beautiful) Kerry Louise, Brewer (the bodyguard) and others after the show.
I met this girl, she was short and looked very scene (but because I'm the scene queen, i obviously looked scene-Er). Her name is Charlotte and she's a Great girl. She told me about this guy who she argued with. I made her go talk to him because he was and still is VERY HOT. After much persuading, she called him over. We started talking and he was very cute. Fgt (Codename) managed to get onstage and after the show he gave me a quick kiss and I was smitten. I still am. We talk all the time on text and phone. Most texts are as cute as "FGT. FGT. FGT" which is what basically talk about all the time.
He's probably gonna read this too. So if he does.... your a fgt :) hehe.
DAMON SPRINGTHORPE - THE HIDDEN MEMBER
Damon deserves a lot of credit for helping me out with making my music. He writes down what I ask him to on a piece of software called "Guitar Pro" which i then turn into midi and make music from.
He is also a great guitarist for live. He blends in the background and lets all of his guitar do the talking.
You can see him in the Video for The Departure here:
It's JayyJayy Departures here, This is just a quick thing to say hi to all of you Departures and Haters out there!
So now with the hello's ^ out of the way,
Its time to tell you about this blog...
So basically Sometimes I feel like i AM Sora from Kingdom Hearts
Well, not as crazy as that, but something very close.
So this blog is a way for me to help me remember and reflect on things, and a way for all of you readers to listen in to my personal life a little bit.
You can also send me questions to : bittersweetdepartures@gmail.com (send about 5 questions per email).
