Today, we sat down with Sunrunner to talk about their writing of music, advice for musicians and more! Be sure to check out Sunrunner’s music after the interview below on Spotify!
Interview:
What is your inspiration to write your music? Is it your surroundings?
It’s hard to say- yes it’s my surroundings, and also my experiences and observations about human nature, history, life. Also sometimes it’s about evoking a feeling we wish to convey with the sounds and rhythms. Metal music often channels a kind of darkness or aggression but in a healthy way, I would say. Rather than making the music all flowery and serene, sometime the music is like a hurricane or flood or a fire and the result is a sort of awe at the power and destructiveness of nature- and that’s an inspiration too, alongside the birds and the flowers and gently flowing streams and the miracle of life.
What type of music did you listen to growing up?
I liked Led Zeppelin, Motley Crue, Kiss, Toots and the Maytals, Bob Marley, the Talking Heads.
Is there someone you looked up as a hero?
For me it was John Bonham of Led Zeppelin. I had the VHS of Song Remains the Same and I thought he was the absolute coolest dude.
If you weren’t a musician, would you be doing today?
I used to want to be a cartoonist or animator- but I’d also like to be a scientist, or a chef, or own a business, be a carpenter or a welder. I like being in charge of what I’m doing and providing a service people need and value, but the specifics of that could vary widely.
What advice do you have for our fans out there that want to create music?
You have to aim high, and you have to put in the work. Have a goal- maybe write a song, or write an album, or play a show or a tour. There is a lot that goes into all of that so you have to break it all down into smaller pieces and stay organized. Maybe it’s writing a song- you just write something. It doesn’t have to be good- just start. It won’t be good- it’s not good- forget about trying to make something good at all, just get a coherent idea out there, add some lyrics, make some different sections. Study what inspires you, and try to do something like that. The hardest part is getting out of your own way and just making anything at all, because your ego will over-criticize it and tell you it sucks. Just do it anyway- your ego will tell you something different once it’s done. And then you can make another one. You’ll have to make many songs, so the sooner you start and the more you do the more you’ll find your own voice and start making stuff you feel proud of, and then you’ve created an entity that exists outside of yourself- your music.
Music:
