Take special note about what he says regarding his view on what the most important aspect of songwriting is.......

Name:
Geoffrey Stapleton

URL (if any):
http://www.ganggajang.com

Main genre:
Rock/Pop

Years writing:
34 years

What comes first words or music:
It's best when it all tumbles/flows out at once

Why do you write:
To escape, to be loved and to make money (in that order).

How do you write:
Usually with a guitar, voice and a recording device, occasionally keyboard.

What inspires you:
Looking back on the songs that have worked (ie... made me money which means people have bought them), they seem to have been about believing in yourself, relationships, love, drugs and sex.... Heck, life I guess.

Most important aspect of songwriting:
Spontaneity. Don't edit yourself too much as you go along. Do it later in a seperate session. Strive to lose yourself in the moment, in 'the now'. That's how you can dig deep and hopefully unearth something that is uniquely you...ie ORIGINAL.

Advice for beginners:
Avoid phoniness. Try to let what you believe find its way out of you unconsciously and be surprised by it. Telling the world what you think you believe or worse, what you think people want you to believe can sound preachy and doesnt ring true.

Better to sing gobbledy-gook with the right vowel sounds than clever 'studied' lyrics that never sit comfortably with the melody. Lyrics dont have to be peotry, lyrics are part of the music.

Main strength and weakness:
Aiming for 99% inspiration and 1% perspiration.

Songwriting goals:
To have a hit....A REALLY BIG HIT!!!!

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What great advice, 'avoid phoniness'.

A few years ago I used to work with a singer/songwriter/guitarist in Sydney and even though we became really good friends out of the whole experience, I never liked his songs. To me they sounded like he had read every songwriting book under the sun and the songs that he wrote were like the homework for his songwriting study, deviod of any sence of the person writing it.

The more I got to know this songwriter the more I realised that he was unlike the songs he was writing. However, we had a great little band and I enjoyed playing the songs hence why I stuck around.

My main critisism was that the songs were 'too polished', 'too structured' and at the end of the day very predictable and stale. I think Geoff hit the nail on the head with his statement about singing gobbledy-gook. as soon as I read that I immediately thought of my mate in Sydney.

I would much rather tell the truth to myself and the world than lie about it (and be found out as being inauthentic) anyday.

Until next time, happy writing,

Corey Stewart
Singer/Songwriter/Musician

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