"Songwriters on Process" interview with Brian

Some insight on Brian's writing process, including some of his favorite authors and songwriters:

http://www.writersonprocess.com/2011/02/brian-fallon-the-gaslight-anthem.html

Very interesting.

Good interview. There's a lot of neat ones on that site, including Chris Farren. If you're like me and enjoy reading this kind of stuff, the book "Songwriters on Songwriting" is highly recommended too.

I do have to wonder, though: when has Brian ever written something for something else? Because he mentioned doing that, and I was curious when that happened.

I like that he would prefer to make a whole sounding album rather than just hits, i hate listening to albums which don't feel complete

awesome read, especially for songwriters.

This is great. I've had writers block for so long, and it's been killing me. Today i started writing more, and i know this is going to help me out a lot

PunkRockAbe wrote:

This is great. I've had writers block for so long, and it's been killing me. Today i started writing more, and i know this is going to help me out a lot

I'm in the same boat. Haven't written anything for such a long time, and I used to write and record stuff almost everyday. It's weird how just reading something like this interview can be inspiring.

Hi--it's Ben, the Songwriters on Process guy who interviewed Brian for the piece. I just want to thank everyone for reading. I have to say that of the 60 or so interviews I've done with songwriters on this site, the one with Brian was probably my favorite. I felt like I was talking to a poet. I am not a songwriter, but there are so many takeaways from that interview for people who are.

Check out the site--there are tons of great interviews there. There's a Facebook page as well. And there are no ads, so this is not a business venture. I just think it's cool to talk to songwriters about their creative process; I have a PhD in English, hence my interest in the writing process.

And I am always up for hearing about great artists who would be a good fit for the site, so shoot me an email if you have someone in mind you'd like to see interviewed. Not necessarily your favorite artist, but someone whose songwriting you admire.

Thanks!
Ben
benjamin@benopipari.com
www.writersonprocess.com

What a great interview... so many interviews cover the same old crap in the same predictable, condescending ways. This one is extremely well written and gives us a great look into the mind of an incredible man. I couldn't write a song or poem to save my life, but I have a few storylines going and one 200k+ word story/novel under my belt. I love seeing similarities in how I go about things when I read stuff like this... makes me feel a bit more normal!

Jlblue wrote:

I do have to wonder, though: when has Brian ever written something for something else? Because he mentioned doing that, and I was curious when that happened.

That was my first thought. I was like, wait, he's written for others? I need examples!

thank you Ben for doing the interview! one of the best i've read in a while =)

I love Brian's interview and Chris Farren's interview. I've been suffering from writer's block to. I keep writing songs, at least one a day but none are that good, hopefully it will break.

It's pretty weird because exactly how Chris Farren said he wrote, that's how I write. Down to the letter. At least I know I'm not the only one.

This interview is one of the best interviews I've eve read. There's so much interesting stuff in there that is normally not covered in interviews. And while reading it feels that Brian enjoyed it. Thanks so much Ben for doing this!

Love the part about writing on paper or computer 'cause I tried and carried tons of different notebooks with me because I really, really wanted to create such an amazing notebook you know from lots of artists like Paul Smith from Maximo Park for example. But then I realised that - for a start - I'm not creative at all and most of the times I rather use my iPhone or the computer to store my thoughts ;o)

Thank you everyone for all of the comments on my interview. I have been a huge Gaslight fan for a while, so it was great to talk to him as well. My sense was that he really did enjoy it--there was a lot of laughing on both ends. And as someone with a PhD in English, I was especially excited when he started talking poetry.

All the artists I've interviewed for my site really like talking about their creative process. Thanks again to everyone. It's support like yours that makes me do it. It's certainly not the money, since there are no ads on the site!

Ben

Quote :

What more becomes the problem is that I'll be writing a group of songs, then stumble upon something that I know is a hit. Then I have to go, "It doesn't fit, I can't use it. I gotta put it away."

Part of me really respects Brian for preserving album integrity. The other part of me is like "record that hit as a stand alone single so we can get more gaslight awesomeness" =D

I'd like to see you interview someone like Paul Baribeau who seems to write very literally and straightforward, yet the songs are really emotionally powerful.

Also Jakob Dylan would be cool. Brian mentioned him and I agree, he doesn't get enough credit.

Imagine a Frank Turner interview :O

PunkRockAbe wrote:

Imagine a Frank Turner interview :O

*like*

Sick interview. Easily one of the best jobs interviewing brain I've read. Nice work.

Hi All,

It's Ben Opipari, and I'm the Songwriters on Process guy who did the interview with Brian Fallon that was the original subject of this post. Thought maybe some of you would like to read an interview I posted today with his buddy Dave Hause: http://bit.ly/ia9FV1

Enjoy!
Ben

I love Dave Hause. Thanks.

songwritersonprocess wrote:

Hi All,

It's Ben Opipari, and I'm the Songwriters on Process guy who did the interview with Brian Fallon that was the original subject of this post. Thought maybe some of you would like to read an interview I posted today with his buddy Dave Hause: http://bit.ly/ia9FV1

Enjoy!
Ben

Interesting read

Amazing website, my night is filled

It is a great site, I think I have read most of the interviews on there by now.

simo wrote:

It is a great site, I think I have read most of the interviews on there by now.

Thanks! And for those of you who have not seen the site, there are no ads, so I'm not peddling anything. Just some good reading from 75 songwriters since I started the site last summer.