STAIND Frontman: 'I Always Want To Feel Like I Have To Outdo Myself As A Songwriter'

October 4, 2010

STAIND frontman Aaron Lewis recently spoke to Sean McCarthy of SouthCoastToday.com about Lewis' current solo tour, which sees him playing songs from the STAIND catalog as well as solo selections and assorted covers.

"When I'm performing solo it couldn't be a more polar opposite from STAIND," Lewis said. "I invest a lot more into the delivery of my lyrics in that setting which helps an audience get to see the true me. An audience will feel closer to me in many different ways because I'm sitting there by myself for an hour-and-a-half.

"The approach I take to the lyrics is the same with either band," he said. "If I'm going to have words that are going to be documented forever, I've got to feel like it's a piece of me. With each song I want to be giving a part of myself away. Almost all of my songs are based upon personal experiences.

"With acoustic shows, the atmosphere is a lot more lighthearted and loose. I usually don't have a set list and if there is one, it's just a guide to keep me on the train tracks. I say more between songs at a solo show — I can't just sit there and say nothing. With STAIND I can get away with that. But ultimately, the music speaks for itself."

Regarding the attitude that goes into the creative process, whether it's being played solo acoustically or electric with STAIND, Lewis told SouthCoastToday.com, "I always, always, always want to feel like I have to outdo myself as a songwriter. Any time we go into the studio to record, we're always trying to better the last thing that we did. If you lose the desire to better yourself from your last representation, what are you doing it for?"

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