Fill the Well with SANDERS BOHLKE

in this series, i ask other songwriters about their quest for inspiration and how they tackle the day-to-day tasks of writing quality, engaging songs. behind every good song is a hard-worker. i want to know how songwriters work and how they fill their well so it never goes dry.

Today we hear from SANDERS BOHLKE, a gifted singer/songwriter from Birmingham, Alabama whose soulful voice fills his sparse, emotive sound. Sanders has just released his 2nd studio album, Ghost Boy produced by Jeffrey Cain (Remy Zero). The album was written and arranged to be heard as a complete work, and each song is a different vignette in a very long, difficult year.  The lyrics show the darker, sadder side of love: he is fighting for his love within himself and with his partner – a very beautiful, honest and emotional process.  Buy the album now on iTunes! I want to know how he does it! Let’s find out… 

1. What is your typical work day? 
Coffee, news, and blog reading (this often sparks some sort of creative idea, be it music or otherwise).  Then, depending on what rabbit hole I’ve ventured into, I either pick up an instrument or listen to previous voice memos of different ideas that I’ve made on my phone and write out what I can make sense of.  Lunch follows, and then really just more off and on writing and listening.  Sometimes I work at night because certain things hit me at night that don’t during the day. My days often look very different, because we move so much, so sometimes it’s hard to establish a steady schedule.
2. What tools do you use to keep you organized and productive? 
I use my voice recorder on my phone a lot, but I really love using a pencil and notebook.  I find that using a really good notebook and a sharp pencil makes you feel differently, which makes you think differently.  I usually work in Pro Tools if it is set up.  Nothing can stifle a creative process quicker than having to plug things in, so I like to have a set up so I can just hit record.  That is mainly why I use my phone.  It’s quick and I don’t lose any ideas.  I have several go-to notebooks as well.  As for instruments, I feel like the key is to constantly switch up what you’re writing with.  You can have a favorite guitar or piano or whatever, but I tend to get the same sound or progression out of the same guitar, and it bores me.  I love picking up a random guitar or sitting down at an unfamiliar piano because it’s like we’re getting to know each other, and you learn about all these things that were hiding inside of you that you didn’t know existed.
3. Do you have any habits, exercises or activities that jumpstart your creativity? 
Reading before I start really sparks things. I find that seeing beautiful pictures, or reading about somebody that is making quality boots, or something like that, gets me excited and I can channel that into some piece of music.
4. Are there any specific books, films, lectures, etc. that have impacted your creative process? 
Not any one particular book or film.  I think I’m very inspired by visuals.  I love seeing great use of typeface in films and magazines, and landscape or certain architecture.  All of these things spark something in me that often times is reflected in my music.  I’m also very interested in  other ventures apart from music, so when I immerse myself in these other areas of art, it keeps the music part very fresh.
5. Where do you get your best work done?
It’s always when I go to a new place.  For example, I just spent 4 days taking care of goats on this farm in Virginia for a friend. He has a studio, and I wrote 4 or 5 songs while I was there.  It was all new and exciting, and I think that is the best way to write.
6. How do you combat writer’s block? 
Well, like I said before, the best way, for me, is to switch things up.  Obviously, you can’t just completely change everything every day, and there has to be some level of steadfastness to what you’re doing.  You have to work hard at it.  It’s not magic. But, I do think that if you can find ways to make it exciting then you’re gonna get stuff out of yourself that you didn’t know was there.  I’ll move to different areas of my house, or switch guitars or go write somewhere strange.  Also, I often work on different genres of music.  That keeps things exciting for me.
7. Who is your songwriting hero?  
I really admire James Blake.  He writes and composes and produces and records all of his own stuff.  I want to get to that level.  I want to be able to put out a record entirely on my own.  From the conception of a song to the packaging of the vinyl.  That is my dream, and James Blake, right now I guess, is the closest thing to that.  I don’t know if he does his own artwork, but as far as the songwriting and production go, it’s all him.  I love that.  Also, there is an author that I admire, T.R. Pearson, who wakes up around 6, has breakfast and writes for about 4 or 5 hours in the morning and then spends the rest of the day doing other things.  He does this every day, and he’s extremely prolific. I would love to have that kind of discipline.  I don’t.  Ha.
8. Do you have any advice to offer a new songwriter? 
Just try and make it as fun as you can.  Push through, even when you think you want to stop.  Explore as much as you can.  Take drives, take trips, follow interesting blogs, read the news, and just write.  Don’t think too much.  But remember that it’s still work.  You have to keep at it, even when you hate it.

2 Responses to Fill the Well with SANDERS BOHLKE

  1. abbyleigh says:

    i’m loving this series and the constant paradox it keeps bringing to the surface – change it up, stay the same. don’t think too much, remember it’s work. that’s part of what makes the creative process so addicting – you can’t quite put your finger on it ever.

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