Aleyce Simmonds – Special Guest Songwriter
Shortly before I left Australia on a world trip (I’m currently writing from London), I asked young Australian singer songwriter Aleyce Simmonds, if she would kindly answer a few questions from my eBook “fifty great questions to ask songwriters”. Thankfully, being the lovely person she is, Aleyce agreed.
Aleyce Simmonds is a songstress from a country town in NSW Australia. Her heart is firmly embedded in country music and her songs have more contemporary leanings. I’m proud to share these answers with you and I’m sure what will resonate with you most is in fact the same quality that I hear in Aleyce’s music; depth and honesty. A great quality in a songwriter by anyone’s measure.
Read more about Aleyce Simmonds and find her music here:
www.aleyce.com
(Please note, the numbers are from the sequence of questions in the eBook)
7. Is there anything in particular or especially peculiar about your songwriting environment? What environment can’t you write in and why?
I don’t think so.. I’m a fairly boring individual… I like to be comfortable. I like it to be sunny and of moderate temperature… Afternoons are best.. I can’t write when I’m really happy… not sure why. I find it much easier to bare my soul and be inspired when I’m in pain (or drawing upon a not so great feeling) of some kind! That’s the truth!
16. Do you ever suffer from songwriter’s block? What works for you to get the ideas flowing again?
Definitely… usually by either a good nights sleep and new morning perspective or by taking the idea (If it’s a reasonable one!) to a co-writer to finish it with..
20. Are there any albums or songs or artists in particular, that inspire you so much so that every time you hear their music, it fills you with the urge to write?
‘I can’t make you love me’ (Mike Reid and Allen Shamblin) This song fills me with life.. with inspiration, with tears, with chest pain.. I will strive forever to write a song this good.
21. What qualities, if any in particular, do you admire in other songwriters?
Above all, honesty.. I love writers that give of themselves in every song… where you can hear the heart of the writer, beating in every line…
33. Can you describe how it feels for you when you have the initial idea for a song?
Feeling like I’m onto something great is a fantastic feeling but the most incredible, moving feeling for me is the one I feel when I finish a song and know that whether anything comes of it or not – there are real pieces of me there on the paper (Or the laptop screen). It’s like I imagine making a baby will feel… giving life to something that came from nothing but a hope and a dream.. and love…
Remember, you can find out lots more about Aleyce Simmonds here:
www.aleyce.com
Follow Aleyce on Twitter: @aleycesimmonds
Also, if you haven’t already done so, remember to subscribe to the songwritingmastery.com podcast where you can hear inspirational thoughts and full length interviews with special guests!
songwritingmastery podcast
Karl’s eBook “fifty great quests to ask songwriters” is available on iBooks and Kindle for only $3.99
https://itunes.apple.com/au/book/fifty-great-questions-to-ask/id561548904?mt=11&ls=1
Thanks for being here
Karl
