Josh Erwin and Michael Paynter, the fine gentlemen of Sans Abri, took a break from writing brilliant songs to answer a few of my queries.
The music of Sans Abri is clearly very different from the bluegrass you guys normally write. Where did these songs come from?
Josh: The songs from Sans
started as individual songs of mine and Michael’s. They just started
popping up and naturally came out while trying to not let specific
genre/form dictate any direction of where the music should go. After
they were completed it became pretty clear that they did not have a home
in the Packway Handle Band repertoire, but both Michael & I thought
they were still great songs, so we created an outlet to perform them.
I think what’s most distinctive about Shelter is the way the two of you complement each other so well. What is your writing process like?
Josh: Writing
the music and lyrics start individually. The bones of a song are
written by either Michael or myself– lyrics, chord progressions,
verses/choruses. We get together and introduce the structure, go
through playing the verses and the choruses. When we’re at the point of
understanding how the parts fit together, ornaments begin to develop.
Ornaments may be what rhythm fits best over the song, where harmonies
should be placed, if parts should be repeated/shortened, intro or outro
ideas, etc. It usually takes playing these songs for about a month or
so before they are completely developed.
To piggyback off the previous question, how did the two of you begin to write songs? (Either individually or together.)
Josh: I
began writing songs when I was a teenager. After I had a basic
understanding of the guitar, I liked forming my own guitar licks and
chord progressions. It was only about the music portion of songs for me
until I was in my mid 20s. Never considered lyrics or thought I could
write words for my own music until then. It’s definitely something I
enjoy– putting my own lyrics to my own music. Alot of strategy and
crafting.
Michael: I also started writing songs in my teenage years. I had been
writing poetry, bad poetry to be sure, in years previous and when I
realized I could add music to my words I knew it was what I wanted to
do.
What’s the inspiration behind “Winds Me Up”? I find it to be the most emotionally touching song on the album.
Michael: “Winds Me Up” is about being away from
the one person who understands you. I experienced a lot of mental
problems in my late teens and early twenties, namely panic and anxiety,
and not being able to talk that someone who understood me left me
feeling alienated and alone. It was like not being able to touch ground
and recenter myself.
Sans Abri — Bandcamp