If you produce yourself and you're working in a band, there's certain compromises everyone has to make, because it's a democracy and you have to cater to each other's feelings. When you have a producer, you have this objective ear that's not worrying about protecting anybody's feelings, so he's just making hard decisions based on what works and what doesn't, which was huge for us. I don't think we'd be able to make those decisions by ourselves.
Luke TempleIt's just like I get this identity crisis: my body doesn't want to write, my mind doesn't want to write. Nothing about me wants to write, but I force myself to sit there and try. Nothing happens.
Luke TempleI do love the marriage of words and music. I do love them in terms of little snapshots. But, I guess I understand my own internal world, so there's a well to dip into for me that's easier than getting an idea from reading the newspaper.
Luke TempleObviously I attach myself so much to my songwriting. If I didn't attach myself to that being my sole attribute, then I would be fine with those.
Luke TempleFor one, the nonverbal aspects of music are the most important to me. Then, whatever sort of emotion the music carries, intrinsically, dictates the images that unfold, lyrically. Topical writers usually have the topic before they begin writing the song, but, for me, it's the other way around.
Luke Temple