Between the Bars with Eric Fry
By Mattea Overstreet
MV: Tell me about the moment a song first reveals itself to you.
EF: One of two ways – a sudden flash of a melody paired with a lyric that feels profound to me in the moment. I’ve then got to immediately scramble for an instrument to figure out what I can do with it while it still feels like
“something.”
MV: What’s a line from your song that still surprises you?
EF: “Why do I need so many things to feel like me” A line that just sort of flowed out without much care or attention, but as soon as I stopped to think about it – the things I hold important in my life – possessions, friends, favorite places, etc., it made me think about my sense of identity, and how much of it is tied to external things.
MV: Have you ever written a song that scared you?
EF: I wrote a very upbeat, downright playful song about accepting death. It all came quickly – it took under an hour to write it. Shortly afterward, I thought, “Wait, why was THAT so easy?” To this day, it feels odd to sing those lyrics with joy, especially wondering if anybody is paying attention to the lyrics
EF: I wrote a very upbeat, downright playful song about accepting death. It all came quickly – it took under an hour to write it. Shortly afterward, I thought, “Wait, why was THAT so easy?” To this day, it feels odd to sing those lyrics with joy, especially wondering if anybody is paying attention to the lyrics
MV: What lesson has songwriting taught you that applies to the rest of your life?
EF: Being truly open and honest is liberating and worthwhile. Sharing a song with people is a scary thing. But to realize that people might resonate with something deeply personal that I created… inspires me to be more emotionally vulnerable in the rest of my life, and I find myself having far more positive interactions with people.
EF: Being truly open and honest is liberating and worthwhile. Sharing a song with people is a scary thing. But to realize that people might resonate with something deeply personal that I created… inspires me to be more emotionally vulnerable in the rest of my life, and I find myself having far more positive interactions with people.
MV: What mindset shift helped you grow as a songwriter?
EF: Don’t fight the flow. Sometimes, that means scrapping half a song that doesn’t feel right. Sometimes, it means breaking a rhyme scheme for a good line. Sometimes, it means spending weeks tinkering with the melody. Go with your gut.
MV: What’s something you’ve learned about yourself from the way you write songs?
EF: I highly value simplicity. I have respect for and interest in other people pushing boundaries, but I really just want to play simply, write simply, and live simply. I used to be self-conscious about that, uninspired, but I’ve come to realize there’s SO much you can do with just a few key ingredients. Good music can be made without fancy riffs, and a good life can be lived without fancy toys.
Check out more from local songwriter Eric Fry on Instagram @ericfrymusic
MV: What’s something you’ve learned about yourself from the way you write songs?
EF: I highly value simplicity. I have respect for and interest in other people pushing boundaries, but I really just want to play simply, write simply, and live simply. I used to be self-conscious about that, uninspired, but I’ve come to realize there’s SO much you can do with just a few key ingredients. Good music can be made without fancy riffs, and a good life can be lived without fancy toys.
Check out more from local songwriter Eric Fry on Instagram @ericfrymusic
