Page 26 - Black Velvet Issue 86

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t’s 15 years this year since ‘No Name think he could write movie scores like with Lifehouse fans with fans relating to lots
IFace’, Lifehouse’s debut album, was re- James. “Maybe on a very small scale – more of different songs for different reasons. On
leased. Jason says, “It’s so funny, I listened of an independent type film,” he says. “But ‘Out Of The Wasteland’ Jason thinks ‘Flight’
to ‘No Name Face’ the other day in my car. to watch him work he’s on another level,” he and Alien’ are two of the most comforting
It’s so interesting, I don’t even really recog- says of James. “He’s a complete genius, so songs along with ‘You Are Not Alone’, which
nize my voice on that record. I feel like I was to see him writing these charts out… It’s so is one of the bonus tracks. Jason says those
so young and so raw but there’s something funny… When we went in to the studio to songs are the most comforting “to people
that’s kind of pure about it too. My voice kind work on ‘Hourglass’, he was in the middle of that are going through anything where they
of evolved throughout the years, but… I working on the newest Hunger Games, so he feel kind of disconnected or isolated. I think
don’t know, I think there was a lyrical content had this huge screen in his studio and he those songs really have a hopeful message,
that was so honest and coming from a really had this huge image of Jennifer Lawrence. It but I’ve always tried to write in a way where
pure unfiltered place that I always kind of was so surreal. He played us a little bit of it there’s contrast. Not every day is a sunny
look at that as the flagship of trying to get before the movie came out. The guy does day. To bring the darker side of the hard-
back to that person who wasn’t thinking two or three films a year and he has done for ships that you go through in life but getting
about anything else other than just writing a the last 20 years. His well of creativity is so the light at the end of the tunnel, like it’s
really great song that was reflecting what- deep. But it was really, really inspiring. I going to be ok.”
ever I was going through at the time.” don’t think I’d ever be able to do what he The band asked fans to upload photos of
here are lots of great songs on ‘Out does but I definitely learned a lot.” their favourite lyric from the new album and
TOf The Wasteland’ and the diversity is One of our favourite songs on ‘Out Of there were many different ones. Jason says
vast. The song ‘Flight’ Jason says is “the The Wasteland’ is ‘Stardust’. This is the song he loves hearing back what fans think and
kind of tug of war between the how they are affected by
two sides of yourself – the their music. “That’s actu-
one side is hopeful and ally a part of all of this that
dreams and the other side is I really love. I love getting
isolated and despondent. The to see how the music is
last part of that song I feel it’s touching people or what
a rising up of the better part of they’re getting out of it,
you, rising out of any sort of anything positive like that,
depression or anything that I think that’s kind of the
you can go through in your fuel that keeps the band
life, that darkness that kind of going really. It’s not hav-
weighs you down sometimes. ing a hit on the radio, it’s
There are two sides to every- knowing that you’re con-
body and I feel like that song necting to someone you
is the better part of you out- don’t even know that can
weighing the part of you that live halfway across the
just wants to give up and is world. That is the real cur-
sad.” rency I think, in music in
ometimes Jason general, and I know a lot of
Swrites songs for other artists would say the same
people but he says that one thing. I really do love hear-
was for himself. “It was a re- ing people’s stories of
ally hard time with everybody how a certain song con-
sort of splitting apart. Life- nects to them in a certain
house has been my whole life way.”
basically – my whole adult life
at least, and so when ‘Alme- n ‘Stardust’ Bryce
ria’ came out and just kind of Isings ‘I’m on a mis-
disappeared, and we weren’t sion, resuming transmis-
sure what we were going to be sion’. We end by asking
doing… the band wasn’t Jason what his mission is
breaking up, our relationships now.
were solid, but the music just “I think my mission is
didn’t really seem to be going to stay inspired and pro-
anywhere at the time and a lot tect that spark that I feel is
of it had to do with just getting back for playing music,
lost in the whole major label that passion that’s com-
game. So when we decided to leave Inter- that bassist Bryce wrote and sings. Bryce pletely pure in a sense that when I go in a
scope and be more independent it was a also has a side project called Komox that he studio I’m not thinking about any business
completely new beginning for us but that worked on when the band took a break. stuff, all I’m thinking about is if I have any-
was also scary. You’ve grown to learn what Jason says, “We kind of cherrypicked that thing else to say and if I can get inspired and
your life is going to look like and when that song from his Komox record that he made. be present enough to kind of capture a mo-
gets taken away from you, everything be- A couple of years back he had a song that ment to be a conduit to bring a song down
comes like kind of being stuck in a tunnel. we co-wrote together called ‘Wrecking Ball’ out of the ether – because that’s really what
You don’t really know where you’re going. I on the ‘Smoke & Mirrors’ record, and it was it feels like. When you really get inspired…
think that was hard on everybody, but I was really nice to have him sing a song on stage like a song like ‘Flight’, it almost feels like
at a loss, I wasn’t sure exactly what I was that he actually wrote, so this one he wrote you’re out of your body for a little bit, your
doing, what I was supposed to be doing and completely by himself with a buddy of his. I mind is turned off and you’re just at one with
my way of dealing with that is always writing heard the song and I just loved it and so we the music, and that feeling is just like a drug.
songs and letting that be a therapy.” thought that that would be the perfect oppor- It’s so powerful. My mission is to stay in that
tunity to bring one of his songs in on this space. To stay creative and make everything
high point during the writing and record. Not only for the record but also to fa- else complete white noise and not let it affect
Arecording of the album was getting cilitate live, to kind of have a moment for him me or the band in a creative sense, and stay
to work with James Newton Howard. He’s a onstage.” inspired.”
Grammy award-winning composer who has We tell Jason that that song sticks in our
scored over 100 films. He worked with Jason head the most. “Actually me too,” he replies. Visit www.lifehouse.com for more info.
on ‘Hourglass’, making the song very cine- “I find myself singing that one all the time! I
matic. You can totally envisage a movie think he wrote a super-catchy melody and a Words By Shari Black Velvet
being played while the song is playing. good lyric.” Band Photos By Ted Newsome
Jason learned from James although doesn’t Jason’s own lyrics though hit chords Jason Wade Live Photo By Sam Gower

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