UNLIMITED GROOVIN'

Music can be like food for the soul. #TeamCLEO spoke to a few headliners to know what music means to them, what their work is all about and what goes into their creations.

- AINA NUR SARAH

The Drums

The Drums have gone through plenty over the years — from exploding into the scene as one of America’s most hyped bands to frontman Jonny Pierce becoming the only remaining original member of the band. Even with the ups and downs, nothing is stopping Jonny from creating music and expressing himself. We caught up with him about the band’s biggest transformation yet, and why he feels The Drums’ music has become more personal.

Who would you consider your muse and where does inspiration usually come from?

I don’t really have muses. When I started, I really wanted to sound like a mix of European indie rock, like bands coming out of Sweden at the time such as The Tough Alliance and Boat Club and I wanted to fuse that with American ‘60s girl group sounds — like the Supremes. I ended up somewhere accidental and it worked. My greatest hope for music is accidents. Accidents are my inspiration.

What do you think is the most important thing about songwriting and what makes a really good song?

Well, when I started making music, it was really important to me to have huge memorable classic pop melodies in each song. What I ’ve realised over the years is that I was hiding behind my sounds and my ‘persona’. I ’ve learned that the best songs are the ones that are meaningful. Ones that connect us by way of feelings, emotions, life experiences, the joy and sometimes trauma that come from those experiences.

How do you think your sound has evolved?