Speirosmusic : The diversity of styles and genre is extensive.

Speirosmusic has been writing songs for around 30 years now. The diversity of styles and genre is extensive. So what inspires Speirosmusic to write new songs? Let’s find out.

You tell me you’ve been writing songs since the beginning of the nineties. Can you go into a little more detail?

Sure. I started writing poetry as a child, although never stuck with it continuously. There was a time when I decided to put my head down and put down a stack of poems. I turned a small handful into songs as I got older and learned the guitar, which was in 1992 basically, although I did have three official lessons before this.

Do you still have these songs?

Yeah, sort of. I reworked two of them, and totally overhauled a third. The two are “He Says ‘I Love You’”, “Drown in Tears” and the third one is now known as “Heartbreaking Woman”. I’d written this as another song and even performed it with a backyard band back in the late ‘90s, but we didn’t work out. We had a rock band then, a three- piece.

What genres do you write in?

I write mainly in the folk and country genres, although I’ve stepped outside this mark many times. I have written one or two songs that could fall into categories that I don’t like, although this can be said about many songs. I’ve also written rock, pop, dance, blues, and admittedly a rap song, although I’d prefer to hear a metal artist change this. Additionally, I’ve written a handful of parodies, but haven’t performed these, with the exception of one. I don’t normally choose to write in rap, hip-hop, or modern r & b, as I enjoy songs, and not chat shows. I’m sick of people yelling at me, so why would I want to be yelling at someone else. Of course there are good artists in these genres too, but I don’t choose to write in these. I’m happy to focus on folk, country, blues, rock, pop and songs where melody consists of the main part of the song. Also I choose what subjects I write about.

How many songs do you have?

I’ve a showcase of around 60-70 songs. Some I’ve uploaded, and others I haven’t. I took many down in the past, and I’m interested in making better recordings of most of them.

What normally comes first? The lyrics or the tune?

I have to admit, that all depends on the circumstances. Sometimes I’ll have a line that sticks in my head, so I’ll write it down, or record it into a microphone. Other times, I may wake up with a tune in my head, or be inspired by noises around me. This can include machinery, birds singing, and things like this. We have all we need for writing good songs in the things that surround us, plus our own thoughts.

Right. So have you co-written any songs with anyone?

Yes. I have one co-write with Hal Chernoff, and had a couple with Thomas Hibner, both from the USA. I was part-way through writing a song for someone in the UK, but that was six years ago. I never got to finishing the song as the theme of the song wasn’t what I was interested in.

How have you been going with your songwriting?

Well, there’s a saying “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder”, so I entered a couple of competitions a few years back. The highest level I reached there was a semi-finalist in the International Song of the Year, although I received credits and many commendable entries. As for writing the songs themselves, I have many I consider finished, and others that may be reworked. Also, I’ve many partial songs which I’ll complete when all the pieces come together. I have a lot of interest when I perform my own songs, although my strength in singing is normally in other people’s songs, but I perform mainly my own works.

What do you mean?

My musical background was developed in the rock genre, and although I’m a little older now and I don’t practice regularly, my voice was well-suited to this style music. So if I’m performing as a front man in a band, I sing covers well. Of course this depends on the covers. With my own songs, most of them are softer style music, and when I do perform another genre, my mixing is terrible, and I leave in many mistakes.

But surely, that’s something you can fix.

Absolutely. I could learn to mix, or pay for someone to do so. The problem with this though is I have a problem with the way songwriting is viewed by the mainstream. It is as though I am to perform a professional demo with all the bells and whistles, and what this does is allow no room for movement from the performing artists who may be interested in performing the song. I want the performers to input their imagination, and give it that uniqueness that is their band. If they are just going to mimic me, then where’s the art in that? I appreciate bird calls and other mimicry, but in songs, I like the performer to express their own imagination. For instance, in many songs I would consider putting a specific instrument in, or have a marker where I have the harmonies, but if I put this as part of my song, it really is a composition for people to just copy. As it is a song by an artist, I would like the artist to add their artwork to it, so that they have that genuine creativity put into my songs. THEN it is a true work of art. I mean, the mechanic who fixes the car doesn’t do the detailing. The showroom representative arranges for that.

Yeah, fair enough. So what do you see in the future with your music. I mean what are your goals?

I’ll continue writing songs, and I aim to have a handful of artists that I write for, although I do want acknowledgement as the songwriter. I’ll also perform quietly in the background, and enjoy the music I create. I may enter competitions, but this all depends on the individual circumstances.

So, you’re not aiming to write that hit song?

Oh, yes indeed. But I’m not interested in being the performer for it. I’ll play it as though I am covering it. I aim my music for the idea that other artists will play it. I’ll also chase up co-writes with artists who may be interested in working with me, and I’d be happy to perform as a backup singer, but no, the limelight days passed me by and I like it that way.

Sounds like a plan. Where do you showcase your music?

My main site is on Reverbnation. The link is speirosmusic I’ve had this link on and off for a while now, so I think I might keep it there this time. With that being said, it isn’t a showcase of ALL my music. I’ve a few specifics that are up there, and I have some other songs that aren’t displayed due to whatever reason. If you’re looking around the internet, you might find my lyrics posted elsewhere for some songs that aren’t on my Reverbnation platform, but ideally, Reverbnation allows me to contact other artists, and is so far the closest platform for a songwriter that I can find without the critiques being about the recording. I find that makes people tone-deaf when they skim over a song that they’re thinking of playing and don’t listen to it from a creative perspective.

Okay, thank you for your time, and I will enjoy seeing how this all works out for you.

My pleasure. Thank you too.

Though he was featured in recently released Lifoti's September 2019 issue 09, you can check it from below link's for your country: