Interview: A Conversation With Elliott Yamin - Page 3

What is your approach to songwriting? Do you focus on lyrics or music first?

There’s really no right or wrong way to do it. You can start off with the melody, or you can start off with the lyrics. Sometimes you got a really dope idea for a bridge. You have the bridge first, as opposed to having a hook down first or the verses first.

Everything just depends on what part of your brain is working at that particular time. I’ve actually started off writing songs with other people, where we think we have a hook but it really ends up being the bridge. That’s what’s so awesome about songwriting. You can lose all your inhibitions and be as creative as possible. You can try everything.

We’ve definitely done that. Had our bouts with different songs and they ended up going different ways. And that’s what I’m really proud of. I’ve become a really great co-writer. I’m not really there as a writer yet. I’ve become a great co-writer getting in with other people and bouncing ideas off one another.

How did your collaboration with Taylor Hicks on his new album come about?

Taylor and I are great friends. He said he was doing a re-make of that Bobby Womack song [“Woman’s Gotta Have It”], which I love and he loves. He happened to be in L.A. recording it and I was in town. We just hooked up.

We get together every chance we get. Whenever we’re in the same area. He and I have remained close friends and always will. Anytime he calls me to be on a track and vice-versa, we’re always going to be there for each other. I just loive the guy. Love his music, love his voice, love his talent. That was an easy no-brainer.

Are you going on tour soon?

Yeah, absolutely. I’m doing some one off shows at the end of the month. We’ll be touring Japan the whole month of June. Then we’ll come back and be touring around the whole country between mid-July and early fall hopefully.

Keep up with Elliott at his official website.

Article Author: Sherry Lipp

Sherry writes mostly music and dvd reviews and on occasion she gets to do an interview. She plays the guitar, enjoys playing with her dog Pepsi and she and her husband are currently in the process of internationally adopting from Poland.

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