Jon Snodgrass has been in the music industry and punk scene for the better part of 30 years, playing with bands such as Drag the River, Armchair Martian, Scorpios, and more. He currently performs most frequently under the name Snodgrass + Buddies, where he plays with a backing band of often familiar faces. His work varies in style and substance quite a bit, but we were intrigued when we read about SONG, which was described as something where he wrote it while walking down the street one night.
We at Scene Point Blank were curious about how he knows when a song is “finished” and Jon was happy to oblige with a look at how he approaches the creative process.
Jon Snodgrass + Buddies released The Stoked Ghost on Nov. 1 on Rad Girlfriend Records.
Songwriting with Jon Snodgrass
7 Steps To a Jon Snodgrass Song
I just start playing and singing. The amount of time I spend on them is the only difference. That being said, starting with the shortest amount of time spent, I’ve broken it down into 7 different ways I go about it. I’ll add examples of songs that came out of each process.
#1 – Songs made up on stage
This just happens when it happens. They are not always good and they are often embarrassing.
These ended up on records: “Spiderman/Wolfman,” “your first rodeo,” “Wonderwall 2,” “slugs,” “boyzIImen,” “Prost Amigos”
SLUGS from “Barge At Will” LP
#2 – Songs in the time it takes
These take 5 minutes or less and are normally other people’s more favored songs.
A few examples are “backstage,” “Renaissance Man,” “Xenophobe,” “Brave w/ Strangers,” “Hangdog,” most early Drag The River, Armchair Martian + songs & jingles for people
BACKSTAGE w/ Mikey Erg & Karl Alvarez
#3 – Songs in one actual sitting
I normally write songs straight through in one setting. I forget to eat. I don’t go pee and my legs fall asleep. Historically, these are my favorite.
A few are “1-2-3-4 won’t go down to the basement no more,” “Perfect Match,” “Born Apart + Jessica’s Suicide” while watching TV with Steve Martian.
Born Apart w/ Cory Branan
#4 – Songs that last ALL day
Then there’s the ALL day events. They’re normally just bonus words that come when I’m in the shower. I hop out, run thru the house flinging water, scribble on a piece of paper, then go back to my shower…but, with the pad and pencil. Or I’m laying in bed and have to get out of bed and go out to the garage to play it until it’s done.
Like these: “Me & Joe Drove Out to California,” “Break Your Frame,” “maroon”
Break Your Frame - Armchair Martian
Some are silly. Some are serious. Some are silly and serious.
#5 – Sang into phone, on the street
This is just what it is. I’m totally insufferable to anyone around me. I normally go behind a bush, walk ahead or lag behind. Come to think of it, I’m often alone. (Ya know how they say, “there’s always one crazy person on the bus”? The thing is to be aware when you’re that guy. But, that’s for another story.)
A few some people have heard are “Footage,” “Pre Teen Wolf,” “Other Side Of OK,” “crunchin’ the numbers”
FOOTAGE from “tace” LP w/ Mikey Erg
#6 – Songs I messed with for too long
I screwed a lot of those up, imo. You’ll know which ones they are when you hear them. They have unnecessary key changes and they’re too long.
Soccer Song - Armchair Martian
#7 – Songs that get the callback
These are demos I find on my phone. They might pop into your head sometime. You’re thinking, “Oh shit. what’s this song I’m borrowing from?”, then you figure out it’s yours and you finish it! I just shelve things for later too, so I don’t overwork it and ruin it. My favorite thing to do when I’m flying somewhere and go into airplane mode is go thru ALL my voice notes. I get rid of bad ideas and multiple versions. I save the first and last versions for later. But, once a note is actually titled, it’s on deck. These are normally things I just sing into my phone while walking down the street. Some are silly. Some are serious. Some are silly and serious.
I’ll share one current example here. “Born Under A Rad Sign”
This was a demo I sent to SCORPIOS (a band I was in) and got ZERO response from them. Hah! It’s dumb for sure but it has a purpose. They did help me cover Tony Sly’s “Liver Let Die” though and the songs go together.
Tony’s song Liver Let Die ends with the exclamation of “one more song!” So, I needed one more song. I did have one! But, we used it on the “Barge At Will” LP, earlier this year. That was a song for our friend BUG called, “DansAmp”. Tony and Bug have the same birthday and they both passed away and I love them and I think of them everyday.
Tony was in the SCORPIOS band and had wanted to name our first record “Born Under A Rad Sign.” so it’s an inside bit for him. But, like I said, it’s silly -AND- serious. I lifted unused original lyrics from “slicked back wig hair” (another silly & serious song, w/ silly unused original lyrics) which is the last new song I played for Tony, the last time I saw him, as I had to bail from a SCORPIOS tour in Europe to rush home and meet our first child being born on HALLOWEEN 2011. That’s what that song was about btw. I started that song a week before. We’d sing it during soundchecks about what we might wear for Halloween costumes. I finished it on the plane.
The Stoked Ghost EP officially comes out NOV 4, 2024. and I gotta add, a lot of people can do what I do. so, thx for listening.
Happy Halloweek!
- Jon
