D.D.R.
D.D.R. opens up about the heartfelt inspiration behind Never Forever, discussing personal experiences, storytelling, collaboration, classic rock influences, and the emotional journey that shaped this deeply relatable melodic rock anthem.
1. Never Forever explores the painful realization that promises of “forever” don’t always last. What inspired this song, and how much of its story comes from personal experience versus fiction?
Never Forever explores the painful realization that promises of “forever” don’t always last. What inspired this song, and how much of its story comes from personal experience versus fiction? The song was inspired by my own experience with divorce, but I didn’t want to come at it from the angle of bitterness or blame. It moves through stages of surprise, disbelief, regret, understanding, and finally acceptance. Divorce is hard. But, a failed marriage doesn’t mean either of you are failures.
2. You describe your songwriting philosophy as “universal specificity.” Can you explain what that means to you, and how you strike the balance between telling your story while leaving room for listeners to find their own?
You describe your songwriting philosophy as “universal specificity.” Can you explain what that means to you, and how you strike the balance between telling your story while leaving room for listeners to find their own? The idea is to use a specific example from my own personal experience that is relatable to a wide audience. Something like “saw you walking down the aisle,” for most people, might bring up memories of their own wedding day. For others it might remind them of a time when they met someone special at the grocery store or bumped into someone at a sporting event. It’s specific enough that the meaning is clear, but universal enough that listeners can find their own experience buried within it.
3. As both a songwriter and a novelist, you approach songs like scenes from a book. How does your background in fiction influence the way you build lyrics, characters, and emotions in your music?
As both a songwriter and a novelist, you approach songs like scenes from a book. How does your background in fiction influence the way you build lyrics, characters, and emotions in your music? I think the biggest influence is that it makes me very conscious of the voice I’m writing in. When I write a novel, most of the time I’m writing from a limited third-person perspective, so that chapter of the story is being told from one character’s point of view. Keeping that consistency in a song is valuable because the narrative isn’t changing perspective, so the intent stays clear. It also allows me to build little narrative arcs within the songs. Even small progressions in each verse make each additional chorus land a little harder. That’s also a 1980s arena rock staple, building into a roaring finish. I don’t always write songs that way, but the novelist in me has become pretty good at recognizing which songs benefit from a bit of storytelling.
4. D.D.R. is a highly collaborative project, bringing together talented musicians and producers from around the world through Musiversal. What was the creative process behind Never Forever, and how did your collaborators help shape the final version?
D.D.R. is a highly collaborative project, bringing together talented musicians and producers from around the world through Musiversal. What was the creative process behind Never Forever, and how did your collaborators help shape the final version? The collaborative part of the recording process is so much fun for me because I am in awe of these musicians I am lucky enough to work with. I don’t play any instruments myself, and my singing voice is akin to playing a game called “What Key is This?” with the settings set to shuffle. But, when I tell these guys the kind of sound I’m going for and explain what I’m hearing in my head, they’re remarkably good at recognizing where the finish line is and helping me get there. I don’t consider myself an authoritarian producer by any means. I’m very open to ideas and textures and sounds that maybe I hadn’t thought of, so that is where the collaboration becomes really exciting. For “Never Forever” specifically, when we recorded the keyboards, Felipe Rebeiro locked onto what Bruno Migliari was doing with the bass because it was cool enough for him to single it out. Then he was able to mirror that bass line to make an arrangement out of it with the keys that ended up giving the song that extra driving power underneath the guitars. Moments like that remind me why collaboration matters. Sometimes another musician hears possibilities in your song that you didn’t even know were there.
5. The song captures the spirit of classic melodic rock while sounding fresh and contemporary. Which artists or albums have had the biggest impact on your musical identity, and how do you keep those influences from becoming imitation?
The song captures the spirit of classic melodic rock while sounding fresh and contemporary. Which artists or albums have had the biggest impact on your musical identity, and how do you keep those influences from becoming imitation? My biggest influences come from the 1980s. Jani Lane of Warrant, Bon Jovi, Def Leppard, and Whitesnake all had that melodic arena-rock sound that was huge and full of emotion to go along with the power. My goal has never been to recreate the 1980s. It’s more about paying homage to the way those songs were written and the sound that came with them, which I honestly miss. I like a lot of modern rock, but I miss the catchy guitar riffs and melodic solos that weren’t just there for flash but instead had something to say. And, I’m a little older than those guys were in the 80s when they were writing songs. I don’t think divorce was on their minds much back then. 😉
6. Never Forever feels like a song that many people can relate to in their own way. As D.D.R. continues to grow, what do you hope listeners take away from this release, and what can they expect from your future musical journey?
Never Forever feels like a song that many people can relate to in their own way. As D.D.R. continues to grow, what do you hope listeners take away from this release, and what can they expect from your future musical journey? I hope they see the honesty behind the lyrics and hopefully, for those that can identify with them or have shared that experience, it can give a little comfort in knowing that they are not alone. I don’t want anyone to ever feel completely alone, so if one of my songs can bring someone comfort for five minutes then I have done my job.