I never connected with a song that didn't break my heart. It's the real sad ones that make me smile the biggest. Those songs that hit you in the gut and leave their marks on you are the ones that I will take to my grave.
Somewhere over the last few years I traded in my punk rock basement shows for slower songs, acoustic guitars {mostly} and a focus on making something that would last longer than a two minute sing along. I skipped out on my senior prom to play a basement show that got shut down by the cops. Growing up playing in punk and hardcore bands gave me a sense of D.I.Y and really made an impression on me as to how bands should be. I don't sport a mohawk anymore, but you'll still find me walking around wearing a Misfits tee and sporting questionable tattoos. Along the way I realized my love for Johnny Cash could be translated into rock songs. With American Goner I've got the ability and the freedom to make whatever music I want to.
It's routine to find a song that wouldn't sound out of place on an Against Me! Album followed by one that nods it cap to Ryan Adams. As long as they are good songs then I don't care what they sound like.
Over the last few years there's been a movement of these outlaw country artists/bands that's tended to be what I've gravitated to. No longer is the scene relegated to Lucero, Drive By Truckers and Drag The River. This has enabled American Goner to explore our sonic boundaries and not sound so out-of-the-box that it's a distraction.
The band handles rocking out, playing a fast one just as easily as a vocal and acoustic song sound right at home. This has allowed me as a song writer to venture to different places with each song. Something I'm grateful for.
The nod to old country story telling has worn off on me, and that's why there are a few returning characters and places that seem to always find a home on each album. It has also allowed me to make music at my pace, which tends to be quite fast. Over the last year, when things started to pick up {getting picked up by a label, finding our target audience} I've been able to record songs that I wanted to.
Lyrics always come first, then the music. At this point there's three full lengths of music written without any music. Whether AG gets around to putting them on tape remains to be seen but as a song writer it's a great feeling knowing that I'm able to write things straight from the heart and know they have a place.
This last year has trtuly been a highlight in my musical life. After taking some time away from the music scene and music in general I have been able to do more with American Goner than I had ever planned on. The audience that AG has is something that makes me smile no matter what. Such a loyal and amazing fan base that I wouldn't ever trade for anything.
It's for them that I strive to write the best songs I can, it's for them that I strive to make every release as good as it possibly can be. They know all the characters, and they know who I am, in songs and out of them. To be able to connect with them as I have had the pleasure of doing has been so thrilling.
They make all the madness of making a record worth it.
When I'm singing my late night song about heartache they know exactly where it's coming from. I could spend the rest of my life making music that no one ever hears but knowing that there are people who want to hear these words and want to hear the melodies I work out in my head makes it worth while.
There's something cathartic about pouring your heart out onto a page. Letting those words just spill out of you. There's closure in recording those words, putting music to them and making it something where every emotion can be felt, where every word has a deeper meaning. I'll surely die with words left in my veins, I just hope that I'll have written and said enough that they left an impact on someone. After all I'm just a punk playing music, what else do I have to live for?
I've got a smile for every song that ever broken my heart.
-K.M North
LINKS
WEBSITE: http://americangoner.bandcamp.com/
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/american_goner
