Source@ Gemma Shaw/Gloomy Lights Photography
Croydon’s mightiest riffmongers Slabdragger throw out a tectonic racket, and are probably one of the most irresistibly enjoyable bands on the UK heavy music scene. Their last album 2016’s Rise Of The Dawncrusher, spun a sci-fi tale of pirates, mutants, space battles and weed. We had a chat with bassist/vocalist Yusuf Tary about his process and inspirations to get a little insight into the world of Slab.
MOSH: How does the lyric writing process begin? Do you sit down with a goal of writing out a full song, or collect fragments and ideas when inspiration strikes?
YT: It really depends. Many of our lyrics are inspired by short stories that we write, and then we write lyrics based on the story. This was particularly the case with [last album] Rise of the Dawncrusher, as it is a concept album. We then edit the lyrics, as we have to play instruments as well, so we normally chop and change stuff to fit so that it’s natural to play and sing it.
MOSH: Is this process always straightforward for you? Have you ever struggled with writer’s block?
YT: Writing lyrics in Slabdragger has always been on a fantastical level. Sam [Thredder, Guitars/Vocals] and I have never had problems writing lyrics about space, weed and pirates. We like to keep it fun and not take the lyrics too seriously, but at the same time we will try to be as creative with the writing and language as possible. For example, the lyrics in the middle section of ‘Iron Vulture’ are haiku. It was cool to do, as you get the challenge of using a certain amount of syllables. I feel like doing things like this spurs your creativity in an interesting direction.
MOSH: Do you go back to lyrics you have previously written and edit or refine them? Do you collaborate or share lyrics with the other band members?
YT: We write lyrics and they hang around for a while and we will then go back and trim them down, change words or phrases. With a huge part of the writing of Rise of the Dawncrusher, I would write most of the basic lyrics and structures and then Sam and I would change things around together. We all contribute to everything: no one has any one job in the band.
MOSH: Are there any bands or artists that have inspired you lyrically? Do you seek to emulate any other lyricists?
YT: I never try to emulate anything when writing lyrics. I just try to be myself and try to keep it as natural as possible. There are lots of lyricists that I’m a big fan of. I like Neil Fallon from Clutch, Steve Von Til [Neurosis/Harvestman]. I really like Tom Waits as well. He really paints pictures with his words. There are lots more, I could go on forever. I think the important thing with artists that inspire you is to let them inspire your feeling for music as opposed to how you actually write lyrics.
MOSH: Do you draw lyrical inspiration from outside of music?
YT: Absolutely. We are inspired by lots of things. Historical things, geographic things. ‘Iron Vulture’ is actually about the Sandcrawler from Star Wars. [Debut album] Regress dealt with a lot of ‘earthy’ themes, such as mountains, the Himalayas and Bab El-Mandeb, also known as the Gates of Grief, located near the Horn of Africa. For Rise of the Dawncrusher, we wanted to explore a space theme. We have never written about personal stuff because it’s not really fit with any music we’ve written. I also feel that writing about personal struggles or whatever is restrictive. There is only a certain amount of scope you can give to a song lyrically. With fictional/fantasy stuff, the sky’s the limit. But that’s not to say we are ruling out personal themes. I think with our next record, we are going to get more ‘real’.
MOSH: Is there a specific space that you have to occupy in order to get ‘in the zone’, or can you write anywhere at any time?
YT: I think it’s more a case of knowing what you are going to write about when you decide to write. For me personally, I can get inspired at any time. I normally think of stuff when I’m being physically active: if I’m at work, or I’m walking somewhere. I find being on the move helps the brain cogs move. Ultimately, as soon as I have a basic theme that’s fully realised in my head, the lyrics will just flow out.
MOSH: Do you choose to publish your lyrics or keep them personal? Is it important to you that your fans be able to access your lyrics?
YT: Our lyrics are published. They are printed on or in all our releases. As I said earlier, a lot of our lyrics are story based, so we like to have the story in words to go with the listening experience. For Slabdragger, I see the published lyrics as a part of the overall packaging, which is always important for us.
MOSH: Can you remember when you began writing lyrics? Was it a conscious choice, or something you drifted into?
YT: I started writing lyrics when I first started playing in bands from the age of about 15. My early lyrics were total adolescent dogshit, but that’s part of the process. You just have to keep writing shit until you’re writing stuff that’s basically not quite as shit as it used to be! When I was younger, I thought that lyrics had to be deep and meaningful, so I would try really hard to write deep, personal stuff. And it would just end up coming out sounding contrived and cliché.
MOSH: Off the top of your head, what is your favourite lyric and why?
YT: I’ve never thought what it might be to be honest. I guess one that comes to mind is ‘Mr. Siegel’ by Tom Waits. The chorus goes: “You’ve got to tell me, brave captain/why are the wicked so strong/How do the angels get to sleep/when the devil leaves his porchlight on”. Brilliant. The lyrics to that whole song are great. The sound of his voice fits the words so well.
MOSH: What’s your favourite lyric that YOU have written?
YT: Ah man, I have no idea. I don’t have a favourite of my own. On Rise of the Dawncrusher, there is a song called ‘Shrine of Debauchery’ which is literally about a shrine in space dedicated to all things decadent. There is a lyric in there: “Severed head effigies parade through the shrine/Hallucinated mutants cacophonous cries/Excessive ultra-violent world led by a self-made god/Sitting at the throne he wears the mark within his black heart”. This lyric is the introduction to one of the main characters in the albums story, so it is quite a central moment in the album. It’s not necessarily the best lyric I’ve written, but it’s one that sticks out in my mind.
MOSH: Is it important to you that lyrics always tell a story or have meaning?
YT: Not always. Ultimately, as long as what is being sung sounds good on top of the music, that’s all that matters. It can make no sense whatsoever, but if it sounds good with the music, that’s it. If it’s meaningful, that to me is more of a bonus.
MOSH: Does your knowledge of your vocal delivery have any impact on how you write lyrics? Do you write to fit your style, or fit the delivery to the lyrics?
YT: I don’t think so. I like to try lots of different things vocally. I try to push what I am capable of in order to explore new ground and find new ways of delivering lyrics. It’s all about evolving in some way.
