Page 73 - ION Indie Magazine MayJune 2023

Writing & Music Inspiration…

Because Griffen has been writing music since he was in high school and is now studying

music while enrolled in college, his writing style has seen both minor and major tweaks.

He notes that how he feels about where he’s at in his life directly influences his music, and
after a few unexpected years for everyone regarding a worldwide pandemic, he has some
changes.

“I wrote ‘2023’ in 2019. I was still in high school. The band was just starting to really take
shape and we were super stoked about what could be. And the song itself was about how
we were looking forward to being a bit more successful a few years down the line,” Griffen
happily recalled. “Now in 2023, I feel like we’re in a position where we’ve reached a bigger
audience and we have something to really be proud of.”

In their writing, Blue Rain Boots has been inspired primarily by folk and jazz music, by artists
such as Alabama Shakes and bassist Ron Carter, and even college courses.

“I'm studying jazz composition and I find that I'm always most inspired after learning a new
concept,” Griffen said. “Whenever I learn something new, I think 'How can I integrate this?'
or 'How can I write a song around it?'”

Palo piggybacks off Griffen, recalling his own love for jazz and the feelings it evokes.

“I've always been really drawn to jazz music in general since I was a kid so I do like dialing it
back and seeing what I can experiment with,” explained Palo. “With slower songs, it feels like
more of a challenge when you have to dial back what you're playing, be more specific and
intentional. Everything should have intention when you're playing, and really having to put
specific thought into what you're playing in writing is fun. I really enjoy it.”

Palo explains that his music writing, primarily for his bass parts, comes with experimenting
on his instrument.

“Most of the time I'm trying to find something new, on my own, just by playing,” smiled Palo.
“I played with other bands aside from Blue Rain Boots and they're very different styles, all
three of them. And so, being able to explore different genres helps me go in different
directions in my style, which is really fun. I really like chromaticism when I play which I tend
to find in a lot of places.”

Griffen and Palo both agree that pushing oneself out of a comfort zone is important for art to
flourish.

“I feel like I'm always trying to push my own boundaries when it comes to writing bass parts,”
Palo said. “Whether it's more complicated or more simple letter writing, it's usually about
challenging myself.”

Griffen and Palo enjoy not only pushing themselves, but their listeners as well, who can
expect a different sound from Blue Rain Boots on their upcoming album, “The Grand Idea.”