One of my favorite songs from that album is “Ammonium Maze.” Aaron, can you talk about the songwriting process for that song? And could you explain the meaning behind, the song as I’ve never been able to figure it out?
Aaron: A bigger piece of the writing process for me is sitting as still as possible at the piano and waiting. Sometimes minutes and sometimes many hours. If I can get to a mental state in between thinking hard and complete non-attached openness the ideas start to emerge to my lighthouse through the sea fog. Some ideas present themselves complete and others come in small pieces at a time. For “Ammonium Maze,” I was reacting to an environmental science class I had taken on climate change and how selfishly removed I had become from the issue. The chorus for me says: I’m guilty and following others in this destructive way of life. “Lost in the hands from that which we grow”.. Disconnected from nature. I look at myself as the problem. Laziness, desire, convenience, ignorance, wastefulness, path of least resistance, greed (fat pounds of the class). “so soon we end alone again.” I was just imagining a scorched Earth with few survivors. The verses and bridge maintain that theme of being stuck in an unhealthy and dangerous cycle (maze) as things collapse around you.
Another one of my favorites is “Sun Machine.” Nate, can you talk about your inspiration for it?
Nate: It’s funny that you asked Aaron about “Ammonium Maze” because “Sun Machine” has a similar theme. It’s kind of a sci-fi idea about someone who designs some sort of biosphere in preparation for an environmental apocalypse but then refuses to come out and refuses to let anyone in. It was one of the first songs I wrote lyrics to. I think its interesting that this stuff was on our minds almost 20 years ago and it is also a little depressing that not much has really changed.
So after the reunion shows what’s next for you guys individually and could there be more Percy Hill shows on the horizon?
Aaron: I am playing shows with Sarah Blacker, running programs for at risk youth, producing shows on the North Shore, writing, reading, meditating, jumping rope and getting into Wim Hoff. I hope there is a long road ahead for Percy Hill. The music that came through us all those years bonded us in ways that can’t be seen or talked about. That musical gift now comes through the same but were wiser, stronger, happier, mature and more stable men.
Nate: The possibility certainly stands. As of right now it’s just these two shows and we’ll see where it leads afterward. Things are staying busy with Ghosts of Jupiter as we’re finishing a new record which is due out this fall. Excited about all musical possibilities these days for sure.
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