Where does inspiration come from? Do we create it—or does it find us?
Lately, I’ve been thinking about that—especially as we work through the creative process for our upcoming album exploring the mystical and the hidden. It’s opened my mind to the idea that inspiration might not live inside us at all. Maybe it’s out there, floating in the ether, waiting for someone to catch it.
Keith Richards once said:
‘I don’t write songs. I find them. They’re out there. I just catch them before they float away.’
And honestly, I get that now.
That’s exactly how it feels in Brickworks, my home office. I pick up my Martin Backpacker guitar—between Zoom calls or over lunch—and start noodling. No plan. Then, out of nowhere, a riff or melody lands like it’s been waiting all along.
It’s like the guitar becomes an antenna, tuning into invisible waves of music. Sometimes it’s eerie how fully formed the ideas feel—like I’ve plucked them straight from the air.
That’s the thing about inspiration—it’s magic. But it’s fragile.
Lote’s Process – Inspiration as a Craft
For Lote, inspiration often starts with the music—the beat, the texture, the soundscape. ‘It’s the feel of the song that dictates the lyrics,’ he told me. Sometimes he’s working from a blank slate, other times a title or theme points the way. Either way, it’s the sound that opens the door.
Then comes what he calls ‘consulting the Oracle’—his way of describing the hours spent researching online. On our themed albums, he dives into new topics, mixing what he finds with his own musings—a blend of reality and whimsy.
That’s where the magic happens. Facts become poetry. History becomes story. The lyrics stop being words and start to feel like part of the music.
And like any craft, it’s not always easy.
‘Sometimes the words come easy. Sometimes they don’t. Sometimes you have to walk away and try again,’
Lote says. It’s patience. It’s trusting the process until the song reveals itself.
That’s what I love about watching him work. Where I’m catching ideas before they float away, Lote is shaping them—hands in the dirt, coaxing meaning from sound. Two different approaches—but somehow, it works.
Sly’s Role – The Catalyst of Creativity
And then there’s Sly—our creative catalyst. More often than not, once Lote or I have captured an idea—a riff, a melody, a rough lyric—it gets sent to Sly. He picks up those raw pieces and starts teasing out the shape of a full song.
Where I might hear a simple riff or progression, Sly hears layers, dynamics, possibilities. He adds textures and details that turn sparks of inspiration into fully realized songs.
Of course, once he’s worked his magic, it comes back around. Lote and I dive back in—making sure the essence of that original idea still shines through. It’s a back-and-forth we’ve developed over time. Collaborative. Creative. And honestly, it’s where the songs truly come to life.
Sly also brings his own ideas—riffs, grooves, even full compositions that push us in new directions. That balance—capturing inspiration and building something bigger—is what keeps SixFootStilts moving forward.
Inspiration vs. Creativity – What’s the Difference?
The more we talk about this, the clearer it becomes—inspiration and creativity aren’t the same thing.
Inspiration is the spark—the riff, the lyric, the feeling that shows up out of nowhere. It’s fleeting. It gets you started.
Creativity? That’s the work. It’s what happens after the spark—when you sit down, pick it apart, shape it, and refine it. It’s showing up even when inspiration doesn’t—and trusting that something good will come.
For us, inspiration shows up in different ways:
- A riff at lunch
- A lyric from research
- A melody out of thin air
The trick is knowing how to catch it—and trusting the process when it doesn’t show up at all.
Inspiration strikes like lightning—but creativity is what tunes it into music.
Final Reflection – What Inspires You?
But if inspiration is the spark, creativity is what turns it into something real. And that’s a whole other story.
In fact, I’ll be diving into creativity in an upcoming blog—what it takes to turn ideas into music, how we work through blocks, and why creativity isn’t just for artists. It’s for anyone who’s ever built something from nothing.
Until then, we’d love to hear from you—where do you find your inspiration? Do you wait for it, chase it, or build it from the ground up? Drop us a comment or connect—we’re always curious how others experience that spark.
– JawnyB – 1st day of Spring 2025
