Lyrics with Jordan Lloyd

As frontman and vocalist with northern hardcore maulers Incisions, Jordan Lloyd is known for his no-nonsense warts and all lyrical approach. The razor throated nihilistic and furiously delivered words on Incisions debut self-titled album were one of the records many highlights. With subject matter ranging from the deeply personal to the acutely political, Jordan is not one to hold back. Now with album number two waiting in the wings, we caught up with him to discuss lyrics.

TNS: Alright Jordan, nice lyric book. Fancy telling us about it?

Jordan: I just found it helps me think a bit more about the lyrics when I’m actually writing stuff out. Anything to not give me a reason to pick this little fucking screen up and enter the digital realm. I feel a bit more responsibility with the lyrics now that I’m not playing guitar for Incisions too so although I can get away with just grunting random noises most of the time I can actually sit down and dig into what I’m writing about.

TNS: Are you writing in there daily, or just when an idea strikes you?

Jordan: Not really. Ideas go straight into my notes on my phone cos I only ever seem to think of something new when I have no time or guitar or whatever to turn it into anything. If you’ve ever met me you won’t be surprised to know I’ve been through a few phones in the last couple of years, so lost a lot of ideas along the way. I tend to sit down and start with the book when I know I’ve got an idea that I can work into a song.

TNS: How much of what you write makes it through to become a song?

Jordan: Probably about 30% sometimes I’ll just keep a lyric if I like it and know one day I will be able to sneak it into something.

TNS: Do you write lyrics with a clear intention that they will one day be Incisions songs, or do mine the words that are already in the book?

Jordan: Well the writing approach has been a bit different recently for Incisions songs as I’m not bringing songs to practice and we are writing them together. Incisions songs seem to start with me following a melody and making stuff up that fits with the syllables. I’ll usually pick up a line from that and try to make them consistent from there.

TNS: Are you more likely to write socially and politically charged lyrics or personal introspective lyrics?

Jordan: It really depends, I think all our songs are quite personal cos whether they are about politics or not I’d never write about something I wanna as feeling and I fucking hate politicians. I’ve definitely written a lot about my own personal experiences along the way though, and I think that’s come through a bit more on the new record.

TNS: Which from process do you prefer, and which do you find more difficult?

Jordan: It’s definitely harder to look back through personal stuff because you wonder if you’re being subtle enough to not come across as spiteful or derogatory. When I’ve got a good political or socially charged song it’s usually a bit less daunting because I know the punks are gonna enjoy shouting about the political system along with us.

TNS: What is your favourite incisions lyric?

Jordan: There are lots I’m proud of but I’ll go with something from the new record as a plug… ‘Pay your taxes, go to work, do what they say, The prison system never worked it doesn’t to this day, The police protect the fascists whilst their marching in the streets, But fascists don’t get freedom of speech’

TNS: What is you favourite lyric from another artist?

‘She likes the way it’s pulling when it’s tilling up the land,
She’s even kinda crazy bout my farmers tan,
She’s the only who really understands what gets me,
She thinks my tractors sexy’
Kenny Chesney – She thinks my tractors sexy

TNS: Is the aesthetic of your lyric book important to you? Or do you not really consider it?

Jordan: Nah not really, I wish it looked like it was effortless but it’s more like the diary of a mad man who can’t hold a pen properly (I can’t).

TNS: What lyrical content should we expect from the next Incisions album?

Jordan: I think its more about the social implications and class divisions created by politics than a hatred of the politicians themselves this time around. Then everything that comes as a result of being alive… love, loss, addiction etc. Maybe I have grown up?