In this episode of “Between Two Todds,” Todd Jones discusses his songwriting process for Nails and why he thinks of himself more as a “music fan” than a “musician.”

Todd has a public perception that is often totally out of alignment with his actual personality. Some of this is likely a side effect of being the front man of one of the most aggressive bands currently playing in metal and hardcore.

However, we get to see Todd as an introspective and curious fan of music on his new podcast called Unsilent Death. He interviews other musicians and producers, and digs into all of the aspects of the craft of making music – from songwriting, to production, to touring.

After you listen to this episode, check out a few episodes of Unsilent Death as well.

Listen Here

• iTunes
• Overcast
• Google Play
• mp3
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Check out more from Todd, Nails, and the Unsilent Death podcast here:

• Website: www.unsilentdeathpodcast.com
• Podcast: Unsilent Death
• Instagram: @nailstyrrany | @unsilentdeathpodcast
• Music video for “You Will Never be One of Us”:
  

Show Notes:

• [00:57] The dynamics of first discovering subcultures — and why Todd resonated so much with hardcore
• [11:15] Music as a vehicle for delivering emotion to listeners — and why Todd thinks of himself more as a “music fan” than a “musician”
• [17:14] The different roles that a musician needs to play in order to bring music into the world: actually composing the music, doing promotion in the press or in music videos, and project managing behind-the-scenes.
• [28:30] Using the The Unsilent Death podcast as an opportunity to dig into the craft of creating music with other musicians — rather than just asking the same standard interview questions
• [41:14] Todd’s songwriting process: playing punk and hardcore with tight musicianship, obsessing over the finished product, and finding ways to be creative with the framework that Nails has established
• [51:24] Writing songs based upon specific riffs — or writing songs based upon a big picture “idea” or theoretical song structure
• [01:03:07] Learn more about The Unsilent Death podcast and Nails

Links and Resources Mentioned

• Brendan Kelly
• Road to the Skeleton Coast podcast with Brendan Kelly
• Mastering (audio)
• Joe Rogan
• Feedly
• Google Reader
• James Hetfield Interview “I wanted to play drums on guitar”
• Sepultura (Cavalera’s Return To Roots) – Ambush & Drum Jam Solo
• Deicide “Dead by Dawn” live – with the Hoffman brothers looking jacked

Music Mentioned

• The Mighty Mighty Bosstones “Someday I Suppose”
• The Offspring “Smash”
• Minor Threat “In My Eyes”
• Youth Of Today “No More”
• The Lawrence Arms “Quincentuple Your Money”
• Slapstick “Cheat to Win”
• The Broadways “15 Minutes”
• Mother Love Bone “Stargazer”
• Operation Ivy “Sound System”
• Less Than Jake “Johnny Quest Thinks We’re Sellouts”
• The Honor System “Nails”
• Alkaline Trio “Bleeder”
• Converge “Concubine”
• The Dillinger Escape Plan “43% Burnt”
• Iron Maiden “The Trooper”
• Blink-182 “First Date”
• New Found Glory “Hit Or Miss”
• Slint “Spiderland”
• Rancid “Ruby Soho”
• NOFX “Linoleum”
• Good Riddance “One for the Braves”
• Black Flag “My War”
• Ulthar “Providence”
• Averse Sefira “Deathymn”
• Deathspell Omega “Paracletus”
• Deicide “Once Upon the Cross”
• Deicide “Legion”
• The Damned “Love Song”
• Antidote “Real Deal”
• Urban Waste “Ignorant”
• Chain of Strength “True Till Death”
• Gorilla Biscuits “Start Today”
• Jerry’s Kids “Is This My World”
• Sepultura “Roots Bloody Roots”
• Deicide “Lunatic Of God’s Creation”
• Obituary “Slowly We Rot”
• Cannibal Corpse “Hammer Smashed Face”
• Morbid Angel “Rapture”
• Deicide “Insineratehymn”