In 2014/2015, I went through a "situationship," as so many of us seem to do these days. The song is really about as candid and honest as possible, and was honestly just my attempt at piecing together what had happened. I wrote it in isolation, and showed it to a few friends, who were very enthusiastic about it. I always meant to release it, but wanted to wait for the right time.
I love Big Star. They're a highly underrated band from the 70's, known in the modern collective mind from their song "In the Streets" being used as the theme song from That 70's Show. They have a truly timeless and beautiful love song called "Thirteen," and that was my primary source of inspiration for "Driving Man." Each verse has a refrain that is slightly varied - verse 1 ("Maybe Friday I can get tickets for the dance / And I'll take you"), verse 2 ("Come inside where it's okay / And I'll shake you"), and verse 3 ("I won't make you"). I loved this simple evolution of the story, and "Driving Man" shares the concept, but with a very different outcome.
It's a very personal song, based on real events. The person I wrote it about saw the video and wasn't as mad as I thought they'd be, but still didn't like it very much. It was too close to the actual events. But now that ten years (!) have passed, life has really changed and the feeling associated with the song and video are a lot more objective, in my opinion. And the song has stood the test of time, so that's encouraging to see.
I currently live in Nasvhille, TN, and I drive for rideshare apps (like Uber, Lyft) to help me pay bills as I pursue my dream of being a full-time artist/songwriter/producer. I have become very proficient at driving, and I love meeting new people and getting to know people better. It seemed like a fun way to connect with people I may not otherwise get to.
The original music video (with this new, official version of the audio) will be released on March 28 on YouTube and social media platforms! I'm so excited about it. And there's more to come after that...