Songwriters on Process Scott McCaughey (The Minus 5)
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Sep 1, 2025 
Scott McCaughey, a founding member of The Minus Five and an auxiliary member of R.E.M., shares his songwriting journey and creative process. He discusses how daily routines can spark inspiration and reveals his knack for effortlessly transforming ideas into songs. McCaughey reflects on his stroke recovery, which reignited his passion for music, and emphasizes the power of language in songwriting. With his latest album, 'Oar On, Penelope!', he encourages artists to embrace creativity in all its forms, blending spontaneity with structure.
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Use Sessions As Deadlines
- Do capture ideas whenever they arise instead of forcing daily writing sessions.
- Use scheduled sessions (studio time) as deadlines to pull songs from your collection.
Small Notes Build Records
- Constant small notes compound into finished songs over time without daily pressure.
- Themes emerge naturally when assembling songs for a record rather than by forced planning.
Decades Of Notebooks
- Scott keeps notebooks going back decades and sometimes rediscovers usable ideas.
- He usually prefers more contemporary notes for new records but occasionally mines old gems.
