Songwriters on Process interviews Kerry Mc Coy and George Clarke of Deafheaven

For George Clarke and Kerry McCoy of Deafheaven, its not the ritual of the creative process itself thats important as much as the preparation before the process. Both men use a meditative and repetitive activity to prepare their mind: for McCoy its surfing, and for Clarke its often running or driving. Clarke writes the lyrics for Deafheaven, while McCoy writes much of the music. For both, its all about putting themselves in the best possible headspace to make something. Surfing is a big part of McCoys creative process; he tries to go every morning because its one of the few times in his life where he can purely be in the moment. No watch, no phone, he says. More than a few Deafheaven riffs have emerged from his time on the water. Clarke says that a workouteither the gym or runningis a good way to prepare, as is the drive to the LA studio in all its glorious monotony. Both also cite their manager Cathy Pellows strong cold brew as an important part of the ritual. Deafheaven s latest album INFI