The Strength Project #5 ~ Lucas Jones...

"Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change. The courage to change the things I can. And the wisdom to know the difference."

As a writer I understand the strength it takes to write your emotions, but I've always thought that it must take a whole new level of strength and courage to then take your emotions and share them with an audience. I've been lucky enough to work with Lucas several times before, I bloody love his band and his artistic intensity and honesty has always inspired me so I knew he would be the perfect person to chat to about strength through the eyes of a musician and a poet...

What does strength mean to you?

I think there's a common misconception that being strong means that nothing phases you and that you can get through anything unscathed. That's not true, that's silly. That's a 1920s, post-war ideology. That way of thinking is anachronistic. We all know that us lot - Generation Y, millennials, YOUNG PEOPLE, whatever you want to call us- are a lot more sensitive. And I think that's a wonderful thing. Because everyone secretly always has been. Humans just are. We're incredibly sensitive creatures. And speaking from a male perspective, I feel that as a result of our collective upbringing, we've reached a point where it's OK for boys to cry. And there's beauty in that. Strength isn't shutting off your emotions and never letting anything get to you. It's letting everything get to you and being able to utilise that to further your own personal growth and support those around you.

Could you tell me about a time when strength was evident in your life?

Times in which I properly consider my own strength only really exist in retrospect. You never stop to think 'Wow, I'm dealing with this really bloody well.' at the time, when something shit happens. (Can I swear? Forgive me if not.) You just get on with things. Having said that, the first thing that springs to mind in terms of strength being evident in my life is when I quit my job and decided I was going to focus purely on pursuing a career as an actor and musician. Because, you know; Goodbye stability, goodbye money, hello constant rejection, hello me vs the world. The first year of which required an incredible amount of strength and persistence to not have a full on mental breakdown and shoot myself. (Kidding. Sort of. Not really.) I mean, I'm still essentially in the exact same situation as I was then but I have my footing now. It's all slowly but surely coming together. Or maybe I'm just used to it. But either way, it's been pretty hard - Not real life hard, not war-torn-countries-hard. I know my problems can never be THAT severe in the grand scheme of things but everything is relative. And I've managed to make some pretty cool things happen despite the odds.

Some of your songs manage to be simultaneously so open and vulnerable yet really bold in their expression. Do you think there’s a certain strength in being able to take what you feel and put it into words?

Oh absolutely, 100%. The only strength available to us is in our honesty and our vulnerability. That's all we have. When people truly open themselves up and expose their souls, it can be uncomfortable for some people because they've trained themselves to be a closed book. But when we're as close to the truest, most honest version or ourselves possible- Be it through a song or a poem or a painting - I believe that's when we're most at one with the infinite connective wiring that binds all humans and living things together. And if that's not strength, then I don't know what is.

Do you think creativity is vital to your strength?

I couldn't agree with that more. For me anyway, that's definitely true. The source of strength varies from person to person; Some people go to the gym and find confidence and a sense of enlightenment in that, whilst others write make-up blogs. And each are just as valid as the next. Whatever your outlet, as long as it stems from a place of honesty and purity, it's something to be cherished. For me, writing and making music and acting are some of the only things that really make sense to me, so that's where the vast majority of what I consider to be my strength stems from. Being able to make something that no one in the history of humanity has ever created before, even if no one ever hears or sees it; That's an infinitely mind blowing concept to try and wrap your head around.

When some of your work, especially your poetry, is so personal and honest, you must almost have to relive those emotions every time you perform. Do you think that helps or hinders your strength?

That's a really interesting question. In terms of a performance, I think people like to see raw emotions. If you cry on stage and it's real, that's a moment. If people resonate with that and want to cry with you because they understand it, that's a m o m e n t. You can't fake that and it would be incredibly transparent if you tried to. However, I'd be lying if I said that you always come off stage feeling the buzz that you'd expect having just played a gig. That expression about leaving your heart on the stage can be a little too real sometimes. There is somewhat an emotional price to be paid whenever you're letting people see the real you. The more-naked-than-nude you. But I guess it's always a positive to feel anything. So ultimately it probably helps you grow as a person to be able to tap into such emotions so frequently.

Ultimately, do you think sharing your emotions builds strength?

Yes, I do. People want to share their emotions with each other. It's a basic human need to talk about how you feel. I mean look at Twitter. That's literally all Twitter is. People sharing their emotions and others saying 'That's how I feel too!' However, with that in mind, I think that sharing your emotions only builds strength when they're shared with people who have your best interests at heart. If you spend your time pouring your heart and soul out to people who would be happy to see you fail, you're shooting yourself in the foot and then the face and then the heart. And if you do that consistently it can be incredibly corrosive to the soul. It's absolutely crucial to be surrounded by the right people in order to live w happy life.

You have a little sister! What’s one thing you wish you could teach her about strength?

That she is the life force that keeps the world spinning and if at any point she doesn't like the direction things are heading, she has the ability to change everything and anything until she is happy.

What’s one song that makes you feel strong?

There's a piece of music on YouTube called 'THE MOST RELAXING MUSIC IMAGINABLE' which is a pretty intense title for a song. I found it as a joke when I was 14 with a brother of mine, playing darts in his mum's loft. And now I actually listen to it pretty regularly; 40% because of the nostalgia and 60% because it's a bloody tune.

When do you feel strongest?

On stage or on a film set. That's when everything feels balanced and the world makes sense. Or if I'm being entirely honest, just lying in bed with a woman I really care about. It doesn't get much better than that. That's the safest place on Earth.

Can you sum up what strength means to you in 3 words?

Honesty. Faith. Love.

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Lucas's work is always earth-shatteringly good. I've talked about his band many times but I honestly can't recommend that you take a moment to listen to his poetry and music. He's going to do big things, I just know it.

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