The Joe Rogan Experience

Podbit · The Joe Rogan Experience

#2520 - Tommy Lee

Explore episode Jun 30, 2026

Where this was said

Songwriting Process, Demoing, and 46 Years of Passion

At 1:56:40 · chapter starts 1:54:30

Joe asks how Tommy writes songs, and the answer is refreshingly unformulaic: sometimes a beat comes first, sometimes an experience sparks a word or phrase that becomes a lyric, sometimes he picks up a guitar and a riff materializes. He uses a computer extensively for producing demo recordings — playing all the instruments himself (guitar, bass, drums, vocals) to create near-finished demos that he then brings to the band with room left for their contributions. His priority is always the same: is it moving me before I've even heard a lyric? If the music doesn't make you want to stay and listen, the lyrics don't matter. Joe closes the creative segment with genuine admiration: after 46 years, Tommy still loves it. That kind of enduring passion for what you do is what everybody wants from life.

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