Creatives & Cannabis: Lava Dreams on espresso tonics, the chronic, and nightmare blunt rotations

Courtesy the artist

The first time we met, Lava Dreams and I shared a joint at a Queer Dyke Night Happy hour–and as a longtime fan of their music, they were the first artist that came to mind when planning my Creatives & Cannabis series.

Lava has created music in Kansas City for most of their life, using cannabis in social settings and during certain parts of the music-making process. She says she loves how it can connect people and is grateful for legalization here in Missouri, but makes a point that the full conversation should include freeing anyone incarcerated for a cannabis-related offense.

I sat down with Lava at Rochester Brewing & Roasting Company for her preferred espresso tonics (really good; they add lime!) to talk about songwriting, new music, and her dream blunt rotation.

You can catch Lava Dreams live with an intimate, stripped-down set of old and new songs on Oct. 23 at the Zhou B Art Center.

Syd Goldberg, The Pitch:  So how often do you use cannabis?

Lava Dreams:  I would say most days. A little every day.

Do you have a preference for indica, sativa, or hybrid strains?

Definitely more indica-based. I love smoking, just the ritual of it, but it’s not the best when you’re a singer so lately I’ve been coming around to edibles.

Before we had even met, I heard that your joints were amazing. Do you always roll your own joints?

Oh yeah. Unless I’m traveling, then I might buy a pre-roll or something. They’re usually harsher and not as fresh. And when I make them, if I want, I can roll the tiniest joint in the world, so having that control is nice.

Do you do anything special when you roll your joints? How are they so good?

It’s just the technique of rolling it. I’ve had a lot of practice, we’ll say that. Sometimes I mix different herbs in. I’ve done lavender and peppermint. So if you want to get a little bit witchy with it, different herbs have different effects, like red raspberry leaf is good for period cramps.

And how long have you been making music?

Kind of a tricky question. I’ve been writing songs forever; before I can even remember, lyrics and melodies have been a thing for me. I started playing guitar around middle school, really just to accompany myself in writing more songs.

I grew up in a really musical family. We had a drum kit in the basement and my dad was a really great guitar player, and he used to sing. Actually, the first time someone told me I could sing was in fourth grade when my dad wanted to make a family Christmas CD. He had me sing “Angels We Have Heard on High” into a mic in that basement. I also played “Jingle Bells” on the violin, which was terrible. It was my first year learning violin. But he put my voice on the CD and he said, “You have a good voice, you’re a good singer.” And I was like, “Whoa. Okay. Maybe I am.”

My first time recording in a professional studio was probably in high school with one of my bands. We had a mutual friend who was learning to be an engineer at a studio, and he made us into his project. So he produced us and we recorded some songs.

I’ve always kind of been in little projects. My little brother and I had a band when we were kids (we didn’t play anywhere). In high school and college, I was in a few bands. And then 2017 is when my band at the time went our separate ways and I thought it was time to make a solo project. That’s where I adopted the name Lava Dreams.

Courtesy the artist

Can you tell me about how cannabis plays a part in your music-making process?

If I’m smoking, a lot of times I’ll feel inspired to start writing a song or work on lyrics or a melody will come to me. I think other artists would say this too, but songwriting is less of “this word should go here”; it’s more like channeling. Obviously, if you’re a little bit high, your mind is more susceptible to influence. And that’s why I like weed so much, and I don’t need a ton of it, but it allows me to relax into my body a little bit. I feel more tapped into the flow.

I have a hard time focusing on one thing for a long period of time, so sometimes if I use cannabis and then lock into something, I find it a lot easier to stay focused on that thing. For instance, editing a music video.

And then sometimes it’s a social thing, just for fun.

Do you have go-to products that you know help with concentration?

If it’s indica-dominant, I’m usually fine. I’ve found that more sativa-based strains make me anxious, and it’s really about relaxing my body.

In your opinion, is cannabis common in music?

Yes, one thousand percent. I’ve smoked with other artists in green rooms, backstage, in the studio. I definitely think it’s prominent. Of course not everyone does it, but it’s kind of a trope at this point.

What artists would be in your dream blunt rotation?

Dead or alive? Prince, Brittany Howard, Chappell Roan, Dolly Parton. That would be amazing; I could die after that.

Do you have new music coming out soon?

I am expecting to release a new song before the end of the year. It’s called “Lawless,” and it’s about fake friends, people who don’t have your best interests at heart. It is part of a larger project all about relationships, and especially the relationships of my twenties.