JCCutter On the Making Of “Tequila at Dawn”
Punk Head: “Tequila at Dawn” feels written for people who are already halfway through the night. When did this song first take shape? And what moment were you writing toward?
JCCutter: This song has been through so many iterations over the years. I’ve been trying to get it just right – different chords, different melodies, trying different tones and tempo, it just never felt right. After “We Live Through it All” and the rest of “Perspectives”, I knew it was time for something much lighter, much more enjoyable – so “Tequila at Dawn” got dusted off. Honestly, it started as a joke – just something we would say while enjoying a night with friends, shooting and sipping tequila. “Patron our Father, Jose Cuervo the Son….I’m feeling the spirit of 18-hundred”. We would sort of chant some iteration of that every few rounds. So, yes, it is based on being halfway through the night. Just not wanting the night to end.
Punk Head: A lot of your catalog deals with endurance and belief. What made you want to lead with something lighter and communal this time?
JCCutter: I felt that being serious all the time takes away from what we are meant to be – human, seeking friends, connections and just enjoying life.
Punk Head: Tequila is a loaded symbol, such as celebration, regret, memory, and release. What does it represent for you in this song?
JCCutter: All of the above. It is different for me each time I sing it. That is sort of hinted at in the lines based on Tequila Drinks: Dancing with Margarita (Flirtatious/Romance), drowning deep in Paloma (sadness/nostalgic), running with the matador (Rowdy/Playing Rough), Never Refused a dare from El Diablo (“Challenge Accepted”/Daring). Tequila is great like that. Sometimes we can be in motion and sometimes we can just capture a moment.
Punk Head: Sonically, the song sits between Americana grit and rock drive. What artists or sounds were guiding that balance?
JCCutter: I really try not to compare myself or my style to others – that is for others to decide. I let the lyrics and the chords drive me – what sounds right to my ears – what sounds right for my friends. Just what feels right. Sometimes we get lucky and others enjoy it.
Punk Head: There’s a strong sense of shared experience in the lyrics, like everyone’s in on the joke. Who were you picturing as the listener when you wrote it?
JCCutter: Most definitely my brother and old friends. There are friends and memories all over where Tequila played a part. Many great memories, many great friends. I hope others hear this song and it becomes part of their memories – of their shared friendships and experiences.
Punk Head: This single feels built for connection rather than confession. Is that something you’re leaning into more lately?
JCCutter: It is merely just something I thought was needed – a bit of fun. I think that connection, a sense of being part of community is often taken for granted – and that even with deep issues all around us – we need to take the time to remember that good times, and shared experiences with friends are a necessary part of resilience – of belonging. Sometimes, we just have to let go, and share the dawn with others.
