We Thought We'd Failed. Then Everything Changed
True story
Hello, this is Vaidotas.
What challenges did we face during our songwriting camp in Greece? There were quite a few, even though from the outside it might have looked like everything was easy and effortless.
Just a day and a half before our flight, we found out that we wouldn’t be able to rent a guitar in Greece after all! We’d been waiting until the very last moment for confirmation from a music store, and it seemed like everything was going according to plan. Then suddenly, the communication stopped—they simply never replied again.
Why was this such a big problem? You might think, “Just bring your own guitar.” But many people don’t know that checking a guitar into the luggage hold is risky. Even in a hard case, it can be damaged from all the tossing and handling. At the same time, a full-size guitar in its case doesn’t fit under the seat or in the overhead compartment. That’s why musicians often have to buy a separate airplane seat for their guitar, as if it were another passenger. That means extra costs.
But the cost wasn’t even the biggest issue. With so little time left before departure, all the extra seats had already been sold out.
So we couldn’t rent a guitar in Greece, and we couldn’t bring one from home either. What do you do in a situation like that?
We started brainstorming. Sometimes difficult situations force you to think differently. Robertas came up with the idea of finding a travel guitar. And we actually found one! It looks a little unusual because it folds down for travel, but it’s full-sized and plays really well. Even better, we were incredibly lucky that it was available immediately in Vilnius, where we live. That solution completely saved us. Just look at this fascinating little beauty.
We arrived on the Greek island of Kefalonia. The scenery was breathtaking—but the heat was even more overwhelming. And, as luck would have it, the air conditioner in our apartment broke down. The repair technician could only come a week later because it was peak season and he already had plenty of other repairs waiting.
Well... okay.
We opened all the windows and balcony doors to let the air flow through. Since the house was perched on a cliff overlooking the sea, there was always a nice breeze, and thankfully it helped keep the place comfortable. We never felt too uncomfortable—we simply accepted it as part of the adventure.
We unpacked all our equipment and set up our little recording studio. Then we started playing, experimenting, and searching for musical ideas. From morning until evening we kept trying different things.
Nothing.
Nothing interesting.
Just scattered ideas and melodies that didn’t grab us.
The second day felt exactly the same.
On the third day, we kept trying, but the melodies still wouldn’t come. Even my voice started giving up and losing its strength.
At one point, I could feel my heart racing as stress completely took over. I caught myself thinking: “We shouldn’t have come here. Maybe we’re just not talented enough. We’ve wasted all this money, and we have nothing to show for it.”
I became so frustrated that I suddenly got up, went into my bedroom, lay down, and tried to pull myself together. A wave of sadness hit me.
I shared how I was feeling with the other band members, Mantas and Robertas. They calmed me down and reminded me to relax. Whatever happens, happens.
Then I realized something. Maybe we simply needed a few days to disconnect from everything else and allow our creativity to switch on.
That very evening, we wrote one genuinely powerful song. Then another one. The next day, songs started coming naturally—quickly and without stress. The creative blockage was finally gone. That makes us incredibly happy.
Every day we took short breaks. During those breaks, I (Vaidotas) would head down to the beach and swim in the dazzling turquoise sea. We cooked most of our meals ourselves, with Mantas taking charge in the kitchen. Robertas was our recording wizard, running the computer, recording everything, and editing all of our musical ideas.
There were no neighbours around us, so we could sing as loudly as we wanted with all the windows wide open. Although, to be honest, there were moments when it felt like the cicadas were singing even louder than we were.
One late evening, around 11 p.m., with the full moon shining as brightly as a giant lamp, I decided to go for a swim in the sea. I imagined I’d find a few other romantics on the beach, quietly watching the moonlight dancing across the waves.
I was wrong. On that huge beach, I was completely alone.
I walked into the water. The gentle waves lifted my body, and I felt myself becoming one with nature, with the present moment. My thoughts slowed down, and an incredible sense of peace washed over me.
Our trip lasted seven days. By the time we returned home, we had created 15 new song ideas, and five of them have real potential to become something special.
Watch More
For our Premium subscribers, we’ve shared a much more personal and detailed video about our journey. Become a paid subscriber, support our musical journey, become part of THE ROOP family, and enjoy even more exclusive behind-the-scenes content. We show more than we do on our social media.