Whats it like to be an artist in todays music business climate?
I like both aspects. With the writing and producing, I’m developing a bunch of indie bands, I’m working with rock bands on major labels, with some pop people—what it really allows me to do is get that side out, so when I go do my own thing, it’s much more pure. This time, I’m not trying to get on the radio; it was really just about making a record that I can go out and play. This stuff is meant to be played in smaller venues with people engaged in what I’m saying, and that kind of connection is what I’m looking for. I was surprised that there is so much spoken word on the album, and sometimes it’s pretty aggressive. Was that a conscious choice? Over the last four years, the spoken word thing has been the new music for me. It’s like the first time I heard Nirvana, the first time I began digging into The Unforgettable Fire, The Pixies—the kind of music that blows your mind and stops you dead in your tracks. This movement, with all of these incredible spoken word poets like Saul Williams,
