Songs And Stories From Art Alexakis

Pollstar caught up with the vocalist/songwriter/guitarist a few days before his solo tour, “Songs & Stories: An Evening With Art Alexakis” began. We chatted about the excursion, as well as his annual Summerland tour and the upcoming album, Black Is The New Black, which is due out in 2015 via The End Records.

Alexakis is clearly very passionate about the record – Everclear’s ninth overall – and the PledgeMusic campaign that goes along with it. He says, “I feel like I have a fire in my belly again.”

This is your first solo tour in a few years. Are you looking forward to being back on the road?

You know, I am. I mean, we tour every summer with Summerland, which is a ’90s alternative tour that I put on that we’ve done three years in a row. We’re getting ready to announce our fourth year in a couple of weeks here. But going on the road with just a couple of [crew] guys and doing these tours by myself is a whole different animal. It’s exciting and it’s kind of scary in a lot of ways, to be up there with just a guitar and what little wits I have. (laughs) … I’m super excited about this. It’s going to be great. 

It’s mostly me telling stories and singing songs. And people are like, “Well, what songs do you sing?” And I go, “Well, all I’ve written for the last 20 years. Basically Everclear.” I guess it would be cool to do a solo record but I don’t know what I would do differently because, you know, it’s my band. We have a brand new record that’s coming out next spring. And it’s a serious rock record. A couple of these guys have been in [the band] for 10 years, almost 11. A couple have been in for about six. We’ve been together for a while. But it’s still my band. It would be interesting to do a [solo] record. I don’t know what a solo record would sound like. I guess it would just be me playing all of the instruments, which could be kind of weird (laughs). Or me just writing the songs and giving it over to a producer and saying, “Do what you want.”  That could be kind of cool too. I’m quite the control freak so I’ve never done that.

How does this solo tour compare to past solo tours? Were they done in the same format as far as stripped down songs and stories?

Not so much stories. Mostly songs. I mean, I write all of my songs on guitar so bringing it back to [acoustic] guitar is not that big of a stretch. I’ll be playing as least two songs off the new album, maybe more. It’s going to be kind of more akin to how I wrote them, before they got into production and I brought these songs to the band.

Are you going to be covering songs from throughout your career? Or focusing on a certain time period?

Everything’s fair game. I’ll definitely play the hits because everyone always wants to hear the hits. And then I’ll play some fan favorites and I’ll play a couple of obscure songs, maybe a cover and then two or three new songs.

On the solo tour, we’re doing a VIP thing and we’re doing it ourselves. Basically what it’s going to be is people get to come in, hear a song during sound check, hang out with me for an hour, have some pizza and some salad or something, while we listen to the brand new record. They’re going to get to hear the brand new Everclear record before anybody else does. If people are interested in that, they can go to PledgeMusic.com. … I’ve got huge opinions about the future of selling records to people and I think a lot of it ties into PledgeMusic and things like that. Fansourcing – which sounds kind of didactic and cold – but I think it’s cool because you’re selling your record to people who want your record, who actually like what you do.

I think fans like knowing that they’re a part of the album process.

And it’s not like Kickstarter. Kickstarter is totally cool. I’ve never used it but I probably will someday for something. This is not buying into an idea. You’re buying the record. The record is done. You’re preordering it. It’s on the way. If you want vinyl, if you want that, if you want to bundle it with this, if you want me to come play at a dinner party, you can buy that too. It’s all there. I think it’s very cool.  

As far as the stories portion of the tour, do you already have certain tales in mind or topics you’ll cover?  

It depends on the songs. It could be a story behind where the idea for the song came from. Or something that happened when I in the studio when I was recording there. Or how the song affected somebody and the conversation that I had. I’m already sketching out stories and ideas and stuff like that. I want to keep it fresh so I don’t want to totally script it. But I have a pretty good idea about what I’m going to rap about and talk about. I don’t want to say rap because it’s not like I’m going to get up there and do beats or something. (laughs)

No, it’s just going to be something where I’m just talking conversationally. These are small crowds, like City Wineries type of crowds. It’s going to be fun to see how people respond. I hope I get heckled a little bit so I can heckle back. That’s definitively something I enjoy doing.

I saw on Facebook that you said, “It’s going to be a special evening of stories, jokes and tunes.” So I’m sure fans are looking forward to some jokes as well.

Did I? I didn’t say jokes. Somebody else put that up there.

Well, now you’re going to have to tell some jokes.

This guy walks into a bar. This horse walks into a bar … (laughs)

My eldest daughter told me that joke when she was like 9, and I still laugh when I hear it. That shows you how much of a dork of a dad I am.

Will you take any questions from the audience at all?

I’m not going to like send a mic down and do a Q&A. But … it’s very interactive. If someone suggests a song I’ll try and do it. … When I play solo, a lot of times if I’m in the mood, and if I think the crowd’s in the mood, I’ll take requests for songs. They always try and get me to do something that’s totally inappropriate for the acoustic [setting] like playing a song called “A.M. Radio,” which is all like loops and samples and stuff.

In a video for Everclear’s PledgeMusic campaign you mentioned Black Is The New Black is “a throwback in a lot of ways to the old school Everclear stuff” and probably the band’s “hardest rocking album ever.” Can you talk a little bit more about that?

Yeah, well, it’s funny. I went six years without making an Everclear record, between our album Welcome To The Drama Club and then our album we put out two years ago, Invisible Stars. And I just wasn’t in a place where I wanted to make to make a record. It wasn’t like it was a conscious thing. I just wasn’t writing songs and feeling like I was in that place. And then finally I started writing a lot of songs and reached out to the band and said, “Hey, man, let’s make a record.” And we did and we kind of threw it together because we were kind of hurting on funds. I think the songs are really good on that record. The production is kind of sketchy, just because we recorded something here and something here. That works sometimes. It works for Led Zeppelin. You know, they made Led Zeppelin II in something like 22 studios.

After [Invisible Stars] came out I just kept writing songs all through 2012 and 2013. Finally in 2013 I’m like, I want to make a record. I’m going to make a rock record, just a heavy rock record. Going to tour that summer with Live and Sponge and Filter, it inspired me, I think, to just want to play guitar and make a rock record. I was writing like a madman. Me and Freddy, my bass player, and my drummer Sean, we all live in LA. So the three of us would meet every week and go through my new songs and work them out and just have fun. That was the main thing to me … If you play in a rock band and you’re not having fun – you need to get a new job. (laughs) I mean, that’s lame! I see bands who look so serious on stage and it’s like, “Dude! Go be a plumber.”

We worked through all last fall and winter and then we produced it … David, my guitar player, came in for a few weeks here and there, and adds a lot to it. But most of it is three guys in a room. I play, I’d say, 80 percent of the guitars. And that’s something I hadn’t done in a while. …  I feel like I have a fire in my belly again. And I’ve said that just about every record, but it really feels different this time. It feels like I’m hungry again. But I’m really not (laughs). I mean, I live a pretty decent life. I’m not rich, by any standards whatsoever. But I take care of my family pretty well, I put a kid through college. I work pretty hard. I’m 52 years so it’s kind of weird that you would think that a guy like me would be hungry but when it comes to expressing myself and art, I feel like I’m on fire. I feel like a kid. I feel more like I did than when I was younger. And plus, I have the confidence … so I’m not afraid to piss people off (laughs) that I wouldn’t have done when I was younger, or might not have done. I don’t know, I was pretty fearless when I was younger. I like pissing people off and I probably always have.

That being said, I think there’s a lot of similarities and some differences [between Black Is The New Black and Invisible Stars].The difference is that it’s produced better. I think it just sounds awesome. It’s big and bad and the vocals are louder than I’ve ever done before but it doesn’t take away from its intensity.  

I produced it with these two kids from Pennsylvania who produce a lot of metal bands. It doesn’t sound metal by any standard but it’s just heavy. Big kicks, big drums, huge guitars … I think people are going to really like this record.

I can’t wait to see people’s reactions, like after the VIPs [hear it] during the solo tour. That’s going to be really cool.

It sounds like it’s better that you waited until you were inspired rather than forcing yourself to go put out an album when you weren’t really feeling it.

Yeah, I mean. Just in general. … It’s like, trying to be funny. When you try to be funny, that’s usually not funny for anybody. … Either you’re funny or you’re not. And you can’t fake it. And I think it’s the same thing when you’re trying to make your own music. It’s gotta be real. I know that sounds like a Hallmark card, but people can smell a fake from a mile away. They can smell when you’re phoning it in, when you’re … performing live and you’re just not really there.

That’s something that I can’t do with my songs or it just doesn’t work. I have to get into those characters, every night, even though sometimes it’s kind of uncomfortable and painful. Getting into the character from “Father Of Mine”? Who wants to be that kid again? I don’t.

That sounds like it would be hard to put yourself back there in that place.

It’s just not pleasant. I get into that intensity and people react to it. And that’s part of the gig; that’s what I do. That’s not what everybody does, but that’s what I do.

Have you announced a release date for Black Is The New Black?   

We don’t have an actual release date. I’m going to deliver the record and artwork within this month and once that’s done, probably before Christmas, hopefully we’ll have a release date. And all the updates on that will come via the PledgeMusic [site].

This is the first time Everclear has done a PledgeMusic campaign for an album. Have you been hearing good feedback from fans about the campaign?

I haven’t heard anything but raves. I would be interested to hear some negative feedback if it was constructive. And if there’s something we could do better or offer something that isn’t there or price something differently that needs to be priced differently. We’re already looking at that now with the people that we work with. … I’ve said that from the beginning – if somebody has an idea for something and it’s not there, tell me. If we’re able to do it, I’m going to do it.

I’m having fun. I look forward to doing this stuff. I think somebody [pledged] for me to get a tattoo with them. (laughs) We’ll see how that [goes]. There’s not a lot of room for tattoos on me. (laughs)

Do you already have a new tattoo in mind?

I don’t know. See, the way it’s worded, I’m going to go with them to get a tattoo. But we’ll see, we’ll see. I mean, If we go in there and they’re like, “No, you gotta get a tattoo too. Come on. I’m paying money to do this.”

I bet they’ll make you get one. Maybe you’ll be spontaneous and think of it on the spot.

I mean, it could always be something to do with my kids. That’s easy. And plus, like I said, I don’t have a lot of room so it’s going to be on my thigh or something. Or I could just get a big bulldog on my neck, I’m sure my wife would love that. No. Not. (laughs) She’s already told me, “No neck tattoos.” If I get one on the back of my neck for my daughter, she’s cool with that. I’ve got them behind my ears. The guys that get the full-on tattoos up to their chin – you know, if I was 20 years younger I probably would. Because I don’t think it’s not cool.

Do you like tattoos?

Yeah, I think they’re cool. Especially when there’s meaning behind it.

Significance. That’s how I feel about it, too. I’ve never gone in and just gone, “Oh, I’ll take number three.”

My best friend has a Hello Kitty tattoo, so things like that can be fun too.

Hey, I mean, I’ve got The Cat in The Hat on my arm, drinking a martini. (laughs) That’s my sobriety tattoo. That’s deceptive. I got that tattoo a month after I got sober so I’ve had it over 25 years.

That’s awesome. Congratulations.

Thank you.  

You’re going to be announcing the fourth edition of the Summerland Tour soon. Just looking at the past lineups, whoever you end up going out with in 2015, it should be another fun summer.

Well, I hope so! All the shows have been really fun. They keep the sets short. That’s the whole idea. It’s four bands, three hours. … Tickets are $25 for four bands with a lot of hits and new songs from everybody. One of my criteria is you have to play your hits and they have to sound like they used to.

That’s what fans want to hear.  

Yeah! Of course they want to hear that. They don’t want to hear you do some jam band, hippie version medley of your hits. Or songs that you think were hits (laughs) and no one knows. Not that. No one wants that.

But the main thing to me is the criteria that they are still real bands. These aren’t just bands just collecting royalty checks, going out every year to play the hits. That’s not the case. These are all bands that are still making records, still touring, still chasing the carrot, still have the fire in their bellies. I think that that’s important and I think it shows on stage. It’s fun. It’s a real rock band playing rock ’n’ roll.

Upcoming dates for “Songs & Stories: An Evening With Art Alexakis”

Nov. 21 – Sacramento, Calif., Harlow’s Night Club
Nov. 22 – Denver, Colo., Daniels Hall
Nov. 24 – Kansas City, Mo., The Riot Room
Nov. 25 – Saint Paul, Minn., Amsterdam Bar and Hall
Nov. 26 – Chicago, Ill., City Winery Chicago
Nov. 30 – New York, N.Y., City Winery NYC        
Dec. 1 – Boston, Mass., Brighton Music Hall
Dec. 2 – Baltimore, Md., Baltimore Soundstage       
Dec. 3 – Wilmington, Del., World Cafe Live At The Queen           
Dec. 4 – Londonderry, N.H., Tupelo Music Hall     
Dec. 5 – Portland, Maine, Asylum    
Dec. 7 – New Braunfels, Texas, River Road Icehouse        
Dec. 9 – Conroe, Texas, Dosey Doe Coffee House 
Dec. 10 – Lewisville, Texas, Hat Tricks Sports Bar 
Dec. 11 – Lubbock, Texas, Backstage Lubbock      
Dec. 12 – Midland, Texas, Blue Max           
Dec. 13 – El Paso, Texas, Lowbrow Palace 
Dec. 14 – Phoenix, Ariz., MIM Music Theater        
Dec. 17 – West Hollywood, Calif., The Roxy Theatre

Everclear plays Atlantic City Beer and Music Festival March 21.

For more information please visit EverclearOnline.com and click here for the band’s PledgeMusic page.