Art Alexakis Endings Or Beginnings
Everclear Founder Tells Why He's Excited About The New Record
In the final part of our interview series with Art Alexakis of Everclear, we find out how 9/11 and the current American regime inspired the return to form of Everclear.
- Genre: alternative / indie / rock
- Art Alexakis (vocals / guitar), Davey French (guitar / vocals), Sam Hudson (bass / vocals), Josh Crawley (keyboards / vocals), Brett Snyder (drums / vocals)
- Sounds like: Tom Petty, The Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen
- Home: Portland, Oregon, US
- Everclear
A Gentleman And A Scholar
In the fickle world of rock music, there are few artists who can genuinely say they have inspired a generation of fans-turned-performers. There are even fewer who don't pander to their egos and shout this from the rooftops. Everclear front man Art Alexakis is one such man.
Currently touring to promote the new album Welcome To The Drama Club, released on their new indie label Eleven Seven Records and seeing the band return to the sound that was their trademark, Art sat down with Suite101 to discuss everything from his early years to dispelling stories about the band. Articulate, funny and humble, and never one to shy away from any subject, Art's is probably one of the most enjoyable interviews I've ever had the pleasure of conducting.
In this, the final part of our special interview with Art, he talks about how the events of 9/11 and the current regime in America inspired some of Everclear's best songs, and led to the new label and the return to form of Art as a songwriter.
Art Alexakis Interview Part 5: Endings And Beginnings
Suite: Obviously 9/11 had a major impact on Slow Motion Daydream. What were your thoughts while recording this album?
Art: It was a weird time. I mean, obviously you have the national fall-out from that time, but it was a really bad time for the music industry as well. Nobody was wanting to tour, because you didn't want to have a big crowd of people in one place and making a target; no-one was that keen on flying in or out of America. All the airports were closed for five days after the attacks; it was weird and bad, man. And what was worse is that it showed America how much everyone really hated us, for the first time. Before, we never worried about terrorism so much, we were safe on our own soil, you know? But 9/11 changed that forever, and I think it woke a lot of people up to how our country was viewed.
Suite: You also got some negative press for the song New York Times from that album (this was a direct criticism of the Bush administration, its War on Terror, and the plight of the homeless in America).
Art: You know, that was crazy too. I write from the heart, and I just felt so strongly about how our President had reacted to 9/11, and how the election and everything had gone the year before, and I put that into song. I'm not a politician; but I believe in politics for good, you know? You have power - use it and make a difference. We have a President that no one really believes in, he's taken our country to a war that should never have happened, and I'm just glad that he can't be voted back in at the next election. So yeah, I'm going to write about how I feel at any given time, and that's what happened there, and the fallout from that was a little crazy.
Suite: Was that one of the turning points in your relationship with Capitol?
Art: Definitely. Although they liked that song, they hated the flip-side to it, Volvo Driving Soccer Moms, which was about all these wild chicks in high school that grow up to be Republican-supporting housewives who pretend they're so pure (laughs). They never supported us on that, didn't promote the video, the song, the album - nothing. It was at that point, I think, that I knew this was a completely different label from the one I'd joined years earlier, and it wasn't long after that we went our separate ways.
Suite: So Art, if you had to choose one album to play to a music fan who has never heard any of your songs before, which one would it be and why?
Art: You know, I love the new album – I think it's taken me back to what Everclear was all about, and that was just the music. And I've got a great bunch of guys around me now who can really do things with their instruments that are amazing, and that inspires me to aim higher and higher. But I think for a non-fan and just for where I was at that time as well, it would have to be Sparkle And Fade. It was the one with Santa Monica on it and I guess the one that first gave us any widespread attention. It's just a really good album with some great lyrics on it, and I think that would be the one that anyone who just likes good music could get into from off the bat.
