​"I think selecting the song order is one of the most important steps in making a record. It completes the artist’s vision, so it needs to be right." - client John Papa Gros. Check out his new album, Giants!

Cris Cohen: I came across this really cool quote of yours in another interview where you said, “I used to write songs that had a lot of autobiography in them. Now, I write more in hallucinogenic metaphors.”

Andrew Morse of The Tasty Kings: (Laughs) That's true. Yes. Sounds like I was on hallucinogens when I said that.

Cris Cohen: What led to that change?

Andrew Morse: Sometimes by coming up with weird images or weird ideas or just making up stories, it winds up being more truthful than the actual truth. You know what I mean?

On this record that we did with Blondie Chaplin, there's a line from that song “Maybe I'm a Queen” where it goes, “Maybe I'm the moon shattering the sea.” 

I'm like, “Jesus Christ, I'm out of my mind now that I wrote that.”

But then I was talking to my friend who is a great singer / guitar player. His name is Kevin Trainor. 

I said to him, “See what I was going for there? Monet, the instantaneity?” Because he's a painter. 

He goes, “Yes.”  

I'm like, okay, well, we're off. “Maybe I'm the moon shattering the sea.” What, have I lost my fucking mind? But that's how it came out, so that's how it came out.

That was one of the first songs I wrote (where) I felt like I cracked the code. Because there was a point, I was really stuck and I was looking up “what are the most common objects in the English language?” And so “maybe I'm a matchbook, maybe I'm the match, maybe I'm the toaster, maybe I'm a piece of toast, blah, blah, blah.”

It was driving me crazy for a couple of weeks. 

Then I got to the point where it went, “Maybe I'm the kindness / Maybe I'm the greed / Maybe I'm the limit / Maybe I'm the speed.”
 
And I was like, okay, and now we're off.

“Maybe I'm the bridge / Maybe I'm the wall.” Those are all obviously metaphors, but it makes a little bit of sense, the subtext of that.

These songs take you to places where you really never thought you'd wind up. It's a big thrill. It's an adventure. I think Bob Dylan once said that it's an audacious thing to write a song.

I think that kind of depends on the song. A lot of people just write stupid whatever. They don't care. You can tell. 

But to write songs that have taken you somewhere, I think people can tell. Some of the really good Dylan songs, obviously they took him places.

It's kind of an adventure.

​Another reason why artists need their own in-house music journalist now. Music fans are still interested in reading about you and your music. We always have been. The corporations that acquire the music publications do not understand this. The corporations that run the social media platforms don't understand this. Not only do they deny our interest exists, they actively work against that material being seen. But those of us who genuinely love music, who buy your albums, concert tickets, and merchandise... we are tired of the gimmicky, short videos that have nothing to do with your music. We are tired of corporations pushing music at us the same way they push sodas and detergents. And no, AI is not a replacement for musicians. We want to read about real people making music. Bands should not give up reaching us. Just know that now you need to produce and distribute that material yourself. 

Cris Cohen: One other point that caught my ear about the song "Scrub" is the line "I don't sing to be pretty." I love that line, because to me it shows you're not in this for the image, but for the audio output and the emotion of it. Is that a correct interpretation?

Johnny Manchild: Yeah. And not to say that I don't love aesthetics and visuals. (But) there's a time and place for that. The actual performance of singing, especially live… the purpose of that is definitely not to look pretty. Because when I'm (singing and) really feeling it, I don't look great. I look straight up ridiculous sometimes. But it feels good.

Thinking about that lyric, what it reminds me of the most is (how) at shows there's so much reluctance to move around and dance or do weird stuff. I think it's because there are phones everywhere. Everyone knows that (the photos and videos are) living on the internet forever and they'll be scrutinized. 

That is the other thing: the purpose of this is not to be scrutinized for how I look. Just ignore that. That's not the point. 

I wish everybody, including myself, felt more comfortable looking stupid. Because we are stupid. Humanity is dumb and ugly and weird and gross and that's fine.

The whole thing that you're describing, with trying to look pretty doing this, that's not always the point. Even (David) Bowie, as cool and hot as he was, was a very odd man. And he went out of his way to look strange sometimes.

Ken Block of clients Sister Hazel: “Wrong The Right Way” on “BAM!” - We're all wrong at some point, but there are ways to be wrong the right way. You can let people down the right way. You can be honest with people, say the hard things that have to be said, but do it in a way that has integrity and authenticity.
The initial intent was to work this song up later with the full band. But we decided that would mess it up. It’s more powerful acoustic. There's a wonderful vulnerability to it.

I always say that I'm going to get my man card taken away from me one of these days. Because like that song, I'm the man that will talk about emotions, grief, sensitivity, and empathy. But, the people who know me best know I will also punch somebody in the neck. I can be both of those guys. I've been in many a bar brawl back in the day. Not in a while, I'm glad to say.

I think it is important though for guys, real men, to say you don't have the answer here. Or I’m sorry. Or that belittling people and tearing them down just because you can isn’t cool. You can handle situations with integrity and honesty instead. That includes relationships that run their course, or dealing with family drama, or friend chaos.   Responding instead of reacting.  That’s the difference between punches and scars or respect and, eventually, peace. 

One of the best lyrics ever written. From my interview with Matt Scannell of Vertical Horizon. Talking about the song "Everything You Want." 

Yesterday I recorded an interview with Dennis Atlas of Toto. I hope to publish it by the end of this week.

​Prepping for an interview. If I do not have a CD or vinyl version of the artist's album, I listen to digital files that I run through a digital-to-analog converter, a headphone amp, and then open-backed headphones. 

​Congratulations to clients Cimarron 615 on the release of their beautiful new album, Same Sky. With clever lyrics, amazing harmonies, and great melodies, they are carrying the torch first lit by Poco and the Eagles.

I just released a pay-what-you-can e-book of my interviews with The Doobie Brothers. I realize that right now people would prefer a pay-what-you-can gas station, but for some reason the oil companies are not going for that idea.