so between your high school when you started playing and then in the 90s when
started playing and then in the 90s when
started playing and then in the 90s when he started getting recognition you were
he started getting recognition you were
he started getting recognition you were playing it what you were doing music so
playing it what you were doing music so
playing it what you were doing music so was this this wasn’t like a stretch of
was this this wasn’t like a stretch of
was this this wasn’t like a stretch of perseverance until you got a big break
perseverance until you got a big break
perseverance until you got a big break cuz you didn’t really care about a big
cuz you didn’t really care about a big
cuz you didn’t really care about a big break no I mean I the first label I got
break no I mean I the first label I got
break no I mean I the first label I got signed he was called instinct records
signed he was called instinct records
signed he was called instinct records and the first single I put out was
and the first single I put out was
and the first single I put out was called mobility and it sold 2,000 copies
called mobility and it sold 2,000 copies
called mobility and it sold 2,000 copies and then the next single this was
and then the next single this was
and then the next single this was nineteen ninety and then the next single
nineteen ninety and then the next single
nineteen ninety and then the next single in 1991 was go and all I wanted for go
in 1991 was go and all I wanted for go
in 1991 was go and all I wanted for go was it would sell four thousand copies
was it would sell four thousand copies
was it would sell four thousand copies like that I remember really being
like that I remember really being
like that I remember really being excited at the thought that it might
excited at the thought that it might
excited at the thought that it might sell four thousand copies and then it
sell four thousand copies and then it
sell four thousand copies and then it went on to sell over a million copies
went on to sell over a million copies
went on to sell over a million copies and it became one of Rolling Stones top
and it became one of Rolling Stones top
and it became one of Rolling Stones top 200 records of all time and it was like
200 records of all time and it was like
200 records of all time and it was like it’s just a weird record that I made in
it’s just a weird record that I made in
it’s just a weird record that I made in my bedroom and so ever since then I’ve
my bedroom and so ever since then I’ve
my bedroom and so ever since then I’ve just been sort of baffled by what’s
just been sort of baffled by what’s
just been sort of baffled by what’s happened and I’ve I guess one of the
happened and I’ve I guess one of the
happened and I’ve I guess one of the things about not expecting success is it
things about not expecting success is it
things about not expecting success is it it gives you the Liberty to experiment
it gives you the Liberty to experiment
it gives you the Liberty to experiment and something like for example the
and something like for example the
and something like for example the animal the animal rights album which was
animal the animal rights album which was
animal the animal rights album which was commercially a failure to me was a
commercially a failure to me was a
commercially a failure to me was a success because I liked it and I guess
success because I liked it and I guess
success because I liked it and I guess if you don’t expect much then you can’t
if you don’t expect much then you can’t
if you don’t expect much then you can’t be disappointed in terms of success so I
be disappointed in terms of success so I
be disappointed in terms of success so I put out a record and it sells well great
put out a record and it sells well great
put out a record and it sells well great if I put out a record and it doesn’t
if I put out a record and it doesn’t
if I put out a record and it doesn’t sell well that’s fine too as long as
sell well that’s fine too as long as
sell well that’s fine too as long as it’s an interesting record that I like
it’s an interesting record that I like
it’s an interesting record that I like and that hopefully some other people
and that hopefully some other people
and that hopefully some other people like I think the worst case scenario is
like I think the worst case scenario is
like I think the worst case scenario is if you put out a record and you want
if you put out a record and you want
if you put out a record and you want commercial success and you don’t have it
commercial success and you don’t have it
commercial success and you don’t have it and you end up compromising the artistic
and you end up compromising the artistic
and you end up compromising the artistic process to pursue commercial success and
process to pursue commercial success and
process to pursue commercial success and nothing works out so then you’ve complex
nothing works out so then you’ve complex
nothing works out so then you’ve complex oh you’ve made art that doesn’t have
oh you’ve made art that doesn’t have
oh you’ve made art that doesn’t have inherent merit and you also have no
inherent merit and you also have no
inherent merit and you also have no commercial success like that’s the worst
commercial success like that’s the worst
commercial success like that’s the worst so I’d rather I’d rather make weird
so I’d rather I’d rather make weird
so I’d rather I’d rather make weird underground records that no one likes
underground records that no one likes
underground records that no one likes but that I like that don’t sell well
but that I like that don’t sell well
but that I like that don’t sell well then really chase after radio play and
then really chase after radio play and
then really chase after radio play and commercial success you have to represent
commercial success you have to represent
commercial success you have to represent yourself
yourself
yourself to a certain extent yeah can you tell us
to a certain extent yeah can you tell us
to a certain extent yeah can you tell us about the ratio of risks versus
about the ratio of risks versus
about the ratio of risks versus compromises that you’ve dealt with it’s
compromises that you’ve dealt with it’s
compromises that you’ve dealt with it’s it’s weird because I can i can get
it’s weird because I can i can get
it’s weird because I can i can get excited working on just about any aspect
excited working on just about any aspect
excited working on just about any aspect or any any part of the song production
or any any part of the song production
or any any part of the song production process i can get excited about cuz i’m
process i can get excited about cuz i’m
process i can get excited about cuz i’m i’m an engineer and a musician and a
i’m an engineer and a musician and a
i’m an engineer and a musician and a producer so if I’m if someone comes to
producer so if I’m if someone comes to
producer so if I’m if someone comes to me and says oh produce this bad song for
me and says oh produce this bad song for
me and says oh produce this bad song for this bad band I can get really excited
this bad band I can get really excited
this bad band I can get really excited trying to make the kick drum sound
trying to make the kick drum sound
trying to make the kick drum sound fantastic so sometimes almost forget
fantastic so sometimes almost forget
fantastic so sometimes almost forget about the song and I just focus on
about the song and I just focus on
about the song and I just focus on little bits of minutiae within the song
yeah I’m sorry cuz we’re talking about
yeah I’m sorry cuz we’re talking about compromises real Oh the compromise so um
compromises real Oh the compromise so um
compromises real Oh the compromise so um and it’s it’s strange cuz compromise
and it’s it’s strange cuz compromise
and it’s it’s strange cuz compromise isn’t always a bad thing I think
isn’t always a bad thing I think
isn’t always a bad thing I think sometimes you can learn from compromise
sometimes you can learn from compromise
sometimes you can learn from compromise um like sometimes artists get very
um like sometimes artists get very
um like sometimes artists get very attached to a specific way of doing
attached to a specific way of doing
attached to a specific way of doing things and to change that way of doing
things and to change that way of doing
things and to change that way of doing things could be perceived as a
things could be perceived as a
things could be perceived as a compromise but sometimes change is where
compromise but sometimes change is where
compromise but sometimes change is where you how you grow I mean there have been
you how you grow I mean there have been
you how you grow I mean there have been times like there was one song I’d
times like there was one song I’d
times like there was one song I’d written years ago that I thought was a
written years ago that I thought was a
written years ago that I thought was a good instrumental and someone from my
good instrumental and someone from my
good instrumental and someone from my record company criticized it and said
record company criticized it and said
record company criticized it and said you know what it’s an okay instrumental
you know what it’s an okay instrumental
you know what it’s an okay instrumental but if you had vocal stew it it’d be a
but if you had vocal stew it it’d be a
but if you had vocal stew it it’d be a lot better and I remember actually
lot better and I remember actually
lot better and I remember actually getting angry I was like it felt like a
getting angry I was like it felt like a
getting angry I was like it felt like a compromise to add vocals to it but then
compromise to add vocals to it but then
compromise to add vocals to it but then I tried it and I added vocals to it and
I tried it and I added vocals to it and
I tried it and I added vocals to it and the song ended up being a lot better so
the song ended up being a lot better so
the song ended up being a lot better so to me that the the greatest enemy to the
to me that the the greatest enemy to the
to me that the the greatest enemy to the creative process is rigidity you know
creative process is rigidity you know
creative process is rigidity you know like deciding there’s only one way of
like deciding there’s only one way of
like deciding there’s only one way of doing something and you’re going to
doing something and you’re going to
doing something and you’re going to stick to that no matter what but the
stick to that no matter what but the
stick to that no matter what but the same time if you’re too flexible then
same time if you’re too flexible then
same time if you’re too flexible then you lose your sense of self and your
you lose your sense of self and your
you lose your sense of self and your identity so it said it’s it’s all I mean
identity so it said it’s it’s all I mean
identity so it said it’s it’s all I mean I guess in any part of the creative
I guess in any part of the creative
I guess in any part of the creative process its balance between like you
process its balance between like you
process its balance between like you know the demands of art versus commerce
know the demands of art versus commerce
know the demands of art versus commerce because if you just pursue art you end
because if you just pursue art you end
because if you just pursue art you end up with obscure 20th century classical
up with obscure 20th century classical
up with obscure 20th century classical music that no one wants to listen to and
music that no one wants to listen to and
music that no one wants to listen to and if you just pursue commerce you end up
if you just pursue commerce you end up
if you just pursue commerce you end up with pop music that is soulless and
with pop music that is soulless and
with pop music that is soulless and vapid
vapid
vapid so but if you can combine the two you
so but if you can combine the two you
so but if you can combine the two you end up with the rolling stones or led
end up with the rolling stones or led
end up with the rolling stones or led zeppelin
”
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