Back in June of 2015, Keven Skinner of Fox Force Five News interviewed me for an article. It took place right before Blacklist Union released our fourth studio album, ‘Back to Momo.’ Here are some highlights from that interview that give insight into the album, Blacklist Union and myself as an artist.
Getting Personal
No interview would be complete without diving into a person’s love life, and Keven certainly covered all his bases on that front. He doesn’t doubt I’ve dated every chick in Hollywood, and asked about any bad experiences I ever had with a girl. I told him about how one romantic interest, a very well-known singer, threatened to stab me. I also had a marriage to Cat Woman that lasted a whole 3 days.
Back to Momo
A large portion of the interview was focused on our new album, ‘Back to Momo,’ which Blacklist Union released on July 10th. Blacklist Union’s previous album, ‘Til Death Do Us Part,’ released in 2012, was heavily influenced by the death of loved ones. Back to Momo is about having a good time and letting go of pain. You should enjoy your life instead of being weighed down by the negatives, like death and breakups.
The album is named after a massage parlor – the kind that offers more than casual backrubs. I tend to attract a special kind of crazy (as you can tell by the story above). In my case, going to a whorehouse is less drama for the same rewards. It probably costs about the same as traditional dating, too. The album title is consistent with the theme of enjoying life and letting go of stress.
Tracks
After talking about the album as a whole, Keven asked about specific tracks on the album. One track in question was “Shake it Off,” which shares a name with another popular song. I have never had the displeasure of hearing the other song, so there was never any discussion of renaming the track. I know that when a Blacklist Union fan hears the words “Shake it Off,” they think of our track and not some pop music trash.
Keven was also curious about the inspiration behind “Superjaded.” The track is really about the whole town of Los Angeles. People have to power through whatever life throws at them. Eventually, it takes its toll on a person’s soul. We then talked about “Meet Me On Zen Street,” which was the most emotional song for me to write. Writing that song took me away on a spiritual retreat. It was a very therapeutic process for me.
Today’s Music Industry
The enigmatic frontman in a band is a dying breed (I’m looking at you, Nickelback), and so many “artists” don’t even write their own music. Having the same 10 people write and produce all the most popular songs takes away from the diversity of artists expressing themselves through their music. When people truly listen to the music, they can tell who’s genuine and who isn’t. Unfortunately, bands who write their own songs are few and far between these days.
Blacklist Union has always been known for letting our music do the talking. Even in a world where pop and hip-hop are taking over the mainstream, I trust that classic rock style will still stand the test of time.
You can visit Fox Force Five News’ website to read my full interview with Keven Skinner.