Interviews

Marvelous 3 peaked in 1998, when the song "Freak of the Week" became a sizable hit. Oddly enough, the song broke before they were signed to a recording contract. After the song was hit Elektra Records signed the band and together they produced two albums (the '98 and 2000 releases). But Butch grew disenchanted with Elektra , left them, and then he spent a year producing albums for such bands as Injected and SR-71 and many others . For various reasons, the M3 dismembered, but the heart and soul of the band, Butch Walker , decided to go solo. He quickly signed a contract with Arista, and wrote, produced, and performed on his solo album, Left of Self-Centered (2002) and the follow up release Letters ( 2004). He continues to tour with major artists in stadiums and smaller venues where he often takes out similar bands of note and helps gain them exposure. That's Butch - a real musician, and a true artist. We sat down with Butch for a quick catch up on his new tour for the album "Letters" , out now.

It's obvious to those in Detroit that the great rock revival we all dream of , just isn't going to happen, so are you content with where you are now - producing, and doing solo albums ?

Butch : Yeah, I'm very happy, considering it's an impossible time to make it as a rock and roll artist today. Well, maybe not impossible...but its extremely prefabricated. I mean, today you just go out and get a Franz Ferdinand haircut, then it'll be somebody else the week after that . It's all shifting way too fast these days, there way too much going on, and nothing is sticking. We are victims of mass consumption here, ( all ) americans. So I would have to say that I'm extremely happy to play to new fans , and play to the fans I've had for the past five to ten years. It's nice that I can go out and play to 14 year olds as I open for Avril and then have them turn into some of my biggest fans. At the same time it's nice to still be able to play to my fans and friends who have been following me since I was a teenager. Producing is icing on the cake, as it pays very well - and frees up my ability to take more chances with my solo career. I don't have to hear - wow ! I wish the last record would have sold more...I can say, you know what ? I don't care !

I spoke to Tommy Stinson ( ex REPLACEMENTS / BASH AND POP ) who said very much the same thing regarding recording with Guns N Roses. He told me it allowed him to make 3 solo albums and tour..and not to worry about going platinum.

Butch : It's pretty punk rock if you ask me. I don't think that's selling out at all. Everybody would love to make the record THEY want to make. Think about all the bands of the punk ethic that signed major record deals, and then had to be concerned about putting out "hits" for radio.

You've had enough success that that your old $100 station wagon is a thing of the past...Now that you've tasted success with the Marvelous 3, and toured with Avril Lavigne and had Nikki Sixx play bass on your album, whats next for you following this tour ?

Butch : I want to do a lot of things , but producing also mass consumes my life. Whenever I'm not touring or making solo records, I'm producing. If I can find the time I will have another band down the road ..but I don't want to put to much thought into it. Do a band for fun, and to let off steam...somehow ironically it'll probably turn out be the biggest thing I've ever done !

That pretty much the idea behind Ryan Adams new band The Cardinals. The record label apparently demanded it be RYAN ADAMS and The Cardinals, as opposed to simply THE CARDINALS.

Butch : I'm a big fan of Ryan Adams, and about two months ago he had a hidden part on his website my manager told me about . You clicked on it, and it took you to a phone conversation with his label about how he needed to be called a band name ...it was really funny. He was saying how he wanted to be called like "Robotomaton" , and how that should be his new band name, people don't care about solo artists anymore.

You recently covered a CARS song as an extra track on the CD single for MIXTAPE ( off the new album LETTERS) . You have a lot of pop rock - 80's rock era influences in your music.

Butch: Very Much so...

Theres a new show on NBC called "Hit Me Baby One More Time " where 80's bands The Knack, Flock of Seagulls and more - who had one hit wonders get another chance to have a comeback. If you could pick a band, is there any artists , who influenced you that you'd like to like to do something with ? Meaning more established artists, as opposed to new up and coming artists ?

Butch: Thats hilarious. Well, I mean sure, if someone asked me if I could work with CHEAP TRICK tommorrow on a song , I would HAVE TO DO IT just to fulfill a destiny of years of being influenced by that band. I don't know that it would ever SELL, because America is too fickle about that. Duran Duran has a new album thats fantastic, probably the best thing they've done in years, but it'll never sell as much as The REFLEX . Thats just the way it is. But I'd do it to fulfill a self wish of mine.

It's obvious with your gift of comedy and self mockey, a movie or comedy seems an ideal project. Everyone in Detroit refers to cetain styles of rock as Cookie Monster Vocals ( A joke Butch makes on ROCK VOCAL POWER on his first Solo LP - Left of Self-Centered) ...

Butch : Oh yeah..Cookie Monster Rock ( rolls eyes) ...Cookie monster rock...

I know you are focusing on music now - but your fans would love a walk on, or supporting part. I strongly suggest you do something with Henry Rollins, your comedy timing seems spot on with his. Are their artists you'd like to work with ? In arenas OTHER than music ?

Butch : He's an awesome dude too , Henry -( Henry Rollins , of Black Flag / Rollins Band ) but I dunno ... he'd probably hate my guts . He's pretty closed minded about his musical taste. Where me, I have appreciated and hated his projects over the years. As a artist first, producer second I have to be careful about jumping into situations like that . I've read for parts over the years but I probably didn't get them because I didn't do them ( the parts) like they wanted me too, or the timing wasn't right , or maybe it wasn't just the right time in my life to do something like that . I think when the time is right , something like that will come around .

You told Rolling Stone once, that you like to break up solid hits intead of spewing them all out on one album. Do you still feel that way, or going into your third solo work ...do you perhaps feel, now its time to spit out the Butch Walker Sgt Peppers ?

Butch : Well, obviously I'm not that kinda of artist where it's easy to break up hits. When I get put together with artists like Avril or Pink..or even The Donna's
it ends up being easier to write " A HIT" because I don't have to think about how I am going to make the song work for me...I know it'll be marketed, pushed or whatever by someone else. I mean even artists like The White Stripes, who are marketing geniuses understand. Its not like marketing isn't part of it. I'm always happy when someone in the industry comes up to me, and is clueless about what I'm trying to do. They say things like " I don't know why you give away your best songs..." They just don't get it if they think my BEST songs are the hits on others peoples albums.

It always seems as if people's favorite songs are never the 'singles" off the hit album , but the deeper cuts.

Butch : Because they're not always the best songs in the world. The great songs are the songs that are heady. It's not something Joe Blow can wrap his ears around, because he's not a music LOVER, but a music LISTENER. They want to hear chorus chorus chorus or generally a melody ( Butch Breaks into song )
" ohhh , I'm tired, I'm ohhh, tired. I'm so Tired. "
Oh man, me too. I'm tired, I'm gonna go home and chill . Or like ...
" I miss you, I miss you....I miss you..."
Oh yeah, I miss my girlfriend too. C'mon. They don't want to hear about a woman who's been beaten severely by her boyfriend so she kills him. But you don't SAY THAT , instead you write it in a subtle heady way.

To wrap things up, we'll do a rapid word association. I'l rapid fire some current subjects and you give me your thoughts ! Here we go :

Revenge of the Sith
Butch : Saw it last nite ! Thumbs sideways. I've never been a huge Star Wars "after/pre-quel " fan. But it was the best one ( of the prequels) I can say I know have a slight crush on Darth Vader ! Never new he was such a looker ! ( in reference to Anakin Skywalker/ Vader actor Hayden Christianson)
George Bush
Butch : Ugh. Gross
Detroit
Butch : Love it . Rock. I can't say rock city, everyone else does. Rock Land !
Myspace
Butch : Essential for an artist. The new record label, how about that ?
I-pod
Butch : The new record labels friend , as oppossed to the OLD record company's enemy !
( a sly reference to the MP3 wars the Record Labels used to wage ) .