Originally published on Swizzle-Stick.com
Photo courtesy of Jaime Butler
Think about this for a minute – the Meat Puppets and Madonna released their debut albums within a year of each other (the Meat Puppets debut hit shelves in 1982, Madonna’s debut came out in 1983). And now, 20+ years later, both Madonna and Meat Puppets front man Curt Kirkwood have released new albums within months of each other. Coincidence? Yeah, probably so as I can’t think of any way the two are even remotely connected though I’m sure you could play “six degrees of separation” with these two and come up with some way to link them together.
It’s a bit surprising that Snow is Curt Kirkwood’s first solo album considering that the last “real” Meat Puppets studio release, No Joke, was released in 1995. Golden Lies, released in 2000 under the Meat Puppets name was really just Kirkwood backed by a number of Austin musicians rather than his brother, Cris, and Derrick Bostrom, who made up the “original” Meat Puppets from 1982 through 1995. But it’s not as if Kirkwood went into retirement and was living off the royalties from Rykodisc who re-issued the band’s seven seminal SST albums in 1999. Kirkwood has remained an active performer, playing the occasional solo or full band gig (once again, using the name Meat Puppets but remaining the only original member).
It wasn’t until Kirkwood ran into longtime friend Pete Anderson (Dwight Yoakam, Michelle Shocked, K.D. Lang, Roy Orbison, Thelonious Monster) a few years ago that he decided to go back into the studio and record some songs, the result being the ten-track Snow (released on Anderson’s Little Dog Records label).
This isn’t a CD review so I’m not going to break down Snow song-by-song but I will say this – since purchasing the CD a few weeks ago, I’ve listened to the CD a few dozen times, each time starting with the first track, “Golden Lies,” and listening all the way through to track ten, “Circles.” It’s the type of album that’s best to listen to from front to back rather than a song here and there. In many ways, the material isn’t too far removed from the Meat Puppets later material but Kirkwood seems to be more relaxed on this batch of songs than he was towards the end of the original Meat Puppets.
Quite honestly, I didn’t expect this interview to happen. In my book, Curt Kirkwood is an indie rock superstar and therefore I didn’t think he’d waste his time talking to Swizzle-Stick. Fortunately, I was wrong. Kirkwood took some time out of his day earlier this week to answer the dozen or so questions I sent to him via email and the answers are rather amusing. Enjoy.
While you’ve never sounded like a stressed-out songwriter under the gun and expected to write a hit record, your solo album sounds particularly relaxed, as if you had a really good time writing and recording these songs. How would you compare the writing and recording of this album with the other projects you’ve been involved with in the past?
A good time doing music? Yes, it was easy to record and I usually have a good time. The songs were written over the last several years and, as usual, I can’t seem to remember much about that. It’s kinda like a crossword puzzle.
Your relationship with Pete Anderson goes back many years. Would you credit him with helping realize your vision of recording a solo album or would you have wound up recording it without him had you not crossed paths in Austin?
Pete had a great deal of involvement with the vision, direction and execution of the record as well as playing much percussion, mandolin, etc. The album wouldn’t have happened without Pete.
Can you tell me a little bit about the other musicians who played on Snow? I didn’t recognize any of the names. Were they friends/acquaintances of yours or did Pete bring them in to the studio to help out?
They are all artificial life forms created in a government laboratory specifically for their functions on the record. Pete then befriended them and introduced them to me.
Having spent a great deal of your life in Arizona, you packed up shop and moved to Austin, Texas a few years ago. How has Austin fueled your music career? Would you say you’re more inspired to write music since the move or do you keep chugging along at the same rate that you did in Arizona?
I moved to L.A. for two years first and then here. I’m never inspired. I have a contract with the government to write songs.
After your move to Austin, you hooked up with some well-respected local musicians and put together a band that eventually started playing under the Meat Puppets moniker. Rumor has it that you wrote over 4 CDs worth of material with the new band members. Were those songs recorded and, if so, will they ever be released? How do they fit into the Curt Kirkwood catalog? Are they more traditional sounding Meat Puppets songs or do they sound like your solo material (which is not too far removed from the Meat Puppets)?
Some of these songs (like “Snow”) were done by the new Puppets, but not released. I wrote a lot and I have a lot to choose from consequently. They are all traditional rip-offs of other bands (Britney Spears, Coldplay, etc.)
Are the Meat Puppets still a functioning band or have you put them on hold (or even retired the name) now that you’ve released a solo album?
The Meat Puppets were never truly functional, more so, the Pups were a paradigm of immaculate dysfunction and well-ordered chaos. Today the Meat Puppets remain active as a trained mouse circus presently on tour in Russia. They can be called back to active duty as musicians at my whimsy.
Is touring something you are even thinking about or will your on-the-road promotional efforts for this record be limited to a few choice appearances at friendly haunts and music festivals such as SXSW and/or CMJ?
Tour I shall.
Do you have a favorite song on Snow? I’m really drawn to “Box of Limes” though when I listen to the album (and I’ve done so quite bit over the past few weeks), it’s always front to back rather than just a song or two at a time. It’s a really cohesive sounding record and flows really well.
That’s like playing favorites with your children. Let’s just say that I hate them all equally, but “Snow”and “Movin’ On” are cool. I agree that the album flows well song to song and stands on it’s own as a single piece of work.
On “Here Comes Forever” you sing, “When I’m busy doing nothing, it’s a childhood dream come true / Inside I’m busy thinking of the good things that I’ll do”. What is a typical day in your life like? Are you speaking in the first person in this song? What type of good things do you dream about doing?
Yes, I like to waste time. I’m kidding about the good things. As I am Nosferatu — I think only of evil.
Austin is known for having a great music nightlife. Do you make it out to see bands very often? If so, what are your favorite clubs? I’ve been to Austin twice (’04 and ’05), both times for SXSW and had a blast. I can’t imagine it’s as crazy and fun year round as it is during that week, but it still must be a great place to live and see live music.
I don’t go out a lot, but Austin is a very nice place to live thanks to the local government’s “free cocaine and sex” program. Also if you can swing it, a trip to Big Bend national park is a good thing. It’s a 7-hour drive from here but that’s not far considering the rewarding beauty and solitude one may experience in the Chihuahuan desert. A must for all true music fans!
Do you keep up with any of your old friends from the music world? (Many years ago, around the time of Too High to Die, I interviewed your brother for a magazine called MOO. The ladies from Scrawl were occasional contributors to MOO and when they heard I was interviewing the Meat Puppets they asked me to pass along their greetings).
Yea! Scrawl Rules!! We had a blast touring with those gals. Howdy back at ya.
And, finally, you’ve seen and done a lot in your career. What are you most proud of? What do you hope people remember you for? What are you still hoping to accomplish? And, it must be asked, what is your biggest regret?
I want to be remembered for my burning desire to be remembered. I’m very proud of my two wonderful offspring Mary-Kate and Ashley. I have nothing I wish to accomplish and I regret that with all my heart.
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