This year, the band Everclear celebrated the 30th anniversary of their debut album Sparkle and Fade being released in 1995. The band had seen a few personnel changes as well as countless changes in the world around them. They’ve seen quite a few musical comrades fall to the wayside along their journey, yet they remain musically active releasing albums and touring. It’s hard to think that the band hasn’t played the Whisky A Go Go during that time, but they had not until December of last year. To commemorate the occasion, they decide to record it and it was released last month. Live At The Whisky A Go Go captures the band brilliantly, with its raw intensity and deeply personally lyrics that resonate with so many fans. The band is currently out on the road and we caught a few free minutes of lead vocalist Art Alexakis’ time to sit down and have a talk.
Art Alexakis/Everclear: Hi Johnny, how are you today?
I made the wake-up call today Art, so I am blessed.
Every day is a blessing as far as I’m concerned.
You guys have two big things going on right now. One is your current tour and the other is your new album. What was the decision making behind deciding to record that show?
To take the mystery out of it, it’s a live record recorded a year ago, December 1st, in Hollywood at the Whiskey A Go-Go. It was fun to play there. I’ve been there before but never played there. I got hit up by a friend of mine who used to work at Capitol Records and he’s working at an indie label now. He asked if we wanted to do a record and we figured a live record from there will be very cool, so that’s where it started. We played the show and videotaped it and it came together really organically. What you see is what you get. The guitars sound great, the drums and vocals sound great. There are 15 tracks plus two studio tracks that we recorded last year called “Year Of The Tiger” and “Sing Away” which was originally on my solo album ‘Sun Songs. “Sing Away” is about bullying and suicide.
We did a video for it and there’s been a huge response from people all over the world about it. It was released a week before Suicide Prevention Week and it’s really important to talk about mental health and destigmatize it. I’m doing Everclear like I’ve always done Everclear and talking about the things that I want to talk about and write songs about the things I want to write songs about.
I saw the video and have to admit that it hit me really hard. That’s a pretty powerful video Art.
Thank you and I appreciate you saying that. We wanted to do a video that had the message of the song and showed the band playing live, but at the same time talk about the subject matter in a sensitive, personal and respectful way. I feel like everything that happened with this record really came together without a lot of drama and having to fight. That says a lot for a band that’s been together for forever and ever and ever. We’re still around doing this so that’s exciting to happen for anybody.
How’s the tour been going?
We played seven shows in eight days (laughs) and we have four in a row a day off and five in a row and two days off.
That’s a heck of a pace for any band!
It is (laughs), but it’s really going good.
It’s no secret that you’ve been doing this a while having already celebrated your 30th anniversary. I’m curious with so many changes that have happened in the industry, what’s one positive aspect of touring now as opposed to the 90’s?
I can’t say whether there is an industry at this point it’s more of a music business, but I’d say one of the positive things about touring now is the fact that we have Zoom and FaceTime. I can see my family every day, several times a day. I’m about to get on the phone call with them next and check on my wife. It just makes life so much better in that essence and so much stronger to be able to do that. My daughter sees me every day which my other daughters didn’t have that which led to a lot of disconnect for sure.
I have a fan question from Twitter or X from Dead Noise Blog and it may be a tough one. What’s one song of yours that you love that you don’t get to play very often?
Well there’s a song that we recorded. I don’t know if I love it but it came out great. It was recording on our last full studio record Black Is The New Black which is the heaviest rock record that we’ve ever done. There’s a song on their called “You” that is about me finally talking about and writing about being raped and abused and beaten when I was eight. We recorded it and it was great but I thought I am never going to play that song ever. I don’t think we’ve ever played that song and I’ve had people ask for it and I’m like sorry, not sorry, but I’m not going to play that. It’s like going to see a movie like Schindler’s List. Did you ever see Schindler’s List?
Yes, just once.
I saw it once, it was awesome, it was amazing and it left me damaged and drained and I’m like I will never have to see that again.
It shook you to the core.
Exactly.
Once was enough and I barely made it through once. Going back to the new album, how do you gauge how successful a new album is these days? You used to look at Billboard to see your chart position, but that’s really changed.
You don’t pay attention to it because record sales don’t really matter anymore. It used to be record sales were everything so you toured to increase and support your record sales. Now you put out a piece of product or a record to have with your merch sales to augment your touring. Everything goes around touring, merchandise, VIP meet and greet access and that kind of thing like podcast and all that stuff it all goes around touring because that’s how you generate income for the band. Luckily we’re a band that’s have a lot of success and our songs have impacted people and they’re still getting played on the radio and because of that it’s allowed us a pretty good career of touring. This year we will probably hit 100 shows. We’re still trying to book a New Year’s gig which will put us at 100. 100 shows are incredible for any band that’s been around 30 plus years.
That’s pretty awesome! Speaking of shows, is there any chance of a Summerland tour next year?
Maybe, I don’t know we’ll see. Right now I’m in the middle of this tour so I’m not really thinking about it
Art, we end our talks with something fun called Three for the Road. It’s three maybe not so typical questions that we like to ask. Do you remember who your first celebrity crush was?
I remember when I was 13 or 14; I’d have to say my first celebrity crush was Valerie Bertinelli. She was a teenage actress on the show called One Day At a Time and she later went on to marry Eddie Van Halen. She was my very first crush.
I think a lot of us had a crush on her, I definitely remember that show absolutely. What posters did you have on your wall growing up?
My mom wouldn’t let me have posters so I would take the centerfolds out of Circus magazine and Cream magazine or Maximum Rock and Roll and I would put them up. She’d make me take them down from time to time. She was a born again Christian. I’d say they were probably Nugent or Zeppelin or Aerosmith. I don’t listen to Nugent anymore just because of his political nonsense. Then it changed to Ramones and Sex Pistols and Clash but by that time I was 17 and playing in bands.
If you could have anyone voice your own inner voice, who would it be?
(Laughs) That’s a good one; I’d have to think about that. It’d probably be Morgan Freeman; I want my inner voice to sound like him (laughs). Conscience-wise, I’d want one of my favorite writers like Robert Heinlein or Curt Vonnegut or somebody like that but they would sound in my head like Morgan Freeman.
Well, that’s a wrap Art! I appreciate your time and look forward to seeing you guys next week.
Thanks Johnny and thanks for the continued support from you guys.
Interview by I’m Music Magazine Owner/Editor Johnny Price
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