Interviews

On November 4, 2010, I interviewed John backstage at Brixton South Bay (Redondo Beach, CA) before his acoustic show there. In the Green Room, I asked John some pretty interesting questions…and he had some pretty surprising answers! Hopefully, you’ll discover stuff about John that you never knew about. I certainly learned a lot!

A couple of days ago on a radio show, you were talking about playing sports in school. But, how about music?

When I was young, my mom was a music teacher and we put on some musicals in elementary school, so I did that. I was Tony in West Side Story…that was my big claim to fame.

Did you ever play any instruments in a band?

No, I did play trumpet, but I never played in a band. And, even through college, very few music courses because what I was doing…at least at that time…had nothing to do with getting a music degree. I took a couple of courses in theory.

So, the story goes you started college at USC, but transferred to UCLA after a year. Why did you change schools?

I always wanted to go to UCLA, but I couldn’t get in. The fact that the major I wanted to get into was virtually impossible. I made the mistake of going in undeclared…I didn’t have good enough grades. So, I went to USC and got good grades and I went to UCLA and finished there. I wasn’t wild about my USC experience.

Your mom attended USC. Was she disappointed when you transferred?

Nah, they don’t care. They just wanted me to be happy. And, even though I was studying and doing well and getting my degree and all that stuff, the main focus was still writing songs and recording songs and doing that.

When you graduated from college and were trying to pursue your music career, how were you going about doing that?

I started writing a lot, I was trying to pitch songs, I got a few little publishing deal things for songs. I was writing with different people and I was singing a lot. I was taking voice and I started playing a few little clubs in Hollywood. The Coconut Teaszer. There’s a little room at the bottom of the Coconut Teaszer called the 8121 that was about as big as this room.

So, how old were you at that time?

I was in my early 20’s. I never played a lot of gigs. I did some, but I wasn’t like in bands and all that stuff. I was really busy writing songs and writing songs. But, yeah, I played down there for almost ten years, off and on, but never really toured till I had a record to tour. So, yeah, those years after college was still a lot of writing and recording demos, that whole thing.

What kind of music were you doing?

Well, when I got out of college I actually got into a band with all the ex-members of Pat Benatar’s band. They were all twenty years older than me. But, they were nice guys and we were doing rock at the time like Bon Jovi rock. And, we were good…got a big management deal. But, luckily we didn’t happen because grunge came around the corner and that whole scene died within weeks. So, I went back and started writing piano songs and eventually got my deal on my own with music that was a little more relevant to what I was good at.

Do you remember your very first live performance in front of an audience by yourself?

As I said, when I was a kid, I was doing those shows so I was used to being in front of people. I had someone I could talk to…friends with me. But, yeah, I’m sure I was very nervous. You know, it’s a scary thing going up there. But, all those gigs kind of run together. But, I’m sure I was very excited to get paid twenty bucks to play for an hour.

Back in 2006, you took a little fall on stage at the 9:30 Club in DC. Were you embarrassed when you fell off the piano?

Nope. No. That was kind of fifth story.

(John’s tour manager Al Vermue pipes in) That was a good show.

Yeah. If you can jump on your piano too long a time, then eventually you fall.

My friend Johnny was in the front row and got a good view of it.

I know, I’m very lucky I didn’t break my arm or crack my head open. I mean, I had a bruise for like weeks when I fell off the piano. I’ve fallen, but never had that sort of stage dive. But, you know, part of doing what I do is there’s going to be moments when you put yourself out there…mikes ain’t going to work. You know, bench is going to tip over, feedback…it’s just part of the live thing, and you gotta go for it sometimes. And, when you go for it, stuff like that is going to happen. But, you know, I can’t think of a rock and roll dude who hasn’t fallen off the stage. (laughs) Right, Al? Everybody crashes.

You’ve been singing for awhile. Do you think your voice has changed at all over the years?

My voice has always had that kind of sound ever since I started doing voice. But, it’s gotten stronger. When I was younger I tried to scream a little more. If you listen to Message For Albert, there’s definitely a lot more screaming, a little more rock edge to that. Easy Tonight, too, even has a rock edge. But, it’s not like my voice changed. I think I was just younger and trying to be a little more of a rock guy even though that wasn’t my forte. I mean, I just listened to…we’re doing this record called Playlist which is kind of a greatest hits record, and it has songs from every record. And, especially the last four albums, the voice is the voice. It’s mixed a little different ways sometimes, but I don’t think it’s changed much in the last ten years.

Speaking of Message For Albert, I’ve always wondered what is that song White Picket Fence about?

White Picket Fence? That’s about never knowing exactly who you’re sleeping next to or who you’re having a relationship with.

It sounds very sinister.

Yeah, a little bit. There have always been dark Five For Fighting songs. Janey is a very dark song. White Picket Fence is kind of dark. It’s kind of like, be careful what you wish for, and sometimes, the grass is not always greener…especially some of those earlier records. There’s some…Michael Jordan is a very dark song. Hard to remember some of those songs. But, Bella’s a dark song if you listen to it…sad. But, White Picket Fence, you know, it’s also a song of longing, too. I like that song. That song is one of those on that record that stands up today. That record has some bad songs on it, but also has some good songs.

What’s a bad song?

I don’t know…I’ll leave that to the listener (laughs).

There’s a gal in Chicago…she’s a big Josh Groban fan…who asked about you working with him again. You had mentioned collaborating with him on some songs on his new album, Illuminations.

Nothing on his new record. This is all Josh…this one we didn’t do anything. We got together a little bit early on, but he was definitely in a direction he wanted to pursue. More power to him…he’s a great guy. For someone who’s achieved that level of stardom.

So, you haven’t worked with him lately?

There’s nothing on this record that I’m a part of, and I wish him a lot of success. Knowing Josh, it will be a big record.

You collaborated with Josh on February Song (on Josh Groban’s 2006 Awake album). How much of that song is you?

On that song, most of the verses are mine. I think the choruses were more of a joint effort. I was only the lyric guy on that song, but the title’s mine. But, that’s a nice song. It was fun to write that with him.

So, how many guitars do you own?

Not many. I just have a couple of acoustic guitars, a couple of electric guitars.

You don’t have that Gibson you played back in 2004 anymore?

No, no. No, I have this guy (gesturing to the guitar next to him) and a really nice one.

Do you still have that really old…was it a Martin (John played a Martin dreadnought in the early 2000s)?

Yeah, I have an old Martin. That one doesn’t leave the house.

So, how many record albums to you have? Do you have stuff from like the very beginning…like, do you still have it?

My stuff? No. I have a few Message For Alberts. Yeah, you know, I can get as many as I want. But, I don’t keep a lot.

No, but I mean your own personal…

Oh, you mean other artists? I don’t have any records. You don’t have any records? No. I’m not a big music fan. (laughs)

Didn’t you say you had a Stevie Wonder album?

I used to. I don’t know where all those things went. They might be somewhere, but I haven’t seen any of the vinyl stuff. I mean, I have a few. You know, if I want to listen to something, I’ll just download it or buy the CD. But, I don’t have all the old vinyl stuff, or at least I don’t know where it is. I used to have a bit larger CD collection, but I don’t listen to a ton of music. No, I’m not a muso…Greg is. Suran is. Some guys in my band are big vinyl collectors and big music collectors and music historians. So much of my life revolves around music, when I’m not doing it, I have other interests that eat up my time. But, you know, maybe it’s time to start getting back into stuff. But, I probably have 30 or 40 CDs. And, I have my iTtunes…a zillion songs on there.

So, where do you keep your Gold and Platinum albums? Do you have them up on the wall…or in a box.

Carla (John’s wife) hung ‘em up. Yeah, I kept them in the garage, but Carla hung ‘em up.

You’re not really into awards?

You know, the further you get from them, the more kind of nostalgic you are about ‘em because nobody gets them anymore. You know, very few people have those. But, yeah, it’s a nice symbol of a really exciting time of my career, but I’ve never been one for lining the walls with gold and platinum records.

But, it was exciting for you to attend the Grammy Awards (John was nominated in 2002)?

Yeah, I mean at the time, the Grammys was like kind of cool thing. Then, you kind of get cynical about the Grammys when you kind of know what goes on behind the scenes. But, yeah, the whole time of early success, and having songs on the radio and being popular and celebrity, it’s a very exciting time of certain challenges. But, no, it was surreal.

When you see the type of music that’s winning all the awards...

Yeah, a lot of people write about it, but you can make a list of the people who haven’t won Grammys and it’s more impressive than those who have or been nominated. But, part of the Grammys is a commercial enterprise to sell records, and part of it is a kind of music showcase of great artists, and they do both. But, certainly music is not what it used to be.

When you’re not watching sports or movies on television, do you watch anything else?

On TV? Every once in awhile I’ll watch an HBO show. I was into the older HBO shows, like Rome and The Wire. But, I don’t watch any kind of sitcoms, which I should actually because my songs are used in those so much. That I should really have more of a sense of what’s going on, I think probably do me good. But, I just don’t have the time to sit there, you know, with the kids…

Do you watch CSI: NY (starring John’s good friend, actor Gary Sinise)?

I might see my friend Gary every once in a while, I’ll flip it. I watch that because Gary’s my friend, not because I watch a lot of TV. But, if I see a friend of mine on there, I’ll see what they’re doing. But, yeah, I’m very TV ignorant, but, you know, we don’t watch a lot of TV in the house.

I met Gary about ten years ago, up at Vancouver Airport. He was filming Mission To Mars up there.

Oh, yeah…that’s a good movie. Yeah, great guy! Love Gary Sinise.

Yeah, hopefully I’ll get to see him play bass someday.

Oh, yes…Lt Dan Band is awesome.

Now, I’ve heard that you once tried to play hockey?

I played when I got out of school…I signed up for an adult league. I taught myself to skate and play, but it was all for fun. I was more than good, but I got in shape and I had some buddies and did that for a few years until I started getting hand injuries all the time with hockey.

Wasn’t there something about the puck hitting you in the head?

I did score a goal in my first game with a puck getting shot off my helmet into the net.

What position did you play?

Oh, God…probably wing or forward or something.

If you hadn’t made it in this industry, what do you think you would be doing?

Probably running my dad’s business with him. Or, teaching. ..or wanted to.

Teaching what?

I don’t know. I’d probably be teaching something. But, I’d probably be running my dad’s business with him, most likely. And, it’s very possible that I’ll end up doing that.

You think so?

Yeah. And, that could be cool.

Well, I guess that’s all I have.

Very good questions!

A huge THANK YOU to John for enduring the hotseat…it was fun! Also, many thanks to Steve at Aware Records for helping to make it happen, John’s tour manager Al for his assistance, and the Brixton South Bay for playing host to an awesome Five For Fighting show that night!