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stay below 92 on the FM dial, and there’ s always weird stuff, like college shows or foreign DJs playing random stuff. And you can find such a magical world of modern weirdness and classic unheard-of stuff. So you just listen to that and Shazam it, this world of magical music unknown to most people. But with Cult, we’ ve kind of pared everything down on the label side. But Promised Land is this guy we have who’ s really cool, and we’ re putting out the Surf Borts record. But we’ re doing less and less of that. It’ s not that I don’ t like doing it, but just working collaboratively, I prefer doing it with people I know, and who I know how to work with. Because it can basically go awry really easily, and if things go bad, it’ s always your fault. I don’ t know how music business people do it – it seems really hard.
IE: What do you know now that you didn’ t get in the“ Is This It” beginning? JC: I guess what we were talking about earlier comes to mind – that continuing sober confidence inside you in this crazy world is much more powerful and important, gratifying and enjoyable than the short-cut party way. And I’ m not saying this as some anti-drug PSA. But I guess people are in a little more control these days. And they might not even need that.
IE: You still can’ t help thinking‘ If only I had all the money back from my cocaineand-crack twenties. Holy crap, would I be rich!” JC: Yeah. But if you can learn to be that way without the drugs, you dig a lot fewer graves. I just wish the people I admired hadn’ t glorified drugs. But you believe it and think,“ I like The Doors. So I need to drink a bottle of whiskey like Jim Morrison, then I can be The Doors.” And on some level, I get it. I’ m human, and as a kid, you can think someone’ s unattainable if they’ re just sitting on a motorcycle, smoking a cigarette. But it’ s the equivalent of playing Russian Roulette. He doesn’ t fear anything, and that’ s an admirable quality, and you’ re drawn to those things. But then when it comes to your own life, you always end up taking the shortcuts. Maybe that’ s the problem with the world today. That’ s kind of ingrained in our society.
Appearing at Riot Fest in Chicago ' s Douglas Park. september 2018 illinoisentertainer. com 39