Jeffrey Lewis

The kids from Rien were just recently introduced to the greatness that is Jeffrey Lewis (see the concert review here) and we thought that you all need to know a bit more about the guy. Oh yes you do.

rien: When and how did you start making music?
Jeffrey: I had a year or two of piano lessons, but didn't study it much. Found I could make a couple chords on a guitar sound like a song more easily than a bunch of scales and stuff on piano. Scales were more for "jamming" and playing Rolling Stones songs with friends in high school, guitar was more for playing alone and writing years later in a lonely winter in 1997, learning some finger picking and stuff.

rien: Did it come very naturally for you and your brother, Jack, to play together? You guys make an excellent team.
Jeffrey: Yeah, we shared a room all our life, playing together is definitely a natural thing, we learned together. We disagree a lot but we need each other.



rien: Who are your great examples/influences in music and arts/comics? I heard you were a big Daniel Johnston fan and I also noticed the mention of 'David Boring' in your Austin Diary, the latter itself being reminiscent of Harvey Pekar's work.
Jeffrey: Daniel Johnston was a big big original influence when I started writing songs, I was about 21 I guess. Also Donovan, Pearls Before Swine, Skip Spence's "Oar" album, these were huge things for me and got me going. I'm not a big Harvey Pekar fan (unless Crumb is drawing), much prefer Joe Matt's stuff ("Peepshow"), Joe Matt has been a massive influence on my comics and my music. Dan Clowes, Rick Veitch, Alan Moore, Jack Kirby, all big stuff for me.

rien: Concerning the first part of your Austin Diary I had one burning question: what happened to George, did he meet a ghastly alcohol induced end?
Jeffrey: I eventually got some death threats from him; then actually bumped into him in the street in London, but rather than try to kill me he was quite nice and later came to my show but I don't keep up a correspondance. He sent me some of his recordings, some good stuff. Has a weird song about me. Don't know where he is now.

rien: My boyfriend loved your Austin Diary, he really relates to how your character (well... you) thinks and reacts. Have you had any responses from other young men who felt the same way and does it make you feel warm and fuzzy inside when you notice you're not alone in the way you are?
Jeffrey: "The most personal things are the most universal" they say. Though enjoying someone's comics is different than enjoying them in person.




rien: Which side of you would you say is stronger, the drawing or the musical side? Perhaps the two are too entwined to be seen separately?
Jeffrey: I like to think the comics side is stronger, it has been my companion all my life, but in the past couple years i give most of my time to music and the art side gets the shaft more often than not. Don't know what this will lead to. I always think that music is a passing thing and art will last my whole life, but who can say.

rien: Seeing how the political atmosphere is in the world at the moment (and how everyone and their dog seem to have an opinion of some sorts about the current situation), this question shouldn't come as too big of a surprise, but do you feel people in general react more hostile to you, an American, when touring outside of the US?
Jeffrey: No, people understand that a conservative government has nothing to do with the average American artist-type; I get sympathy, not hostility.

rien: Do you think TV is the root of all evil?
Jeffrey: No.

rien: I saw you live a while ago when you opened for CocoRosie and Devendra Banhart and totally loved your low-tech automatic page turning comic story songs. For the second story song (I Saw a Hippie Girl on 8th Ave.) you decided not to use the mic, any special reason why? I thought it might simply be because you wanted to be 'closer' to the audience, but I'm most probably pulling that out of my arse, right?
Jeffrey: Yeah, it always feels closer to the audience to not use a mic. you don't really need it if there's no drums or amplified music happening, even if it's a big room. people have been performing for thousands of years, mics are a recent invention! Also a mic gets in the way when I'm showing my "low budget videos". And it's a nice change of pace.



rien: Do you have any comics or music coming out soon that we should be looking forward to? Any new projects? I heard writing a novel is rather hip amongst fellow musicians.
Jeffrey: I just published the first issue of my new comic series "Guff", I'm really excited about it, check www.TheJeffreyLewisSite.com for details! No novel on the horizon, thankfully!
rien: If you heard that you only have 24 hours left to live, would you be content with what you've achieved up 'till now? (it's a silly question)
Jeffrey: No way! I'm way way behind in all the things I want to do. I'll never catch up!

Thanks Thanks Thanks to Jeffrey, once again.

The rest of the photos of the concert are available here or through the Documents section.


Links:
TheJeffreyLewisSite.com
Rough Trade America
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