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The Mr. T Experience

 







On a different note, a lot of your songs are about females. I was wondering if the band is pretty active in that area, or do you just write songs about girls to cover the fact that you're actually dateless?
I have been around the block (laughter). But you know, the thing is that it just takes one, you just have to have your heart broken one time and you could write a million songs about it. So it's not like, there are 16 songs on this record and there were 16 different women. It's just different angles of the same experience, and it could be inspired by one person or another, or one particular person, or several, or just an imaginary one, or whatever.

"Even Hitler Had a Girlfriend" really hits me right now.
Yeah? All right, good. (laughs) See, I know there's a vast legion of people who would relate to it, if only they could ever hear it.

Definitely. So who is the unlucky fellow who got the "Psycho Girl"?
That would be me (laughter). That's a real girl.

I actually dedicated that song to an ex-girlfriend of mine. She was a psycho girl.
Really? They turn up. I had a real psycho one. You wouldn't believe it if I told you some of the crazy things she did. Let's just say it's a true story.

I don't want to sound like, um...okay, I'll just ask you: Did you get any shit from feminists about "God Bless America"?
You know, there have been times when I've had conversations like that. The thing that I say to people who complain about that is they do not understand; it's not like I want to say they don't understand me, or don't understand my song -- it's they don't understand life.
     That song is supposed to be funny, but the situation where you want somebody to do something and you're trying to figure out a way to get them to do it, it's not like just guys do that. It's not like there's never been a girl before who hasn't tried to get their boyfriend to change something about himself. There's a thing that a lot of people -- but not that many anymore -- it's a very retro thing to be so hyper-concerned about Oh you can't let that pass, because it's wrong to think that hairy legs aren't sexy because for whatever reason it is, you know?

"It's not like I want to say they don't understand me, or don't understand my song -- it's they don't understand life."


     But basically I think that it's only a weird sort of person these days that would be upset by it and what I always tell them is that way more girls like this band than most other punk rock bands, and I think maybe part of the reason is that our bass player is a really cute guy (laughter). But I would like to say that I believe that a lot of it has to do with the fact that the songs are honest and people can relate to it who aren't exactly like me. And I think that you have thoughts, dealings, and actions which aren't necessarily always edifying and wonderful.
     The thing is I'm not in a contest to be the least offensive or the most politically correct songwriter; I'm just being honest about situations. And if there's a character in a song that would say a certain thing, I just happen to say it, you know? I don't think "Uh oh, thing is gonna really rub people the wrong way." There was a time in the past when that reaction was worse, especially in San Francisco because it's such a politically correct place.

I know some punks got upset with "God Bless America" because...
Did you ever meet anyone that was upset by it?

Well, I play that album at work sometimes and there definitely are some overly-political correct people there. I think they're in their own world and they're just taking it the wrong way, and they don't know your music.
Right, people have to understand -- that's the thing. Kevin Army, our producer, he is always really vigilant and scared about...like he's got a girlfriend who's upset every time there's a song that's even slightly "wrong" or whatever. But even he's even admitted after that if you know the whole point of view that everything comes from, it's not quite the same as what people are being vigilant against.
     But I'll tell you something: a lot of people love that song and I'd say ninety percent of the people who request that are women. Girls like it, so if that means that if you're a feminist you want to resign from being a girl, that's okay. But it's true -- they like it, and I think it's because it's honest and it's funny. And they know...I mean, there's never been a girlfriend in the history of the world that hasn't wanted their boyfriend to change something about them. I always say "What would you think if your boyfriend grew a mustache?" "Oh no, no! I would never go out with someone with a mustache!"

I'll show the people at my work this interview...
Then they'll organize a lynch mob (laughter).

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