Ravinia 2019, Issue 1, Week 2

part of me. That’s certainly where a lot of the songs come from too. When you’re depressed, you look inward a lot and try to figure out what’s going on, maybe more than you normally would. I think that helps a writer, for sure, if you’re introspective. “Suicide Manifesto” was certainly a dark place to be. Was that your catharsis? Actually, that one depressed the heck out of me. [ Laughs .] Originally it was six minutes long, but after I did a demo in my studio, [the sound mixer] and I just looked at each other and we were like, “Wow, that sucks.” But I liked the song, so I cut it down to two minutes so it would be not too much. Are you happy now, whatever your definition of happy is? There are moments when I’m really pleased and feel good in my life and in my skin; a lot of my depression was driven by self-loathing. I do feel good. I’m doing a lot of writing. Writing is a good place to put all that stuff you’re telling yourself, so I rely on that real heavily. Why did you go the soap opera route just as your music was finally taking off? Because I felt the album [ Working Class Dog ] wasn’t going to be successful. I had three albums that hadn’t done anything, and it was like I couldn’t take being beat anymore. The record company kept delaying its release because it was all ballads; disco was still on the radio and there was nowhere pop-rock albums fit. I got offered this General Hospital role, and with the fact that I was always scraping and trying to get by [since I had come to America] when they offered an actual way for me to earn a wage, I took it. Keith Olsen, who produced “Jessie’s Girl,” came to me when the album was finished and said, “You don’t need this soap opera.” I just didn’t have enough faith in it. Who do you listen to nowadays? I like the heavier, darker stuff. I like Billie Eilish. But I also listen to Tool, Porcupine Tree, The Beatles; I just redownloaded Jesus Christ Superstar . Why Superstar ? I always loved it. When [the movie] came out, I’d go see it at the theater with my girlfriend. If you could star in the musical, what role would you play? Who doesn’t want to be Jesus? [ Laughs .] The ultimate tragic figure. Miriam Di Nunzio is the Entertainment Arts Editor for the Chicago Sun-Times . MAY 31, 2019 – JUNE 16, 2019 | RAVINIA MAGAZINE 33