Gus Black is the talented singer/songwriter that was never even looking to release an album in the United States. But independent label Cheap Lullaby was so entranced by what they heard of Blacks newest album, Autumn Days, they felt American audiences had a right to hear it.
Buy Autumn Days
Daniel Robert Epstein: I read the inspiration for the new album was a breakup.
Gus Black: That cannot be denied.
DRE: Was it a new breakup?
GB: It was a girlfriend who was essentially the love of my life.
DRE: The breakup couldnt be because you werent sensitive enough.
GB: [laughs] Ask her about that. I can only defend myself. But sometimes when things start, theres so much fire and heat around a relationship that it can be hard to maintain.
DRE: Was it your fault?
GB: I dont want to blame anyone.
DRE: Not even yourself?
GB: I do that all the time. [laughs] I could easily blame myself but I think it was the hardest decision ever. We have a child which made it more difficult than normal cases. Either one of us would have just left but the fact that we had a child made us try to keep that family unit together. The hardest thing that I have to deal with is the fact that Im not there with him.
DRE: Were you planning on doing another album?
GB: Yeah, I was hoping to make another album but for a while we were just dealing with the stresses of me being on the road and raising a family. We had difficulties in maintaining a relationship that was full of fire to begin with.
DRE: When you sat down to write the album, did it come out pretty easily because you had this going on?
GB: Yeah, it started with the song, Devils Spine, which opened the floodgates. I sat down and I came up with that right on the spot. Theres the other part of me that doesnt want to just make a sad singer/songwriter intimate breakup thing. But I started to accept was that this was my version of that. Im not trying to change the world, Im just trying to express whats going on inside me.
DRE: Are these songs painful for you to play live?
GB: Not really because it all has different meanings. There are still certain moments that are painful but I somehow revel in that pain. There still is the pain of missing my son which I dont think will ever go away. I see him a lot but its not the same as seeing him every morning.
DRE: What does your ex-girlfriend think of the album?
GB: She hasnt heard it yet. I think I made a bigger deal out of it than needed to be by not giving her a copy sooner. But it was just one of those things where people cross a line that you just cant go back to. I wanted to retain a bit of myself that was buried.
DRE: What kind of venues do you play?
GB: It just depends on where I am. In Germany my band and I play pretty big cool halls and stuff like that. Then in the US its wherever I can get a gig. But I have a regular place I play in Los Angeles called the Largo.
DRE: How long have you been with the same band?
GB: My bass player and drummer have been with me for five years so we really have something cool between us. My keyboard player, Dave Palmer, had played on one of my records back in 99 or 98. Most of the core band members are people that Ive known for some time.
DRE: But its not an official Gus Black band.
GB: Well theyre playing on the new album and we will play live together. Like when I opened for David Hasselhoff in Germany, they played with me.
DRE: No way!
GB: No, Im just kidding.
DRE: Damn!
GB: Though when I first went to Germany, David Hasselhoff was on the plane and I thought that was hilarious.
DRE: Thats awesome.
GB: Yeah, [laughs] he actually invited me to come upstairs to first class and jam with him. I thought that was so ridiculous so I just took my Ambien and passed out.
DRE: [laughs] Was he nice?
GB: He was nice enough. He looked like he was happy to be heading to Germany for whatever he was doing.
DRE: How long have you been on Cheap Lullaby?
GB: It just happened. I wasnt even looking to put my record out in the States. I was happy with just going to Europe and playing. They contacted me through a friend so its been just a couple months.
DRE: How are they doing for you?
GB: Theyre doing great though, I really like them. Theyre really supportive and theyre trying to make something happen. They are a great a group of people fighting the good fight. So I really appreciate it.
DRE: Whered you grow up?
GB: I was born here in LA. My parents lived in Silver Lake when I was born and I did most of my time in the LA area.
DRE: Was your family big into music?
GB: They were fans of music but my Dads an engineer. He was a big Miles Davis fan.
DRE: What turned you on to music?
GB: Oh, maybe a combination of wanting to sing and girls. I had an older brother who was a roadie for some rock bands all around LA. I went to go see the bands and I saw the girls. I put two and two together, its easy math.
DRE: I read that you produced this record at home.
GB: Yeah, I have a little tape machine and a Pro Tools rig and between the two of them I made it happen. The big goal was to reflect the intimacy of recording at home. It helps you to capture something. I dont do a lot of trickery either, it is just good mikes.
by Daniel Robert Epstein
SG Username: AndersWolleck
Buy Autumn Days
Daniel Robert Epstein: I read the inspiration for the new album was a breakup.
Gus Black: That cannot be denied.
DRE: Was it a new breakup?
GB: It was a girlfriend who was essentially the love of my life.
DRE: The breakup couldnt be because you werent sensitive enough.
GB: [laughs] Ask her about that. I can only defend myself. But sometimes when things start, theres so much fire and heat around a relationship that it can be hard to maintain.
DRE: Was it your fault?
GB: I dont want to blame anyone.
DRE: Not even yourself?
GB: I do that all the time. [laughs] I could easily blame myself but I think it was the hardest decision ever. We have a child which made it more difficult than normal cases. Either one of us would have just left but the fact that we had a child made us try to keep that family unit together. The hardest thing that I have to deal with is the fact that Im not there with him.
DRE: Were you planning on doing another album?
GB: Yeah, I was hoping to make another album but for a while we were just dealing with the stresses of me being on the road and raising a family. We had difficulties in maintaining a relationship that was full of fire to begin with.
DRE: When you sat down to write the album, did it come out pretty easily because you had this going on?
GB: Yeah, it started with the song, Devils Spine, which opened the floodgates. I sat down and I came up with that right on the spot. Theres the other part of me that doesnt want to just make a sad singer/songwriter intimate breakup thing. But I started to accept was that this was my version of that. Im not trying to change the world, Im just trying to express whats going on inside me.
DRE: Are these songs painful for you to play live?
GB: Not really because it all has different meanings. There are still certain moments that are painful but I somehow revel in that pain. There still is the pain of missing my son which I dont think will ever go away. I see him a lot but its not the same as seeing him every morning.
DRE: What does your ex-girlfriend think of the album?
GB: She hasnt heard it yet. I think I made a bigger deal out of it than needed to be by not giving her a copy sooner. But it was just one of those things where people cross a line that you just cant go back to. I wanted to retain a bit of myself that was buried.
DRE: What kind of venues do you play?
GB: It just depends on where I am. In Germany my band and I play pretty big cool halls and stuff like that. Then in the US its wherever I can get a gig. But I have a regular place I play in Los Angeles called the Largo.
DRE: How long have you been with the same band?
GB: My bass player and drummer have been with me for five years so we really have something cool between us. My keyboard player, Dave Palmer, had played on one of my records back in 99 or 98. Most of the core band members are people that Ive known for some time.
DRE: But its not an official Gus Black band.
GB: Well theyre playing on the new album and we will play live together. Like when I opened for David Hasselhoff in Germany, they played with me.
DRE: No way!
GB: No, Im just kidding.
DRE: Damn!
GB: Though when I first went to Germany, David Hasselhoff was on the plane and I thought that was hilarious.
DRE: Thats awesome.
GB: Yeah, [laughs] he actually invited me to come upstairs to first class and jam with him. I thought that was so ridiculous so I just took my Ambien and passed out.
DRE: [laughs] Was he nice?
GB: He was nice enough. He looked like he was happy to be heading to Germany for whatever he was doing.
DRE: How long have you been on Cheap Lullaby?
GB: It just happened. I wasnt even looking to put my record out in the States. I was happy with just going to Europe and playing. They contacted me through a friend so its been just a couple months.
DRE: How are they doing for you?
GB: Theyre doing great though, I really like them. Theyre really supportive and theyre trying to make something happen. They are a great a group of people fighting the good fight. So I really appreciate it.
DRE: Whered you grow up?
GB: I was born here in LA. My parents lived in Silver Lake when I was born and I did most of my time in the LA area.
DRE: Was your family big into music?
GB: They were fans of music but my Dads an engineer. He was a big Miles Davis fan.
DRE: What turned you on to music?
GB: Oh, maybe a combination of wanting to sing and girls. I had an older brother who was a roadie for some rock bands all around LA. I went to go see the bands and I saw the girls. I put two and two together, its easy math.
DRE: I read that you produced this record at home.
GB: Yeah, I have a little tape machine and a Pro Tools rig and between the two of them I made it happen. The big goal was to reflect the intimacy of recording at home. It helps you to capture something. I dont do a lot of trickery either, it is just good mikes.
by Daniel Robert Epstein
SG Username: AndersWolleck
courtneyriot:
Gus Black is the talented singer/songwriter that was never even looking to release an album in the United States. But independent label Cheap Lullaby was so entranced by what they heard of Blacks newest album, Autumn Days, they felt American audiences had a right...
rowsofhouses:
Loved him when he was just "Gus" and love him now. The new album is great.