INTERVIEW : 1997 Joseph Arthur came out of nowhere (by Chris Rubin)

Well, Akron, Ohio, where he went to high school with supermodel Angie Everheart -- to be the first mainstream, rock and roller signed to Peter Gabriel's Real World label.

Arthur is truly an original, an artist with a dark and darkly funny vision, a storyteller with stories worth listening to. His haunting songs are set to rich, evocative music, and his voice, while unique, brings to mind influences from Leonard Cohen to Jeff Buckley, often within the same tune. 

Arthur is embarking on a solo tour, traveling with just a sound engineer and a guitar. Nosy Chris Rubin tries to pry secrets big and small from him.

You seem to have come out of nowhere. What were you doing before you were discovered and signed?

I was working at a music store in Atlanta, selling guitars and picks, and generally going mad. I had graduated high school in Akron and moved to Atlanta. There was a band I was in at the time, Ten Zen Men. We chose Atlanta just because we felt like, let's get out of Akron. I had a friend down there who gave us a place to stay, booked us a month of shows. I made it my home for four or five years. I quit that band soon after moving there, and then started my own group, Bellybutton, that was more hard rock. That's when I started singing -- before I had just played bass. I started thinking along the lines of lyrics, and felt like maybe I had a bit of a knack for writing. In high school, I wrote essays, I felt like it came natural to me. But then you doubt yourself, at least you do if you're me. I assume that if it comes easy to me, it must come easy to anybody.

What happened to Bellybutton?

That band was where I put all my dreams and ambitions, instead of college. I invested all my energies in Bellybutton, but it disintegrated because I filled it with all my ambition. I was living with a woman and we broke up around the same time. Suddenly my life was very empty. I started writing on acoustic guitar. I realized if I played simple chord structures, and just let the music and the ego get out of the way, there would be more room for lyrical and emotional content.

What were you like in high school? Were you an outsider?

I went to same school, Firestone High, as Chrissie Hynde, Mark Mothersbaugh and Angie Everheart -- she looked then just like she looks now. I struggled, I still struggle. I wasn't rejected in high school because I'm kind of outgoing, so I can make myself into characters, be very upbeat and obnoxious, the class clown.

How did the Peter Gabriel connection come about? You're not exactly typical Real World material.

Total grace. I was sending out my tape. There was ambition in my heart for sure. I was getting rejected, lots of "return to sender" kinds of things. I also got my number of full-on, "We listened to your tape and decided you suck" letters. I was kind of reaching the point -- there was a lot of hope when I started -- I was starting to lose fire. I was also giving tapes out to friends to get feedback. One friend gave it to a friend of his at a label, and he passed it on to another friend, who then gave it to Harvey Schwartz at Capricorn, who knew Peter Gabriel and gave it to him when he came to New York. [Arthur laughs.] The person I originally gave it to had no real connections.

And how did you initially connect with Peter Gabriel?

I came home to a phone message from him -- I have saved the tape from my answering machine. Now I'm a huge fan of his music. I was not a big fan then, I didn't really know his music. Shock the Monkey was one of the first singles I ever bought. I always liked him, but I hadn't found my way to him yet. I had heard through Harvey that Peter liked the tape before coming home to find the message. Knowing him and Real World, it's amazing. He's so full of ambitions and things to do, projects. He's constantly busy. I would never have thought to send my stuff to Gabriel or Real World.

Is it odd to be the first non-world artist on what is perceived as a world music label?

I'm really glad to be on the label for a number of reasons. The people who are on that label, their music is filled with integrity. The influence and guidance of Peter has been indispensable to me. It's amazing to have somebody like him to guide me through a lot of the hardships one has to go through in this business. It's also nice to be able to know him.

Your debut CD, Big City Secrets, was finished about a year ago. What's it been like waiting for it to be released?

Waiting has been very difficult. I went through all kinds of crazy thoughts and emotions. But I sort of believe there's some kind of cosmic intelligence about things. I learned a lot in that year. I sort of found myself. It took me that long to get used to the idea of putting an album out, and all the other things that go along with that. Deciding what my character is.

What have you been doing in the meantime?

The album's been out in France for a few months, and I toured there. They're very concerned with lyrics, more than American and English audiences, I've heard. But there's not much of a language barrier. At least, I never felt it. I always felt like I was communicating. It's going really well over there. "Daddy's On Prozac" and "Mercedes" have been getting airplay.

What do you expect from Big City Secrets?

I really hope the album does well. It was doing really well in France. I was thinking, this is great, but none of my family and friends could see it. [Arthur laughs.] Girls that didn't go out with me, I want them to regret every minute that they rejected me.
Do you think your material is commercial?

I thought all my songs were pop. I think it could surprise people, take off. What I hope it does is make a bit of a noise, set up the next record. Peter said it's best to have a slow start, not come out huge, to build up over time. I have no need to have a huge album, just an album that's big enough to justify enthusiasm for Joe Arthur, number two.