It took nearly five years but Mark Kozelek has finally got around to putting out Sun Kil Moon’s second album of original material, April. What took so long? It wasn’t exactly writer’s block, but the former Red House Painters frontman and Almost Famous star did need some time for reevaluation following the release of 2003’s Ghosts of the Great Highway: he set up his own label, Caldo Verde; released an album of languid Modest Mouse covers, Tiny Cities; and spent some time just living life. April has everything from tender, folkie mood pieces like “Moorestown” to classic Crazy Horse inspired blowouts like “Tonight In Bilbao.” It also includes cameos by Death Cab For Cutie’s Ben Gibbard and Bonnie “Prince” Billy. At his San Francisco home, Kozelek told us how it all came together.
Fuzz: You turned 40 last year. How did it change you?
Mark Kozelek: It was a reality check. I never thought the day would come. My perspective is a little different now regarding time and how much of it there is, you know? Not just for me but for the others in my life. I’m extending my visits back home, spending more time with my parents.
A lot of these songs make you sound homesick for San Francisco. Are you tired of traveling the world?
I still go out for a few weeks but my happiness is here. I miss home when I’m away–my girlfriend, my bed, iced tea, Swan’s Oyster Depot, the little things. Overseas, I just sort of tune out, nod my head, “Yes.” You get so sick of saying “what?” all the time. Fans see the show but not the hassles: the airports, the sleep deprivation, the bad stomach from the weird shit you eat. I go out for two weeks and take two months off. That’s the way to do it.
Do you feel like you’re still writing about the same people and places that influenced your music when you started with Red House Painters?
Yes, it’s been an odd turn of events. There’s a lot of Katy from “Katy Song” in the early records. She passed away in 2003, so those songs have a different feeling now. That’s where “Lost Verses” comes from, her continuing presence in my life. Many of the old people and places are all still there, intertwined with some new ones.
How did Death Cab For Cutie’s Ben Gibbard and Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy end up on April?
I needed some back-up vocals. Their voices fit right into those songs. That was a lot of fun, hearing my voice blending with theirs.
Is running a record company everything you hoped it would be?
It’s a good situation and not much more work than being on a label. It’s all the same–you tour, approve your artwork, do interviews, sign contracts. But “Mindfuck Records” doesn’t soak up all the profits anymore. You reap the rewards instead of them. It’s a no-brainer. I don’t know why i didn’t think of it earlier.
What is the live set-up like for this tour?
Simple, no headaches–a mic and a few guitars. The sound guys love me. They’re like, “That’s all you need, a mic?”
You started your career playing Neil Young songs at a bar in Akron, Ohio. Is he still your primary source of inspiration?
Yeah, I’d say so. My sound is rooted in Neil and a few others. I grew up listening to them so that sound is ingrained in me.
Do you think you’ll ever write an album of two-minute punk songs?
No, but I’ll sign someone who will. If you hear of anything good, let me know. I’ll be down at Swan’s.
Mark Kozelek’S Summer Tour Dates:
May 11, 2008, Tokyo (Shibuya), JP
May 11, 2008, Tokyo (Shinjuku), JP
May 13, 2008, Tokyo, JP
May 14, 2008, Tokyo, JP
June 6, 2008, Minneapolis, MN
June 7, 2008, Milwaukee, WI
June 8, 2008, Chicago, IL
June 10, 2008, Rochester, NY
June 11, 2008, Boston, MA
June 13, 2008, New York, NY
June 15, 2008, Philadelphia, PA
June 17, 2008, Pittsburgh, PA
June 18, 2008, Baltimore, MD
June 20, 2008, Asheville, NC
June 21, 2008, Louisville, KY
July 24, 2008, Brisbane, AU
July 25, 2008, Sydney, AU
July 26, 2008, Melbourne, AU
July 27, 2008, Melbourne, AU
July 31, 2008, Wellington, NZ
August 1, 2008, Auckland, NZ