Times Online has posted an interview with Jackson Browne, who talks about his new album Time The Conqueror:
“The inspiration’s not a problem. I’m not less inspired, I’m less free to shut myself away long enough to finish a song. I’m also not in a hurry. That’s the odd thing that’s happened, that there’s less and less time left, and I’m less in a hurry. Maybe I’ll get desperate towards the end. You want the things you sing about to be about life and other people’s lives, and if I shut myself away and tried to ramp up the output, it might limit the interest I take in things that are pretty universal.”
…his reputation as one of the last protest singers and getting mentioned in Randy Newman’s “Piece of the Pie”:
“What he said was even funnier, that no one else gives a shit. Not true, of course, but very funny. My friend Don Henley referred to [the actor] Ed Asner, who’s active for social change, and Henley called it the Dreaded Asner Syndome. I guess I’ve contracted it, and am proud to be afflicted. I don’t think there’s any choice but to throw in with those people who are doing what they can to make the world inhabitable and beautiful. I’m a card-carrying member of hedonists for peace. I just don’t think peace and prosperity should only be for the wealthy.”
…his lawsuit against the McCain Presidential campaign for their unlawful use of one of “Running on Empty”:
“They broke two very clear laws. That they can’t use your song without your permission, and that they can’t imply you endorse a candidate if you don’t. Either they don’t know the law or they think they’re above it. Either way, it speaks volumes about the style of governance.”
“McCain’s campaign [managers] are trying to say he knew nothing about the ad. Do we believe that? It may be that it plays well to his constituency to steal my song, unapologetically take whatever you feel like using, and work out the details later. I’m sure I’ll prevail, because the laws are clear-cut, but I think the Republicans have a culture of impunity.”
… his relationship with Dianna Cohen:
“This is one of the longest relationships I’ve ever been in – it’s 15 years or something,” he muses. “Of course, you put two or three of those together and you’ve got a lifetime.” The partnership is celebrated anew on Just Say Yeah, “a chance to talk about how we came together. It’s kind of a continuation of my song My Stunning Mystery Companion [from The Naked Ride Home], because it’s about the same person”.
