Illinois Entertainer June 2017 | Page 10

Gavin

to me , is success . I just want kids that are funny and cool – that ’ s it .
IE : You went through a dark , depressing period , post-separation . In one British interview , you even mentioned suicide . GR : Well , I never thought that for one second . But I understood how lost you can get . It ’ s the single worst idea of life , I think , to kill yourself . It ’ s a permanent solution to a temporary problem . So yeah , it was really dark . But the other side of it is , I don ’ t believe that there are any accidents in life – you just roll with the punches . And sometimes you ’ re going to get smashed in the face , and you go , “ Why did I get smashed in the face ?” And it ’ s like , “ It ’ s life , you fucking idiot ! That ’ s what life does ! But don ’ t worry , because it
makes the sunshine even stronger .” So I sort of accepted that . And what was really strange was to watch my three boys gain the strength that I was losing . It was ironic , it was beautiful , and it ’ s complete Darwinism . And that ’ s how it goes – that ’ s what happened during this horrible time . So I would say that the worst things in life are divorce and death .
IE : How did you regain your fighting spirit ? GR : Well , I had this creative rebirth , where suddenly my art and my ability to write was more vital , and really , I needed it like

06 • 2017

it was some sort of lifeline . Not songs that I was going to bring out , or songs that were going to be on the radio – just songs that would be oxygen tanks for me . And I thought , “ Wow . This powerful stuff .” I was seeing two shrinks at the time , and they said , “ You ’ ve got to get back to work .” But I couldn ’ t think about work – all I could think about was feeling guilty for my kids , and what this new life would be for them . I was just consumed by their happiness , and I actually thought , “ I wonder if I ’ ll ever work again ?” But I found this studio and began to write , and on the first day I walked in and I wrote a song . So I ’ d drop my kids off at school and go in
June 2
Adrenaline Mob We The People All Time Low Last Young Renegade Alt-J Relaxer Bleachers Gone Now Halsey Hopeless Fountain Kingdom London Grammar Truth Is A Beautiful Thing North Mississippi Allstars Prayer for Peace Roger Waters Is This the Life We Really Want ? Saint Etienne Home Counties
June 9
Ani DiFranco Binary Chuck Berry CHUCK Glen Campbell Adiós Gov ' t Mule Revolution Come ... Revolution Go Katy Perry Witness Rancid Trouble Maker
June 16
Alison Moyet Other Fleet Foxes Crack-Up Iced Earth Incorruptible Matthew Sweet Tomorrow Forever Portugal . The Man Woodstock Ride Weather Diaries Royal Blood How Did We Get So Dark ? Steve Earle So You Wannabe An Outlaw Styx The Mission
June 23
Jeff Tweedy Together At Last Imagine Dragons Evolve Calvin Harris Funk WAV Vol . 1
Rise Against
Jeff Tweedy
10 illinoisentertainer . com june 2017