LR: Oh yeah. This isn't for Poe experts. I mean, I'm not a Poe expert by any stretch of the imagination. I keep figuring I'm going to have an interview with some Poe scholar and I'll get grated. This is fun. I mean, granted, it requires the attention of the listener, but I'm assuming, the audience I aim for, the audience that has been following me, enjoys paying attention. They like to read things, they like something with a little depth to it, they don't find that as a bad thing. They think it's a good thing. Like I'm sure you do.
PB: Uh-huh.
LR: Uh-huh? Is your uh-huh a yes?
PB: Sure. With some of the songs, the music seems to grow directly out of Poe's writing----
LR: One would hope so.
PB: But a couple of the songs, like Perfect Day, existed beforehand.
LR: Well, yeah. It's one-third of the song, though. For people who are aware of me, I thought putting in a taste of something that's appropriate, but also from years ago, would bring some sort of memory to the piece. So it would have more depth.
PB: It was interesting because you're not generally fond of looking back at your past work.
LR: Do you sit and read your past articles?
PB: Well, every once in a while, maybe----
LR: Why would you, right? You wrote it, right? So why would you?
PB: Do you think there's anything harmful----
LR: I mean, why would anybody sit and listen to their own stuff, when you could sit and listen to someone else?
PB: Well, maybe you want to see where you were at then, versus where you are now. Or maybe there's an interesting connection to your old work that'll help your new work. Like what you did with Perfect Day, where----
LR: But I was there! [Laughs] I'm the one who did it.
PB: But do you think there's anything inherently harmful about looking back----
LR: No. I think, to each their own. Everybody should do whatever they want. I don't think any one approach is better than any other approach. Whatever works for you is what works for you.
PB: Do you think about how your point of view in songs has changed over the years?
LR: No. What would I do that for? I'm just interested in doing things. I'm not interested in conceptualizing and analyzing myself. I don't want to analyze myself. It's a waste of time. Pointless.
PB: Is that why you don't like doing interviews?
LR: They're OK as long as we stick to the present and whatever piece of work it is.
PB: When it comes to Poe, everyone tends to focus on the dark themes, the macabre----
LR: If they have a limited imagination they do.
PB: Well, what are some of the other things that jump out at you about his writing?
LR: He's very funny. The imagination is so extraordinary. You know, he did the first detective story, the first science fiction story. He did a long poem about astronomy, in which he postulated the Big Bang theory. What a guy! So smart.
PB: He writes a lot about indulging forbidden desires. In one of the pieces there's an interesting line: "The overwhelming tendency to do wrong for wrong's sake."
LR: Yeah, that's kind of the overriding theme. Anybody who smokes cigarettes ought to understand that one. Anyone in a 12-step program ought to understand that one. It's inconceivable to me that you could find someone who hasn't done something contrary to what they know is good for them. I mean, can you? It's inconceivable. Even the Dalai Lama.
PB: Do you see a connection between that exploration of the taboo and your own work?
LR: Yeah. Actually I do, but that's really for other people to say. But I certainly could feel an immediate kinship with the master. I mean, he's an obsessive's obsessive.
PB: Was it daunting trying to tackle Poe----
LR: I think it's daunting to get out of bed. It's much harder doing an interview than it was to make the record.
PB: Was the idea of trying to fuse your work with his work intimidating?
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