Jason Falkner, formerly of Jellyfish, The Grays, and The Three O'Clock. And now a solo artist on the verge of very big things. His music is thoughtful, emotional, and catchier than hell! But can you really feel Jason Falkner? Read on for the scoop.

Highwire Daze: Where did you get the idea for your CD title CAN YOU STILL FEEL?

Jason Falkner: It's kind of my reaction about the sort of pace that my life and life is general has become -- very quick and always searching for whatever the next thing may be -- whether it be a technological thing or just entertainment. It's just coming at you so fast and there's a ba-zillion things to check out. Whereas it seems like when I was younger and in previous generations, there was less information and certainly it was harder to find. So it was kind of a question I was asking myself, and it turned into something that I thought was really applicable to my lyrics and my message on this record. And it's just that -- take time to really search this record out and search other things out -- and don't just settle for what is shoved down your throat by the powers that be. I didn't do that when I was younger. I went out and investigated and found stuff that I liked -- I just didn't accept. It's like everybody is rushing towards the turn of the century and panicking about it and all that it implies -- and it's like "can you still feel your life? Or are you just kind of skating through it thinking about the next thing you need?" So that's what it is about.

HD: What made you decide to use Nigel Godrich as the producer?

Jason: I listened to the O.K. COMPUTER record (by Radiohead) as I was falling asleep one night on headphones. I just freak out about the sound of that record -- I thought it was amazing. All of the tones on it were very similiar to the direction on how I wanted my record to go sonically. Just sonically though, I'm not saying I wanted to get him because I wanted to sound like Radiohead -- that's a very important distinction. I was just looking for somebody who recorded things in a manner that I wanted my record to be -- at least in the same ballpark. The reason why I chose to use a co-producer in the first place -- there's a lot of stuff that falls into the job description of production that is really boring and non-musical. I had to do all that stuff as well as all the musical and arrangemental stuff on my last album. And I really didn't want that much responsibility -- because it already is a big responsibility for me to play all of the instruments and write everything and arrange and produce it musically. So I wanted somebody to come in who was a genius engineer, which Nigel is -- and someone would could be a liason to my record company -- which actually turns out that Nigel really didn't do. I still had to end up doing that -- I'm not very good at that and neither was he. And when somebody comes in and they just engineer a record, they are not going to have that much emotionally and spiritually invested in it as if they have a production credit. That's just a very simple truth. Whether it was Nigel or somebody else, they were going to get a co-production credit, because I wanted them to really come to the party.

HD: So what do you have against using other musicians when you record?

Jason: I actually don't have anything against it. I was going to do it on this record. I think on the first record I just wanted to play everything myself because it was like a childhood fantasy. I've always loved instruments -- I've never had a leaning just towards one thing. That's the main reason that I play all the instruments -- because it's thrilling for me to make a song. I was going to use some guys like Pete Thomas from The Attractions, who is like my favorite drummer of all time. But Nigel and I just got into a rhythm when we were making the record -- a real close, sort of working friendship. When we were running out of time and I wanted to get the other guys in here to record at least four and five songs -- it didn't take much twisting of my arm when Nigel said, "No, just keep playing everything! It's really cool how you are doing it now." I think in the near future I will start doing something with a band of people, because I started to miss the comraderie and friendships of working with other people.

HD: Critics like you a lot. So how do you transfer all of this admiration to radio?

Jason: Well, I'm trying to build this machine that will transfer all this admiration, but it's still not working. It's still in the development stages. I don't know. I'm not on the radio and I don't know why. I'm on KRCW and KXLU which is really great, but I have no idea what the deal is with radio. But your average radio programmer is looking at the lowest common denominator -- their bottom line is that they don't want the people to turn the dial on the radio. But if you put something on the radio that is not exactly what everybody is expecting -- has some chord changes that people aren't expecting -- maybe has some lyrics that are a little abstract and people are like "What is he talking about?" -- then they're going to change the dial, and I guees that's what they are afraid of. I have no idea! It's been a very frustrating sort of battle, but one that I don't participate in. I don't really listen to much radio so I don't really know what radio is playing. I guess I did really well at college radio, from the CMJ Report. When I was in Europe, out here I was in the Top Five for a month, which I guess was really good. But as far as modern alternative radio -- it's so deluted now -- none of those terms mean anything anymore. The music that we're all hearing on alternative stations is so corporate and recorded with the intent of being on those stations. It has nothing to do with freedom -- it has nothing to do with art at all. It actually did at one point. When I was a kid, stations like KROQ were playing music that was adventurous -- music being created by people who were tired of the crap that had been on FM rock before. That music found a home on stations like KROQ in the early 80's. It hasn't kept that tradition of playing stuff that is outside -- it's huge money now. We're just in these doldrums right now. There's a lot of good music being created by a lot of people. I have a lot of cool records by new bands and I sure don't hear them on radio stations. I hear all of the same crap on the radio. I don't think that my record is hard to get your head around at all. I mean I don't think it's an instant listen, and I guess that's the problem with it. But I have no idea why it's not on the radio -- but I wish it was.

HD: Your face was all over town on the cover of BAM a few weeks ago? How did you feel about seeing your mug everywhere?

Jason: I love it. I'm laughing. If the picture could move, I would all of a sudden start cracking up. I think it's really cool. I've been making music in Los Angeles for a long time. I'm just happy that they put me on the cover. I think Jellyfish was on the cover a long time ago, but I think that was in 1991. It's cool because I feel like a lot of people aren't still doing it like they were back then. In that regard, I'm really proud that I still have an audience. Obviously, I feel like I'm just starting out. I'm happy with it and I want it to continue. I think my music should be heard by more people than the last record was heard.

Jason: You have?!? I haven't seen any of that. Wow! I think I told my publicist a long time ago them that I was totally into being in Tiger Beat. I told that there was a very inportant distinction -- it would have to be the chessey ones -- it can't be the ones who are kinda trying to be cool. It has to be the lamest magazine. And I'm into that. I know there's an ad for my record in Jane. But you know what it was like, man. I always stopped all that stuff when I was in my other bands and on my last record. It was like, "No, f*ck that! I'm not promoted in those things!" And they were like, "Well, if we put your face in those magazines, it might help." And I was like, "Well, I don't give a sh*t, it's not what I'm doing. Listen to my record. It's not about anything teeny bopper." And now that I'm almost too old to be in those magazines, it's funny if they put me in them -- it's almost like a joke. So in that regard, yeah, bring it on! Put me on the cover of Teen Beat magazine! I'm totally into it! There was just a review in the L.A. Times were somebody said that I was like Rick Springfield...

HD: No way!

Jason: That was the most absurd thing I'd ever heard. It was just some journalist trying to be cool. But being in the teen magazines would be interesting.

HD: Yeah, all these little girls buying the CD because of the way you look...

Jason: Yeah, that would be hillarious! And you know what, I've never had like screaming girls! But f*ck it man, all of my favorite bands did! So that would be totally funny to me. I don't care about the attitude I use to have, which was very closed and very indie and all of that sh*t. I already did that. Now it's like if there's a couple of people who are getting really, really, really excited about me and they may be 16 year old girls, then that's totally fine! It doesn't bother me at all.

HD: Have you ever considered acting, doing soundtracks, or any other aspect of the movie biz?

Jason: Yeah, I definitely want to do some film stuff. It's just been time for me. I've been asked to do some things but I haven't been able to do them because of time, I'm getting an agent at CAA just for film composition. She wants me to actually become somebody who can score films. I have enough classical background to hear all that. I did the strings for a band from Belguim, and it was so much fun to arrange strings for someone other than myself. But that's something I'd definitely want to do. But acting? I don't think I'd be a very good actor. But as far as doing film scores -- hell yeah!

HD: As you're getting older, do you find yourself becoming more jaded, less jaded, or about the same?

Jason: In more aspects, I'm more jaded -- the path of cynicism is a slow but consistant one. But in other aspects, I'm still more optimistic and innocent about a lot of this stuff. I've made it my business to stay out of a lot of the business. As a result of that, I keep a lot of innocence about what goes on. But it is definitely jading to have such a struggle with radio and getting just a few more people to hear (my album). I honestly, truthfully don't have any aspirations to dominate the Top Ten radio of the nation and of the world. I don't really see my music doing that -- it's not that kind of world. All I have to do is travel outside of Los Angeles for 15 minutes, and I'm horrified by some of the people that live in this country! I'm scared! I don't think that what I'm doing is going to translate to the rest of America as much as it does to the bigger cities. All I want to do is be able to play and headline the theater thing by myself -- that's my goal. And be able to do it for years and not for just one tour. I'd like to be able to do it and support myself that way and have just a few more people have a chance to hear my record -- and hopefully they will like it and come see me live. I'll have more of a career like that. I guess the aspect of what I see this jading is just remaining so underground. I'm not really complaining about it. It would just be nice to be headlining in the near future, as opposed to always opening up for people. That's kind of jading. I've been doing this for a long time and even though it's only my second solo record -- I made my first record when I was 18. I was touring then in three different bands and we usually opened up for people and sometimes we headlined. It seems like on this record, with the direction things are going, I may be able to do a headlining tour of America in the next six months. But who knows!?! It feels really good in L.A. and in New York. But we try to do a tour of the Midwest and who knows...

HD: There's really a world outside of L.A.!!!

Jason: There certainly is! I mean seriously, half an hour outside of L.A. and it's like, "Where are you from, you faggot!?!" And it's like "Man, you know Hollywood is just right there, you could see the hills from here! And go to the dentist man! Get those four teeth put back in, you big cooter!" It's unbelievable, it's so close yet so far away!

HD: Just one more question. If you could leave the listener feeling something after hearing your new CD, what would it be?

Jason: Well, for me, my favorite records are the ones that leave you feeling sort of liberated mentally. And I hope my record does that. Personal freedom is at the core of what I'm doing. I do make my records without any intervention from anybody. And that enables me to get as honest or as true of a statement from my soul and my heart on to tape. I'm trying to convey myself -- it's my own therapy -- but I do it with the thought that there's other people who can relate to what I'm talking about and musically relate to what I'm expressing. At the end of the record, I hope people feel like it's a full record -- it is a cohesive listen from top to bottom. And just that they can get a better understanding of me and relate to what I'm talking about. There's a lot of struggle on this record -- there's a lot of longing. But I think at the end of the day, there is an optimism ringing through the record. I don't know where that optimism comes from -- it seems to sneak it's way into a lot of my stufff -- even when I'm talking about something fairly dark. There is a light at the end of the tunnel for me. And that's pretty much it.

Jason Falkner's new album is called CAN YOU STILL FEEL, available from Elektra Records.