Chuck Prophet Interview: SXSW 2010

Self proclaimed "smart-ass" Chuck Prophet's sound comes from a place of empathy, apologetic humor and earnest hope. This singer-songwriter's newest album, 'Let Freedom Ring!,' singularly takes each song -- stories ripe with emotion -- and wraps it into a package that could be the history of the American man or even the history of you or me. Starting out as just a boy with a guitar, Prophet looks back on his 43 years of life and see's where it has brought him.

How you doing on this morning?

I'm doing all right. I got the USA Today in my lap. As usual.

First off, "Chuck Prophet": Is that your real name?

Yes, Charles Prophet, I suppose.

Where do you currently reside?

San Francisco.

There are going to be many bands at SXSW this year. What do you sound like, and why should someone come see you?

We are a rock 'n' roll band. I don't know -- people want to come see us to have a good time. If not, there's plenty of other things to do for fun.

What is your band called and how did they come up with that?

They are the Mission Express. My wife and I have been playing music for years.

Does your wife still play with you?

Yes, it's her band; I just work for her.

OK, then where did she get the name?

It's a bus line that runs down our street. We went with it and it just kind of stuck.

What are you musical influences?

Everything, really. Rock 'n' Roll. German Abstract Expressionism, some Little Richard.

We hear you are one witty man.

I don't know about that. Maybe a little bit of a smart-ass. We just live in a culture where everyone talks into a camera. A whole generation that grew up on 'The Real World' or 'Inside the Actor's Studio.' Shows about people giving speeches into cameras, talking about their work. I sometimes get uncomfortable about that. Talking about it rather than just ... doing it.

What is Chuck Prophet's biggest vice?

Designer labels: My current favorite is A.P.C.

Your first manager walked away with a lot of your recording rights. How do you feel about that?

My attitude about business is that you can hire a lawyer to get his opinion, but you are not going to like it, or you can just f---ing do it. That's been kind of my approach. I think every musician that's been around awhile has some good and bad decisions in their past. I don't really think about it. Some people can really become unhinged after becoming chewed up by the machine.

Will this be your first time at SXSW?

Oh, no, no: We've been doing SXSW since it was just a block party.

What do you usually take with you for your SXSW survival kit?

The thing that we do -- and I don't know why we do it, is that it brings us together as a band, it turns us into gladiators, like, a Marine drill that we do: We can set up and break down in 10 minutes flat. We enjoy it. I don't know why, though. We do get to see friends and I want to see Big Star play.

Who was your first celebrity crush?

It was probably Jodie Foster.

What are your musical guilty pleasures?

They are all pleasures. I don't feel guilty when it comes to that. Don't explain and don't complain: That's my motto. I learned that from Kate Moss.

Beatles or Stones?

Stones, probably. Because the Stones are more of a band that had a sound that was a rhythmic thing, and that's what I am attracted to.

Do you find that you are in a musical rut? Do you listen to the same music? Is there anyone out there new that you like?

If you need music, why don't you just go listen to the classics? Go listen to Dylan and let it get under your skin and you will find that Bob Dylan is like a planet. He's a bottomless pit at the bottom of a black hole.

What is the craziest thing you've seen or experienced while on tour?

I couldn't tell you. I couldn't begin to rate that. If I had to guess, it would be that on a plane trip on Christmas they told us that we had too much luggage, but the woman let it pass since it was Christmas.


Casey Jones is a contributor from Seed.com. Learn how you can contribute here.