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The proposition of interviewing a man who calls himself 'Mr.E' could, on paper at least, be a daunting prospect. Those not aware of the great man's commercial output with Eels could easily assume that this guy is going to carry a slightly egotistical, even intimidating persona. But, as any listen to his heartrending, honest music will tell you, he's none of these things. "I'll try not to come across like an asshole," he quips as Gigwise catches up with him shortly before he landed in the UK to plug his best-of and 'Useless Trinkets' B-sides album.
Indeed, during the 20 minute interview, formally-addressed Mark Oliver Everett is charming, honest and gloriously opinionated. Kick-starting with the important stuff, the best-of compilation, ‘Meet the Eels’ does what its title suggests. E describes it as “an invitation into our world”, for the causal listener, who may not be aware of the startlingly brilliant music he has been making. If this is the listener’s first venture into the wild world of Eels they are in for a long stay, “It’s for the new listener and the adoring listener who still demands more,” E explains.
Inevitably though, when a compilation like this is surfaces, those hardcore fans start getting paranoid. Asked about the stigma of releasing a greatest hits compilation, E shrugs it off, saying “I’m more worried about who listens to the record than what happens next.” The compilation isn’t a subtle wave goodbye like some have feared. Instead, E calls a “best bits, not a best hits”- consisting of both well-known album tracks and previously unreleased rarities. E has every reason not to be phased about it. With fans getting increasingly uncertain as to a next record, all can rest assured. Everett is a consistent hard worker who doesn’t give a shit about release dates and expectation. He writes the songs and decides whether to release them or not. He states: “I tend to just write something and then put it out if I think I should”.
No challenge seems to daunt the man, no seventh/eighth/ninth record-phobia, getting on with it as he pleases. That’s the way all artists should be working. The Arctic Monkeys can release an album every year if it suits them and Eels can release an album every four years if they please. The winds seem to be pointing to a near-future release date for their next project, though. There is a slight chance that we could be unaware of an Eels onslaught about to find its way upon us. “I can’t say for sure when the next one’s going to come out because I’ve already made one and I’m halfway through another one”, stating it like it’s no big deal. Here we are going crazy over supposed revolutions in the music industry via. the internet and here is a man who is working in an entirely rare manner that he should be hailed for: Everett is working on more than record at once.
This at-ease attitude for recording music could be coming about from the conditions Everett and co. record in; “We’ve recorded almost everything in my basement…Shootenanny being an exception”. Shootenanny, Eels’ fifth album proper, was recorded in a mere ten days and received critical acclaim. It was released because it worked. It seems that E has standards, but it doesn’t matter how or when an album was recorded - as long as it’s good it should be released. It’s not like he’s in his own special bubble or anything, he is unsurprisingly well-informed about the way it all works.
While talking to Gigwise he praises the new PJ Harvey record, rightfully so. Working with PJ Harvey on the record was John Parish; the man who many believe brought ‘Souljacker’ – arguably E’s most daring project, to life. “I’d definitely work with him again” he exclaims to Gigwise’s delight. Any record that showed as much guts as ‘Souljacker’ would take the music scene by storm, doubtless. To try and get that little bit more out of the (slightly monosyllabic) man on the new record, we ask him if he’s inhaling any modern day influences but E explains “because I’m always working on my own music, it’s rare that I am exposed to new music”.
The musician has a vulnerable side though, exposed late on in the interview on the subject of illegal downloading on the internet. “The only thing I’m really against is illegally releasing music” he states with an added sensitivity in his voice. Continuing to say, “I don’t care about live bootlegs, trading and stuff like that, but I do take it very personally if someone’s downloading unreleased studio material of mine.” Red Hot Chili Peppers will be remembered last year for their reaction to their new album being leaked, the likes of Los Campesinos! and Blood Red Shoes have already suspiciously discovered their debut albums to be on the iPods of thousands of teenagers.
Opening up, E proclaims “(Illegal downloading) really fucks my life up and complicates things in terrible ways. If they knew how much damage that was causing me, maybe they wouldn’t do it.” Pressed about another high-profile issue in the UK, ticket touting, E responds in an original manner once more: “For me, the idea of seeing someone I want to see standing in the same room as me, I think I’d be willing to pay a lot for that.” Embarking on his very own UK tour next month, prices are of a respectable value, especially for someone of his calibre. Tickets for the shows that were announced originally are already sold out, being sold for profit on eBay, but like illegal leaking of albums, it’s something Everett and all of us have come to accept, it’s inevitable. Recent complaints have also emerged concerning the prices of Radiohead tickets for their new tour, but the man with all the knowledge exchanges his view saying “It’s funny if your fans complain about your ticket prices and then people can sell them for a whole lot more”. He’s right, as ever. The man should write a manifesto of sorts, on how all musicians should cope with being rock-stars, on how they should respond to such pressing matters.
Wise and effortlessly cool, whatever you want to call him; ‘E’, ‘Mr.E’ or Mark Oliver Everett, expect his name to reign for another decade or more.
