Normally, my LitReactor editor asks me to write an intro for my interviews, but this isn't some C-List author, this is a C-List musician, which equals an A-List author in pop culture terms. But this C-List musician is well on his way to being an A-list author with his new memoir, Heart in a Blender. So here is my interview with Max Collins of Eve 6.
When you were 15 and writing the heart in a blender song did, you think that one day the lyric would be the title of your memoir?
Way too many thoughts were crowding my mind at once, as evidenced by the nonsensical drift and mixed metaphors in the song, but no, I don’t think that was one of them.
We crossed paths online because Harron Walker shared a chapter from Darryl about cuckold songs. Now we are publishing a book together. You are a spiritual person, is it safe to say that God spoke through Harron Walker?
Harron walker and I have since become good friends and I can say with certainty that God has spoken to me through her on more than one occasion. We like to watch Adam Curtis documentaries together, but she’s in NYC and I’m in LA, so what we do is I text her a 3, she texts me a 2, I text her a 1, she texts GO, and we press play at the same time
I love the new Eve 6 stuff so much more than your actual late 90s/2000s hits. It’s so Dandy Warholsesque. What made y’all decide to make cocaine rock in 2022, and is Heroin still passé?
It’s funny, cuz we never sounded like the bands we actually listened to. I think this is probably because we were incredibly young and inexperienced in the studio, and after the success of the first record it was too late, we were kinda captured by the machine. I remember playing "Come Down" by the Dandies for the guy who produced our first record, and he just said “I hate this.” Our influences at that time were the unavoidable bands on the radio, and also like K Records bands and Built to Spill, and like weird cool shit, but none of the weird cool influences came through. Now no one is paying attention, there’s zero pressure, we just do what we want in a vacuum and it’s so much more fulfilling.
Recovery and spirituality play a big role in your story. What do you hope comes across in the book about addiction and God?
God gets a bad rap. God and his son Jesus have been taken hostage by awful shit heads. I love God and Jesus, but they’re different figures for me than the false idols of contemporary Christianity
You’ve been vocal about deleting Spotify & you make tons of short jokes about Joe Rogan. Would you like to use this respected literary platform to talk shit about Spotify and make short jokes about Joe Rogan?
Yeah, absolutely. Joe Rogan is extremely powerful and extremely powerful people should be made fun of. Spotify is a terrible corporation, or trust of corporations if you count the record labels they gave equity ownership to so they could collaborate in exploiting artists for profit. Delete Spotify.
If someone wanted to improve their non-fiction writing, would they be better off reading your best tweets or studying creative writing in college?
Don’t go to college. Read eve6 tweets.
You shared on Twitter that you can’t help who you are attracted to, using Candace Owens as an example. Could you please write a verse and chorus about how Candace Owens is hot but has horrible politics?
Yes, I can and I will because I like you and you are my friend.
I don’t know how or when, but you have embraced Ska Twitter and are even now touring with the awesome band We Are The Union. What is it about ska that finds its place in alt-rock singers’ hearts?
Ska twitter is the only wholesome corner of the internet. These are lovely people. All of them. We did a cover of an Op Ivy song with Watu and became fast friends. They’re a great band. I also get a kick out of confusing people. Not in a condescending way, but because i think confusion deployed with intention has entertainment value. Eve 6 touring with Watu is confusing in that way and i like it.
Last question, what are you most nervous and most excited about with putting out your first book?
I’m not gonna lie, ever since i cut my Lexapro dose in half I’ve been a little bit more concerned with what people think, but not enough to stop me from giving an honest appraisal of my absurd life. This book is a stare down of marginal fame and mediocrity, industry capture, and mental illness. I’m excited to be able to share a different side of the story. Some of the predictable tropes are there, mainly with the role alcoholism played in my life, but i think that’s where the familiar stuff ends. I’m excited to tell a different story.
Heart In A Blender coming Spring 2023 from CLASH Books
About the author
Christoph Paul is the Managing Editor and owner of CLASH Books, who have published over 60 books and have been covered by NPR, Poets & Writers, Rolling Stone, Believer Magazine, Oprah Magazine, The Observer, Fangoria, and Publisher's Weekly. The press has had books translated into Spanish, French, and Italian. He has been editing books in almost every genre for over a decade. As an author, he won a humor award and had viral cult success under a pen name. He is the lead singer and bass player of the rock band The Dionysus Effect, who have received positive reviews in Loudwire, EARMILK, and Red Rock Magazine. He sometimes writes songs about the books he publishes because even artists are inspired by their day jobs. Follow him on Twitter @christophpaul_ @clashbooks @dionysuseffect.
