Utter Trash--Jerry Fels

Friends and Enemies

An Interview with Jerry Fels

By Eddie Fleisher

Boston's Jerry Fels is back with a new album, ‘How To Make Enemies And Influence Strangers’, and I was able to chat with him about it, as well as his fame in Canada, blogging, and various other rock star banter.

Utter Trash: Your last record, you were the Short Happy Life, and now you are back to Jerry Fels. Why?
Jerry Fels: At the time I wanted to create the illusion that I was something bigger. This time around I got over myself. I am what I am.

UT: The title of the record is a sort of mock of the actual book (‘How To Win Friends And Influence People’). Why did you use that title?
JF: You know what? I never thought of it in terms of that book, but I guess you’re right, it does play on it so it must have been in the back of my head all the time. When you release an album knowing that it is going to be heard more by people who don’t know you than by people who do, in a way it becomes an exercise in shaping other people’s opinions, like in the way you package and present it. So you are “Making Enemies and Influencing Strangers”. I’ve reached kind of a breaking point with that exercise, though. I’ve learned how it gets in the way of more important things. In the future I will be backing away from that exercise.

UT: Your singing has matured. Have you been practicing or using new equipment?
JF: Yeah, you could say I’ve been practicing *smirk*. I think I needed it. The equipment is still the same, if anything worse. I’m using cheaper mics this time around.

UT: What guitars did you use on the record, they sound amazing?
JF: Mostly just one nylon string. An Esteve.

UT: Is "I Bet They Were Fucking" a true story?
JF: No. My imagination runs away with me. Which is good, because if it ever runs from me, that means I'm really fucked.

UT: The lyrics to "elts" are quite good. Do you notice a lot of people seem to need to prove something to others?
JF: People need to communicate, it’s a fact of life. It’s easy to talk but harder to listen. It’s especially easy to talk about yourself. Like what I'm doing right now. I'm so full of shit sometimes *smirk*.

UT: You mentioned you were big in Peterborough Canada. Is that still true?
JF: Peterborough is adopting me. The papers are in the mail. If it wasn't for my friend Eskimo Jess I'd be nothing.

UT: Your blog on MySpace is quite intriguing. Ever think of doing a book of thoughts, or anything like that?
JF: Ha ha. My blog’s OK, but some of my friends’ are better I think. I mainly just use it as an exercise to keep writing juices flowing, other people take blogging much more seriously than I do. If I wasn’t stubborn I’d choose a profession somewhere in the field of writing, because with this music thing I’m probably just banging my head against the wall, at least in terms of ever developing even the most cult-like of followings.

UT: When are you going to tour?
JF: I have a real commitment problem when it comes to playing live because I do so much recording. I feel guilty that I don’t do it more. I want to get the next album done this summer and then do more shows in the fall, hopefully. Things never work to plan, however.

UT: What do you hope people get out of this new record?
JF: When I listen to music I put my ear up to its chest to see if I can hear any breathing going on. I check its pulse. I look for vital signs. Anything to tell me that it’s still alive. That’s what I want people to hear.

UT: What's up with the label? Who’s new?
JF: Next up is The Accident That Led Me to the World, a trio consisting of acoustic guitar, banjo, and stand-up bass. All sing. Hopefully their album will be out in the early fall.