What The Music Wants To Be: An Interview with Mike Doughty

Popshifter: Well, small rock also had a nice, stripped-down sound which I think a lot of people liked.

Mike Doughty: Yeah, yeah. Well, small rock’s not going anywhere; small rock’s coming back.

Popshifter: So on the new album you have a little secret code on one of the names. . .

Mike Doughty: Oh yeah, did you get that?

Popshifter: What is code 4020 and why should I tell my grocer?

Mike Doughty: Oh, um, you should go tell your grocer! (giggles)

Popshifter: But see, we’re in Canada now and it might not be the same code here!

Mike Doughty: It might not! You might have to cross the border! But see, that’s the thing about secret codes! I can’t just, can I tell you off the record?

Mike tells Barry the significance of the secret code.

Popshifter: Oh okay, we’ll keep it off the record. So you did that on this album, you had a secret code on one of the tracks on Haughty Melodic and am I right to think that this actually started with the X Files soundtrack?

Mike Doughty: No, well, it started when I was a kid and it was in the 80s when hair metal reigned. There were all these preachers talking about the evils of rock music and backwards masking, you know, secret messages. And Pink Floyd had a secret message and Led Zeppelin had a secret message and the Beatles had “Paul is Dead” and I was like, “if I ever make records, I’m gonna do that!” (laughs) So yeah, I just figured out the high tech way of doing it.

Popshifter: Speaking of hair metal: a couple of years back you did an April Fool’s joke where you said you were releasing a full cover of Judas Priest—

Mike Doughty: Oh, Judas Priest, British Steel, yeah.

Popshifter: And actually a lot of people were really excited about that idea!

Mike Doughty: It would’ve been really good, right?! It’s a great record.

Popshifter: Did the reaction actually make you consider doing metal covers at some point?

Mike Doughty: I think a cover of “Living After Midnight,” no question, would be great. But I’m always thinking of weird covers to do.

The Panderers in Toronto
Photo © Barry Sanders

Popshifter: Talk about your new label!

Mike Doughty: I started a micro-label. I’ve been thinking about doing it for a long time. I sort of had this idea that I had this kind of fair and cheap and small way of doing a label, which was, find an artist, bring them out on the road with me, put out an online-only EP. Five songs and they would have no obligation to me other than that. It would just be a way of getting them to the next level. And I, as the label owner, would have this record that I could sell forever. If they continue to have a career, that will be my business interest.

I was thinking of getting a singer-songwriter but Pete actually produced (with Dave Wilder) a record for this guy, Scott Wynn, of The Panderers. It was just great. And Scrap played bass on it, so the show is like a revue now with the same rhythm section playing behind both me and Scott.

Scott’s story is fascinating: he grew up in Appalachia and he’s the first man in his family not to be a coal miner. His dad bought him a mule when he was 15. . . to farm tobacco. It’s a really great, peculiar, American story. His music is great.

Click to read more from Mike Doughty on. . .

Song development and self-plagiarism
Words and war
Politics and parameters of the new album
Scrap, Pete, & John and “Small Rock”
Secret codes and Scott Wynn from The Panderers
The Rock Star Echelon and retirement plans

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