Regrets—Art Alexakis has had more than a few. And he’s had his share of losing, too. But the Everclear frontman has always done it his way. While far too many of his ’90s Pacific Northwest brethren (Kurt Cobain, Layne Staley, Andrew Wood, et al) ended up six feet under, Alexakis has been a survivor, enduring arrests, attempted suicide, drug abuse, divorce, depression, bankruptcy and much more. Despite being dubbed Nirvana lite by music critics, Everclear soldiered on, becoming a platinum-selling, Grammy-nominated, hit-making band, and Alexakis used this success to champion causes close to his heart. The revolving-door group’s latest release, In A Different Light (429), is a collection of (mostly) older Everclear songs reinterpreted in a stripped-down manner. Alexakis is guest editing magnetmagazine.com all this week. Read our Q&A with him.
Alexakis: Nothing else in my life compares with fatherhood. It has been the most significant and profound experience of my life, bar none. I remember the day my eldest child Anna was born. I came home from the hospital to get some clothes for her mom, and I remember sitting on the couch, feeling overwhelmed, when I literally felt an incredible weight on me. I could barely breathe, and as I started to panic, it came to me: I wasn’t first anymore, Anna was. Once I realized this, the pressure and stress evaporated and I felt elated. And as long as I keep her (and her awesome little sister, Arizona) as my priorities in life, I know I will always find a way to make everything work. It’s not rocket science. Unconditional love, unconditional patience (easier said than done) and working hard to be present at all times is really what a child.(or anyone, for that matter) wants and needs. All the other stuff (i.e. money!) is gravy. It will come, but not necessarily in the way or when we want it. Welcome to the universe!
