MusicInterviewsNow.com

On February 12, 2009, Randy from MusicInterviewsNow had the amazing opportunity to speak with Justin Furstenfeld of Blue October...

How’s life been?

Great...Thank you for even wanting to talk to me! This is the fourth interview I’ve had and it’s really nice that you want to talk to me. But it’s been really great! I had a daughter about a year and a half ago, and it put a huge spotlight on top of my selfish ass. I stopped whining and started doing stuff about shit and I stopped playing the victim. Every time I would talk to somebody they would say, “Justin, you’re so dark...talk to us.” I know I had issues that needed to be talked about, and I got wrapped up in the entertainment industry. I don’t want to be considered sensitive, I want to be like, “my dad’s the shit...you fuck with me, and he’ll kill you.” (LAUGHS) That is the stance I’m taking...some people think I’m a dick because of it. But if I hire you to keep drug dealers away from me, and there are drug dealers around, I’m going to kick your ass! It’s not about me any more, and that’s kind of what this album is about.

Congratulations on everything! Can you tell us more about “Approaching Normal?”

Have you heard anything about it thus far?

Oh yeah...I’m really into it, and I love the concept of the video for “Dirt Room...”

Well, that song is about not being a passive idiot anymore and not letting people take advantage of you anymore just because of who you are. I wouldn’t say that we’re famous...we are just normal people that get put on TV and stuff. That is just who we are...so if that makes us famous like the E! Entertainment crap, that’s not us. People want to see you in that part and think you are rich, and they start to come out of the wood work...and they start asking for things over and over again...and that song’s about just taking it too far. There was an incident that happened, I can’t even talk about it...but I took care of it, wrote the song, and that’s my revenge. I use my words as weapons. No one will take advantage of my family again. I usually do all the writing and on this new album everyone did some writing and it was really special to me. We took this album as, if you have a problem, say it now because in a week you are going to be called an idiot. We took a non-selfish approach. We all love each other so much...it has to do with love, business, friendship, and all the assholes out there in the world that think they are smarter than you.

Getting back to being normal people...that is evident that you all stick to your word just by you doing this interview with me. We aren’t Rolling Stone, we are just normal people who love your music, and we are trying to get your music out to the people who are just like us.

Thank you so much, you are the fourth and only people that wanted to interview me so far...because we aren’t all in the public. I guess we are kind of cursed in the publicity department...ha ha, I‘ll just say that. (LAUGHS) It helps us because it’s not taken too far, and if it is we’re in trouble. We don’t drive around LA in a corvette to get our pictures taken to be in the press. We want press because on my off time, I teach at a mental hospital, and I teach kids self expression so they don’t start cutting on themselves. You know, that’s what I want to do.

How do you compare “Approaching Normal” to the other four albums that Blue October has out?

The band is amazing on this one...we really took it seriously. I’m not a musician, so I trusted the guys to get it done. And they did...my brother, the drummer, is amazing. He wrote three of the songs with me, and he’s never done anything like that in his life. And one of the songs, he wrote it in its entirety...music and all. We are in a very good spot...we were all connected and we put it all down on paper. It’s a very positive album. There are songs about my daughter on there, songs about love, songs about loss, and songs about “crazy making.” Crazing making is someone who will drive you crazy because they can and know how to. There are songs on there about people who take things too far...you can’t actually hurt them, so you write a song about it.

That is a great release...

Exactly...that’s why I do it. I don’t want a desk job.

That’s where I’m at, a desk job! (LAUGHS) I’m trying to get out of that...

No you’re not, you are MUSIC baby! You’re MUSIC!

I’m trying! We are getting there...

You are music...you are talking to us! I’m talking to you and thank you very much! Without you, nobody would be hearing me where you are...and I’m not on the phone with Rolling Stone because they don’t like us.

We are trying to get this out to the Mid-West, the Chicago land area...

I love Chicago!

You will be here in a week or so, and we are hoping to get a sit down with you...

Uh, you better! That would be great! We are talking now, and I better meet you face to face!

[Interruption due to time constraints]

Your fans are gonna be reading this and hearing this...what do you want to tell them?

I am going to tell them that there is light at the end of the tunnel...I’m getting there...I don’t know if it’s normal...so listen to it, and tell me if I’ve gone cuckoo...some people think I have, but I think I’m right where I should be.

It sucks that we have to cut this short, but I thank you for all of your time!

Thank you, and I’ll be the one fighting to get you back stage!

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In this line of work, most artists have a job to do, and often overlook interviews and publicity as just another day in the office. It’s not often that an artist has the graciousness and time to tell how they really feel, and show their appreciation...and for that we at MusicInterviewsNow, give many thanks.

Blue October’s new album, “Approaching Normal,” comes out March 24^th, 2009...if you are a fan, the best is yet to come...you can visit their site here.