Like his music, Alexakis remains ever clear

Kirk Baird

Friday, June 29, 2001 | 9:21 a.m.

Art Alexakis is one of us.

Sure, he's the lead singer/guitarist for Everclear, one of the more successful and talented rock bands to emerge in the '90s.

But Alexakis knows what's it like to be part of the "real" world. Days of working odd jobs to make ends meet. Of looking forward to the next pay check. Of bill collectors calling for a "Mr. Art."

Which only makes success that much more satisfying to him.

"There are perks to everything," Alexakis said by phone recently of his newfound fame. "I don't worry about money too much anymore. I take care of my mom, my sister, my family ... and my ex-wife. I take care of her, too."

Relaxing at his Portland, Ore., home, the guiding force behind Everclear, which performs Saturday at Mandalay Bay's House of Blues, occasionally seemed weary when discussing his past.

But it's those not-so-long-ago struggles that lend authenticity to his lyrics and make them seem more true to life.

Known for the hits "Santa Monica," "Everything to Everyone" and even the remake of Van Morrison's "Brown Eyed Girl," Everclear is more a band with a strong collection of songs than out-and-out hitmakers.

Which is in keeping with Alexakis' writing style.

A self-described "poor boy makes good," Alexakis doesn't really pen songs -- certainly not in the standard pop-rock form where catchy rhyming patterns often take precedence over substance.

Rather he weaves recognizable human emotions and traits through lyrical stories; they are studies set to music.

Which is the same writing style used by Bruce Springsteen, Randy Newman, Mark Knopfler and Tom Petty, among others, with the key difference being that Alexakis uses "me" and "I" instead of "he" and "his."

With all the personal pronoun references in his lyrics, it's little wonder many critics contend his songs are based on his own experiences, such as "Short Blonde Hair" from the the band's latest release, "Songs From an American Movie Vol. Two: Good Time for a Bad Attitude."

"No one really understands just how simple and plain and predictable I am /All I ever wanted was to play guitar in a rock and roll band/Now I'm just losing my hair and I'm learning how to smile like I just don't care," he sings, leaving little doubt who the "I" is.

While "Short Blonde Hair" is "pretty autobiographical," Alexakis said, that's not his songwriting norm.

This is certainly the case on "Rock Star," a tongue-in-cheek ode to the excesses of said profession, with its subject craving the lifestyle of a famous musician including designer clothes, fast cars and parade of beautiful women.

"What's confusing to a lot of people is that 'Rock Star' is anything but autobiographical, but a lot of people go, 'It's followed by 'Short Blonde Hair,' and that's autobiographical, so 'Rock Star' has to be,' " he said, adding jokingly, "Of course, I'm just so into seeing how many famous movie stars I can sleep with. I'm going to party like that to the day I die -- party like a rock star. As I sit here in my big, fluffy slippers and my fuzzy 'jammies, my daughter waiting for me to take her bowling."

Does it bother Alexakis, then, when critics read too much into his lyrics and attribute characteristics to him that aren't true?

"Yeah, it does," he said. "Not just critics, but anyone. Say what your opinion is: 'Well, my opinion is this and this,' instead of saying 'Art Alexakis is doing this and this here.' How do you know what the (expletive) I'm doing? I don't remember calling you and telling you, 'I've got this new album coming out, I just wanted to get your feeling on this.' "

Sometimes, though, it doesn't matter what his perceived thoughts are, such as the song "Wonderful" from last year's album, "Songs From an American Movie Vol. One: Learning How to Smile."

An energetic pop-rock fusion, "Wonderful's" upbeat musical style perfectly belies its darker lyrical content, which contains enough strong and accurate depictions of youthful emotions, that it easily applies to most anyone at some point during their formative years.

"Promises mean everything when you're little, and the world's so big/I just don't understand how you can smile with all those tears in your eyes and tell me everything is wonderful now."

Growing up isn't easy, Alexakis acknowledges in the song. Having parents shirk their duties only makes it worse -- as was the real-life case for him and his family after his dad abandoned them.

The actions of his father left such a mark on the singer that he made it a cause -- specifically "deadbeat parents" -- one he addressed before a Senate subcommittee hearing a year and a half ago.

His testimony before the committee drew the likes of Spin and Rolling Stone, publications normally not known for covering such proceedings.

"It brought a lot of attention," Alexakis said. "It started a groundswell to where Republicans and Democrats, because it was a very bipartisan thing, could get into."

Eventually there was enough backing to create the Hyde-Woolsey Child Support Bill, which would have allowed the IRS would be given the authority to collect child support and to pursue "deadbeat parents" who are negligent in their payments.

But with all the rancor on Capitol Hill regarding the presidential election, the feeling of bipartanship disappeared and the bill died on the floor.

Alexakis, however, doesn't seem too surprised the bill never passed, shrugging it off in an almost "that's politics" manner.

But the experience wasn't all for naught. He said he enjoyed working on behalf of a personal cause and it's motivated him to get even more involved in the political arena.

"I think if you speak out intelligently it's cool," Alexakis said. "Right now I'm trying to get involved with the school board in Portland about raising money. The same thing with the Democratic Party."

As for his own political aspirations, Alexakis hasn't ruled out running for elected office somewhere down the road.

"Maybe ... someday," he said. "Right now I can't deal with the pay cut, to be honest."