John Cougar revisited
By Bruce R. Miller Journal staff writer | Posted: Friday, November 09, 2007
Able to turn vinyl into gold, rock star John Cougar finds success doesn't hurt at all.
Roaring up the charts with his latest album, "American Fool," he says he finally has a handle on the business. "After eight years in this profession, I feel like I"m just getting started."
Marginal success with "This Time," "Aint Even Done with the Night" and "I Need a Lover Who Won't Drive Me Crazy" may have endeared him to other musicians, but it didn't provide the audience adulation accompanying his current hit "Hurts so Good." Selling more than one million copies within six weeks of its release, the single turned the tough-talking kid from Seymour, Ind., into a national anti-hero -- a spokesman for the kind of guys mothers used to warn their daughters about.
Oddly enough, the 30-year-old spent the last eight years of his life trying to fit into the erratic world of rock. "I went to so many record stations trying to get my songs played, I can tell you where the UPI machine is in most of them. I worked hard to get where I am today. But I guess some people will feel it was inevitable. Even a blind pig can find an acorn."
A rebel in his adolescence, Cougar edged into music after four years pouring concrete and installing telephonoes. He knew there had to be more to life than "getting up in the morning, watching TV, talking with friends and picking up girls." So he took a year's worth of unemployment benefits from the telephone company, went to New York and made a record. Knocking on doors, he stopped into the office of David Bowie's management firm, pitched his wares and got a contract, primarily because he wasn't a Bowie Lookalike. Dropping Cougar's last name (Mellencamp) for his first album, "Chestnut Street Incident," manager Tony DeFries started the young man on his way.
In the beginning, Cougar says, "it was real confusing. Everybody emulates people they see. I was no different."
A fan of both Mick Jagger and Bob Dylan, he wondered which direction to go. "Do I take my acoustic guitar up there and dance around? I wasn't sure."
Opting instead for a strong dose of John Mellencamp, he scored.
"Before it all happened," he says, "I'd go into crowds, say what I felt and suffered the repercussions. Now when I say the same things, people look at me and say, 'Oh, he's a rock star. It's OK.'"
Even the folks back home view Cougar differently. "To my face they say, 'Yadiyadiyadi.' Behind my back theyprobably say, 'It's amazing how the little ass did this.'"
Success, the good-looking bad boy says, doesn't disrupt. "Having money only solves the problem of not having money. Success is an accidental, whismical thing that happens. Most people i know proably still say, 'John's just a hayseed who lucked out.'"
Unlike other rock stars, Cougar's not about to sit back and let others make it happen for him. Touring aggressively, (He'll be in Sioux City tonight) he ls pondering his options.
Several motion picture companies have already opened their doors to him. "I'm this close from doing a movie but I'm really not sure about it. I think it's a ripoff from 'The Road Warrior.' But what they want me to do is a real small part. I've got four lines and the money's real good.
"As Isee it," Cougar rationalizes, "it would give me the opportunity to go on a movie set and see if I like it. I'm not actor. I doubt that I could carry a whole movie on my shoulders. I've been in the music business eight years and I'm just learning how to do that.
Four lines, he figures, can't hurt. "As George Burns says, all you got to do is not knock the ashtrays off the table. It's like hanging a carrot in front of donkey's face or something. Just the idea of making a movie is thrilling. Hell, five years ago I probably would have done an X-rated movie is someone had asked me."
Meanwhile, Cougar says, he's thinking about his next album. Although he has written bits of songs, he doesn't have anything finished. "I can't write while I'm on the road. I've got to back in Indiana to do that."
And then, he continues, "I can't write until I've done everything else there is to do.
"I think people create out of frustration and boredom because they would rather do anything in the world but think. Don't make me think, you know? If you can watch TV, you watch TV. You do everything else but work. Then, when your last dog is dead and you're completely bored out of your mind, you create."
Aug. 13, 1982
Roaring up the charts with his latest album, "American Fool," he says he finally has a handle on the business. "After eight years in this profession, I feel like I"m just getting started."
Marginal success with "This Time," "Aint Even Done with the Night" and "I Need a Lover Who Won't Drive Me Crazy" may have endeared him to other musicians, but it didn't provide the audience adulation accompanying his current hit "Hurts so Good." Selling more than one million copies within six weeks of its release, the single turned the tough-talking kid from Seymour, Ind., into a national anti-hero -- a spokesman for the kind of guys mothers used to warn their daughters about.
Oddly enough, the 30-year-old spent the last eight years of his life trying to fit into the erratic world of rock. "I went to so many record stations trying to get my songs played, I can tell you where the UPI machine is in most of them. I worked hard to get where I am today. But I guess some people will feel it was inevitable. Even a blind pig can find an acorn."
A rebel in his adolescence, Cougar edged into music after four years pouring concrete and installing telephonoes. He knew there had to be more to life than "getting up in the morning, watching TV, talking with friends and picking up girls." So he took a year's worth of unemployment benefits from the telephone company, went to New York and made a record. Knocking on doors, he stopped into the office of David Bowie's management firm, pitched his wares and got a contract, primarily because he wasn't a Bowie Lookalike. Dropping Cougar's last name (Mellencamp) for his first album, "Chestnut Street Incident," manager Tony DeFries started the young man on his way.
In the beginning, Cougar says, "it was real confusing. Everybody emulates people they see. I was no different."
A fan of both Mick Jagger and Bob Dylan, he wondered which direction to go. "Do I take my acoustic guitar up there and dance around? I wasn't sure."
Opting instead for a strong dose of John Mellencamp, he scored.
"Before it all happened," he says, "I'd go into crowds, say what I felt and suffered the repercussions. Now when I say the same things, people look at me and say, 'Oh, he's a rock star. It's OK.'"
Even the folks back home view Cougar differently. "To my face they say, 'Yadiyadiyadi.' Behind my back theyprobably say, 'It's amazing how the little ass did this.'"
Success, the good-looking bad boy says, doesn't disrupt. "Having money only solves the problem of not having money. Success is an accidental, whismical thing that happens. Most people i know proably still say, 'John's just a hayseed who lucked out.'"
Unlike other rock stars, Cougar's not about to sit back and let others make it happen for him. Touring aggressively, (He'll be in Sioux City tonight) he ls pondering his options.
Several motion picture companies have already opened their doors to him. "I'm this close from doing a movie but I'm really not sure about it. I think it's a ripoff from 'The Road Warrior.' But what they want me to do is a real small part. I've got four lines and the money's real good.
"As Isee it," Cougar rationalizes, "it would give me the opportunity to go on a movie set and see if I like it. I'm not actor. I doubt that I could carry a whole movie on my shoulders. I've been in the music business eight years and I'm just learning how to do that.
Four lines, he figures, can't hurt. "As George Burns says, all you got to do is not knock the ashtrays off the table. It's like hanging a carrot in front of donkey's face or something. Just the idea of making a movie is thrilling. Hell, five years ago I probably would have done an X-rated movie is someone had asked me."
Meanwhile, Cougar says, he's thinking about his next album. Although he has written bits of songs, he doesn't have anything finished. "I can't write while I'm on the road. I've got to back in Indiana to do that."
And then, he continues, "I can't write until I've done everything else there is to do.
"I think people create out of frustration and boredom because they would rather do anything in the world but think. Don't make me think, you know? If you can watch TV, you watch TV. You do everything else but work. Then, when your last dog is dead and you're completely bored out of your mind, you create."
Aug. 13, 1982
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Gary A wrote on Nov 13, 2007 4:32 PM:
Terence J. Miles wrote on Nov 12, 2007 11:33 AM: