Owen (a.k.a. Mike Kinsella) released a debut album that did something few albums I encounter do: became among my top 5 or so. The amazing music Mike's been associated with over the years (including Cap'n Jazz, Joan of Arc, and American Football) seems only fitting for someone creating such quality tunes as Owen has done thus far. I felt honored to be able to have Mike answer a few of my questions... and this makes the third time I've interviewed a Kinsella.

IY: Having been associated with a number of well known bands, do you find the solo thing to be liberating?

M: Yeah, it's really nice to do whatever I want whenever I want to do it. I do sometimes find myself missing the creative dialogue as part of the song writing process, but overall it's great to do everything on my own terms.

IY: Your new CD split with The Rutabega on Backroad Records features a new version of the American Football song "Never Meant." Do you see a natural progression from your position as frontman of that band to Owen?

M: I guess so. I never really felt like the "frontman" of American Football. We mostly just wrote all the songs together, and then when it came time to record or play a show, I 'd throw some lyrics on top of the music. I think I'm musically more, uh... tasteful than I was while playing with American Football. I don't feel a need to play in odd time signatures just for the sake of it being different, or write guitar parts that are technically "challenging" for the sake of being able to. Now it's like whatever comes out comes out, you know?

IY: Why did you decide to take the pseudonym Owen for your solo work rather than simply releasing music under your name?

M: I feel like being a "solo singer-songwriter guy" has a certain connotation that I'd like to avoid. I'd rather people hear Owen and just assume it's a group or collective, or at the very least NOT assume it's just one guy who writes corny songs about girls (even thought that's essentially what I do...). I don't know, just a personal preference I guess. And more specifically, I just like the way "Owen" looks.

IY: On your recent tour with Kyle Fischer, as well as on the new split, you have pedal steel courtesy of Bob Hoffnar. How did you come to know and work with Bob, as he seems a little outside the indie rock world?

M: Kyle's other band, Rainer Maria, played a show with another band that Bob was playing with and thought he was the shit (as he is...) and asked him to play some shows with him. So when our tour came up, we thought he'd be the perfect person to bring along to liven up the live show. And he turned out to be the coolest person I know. It's funny you say he's "outside the indie rock world" because it's really true, and part of the reason he agreed to go with us was his interest in learning about this "scene." He's a real quick learner, and by the end of the trip he had already learned enough to make fun of the "emo" and "straight edge" kids at the shows.

IY: A lot of releases you've been associated with have featured artwork and photography by Chris Strong. Why have you chosen him so often?

M: I really like everything about him. His photos, his smile, his calm demeanor... he's the total package. As a matter of fact, that's what I refer to him as -- "the total package." [editor's note: all photographs accompanying this interview taken by Chris Strong]

IY: Apparently, you have a new album in the works. Can you shine any light on this upcoming release?

M: It's called "No Good for No One Now" and it'll be out on November 19th on Polyvinyl Records, and I'm not sure what it's like musically. My opinion of it changes from one day to the next. One day I'll wake up and think, "Wow, that's totally different than the last album and anyone who liked the last album will hate this one" and the next day I'll think, "goddamn, Mike, how many times can you write the same song?!?" so we'll see. It's not all done yet -- I still gotta put some vocals and bass on it all, as well as some other little flourishes, but I'm excited to finish it up and see what people think of it.

IY: If you could do a duet with any other artist, who would you pick?

M: I think I'd like to work with either David Gavurin or Harriet Wheeler (both of The Sundays). I'd like to either lock myself in a studio with David for about two weeks and see what comes out, or have Harriet come over to my house one night and sing all of my songs to me while I play the guitar parts. I think those two scenarios are tied for the best musical experience I could ever have.

IY: Last words to wrap things up?

M: Take care.