The Big Interview 
with Dan Rather
featuring,
John Mellencamp.
♪
Your music and your
general persona went
through a, what I would
call a transformation with
your-album, Scarecrow...A
lot of fans consider that
to be your-- the second
act that made you, if you
will.
Do you?
I know a lotta people
think that.
And-- if you looked at
most recording artists'
career-- there's a section
of time that they become
very popular during that
section of time.
And at-- after that time
passes, if you have a long
career, everybody says,
"Oh, that's when he was
the best."
He was best.
But that's not really
true.
What's really true is, is
that-- that's when I was
most popular.
The most popular and being
the best at your craft are
two different things.
You know-- I would say,
you know-- for me-- my
last couple records are my
best records.
Why?
I have more knowledge.
I know what I'm talking
about a lot more-- than I
did then.
I have a muse that sends
me stuff.
I didn't have any of stuff
back then.
I was just a kid trying
to, you know, copy-- you
know-- Faulkner.
How-- how do I become f--
the Faulkner of rock
music?
How do I-- Maybe Tennessee
Williams?
How do I become the
Tennessee Williams of-- of
rock music.
And that was always more
of my inspiration than,
you know, some other rock
band.
And from where did that
come?
Did you read Faulkner or
Tennessee Williams when
you were younger?
Did you know their work?
I-- my parents were-- only
20 years older than me.
So they basically were
kids.
So I grew up with
hearing-- Woody Guthrie.
My mother was-- a painter
and considered herself-- I
hate to say this, an
intellectual.
She considered herself
that.
She thought she was smart.
(CHUCKLE) Anyway, she--
made no-- bones about--
"You need to know this."
You need to know about
Faulkner?
You need to know-- "You--
you--" --about Tennessee--
--"You need to know about
this."
And I had an older brother
who was-- very talented--
singer and actor.
And so in high school and
in college, whenever he
was in dramatics club, he
got all the lead parts.
So being his younger
brothers I was either
forced or volunteered to
go see my older brother do
Kismet , you know.
So-- I was exposed to a
lot of theatre.
Even though it was local
and high school and
college-- at a very young
age.
And I liked it.
The Big Interview 
with Dan Rather.
Catch the full episode
with special guest,
John Mellencamp.
Premiering Tuesday,
April 24th at 9/8 central.
Set your DVR now.
Only on AXS TV.
