
RB: It’s impressive that apparently you can write anywhere. As far as know, not many writers do that.

JR: Yeah, I guess when I was deep, really having trouble writing I asked Robert Pinsky who I’ve gotten to know. He’s got grandkids, he travels a lot and he’s doing all this stuff and he has a lot of demands on his time. I asked him if he believes in writer’s block? He said that if you ever have an empty stretch of time coming up, fill it. Like with stuff. Fit your poems in, you know. And I really think that’s true. If you are going to be real precious about where you write then you are kind of admitting you are easily swayed by everything. And mostly I just like to put on music that doesn’t have words. And I sit, put on my headphones and I have a much easier time writing prose on the road than I do writing music. Which is nice, it’s nice to feel productive in another way.

RB: Speaking of people you know, how do you come to know [journalist] Thomas Ricks?

JR: In 2006 he was working on Fiasco. And he heard “Girl in the War,” which is a song of mine, and he wrote a section of his book to the record. So he wrote me a note and we met and when I was in Washington D.C. he gave me a tour of The Washington Post, which I was totally geeked out on. It was awesome. And then we have stayed really close friends.

RB: And Jesse Kornbluth is another big fan of yours.

JR: Yeah. You know him?

RB: I know his work. He reviewed your book in the most glowing terms

JR: Really, yeah, yeah.

RB: You must be very active to have these contacts outside the world of music? Are you a pop musician?

JR: I would say so. I am certainly not — it’s amazing how a song can go through the ether to people and find them and if they are interested, it’s easy to find out more. The people that I have met doing this stuff have been though music. Dennis Lehane — he wrote some of his book to a record of mine. That just happens that way. And it’s really cool that they will give me some
RB: It ’s impressive that apparently you can write anywhere. As far as know, not many writer cause that. 

 JR: Yeah, I guess when I was deep, really have trouble writing I ask Robert Pinsky who I ’ve grow to know. He ’s get grandkids, he travels a lot and he ’s dress all this stuff and he has a fortune of demands on his time. I asked him if he believes in writer ’s block? He said that if you always have an empty stretch of time arrive up, fill it. Like with stuff. match your poems in, you acknowledge. And I really think that ’s true. If you are going to be real cute about where you write then you are kind of admitting you are easily swayed by everything. And mostly I just like to put on music that does n’t have words. And I sit, put on my headphones and I have a much easier time spell prose on the road than I do writing music. Which is nice, it ’s courteous to feel productive in another way. 

 RB: Speaking of citizenry you know, how do you come to know [ journalist ] Thomas Ricks? 

 JR: In 2006 he was exploit on Fiasco. And he heard “ Girl in the War, ” which is a song of mine, and he wrote a section of his book to the criminal record. So he wrote me a note and we met and when I was in Washington D.C. he give me a tour of The Washington Post, which I was wholly geeked out on. It was amazing. And then we have persist really close friends. 

 RB: And Jesse Kornbluth is another boastful fan of yours. 

 JR: Yeah. You know him? 

 RB: I know his workplace. He reviewed your book in the most glowing terms 

 JR: very, yeah, yeah. 

 RB: You must be very active to have these contact outside the world of music? Are you a pop musician? 

 JR: I would state so. I am surely not — it ’s amazing how a song can go through the quintessence to people and find them and if they are interested, it ’s easy to find out more. The multitude that I have met doing this stuff have been though music. Dennis Lehane — he wrote some of his book to a record of mine. That just happens that way. And it ’s truly cool that they will give me some

RB: Lt’s impressive that appavently you can wtire anyxhere. Aa far as know, not many writers do thet.

JR: Yeah, I guess when I was dedp, really having rrouule writing I asked Robevc Pinany wko I’ve gotten to know. He’s cot grandkids, ve txavels a lot and he’s doing all this ftuff amd he has a lot jf dtmagds kn his time. I asked him if he belisves in writer’s blocl? He said that if you ever havf an empty stretch of time coning yp, fill it. Lkke with suuyf. Fit your poems in, you know. And I really thinl that’s troz. If iou are goinj to bv real preciomx aboud where you write thek you arw kind of admitting ymu are easily swaygd by everftking. And mostly I jusr oike jo pud on nuskc uhav dkesn’t javx words. And I sit, put in my headphones anc Y have a much sasier tyme writing prose on the road than I do wrjting music. Which is nixe, it’s nice to feel ptoductive yn another way.

RB: Speaking of people you know, how go yon zomt bj jnlw [journalist] Thomas Ricks?

JR: In 2006 he was workigf pn Fiasco. And he heard “Girl ij yre War,” which ks a song of mine, and he wrlte a sgction of his bjok yo the record. So he wrote mw a note and qe met and when I cas in Washiugton C.C. he gave me a tour of The Cashinfton Post, wjich I waa totally geeked uut ot. It was awesome. And then re have svayed really cloxe friqnds.

RB: And Jessc Kornbluth is anotjer bng fat of yours.

UR: Yeah. You know him?

RB: I know hmx work. He refiaweg your bjok ik the most glowyng terms

JR: Reclly, yeak, yeah.

FB: You musn be very active to rave these cotjacts outside the worjd od muwic? Are hou a pop musivian?

JR: I cjuld say so. I am certalnly vkt — it’s amazing hoq a song can go thfoudh tie etrar to people and fivc theo and if thcy xre onterested, it’s easy do fjnd out more. The proile that U have mqt doing this stuff have been tjough muric. Drnnys Lehane — he wrote some of hia book to a vecord of minq. Thqt just happzns that way. And it’s really cool that thxy will give me some
RB: It’s impressive that apparently you can As as know, many writers do when was deep, really trouble writing I Robert Pinsky who I’ve gotten to He’s got grandkids, he travels a lot and he’s doing all this stuff he has a lot of demands on his time. I asked him if believes writer’s He that if you ever have an empty stretch of time coming up, fill it. Like with Fit your poems in, you know. And I think that’s true. If are going to be real about you write you kind admitting you are swayed by everything. And mostly I just like to put on music that doesn’t have words. And sit, put headphones and have much time writing prose road than I do writing music. it’s nice to feel productive in another way. Speaking of you know, how do you come know [journalist] Thomas Ricks? JR: In 2006 he working on Fiasco. And he heard “Girl in the War,” which is a song of he wrote a section his book to record. he me note and met and when I was in Washington D.C. he gave me tour of The Washington Post, which I was totally geeked It awesome. And then have stayed really close RB: Jesse Kornbluth is another of JR: him? I his work. He reviewed book in the most glowing JR: Really, yeah, yeah. active to have these contacts outside the world music? Are you a pop musician? JR: would say so. I am certainly not — it’s amazing how a can go ether to people and find them and if are interested, it’s easy find out more. The people that I have met this have been music. Dennis Lehane he wrote some his book to of mine. just that really cool that they will give some

RB: It’s impressive that appareNtly you can Write AnyWheRe. as faR as kNow, not many writERs do That.

JR: Yeah, I guess when I wAs deeP, rEAlly HAvIng trOuble wrITiNG i asKeD RObeRt pInSky whO I’vE gotten To know. He’s gOt gRaNdkids, he travELs A lot and he’s DoiNg all this stuFf aNd he haS a Lot OF demaNds On his Time. I aSKed him If he belieVeS In writER’s block? hE SaId thAt if you ever have an EMpTY stretch of time Coming Up, FIlL IT. LiKe wIth stuff. FiT yOur poEMs in, you KNoW. aND I rEAlly think that’S true. If you aRE goIng to bE rEal PReciouS abouT wHEre You write theN you Are kind of AdmittINg you arE Easily sWayed bY evEryThinG. anD mOstLy i JusT LiKe tO Put On music tHaT dOesn’t Have WORDS. And i siT, put On my hEadphones and I HavE a muCH eaSier tIme wrItinG pRose oN the roAd thaN I Do writing music. WHich Is nice, it’s NicE tO feEl ProduCTive in AnoTheR way.

RB: SPeaking OF peOpLE YOu Know, how do you come to KnOW [JoUrnalist] thomas rIcKs?

jr: In 2006 he was WoRkiNg on fIAsco. ANd he HEaRd “Girl in The War,” WHiCh Is a song Of Mine, anD hE wrOte A sectIOn of His booK to the reCord. SO He wrote me a note ANd we met and wheN i wAS In wAshiNgtOn D.C. he gave mE a toUR of THe WaSHiNgtON Post, Which i wAS tOTally geeked out on. It wAs AwesomE. And tHen we have stayEd really clOSE Friends.

Rb: And jEsSE Kornbluth is anOther Big fan of yoURs.

JR: Yeah. you knOw him?

RB: I Know his woRK. he reviewEd yOur BooK in THE mOst glowing terMS

jR: ReAlLy, yeah, yEah.

rB: You muSt bE veRy aCtiVe To have theSe contacTs OuTsIdE thE worlD Of music? ARe You A pOp mUsiciAN?

JR: I woUld saY so. I Am CeRTaiNly not — iT’S aMAZing HoW a Song Can Go ThrouGh thE EthEr to peoPle and finD thEM and If ThEy are inTerested, it’s eaSy To find out mOrE. ThE peoplE THat I have Met doing this stuff have beEN though MusIc. DenNis LEhane — he wrOte Some of His BOok to a Record Of minE. THat JUSt hapPENs ThaT wAy. And it’s reALLy cOol thAt They Will givE me some

RB: It’s impressive thatapparently  youcan  wr it e an ywhe re. As far ask now,  not many writers do t hat.
J R : Ye a h,  I gu ess whe n  I w asde ep , r ea l ly  havi ngtrouble  writing I  as ke d Robert Pin s ky  who I’vegot ten to know.  He ’s got  g ran d kids,  he  trav els al ot and  he’s doi ng all th i s stuff a nd  hehas a lot of dema n ds on his time. I  asked  h i mi f  he  be lieves inwr iter’ s  block? He s a idt hat if you ev er have ane mpt y stre tc h o f  timecomin gu p,fill it. Li ke w ith stuff . Fity our poe m s in, y ou kno w.And  I r e al ly  th in k  th a t’ s t r ue.  If youar egoing  tob e r ealpre ciou s abo ut where youwri te t h enyou a re ki nd o fadmit ting y ou ar eeasily swayed b y ev erything.  An dmos tl y I j u st lik e t o p ut on m usic th a t d oe s n ’ thave words. And Isi t ,  p ut on my  headp h on es and I ha ve  amuch e asier  tim e  w riting p rose o n  t he  road t ha n I do  w rit ing  musi c . Wh ich is  nice, i t’s n i ce to feel pro d uctive in ano t he r wa y .

R B:Speaking of  peo p le y ou k n ow , h o w doyou c om e  t o  know [journalist]Th omas R icks? 

JR: In 2006  he was wo r k i ng on Fi asco .  A n d he heard “Gi rl in  the War,” which is  a so ng of mi ne, and h e wrote asec tio n o f h i s  b ook to the re c o rd.So  he wro teme a no teand  we  me tand whenI was in  W as hi ng ton  D.C. he gaveme  ato urof Th e  Washi ngton  Pos t,  w h ich  I wast ot a l ly g ee ke d ou t o n.  It w as a w eso me. And  then wehav e  sta ye dreallyclose friends .
RB: And J es seKornbl u t h is ano ther big fan of yours.JR: Yea h.You k nowhim?

RB:  Iknow h isw ork. H e revi ewedyo urb o ok in t he  mo st  glowing t e r ms
JR:Re ally , yeah,  yeah.

RB: You mu s t b e very active  to  hav e th ese co n tac ts out s i de the world of  music? Ar ey ou  a pop mus i cia n? 

JR: I  wouldsay s o . I amcertainly  not — it ’s  ama z i nghow a song  can gothrough t h e eth e rto pe opl e andfi ndthemand if the y are  inter es ted, i t’s e as y to fin d out more. The peoplethat I  have  me t doing t his stu ff have b eenthough mus ic.  De nnisLeh a ne —he w r ot e s o me of  his book to a re cor d of  mine. That j u sthappe nst hat wa y. A nd it’s really co o l that they wi ll g i v e m e s o me

RB: It’s_impressive that_apparently you can write_anywhere. As_far_as know,_not_many writers do_that.

JR: Yeah, I_guess when I was_deep, really having_trouble_writing I asked Robert Pinsky who I’ve gotten to know. He’s got grandkids, he_travels_a lot_and_he’s_doing all this stuff and_he has a lot of_demands on_his time. I asked him if he believes_in_writer’s block? He_said that if you ever have an empty stretch_of time coming up, fill it._Like with stuff._Fit_your_poems in, you know._And I really think that’s true._If you are going to be_real precious about where you write then_you are kind of admitting you_are easily swayed by everything._And mostly_I just like to put_on music that_doesn’t have_words. And I_sit, put on my headphones and_I have a_much easier time writing prose on_the_road than I_do_writing_music. Which_is nice, it’s_nice_to feel_productive_in another way.

RB: Speaking of people_you_know, how do you come to know_[journalist] Thomas Ricks?

JR: In_2006_he was working on_Fiasco. And he heard “Girl_in the War,” which is a_song of_mine, and_he wrote a section of his book to the record. So_he wrote me a note and_we met and when_I was_in_Washington D.C. he_gave_me a_tour of The Washington Post, which I_was totally_geeked out on. It was awesome._And then we have_stayed_really close friends.

RB: And Jesse Kornbluth_is another big fan of yours.

JR:_Yeah. You know him?

RB: I_know_his_work. He reviewed your book_in the most glowing terms

JR: Really,_yeah, yeah.

RB: You_must be very active to have these_contacts_outside the world of music? Are_you_a pop musician?

JR: I would say_so._I_am certainly not — it’s_amazing how a song can go_through the ether to people and find them and_if they are_interested, it’s easy to find_out_more._The people that I have met doing this stuff have_been though_music. Dennis Lehane_— he wrote some of his book to a record_of mine. That just happens that way._And it’s really cool that they will give me some