Jeffrey Lewis: On A Balcony (part 2), "If Life Exists" 2007

Part 2: Under A Microscope

In this second part, Jeff Lewis, a member of the anti-folk movement in NYC, touches on the dichotomy of "folk" and success in the music business. He explores the natural insecurity that comes with mass scrutiny, and the difficulty to remain pure and simple once the stakes are raised. Jeff ends the interview with a beautiful and simple performance of "If Life Exists", displaying the unselfconsciousness he is struggling with himself to preserve. Interview conducted by Emily Lacy and Stephanie Kern on a balcony in Silverlake, CA.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Jeffrey
• Lewis
• Folk
• Guitar
• If Life Exists
• Ethnomusicology
• Stephanie
• Kern
• Emily
• Lacy
• Silverlake

[HeyLikeWhatever]

Sometimes greater restrictions spur the artist to greater heights - compare the artificial rules of haiku with the total freedom of prose. Stay lo-fi Jeff - what you can do with almost nothing is amazing and two orchestras and months of studio production will add not a single drop of genius.

[neonatto]

love this guy

[malarbusto]

"To do the best you can is now just so much more challenging". There's a big complex truth put simply and very honestly. For many of us now, making it is not going big; it's staying small. Wonder if JL has it in him to remain at least a reasonable size

[desasterz]

I'm glad I'm not the only nutcase obsessed with CBGBs and knows names like "Neon Boys". I've been waching this guy all day.

[timotep]

hooray for jeffrey!!!

[aafdedgvsd]

cocaine is one hell of a drug ;)

[craigwithington]

Honest is everything to me.

[moobdag]

"We should just do the best that we can, with what we have now, because thats going to seem simple compared to whats About to happen."

[gw348]

Man that is the deepest sh*t I've ever stepped in! LOL!

[gormano]

like i say - lets go shoot up

[neonatto]

hippopotamus

its a lot bigger than i

hippopotamus

-or-

the pretty panties

lying on my filthy floor

how did you get there

the above are just simple demonstrations of the great heights one can reach through haiku.

despite your misconstrued swipe at the fine art of meaningful haiku, your comment was deep, but, hey... ya know... like.... um... whatever