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Among the Japanese characters that are tattooed behind his left ear, Art Alexakis has the symbol for chaos.
The Everclear frontman doesn’t fear chaos: he embraces it.
“The Western view of chaos is the end of all things; the Eastern view of chaos is a new beginning,” explained Alexakis (pronounced Al-ex-Ah-Kis) by phone from his home in Portland, Ore.
It’s definitely time for starting over for Alexakis and Everclear, which will play Saturday at Sunday River ski resort in Bethel, as part of the Budweiser Rocks the River Concert Series.
It’s a new Everclear, as original members Craig Montoya and Greg Eklund left the rock group early last year to go in different musical directions. Alexakis, the band’s songwriter, guitarist and vocalist, has filled out the lineup with musicians around whom he feels comfortable.
“We’re all good friends,” he said. “They’re older guys, more stable. There’s a sense of brotherhood and connection.”
This time out, as with last year’s tour, the band is playing at a series of smaller venues. Alexakis sees that as the reality of the music business.
“We haven’t put out a record since 2003, and that didn’t do well because the label wasn’t behind it,” he said. “We’re trying to play places where people are excited to see us play. Last year, we averaged 700 to 1,000 [people] a night, and turned a lot of doubters into believers. The smaller venues are actually more fun. Plus this time, I get to go skiing, so it’s a working holiday.”
The old Everclear era was capped with the album “Ten Years Gone: The Best of Everclear, 1994-2004,” culled by Alexakis from the trio’s six releases on Capitol.
“It wasn’t easy,” he said. “There were some songs that didn’t make it that people expected. I took all the radio songs, took some of my favorites, took some I know that are fan favorites and picked a few interesting songs that rounded out the picture of Everclear.”
The new Everclear is now in the midst of recording its first album together, which should come out later in the year. Fortunately, this lineup has already clocked some studio time together, recording songs for soundtracks and political campaigns.
“We did it right,” Alexakis said enthusiastically. “We got a great sense of being a band. We [the old lineup] had been recording with me starting the song, then building on that. Now we’re sitting in the room playing, waiting until we get a track that sounds great, so it’s more live sounding. I wanted to get back to how it sounded on our first and second records. We’re all really excited because these guys are fully invested.”
At 42, Alexakis is a survivor, who kicked his longtime substance addictions more than 20 years ago after having his brother and his girlfriend die from overdoses. He has also recently gone through a divorce. Such personal baggage will be a big presence on Everclear’s new album.
“This is a very personal record,” he said. “I’ve never had to make a record like this. Before, there were only one or two songs a record that were autobiographical. But this album is pretty honest, brutally so lyrically.”
Still, life is looking up for Alexakis.
“I’m doing the best I have in a long time,” he said. “I have a sense of freedom for the first time in a long time. I have a new love, and a great relationship with my daughter. I’m learning from my mistakes, and just growing up. It’s a process that never stops.”
The Everclear show will be held at Tango Mary’s nightclub at the White Cap Base Lodge, with transportation service to and from the show available by the on-mountain trolley system and the Mountain Explorer shuttle. The show is for those over 21, tickets are $10 and doors open at 8 p.m. Future shows include Entrain on March 19 and Rusted Root on March 26. Call (800) 543-754 or log on to www.sundayriver.com for updated show information and to order tickets. Dale McGarrigle can be reached at 990-8028 and dmcgarrigle@bangordailynews.net.
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