Singer/songwriter Dan Weintraub speaks from the gut, echoing brutal honesty of his lyrics
Written by Carson James
Dan Weintraub is one of the most painfully honest singer/songwriters that you will hear in the indie folk scene right now. Whether he’s singing about lusting over hottie young students on “Night School” or confessing his general hatred for people in this interview, Weintraub speaks from his gut, all spice, no sugar. His music is similarly down-to-Earth; unplugged and without a band backing him up or any studio trickery to mask any mistakes, Weintraub relates his tales of organized religion, personal reflection, and Paris Hilton in a no-frills, take-it-or-leave-it manner.
Carson James: Your single, “Night School,” showcases a somewhat perverse sense of humor that is a little shocking in the acoustic-pop field, which is often too clean. Were you aware of how potentially controversial it could be?
Dan Weintraub: Controversy is fun. I have a deep and abiding disdain for people and things and ideas that try to be squeaky clean. I don’t trust ‘em. on some basic level we all want to be the lecherous teacher, or the dirty old man, or the wine-sipping lush; it’s just we don’t want all of the societal baggage and ostracism that comes with it. As for folk and acoustic pop, what can i say? I think life is pretty dark, but ironically, at least to me, it’s the darkness and perversity that makes life kind of funny and tolerable. The Europeans understand that, but we Americans are terrified of being labeled as amoral. I say, let the red wine flow!
James: What is the inspiration behind “Night School.” Is this an autobiographical confession?
Weintraub: I am giggling because I wish it were an autobiographical confession. Unfortunately at the school at which I taught the women all weighed 300 pounds and had leprosy. Truth is, I wouldn’t cross the touching line, because if someone did that to my daughter, well…let’s just say it would be their last teaching job…last job ever perhaps. So I don’t want to hurt anyone, but find me the 25-year-old who has a short skirt and on go my sunglasses so I can take a good long look.
James: Artists often communicate through their lyrics what they can’t do in face-to-face conversations. Is this what songwriting is for you, an outlet to reveal thoughts and feelings buried inside?
Weintraub: Absolutely, particularly my hatred of things and people, as well as of parts of myself. The beauty of putting it to song is that the tune can be upbeat and whimsical while the message is harsh and cruel. And yes, I hate a lot of people. I enjoy my hatred; it is an emotion that makes me feel alive and strong. The reality is I’m not a violent or hurtful person so I don’t get in fights or tell the people I hate to go listen to the song I just wrote about them. I just keep it as my little inside joke with myself.
James: How many years have you been writing music, and what are some of the lessons you’ve learned since you began?
Weintraub: I’ve been writing songs since the 1980s. The only lesson I’ve learned for me is that I can’t write songs that don’t speak to my truth. Or when I do, they totally suck. I never ever write love songs because I hate love, or at least the way we have conventionalized and packaged and fallen prey to love. I don’t look deeply into a lover’s eyes and get lost in the sensation of love; usually I look deeply into a lover’s eyes and wonder why she has such bad breath.
James: What are your immediate and long-term goals as a musician?
Weintraub: I want to tour the world and have at least two or three people in the audience who can sing along with my songs. That’s all, really. I just want to see the world and play and drink beer and have fun.
