From Deseret News archives:
Musician sees changed world
"The last time I was in town was in 2001, and I've been getting hate mail for not coming back to Salt Lake City," he said with a laugh. "So I figured I better return before it gets real ugly."
The musician is preparing to hit the road again in support of his new album "Two Lights." The disc's title track was inspired by meeting a Vietnam veteran and his son, who was about to deploy to Iraq. "I saw the pride but also the worry," Ondrasik said by phone between rehearsals in Los Angeles. "And it was something that stuck with me so much that I had to write about it."
Ondrasik, who hit the big time with his 2000 hit "Superman (It's Not Easy)," which caught on after the events of 9/11, said times have changed since he began writing songs. "Back in the '80s it was all about girls and having a good time. It's a different world today. It's meaner than when we were young. And I have two daughters who will be living in the world on their own. So, it's hard not to write about them and their circumstances."
"It was amazing to me to be playing with some of my idols," said Ondrasik. "But it wasn't about me. It was about the cause."
When the time came to follow up "Superman," which came from the album "American Town," Ondrasik had some reservations. "I finally came to the realization that there was no way I could follow up that song. So I just wrote the best songs I could and stepped back to see what would happen."
The result was the 2004 album "The Battle for Everything," which featured the single "100 Years," a song that has since been played at weddings, funerals, graduations and family reunions all over the world. "I'm the typical 20-year overnight success story," Ondrasik said with a laugh. "But I don't ever take things for granted. I'm a fortunate son, doing what I want to be doing for a living. And I have the freedom to do what I want to do, based on the success of those songs."
Comments
- Senate to confront abortion in debate 9:10 a.m.
- EPA: Greenhouse gases harmful 9:08 a.m.
- 'Openness' workshop closed to public 9:00 a.m.
- Thousands protest in Iran 8:47 a.m.
- Stocks push higher as dollar rises 8:41 a.m.
- Messy Monday morning commute 8:22 a.m.
- U.N. climate conference opens 7:55 a.m.
- Blast outside Iraqi school kills 8 7:53 a.m.
- Today on TV 12:49 a.m.
- Wanted: Bank robber with bad breath 12:40 a.m.
- BYU and Utah's bowl games
- BYU professor remembered
- Cougars going back to Vegas
- Y., U. to learn bowl destinations
- TCU to play Boise in Fiesta Bowl
- Utah/BYU rivalry can be more civil
- The forgotten ship: USS Utah
- Utes excited to go to San Diego
- Bring the true spirit of Christmas
- Y. profs: Beck not all-knowing
- Letters: Liberal because LDS
259 - Y. profs: Beck not all-knowing
220 - Hate not limited to 1 in-state rivalry
189 - Aggies shoot past Cougars
179 - TCU to play Boise in Fiesta Bowl
141 - N.Y. Senate rejects gay marriage
131 - George lost in rivalry hatefest
114 - Ed Smart 'appalled' at testimony
98 - Harpring's NBA career is over
95 - Cougars going back to Vegas
91
I haven't yet played "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2," and honestly I...
Health Care Reform? Yes, but not this lousy ill conceived bill. I hope...
No way was the BCS going to allow another 'Utah beatdown of Bama'. Putting 2...
Don't assume that, because I'm not an Obama partisan that I support any...
The problem with the Pickens Plan is that it relies heavily on government...
Gazelle, I may miss the game tonight unfortunately not by choice but I will...
Notice they don't use "Global Warming" much more, they say "climate...
Hang in there, Republicans, unless/until "Brother" Reid can explain how he's...
I hate the utes. Always have, always will. Their streak ends this year....
Evidently the AP writer doesn't pay attention to the news. A cache of emails...
I have a Christmas plate that has been sitting ON TOP of our cupboards for...




You can be the first to comment on this story.