Musician sees changed world

Singer/songwriter John Ondrasik, known to the world as the soul of Five for Fighting, hasn't been to Salt Lake City for quite a while. But he felt he needed to return sooner rather than later, thanks to some "gentle" prodding from his Utah fans.

"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."

"Superman (It's Not Easy)" became an anthem for the nation in 2001. Ondrasik found himself playing the Concert for New York with some big names, including Mick Jagger, Elton John and Paul McCartney.

"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."

While "Two Lights," which was released last August, hasn't been quite as successful as his previous albums, Ondrasik is happy with the reception — especially with the singles "The Riddle" and "World." "I think the songs are a bit deeper and not as universal, but they are what I wanted to express, and I have a point of view. And I believe that I have an obligation to walk the walk and put action to my words."