Emerson Hart finds Tonic in making music

Emerson Hart arrived on the mainstream rock scene in 1997 when his former band, Tonic, struck multi-platinum with its debut album, “Lemon Parade,” and its ubiquitous radio hits, “If You Could Only See” and “Open Up Your Eyes.” Over 10 years and a few Grammy nominations later, Hart is on his own, with his debut solo album, last summer’s “Cigarettes and Gasoline,” doing well on radio while he continues to tour America. Six Questions caught up with Hart on the phone recently to see what’s been going on in his post-Tonic world.

Doug Miller: You recently played a concert-cruise gig called the Rock Boat. Other than possibly getting seasick, what goes on there?

Emerson Hart: Well, first of all, I didn’t get seasick. I grew up lobster fishing on the Jersey Shore, so I never get seasick. I got seasick once when I was younger because the water was too still. I’ve been in some pretty rough seas. The Rock Boat was my fourth or fifth one. It’s really great for the fans and great for us to let loose and get to spend time hanging out and talking to everyone. Normally, at a regular show, you only have like a half-hour afterward to go mingle. You can never really have any meaningful conversations. But other than that, it’s just a good time. All you do is eat and drink, pretty much. Nothing wrong with that, right?

Miller: You mentioned Fleetwood Mac’s “Rumours” as an influence on your new album. What’s your favorite song on that record and why?

Hart: Probably “Go Your Own Way.” The thing that really strikes me about it now that I’m older is that it was a way to be sad yet positive. It’s a really sad song, but it’s a beautiful sadness. It’s happy. Also, “Rumours” is a real record and I don’t think people make real records very much anymore. That’s what I’ve tried to do, and in that sense, it’s a blessing and a curse. I can only write what I live through and see. I can’t make up stuff about unicorns. My poor family has to endure it when I tell the truth about stuff, but I think they appreciate where it’s coming from. And “Rumours,” that whole record was written from a real place. I use it as a benchmark to strive to be great.

Miller: “If You Could Only See” was a No. 1 hit. The way the music industry is going, are we going to hear it on a KFC commercial soon?

Hart: I don’t think so, but I do understand what’s happening here. Everything is going in the way of singles and licensing. People want new songs quickly and easily and they don’t want to wait 2 ½ years for it. They want something new every six months. That’s the way of it.

In old days, you could do Leno and Conan and all those shows and you could sell records. Now you need something on “Grey’s Anatomy” or “One Tree Hill.” That’s where the kids are getting the music now. And the soccer moms, too. My fan base goes from 18-year-old girls to 40-year-old girls.

Basically, you write the record that you can write and get it on TV. That’s where it is. That’s the nature of the industry right now. We have to make a living and people can download songs for free, so we’re not making it there. The more technology moves along, the more it will go this way. And I can’t say I’m upset for the record labels. Your Death Star blew up. You’ve been ripping everybody off for 50 years, and there’s no “Empire Strikes Back.” And it’s not my problem.

Miller: Jon Bon Jovi did a song with (Sugarland lead singer) Jennifer Nettles to crack the country market, and you’re now living in Nashville. Are we going to see you in a cowboy hat while dipping Skoal at the CMAs next year?

Hart: No, you definitely won’t. A lot of the country writers in this town are some of my dearest friends, and they’re extremely talented people, but I don’t write songs about trucks. That’s not my life. I don’t write songs about my dog leaving. I adore a lot of country music. There’s a lot of great stuff out there, songs that would be hits no matter what genre they were categorized in. I mean, you can’t tell me that “What Hurts the Most” by Rascal Flatts wouldn’t be a top hit for another artist in another genre if the arrangement and instrumentation were changed up a little. What I do is write with writers and forge relationships with people that are just great writers. If it’s a great song, you can make it country, you can make it pop, and it doesn’t matter. But try to be somebody you’re not and they’ll sniff it out pretty quickly.

Miller: Tonic seemed to be emo before that term existed. Does that make you an emo pioneer?

Hart: I guess so. I mean, “Lemon Parade” was definitely a very eclectic record. If that makes it emo, then sure, I would be an emo artist and I’d be blowing up on MySpace. And by the way, I answer all of my MySpace email. It takes me about a month. But getting back to the question, if “Lemon Parade” came out now, I think it definitely would be considered an emo record. I’m glad that it came out when it did. In a lot of ways, emo is songs, and I embrace that.

Miller: You don’t have that 2008 emo look, though.

Hart: (Laughs) Uh no. I’m not a flop-down haircut and skinny black jeans guy. You know, the whole Bay City Rollers comeback that we witnessed a few years ago, bands with dudes wearing the white belt and Capezios, I just didn’t get that. I guess I should just say I’m an artist who’s been through a lot and I will continue to write songs I want to write and that are appropriate to who I am and what I’m experiencing. There’s nothing weirder than old guys — not that I’m an old guy — wearing tight, skinny jeans. Seriously, who are you fooling? Be who you are, you know?

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