Richard Shindell does not journal. He is self-admittedly too much of a perfectionist for such reckless abandoned activity as scribbling one's every whim into a notebook. This perfectionism has been his co-pilot in writing some of the best examples of character-driven songs in the last decade. His songs are tightly crafted stories that explore a variety of characters in a wide range of situations, from the commonplace to the surreal, exploring their emotional depths but always staying true to the voice of the character and meticulously removing himself from the equation.
In this interview he talks about being a late bloomer as a songwriter and discusses how some of the pivotal songs in his career were written. I was pleasantly surprised to find Richard so easy to talk to and willing to talk so candidly about the inner workings of his song laboratory.
Shindell lives in Buenos Aires with his wife and three children now and only makes it to the States these days when he is touring. I got the chance to talk with him after his sold out show at Eddie's Attic in Decatur, Georgia.