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But Shears is far more introspective on his new album than his previous work might suggest.
It changed my life and gave me a whole new perspective, he says of stage acting.
It wore me out but it made me really happy.
This is your first solo release.
I imagine theres some added pressure there.Definitely.
Its not quite starting from scratch but its been a long process.
Youre basically starting an entirely new business endeavor.
Craig Pfunder, who used to be in VHS or Beta, does all the guitar on this record.
Ben Hudson who is playing bass he wrote a whole bunch of the songs with me.
So it definitely still feels like its a band.
To me, it feels like theyre my bandmates.
Its not one of those things where Im like Oh, youre replaceable.
Everybody is definitely a part of it, which I like.
When did you regain a desire to make and release music?
How long ago was this?That would have been about two years ago.
This records been done for just about a year.
Whether thats performing or doing records.
Thats just when Im happiest.
I couldnt really say.
It just wasnt coming together.
Its hard on your body and its hard on your head.
And that changed me forever.
I never ended up the same.
I felt like everybody had had enough of it.
Wed had a great run.
I think we made great records and we had amazing tours and had this incredible experience.
Babydaddy from Scissors even co-wrote some of the songs with me.
So its got that blood in it.
As I was working on it I kind of realized that I was picking up where we left off.
If you look at the album cover, it even looks like a Scissors album cover.
I was bummed out.
What changed?Once I got started on new music here it just completely enveloped me.
It was a lot of work and I just loved every minute of it.
I just had the best time creating it and I hope that comes through.
It helped me work a lot of stuff out and get my head back together.
But it definitely took some time to get there.
It was necessary time.
I wouldnt call it fun.
But I love writing, so it became a lot more fun as it went along.
Thats why I ended the book in 2006.
I feel like anything after that would have been too close to the chest.
Kim GordonsGirl in a Bandwas great but the last 50 pages were just really brutal.
She was still living it.
It was really uncomfortable to read.
Thats not to say I could put it down [laughs].
I just didnt want to be writing about my breakup with my boyfriend or anything like that.
I was super upset; I was just so disappointed in myself.
I was staying at my buddy Toms place and he was out of town.
And I woke up one morning and had a full-fledged panic attack.
I got back in bed and thought I was going to have to call the hospital.
But I just took a Lunesta and went to sleep till 4 p.m.
I realized I had drank 200 mg of THC lemonade without knowing it.
And dosed myself twice!
It was 8 a.m. and it wasnt until 2 a.m. that I went to bed again.
So all day long I was just sitting there.
As you might imagine, Im not a big THC fan; it doesnt do great things to me.
I had completely poisoned myself not realizing thats what was happening.
But now youre okay with the book?
[Laughs] Yes.
Now Im really proud of it and Im glad that people came to really love it.
Ive made peace with it and take pride in it.
You seem to be in a particularly creative headspace at the moment.
So when Im kind of in the thick of being busy I am really, really happy.
And its just nice to feel independent.
I need that time with myself to be able to make things happen.
I havent written a single song in a long time now.
I kind of feel like creatively Im always planting seeds that sometimes grow into something, sometimes they dont.
Ive had this musical Ive been working on, but musicals take forever.
Because I feel very confident in the record itself.
Im extremely proud of it.
I dont feel much anxiety as far as whether its good or not.
Ive got a very high opinion of myself [laughs].
I think the only anxiety is on the business side of things.
Getting together the first tour in August and all that; touring is a hairy business these days.
I definitely want that side of it to work.
Thats the only place where I have an anxiety.
I just want to be able to go out and hoof it as much as I can.
