TO FREE OR NOT TO FREE: An Interview with Zack Kouns -Rick Weaver
I’ve always been a big fan of Zack Kouns (editor of And Some of His Sons Were Horses), but never had the pleasure of meeting him. So when And Some of His Sons Were Horses arranged for me to interview (to promote the upcoming And Some of His Sons Were Horses festival) the editor of And Some of His Sons Were Horses, I jumped at the chance. What I found, once I got past his bad table etiquette and boozy breath, was a human being with a heart. And cheeks. A neck. Just like most of us.
He was easy to get along with. Right off the bat, I didn’t even have to ask a question. It seemed he was a “talker.” He had a lot on his mind, and he wasn’t shy about letting me know it. We discussed everything from survival (e.g. cooking, fishing, avoiding Robby Kee’s prison) to the big questions (e.g. dialectics, popular culture, Toronto). There were even a few laughs along the way.
ZACK KOUNS: The Eagles just don’t float my boat at all.
RICK WEAVER: It could be worse.
ZK: I don’t know, yeah I guess I really don’t like the Doobie Brothers.
RW: What’s the deal with Morgan?
ZK: He’s got a wild side, I can say that from personal experience. I’m trying to teach him how to cook, maybe that will calm him down?
RW: What’s your favorite food to cook with Morgan learning how?
ZK: Leeks, hands down. You can make a nice stock with the leaves, you can grill or make a fondue with the root. It’s a can’t miss veggie in my book. (pause) I’m gonna teach him how to make cornbread on Friday.
RW: What kind of food does Morgan take a liking to, either in one of his moods or mellowed out?
ZK: I’ve only ever seen him eat Chipotle Burritos and some Nachos unless I’m wearing the chef’s hat. (shows me what he’s eating. does not offer tastes.) Here’s a meal fit for a Morgan: Sauteed Leeks and Portobello Mushrooms, Irish Soda Bread w/ a balsamic vinaigrette and a dose of watermelon for the fun of it.
RW: Wow. It seems as though things are heating up.
ZK: Hey, I’m just making the best of it. Listening to a little Fleetwood Mac on my porch and gobbling up some Leek centered grub, no Keenal Colony in sight.
RW: If the President asked you to come up with a mantra for freedom, what would it be?
ZK: That’s easy. The lyrics to “Livin’ Thing” by Electric Light Orchestra.
RW: What if the he picked the Eagles over ELO?
ZK: It wouldn’t surprise me. Those suits in Washington wouldn’t know Supertramp from Supergrass. I’d start a petition on Change.org about it, though. I mean, I wouldn’t take it lying down.
RW: Any connection between the Lynnes: Luscious and Jeff?
ZK: Yeah, they’re a lot like me: fugitive, wanderer, night sounds. Taking a little dip in the coldwarm waters of the river of life. I know that Jeff Lynne is on the hunt for love but I can’t talk about it too much or he Wilbury me.
RW: What would be the next best move for Mr. Lynne?
ZK: Find a nice girl and settle down. He’s had his time in the spotlight. Also, steer clear of the Keenal Colony, if he has half a brain.
RW: Do you find it hard to arrive at the truth?
ZK: Nah, I follow my gut and my guts are always crammed with leeks and Apple Cider Vinegar. My gut’s always changing its mind, maybe because sometimes I have black beans, garlic, and wheat items in there churning around. Sometimes I get really loose and cram Daylilies, Plantago, Dandelions, Chicory, and Broad Leaf Docks in there but I can’t be so unadulterated all the time.
RW: What do you think the President had for breakfast? Do you think he is a “junk-food junkie?”
ZK: Cottage Cheese, Fried Ham, and a boiled egg, probably. I don’t know, I heard Michelle has a pretty good garden but I’d say he has to eat on the go.
RW: I wonder if our President wishes for a more introspective life, like that of the artist, or the fisher.
ZK: Well, I think he’ll be a man of action a la Carter when he returns to public life. He has pretty noble features though, so he might strike a balance between the contemplative life and a life of service to others.
RW: “Dialectic does not construct its syllogisms out of any haphazard materials, such as the fancies of crazy people, but out of materials that call for discussion.” -Aristotle. Reactions?
ZK: I’m not real wild about dialectics; reason seems pretty subjective and arbitrary to me. So-called crazy people’s views are maligned and relegated to obscurity because our basic mindset of what is meaningful tends toward economics and output and they’re not “productive” members of society. It probably meant something far different though in Aristotle’s age, when humans were rightly named Homo Sapiens, i.e. “seekers of wisdom.”
RW: I can see you’re in the right frame of mind to tackle the big Qs, so here goes: What makes Toronto tick?
ZK: Hey, I’m willing to admit you stumped me on this one. That place is baffling. I think it has something to do with public parking and bar owners who don’t let you shove your equipment out in the middle of walkways and girls who sleep in parks and offer to help you get mushrooms but eventually pull out the deal and start calling you names. The secret is in figuring out the common element in the three disparate themes.
RW: They’re all consequences of big city stress, which cause people to do crazy things that Aristotle would not approve of, like protecting people’s private property and also keeping ,walkways free in case of an emergency; getting good rest, not talking to strange foreigners AND getting “back to nature;” as well as building parkings lots instead of Michelle Obama growing a garden.
ZK: Toronto needs to go green and stay out of personal affairs.
RW: What are you most looking forward to at the upcoming And Some of His Sons Were Horses festival?
ZK: Locking Kee in the bathroom.
|
