Interview aus ner kanadischen Teenzeitschrift
Not many people get a second chance in the music business but Shifty a.k.a Shifty Shellshock as he once went by is getting just that. You may remember the bleached blond spiky haired, pierced and tattooed lead of the one hit wonder hip-hop rockers Crazytown from a few years back. Their mellow hip-hop love song Butterfly went number one in ten countries, was the anthem in the teen flick Orange County and was over played way past the point of tolerance. But critics may have prematurely written off the band too soon, Shiftys back with his debut solo record called Happy Sick Love, that reveals another side of him, which he insists was always there. His first sugary summer single Slide Along Side is very different from the hip-hop rock Crazytown fans are accustomed to. And in true rock star fashion, his ongoing battle with sobriety, his dealing with the suicide of a close friend and his band disintegrating is documented on the album.
FASHION18: Congratulations on your solo record. Have you always wanted to be a solo artist?
Shifty: Yes, its always been my intention. I asked the boys [of Crazy Towns] and they were like yeah go for it.
F18: What did you have to go through trying to put out a solo record? Did you feel like a struggling musician again?
Shifty: No but I always feel like a struggling musician. I had Butterfly go to #1 in 10 countries and I wrote Starry Eyed Surprise with Paul Oakenfold that was top 20 in 10 countries so people knew I could write.
F18: How different is Happy Sick Love from The Gift of Game, Darkhorse and anything Crazy Town has done?
Shifty: It has its similarities and at the same time its completely different. In Crazy Town there are songs I wrote with the band that I love. Then I wrote Butterfly and more mellow songs that were my babies. Not many made it onto the album unless you go to hidden tracks like track 22. I ended up accumulating a lot of more mellow tracks like Starry Eyed Surprise. I got this whole other thing that I didnt want to do with Crazy Town because it was more me. A lot of people heard it, liked it and were like why dont you put out a solo record? I was like actually I am doing a solo record.
F18: With the first single Slide Along Side its really no pun intended happy. Do people ever find it hard to believe that its you?
Shifty: Not really. People who know the real me know its me.
F18: You hooked up with No Doubts Tom Dumont on When We Were Young. How did that come together?
Shifty: Thats a long story. Ive known No Doubt for awhile. Hes actually going to be my brother in law. Hes marrying my sister this month.
F18: Have you got feedback from the fans yet?
Shifty: People love it and Im happy with it. I dont care if people dont but hopefully they will like it.
F18: Are you happy, sick or in love?
Shifty: (laughs) All of them.
F18: Care to elaborate?
Shifty: Its a play on words. Its a fun happy record. I used to be all into writing introspective, depressing cool songs and I always will be but I wanted to make a fun record. A lot of people gave me shit about the love songs. So I was like Im putting a lot of love songs and now Im really going to make you sick.
F18: With everything that youve gone through in the last year or so, how did your record end up being happy?
Shifty: When I look at the bigger picture all my dreams came true. I wanted to make records and music and be in the music business for ten years. Ive been in the business for six years now and when I finish up my deal for the next record it will be ten years. I wanted to go platinum and I did, Ive sold three and a half million records. I win. My next project is to create my own record label.
F18: Hows that going?
Shifty: Great, I already signed two artists.
F18: Favorite song on the album and why?
Shifty: Turning Me On because its a dance song. I like to dance.
F18: Do you still feel the curse of The Butterfly as Shifty?
Shifty: Im making the best of it not that its bad, so many people like it. Everyone has their opinion and theres always going to be haters but I try not to let them affect it.
F18: Now that youre solo, what have you learned from being in Crazy Town? What will you do differently?
Shifty: I want less drama and to be more professional. People dont know what Im like and when they meet me expect different.
F18: Are you concerned about getting back to your old habits and living the rock star lifestyle to the extreme?
Shifty: Im more concerned when Im not doing music like when Im sitting at home doing nothing. Music keeps me out of trouble. I want to be professional and take it seriously. I think Im maturing but I dont want to be perfect.
F18: If you could change one thing about fame, what would it be?
Shifty: The backlash. When you finally get what you want, certain people want to waste their energy and take it away. They should focus on their own lives and not waste their time.
F18: Whats in your CD player?
Shifty: The new Prodigy, some unreleased Sublime, The Roots, the new Beastie Boys, Bob Marley and the Fugees.
F18: Who would you want to do a collaboration with?
Shifty: Gwen from No Doubt, the Beastie Boys are LL Cool J.
F18: Do you know when youre coming to Canada?
Shifty: I definitely want to come to Canada, I love Canada.
razy Town for ever!
Rust R.I.P!
NO TIME FOR WORDS
JUST CHOOSE SIDES
NO FEAR 'CAUSE NO ONE CAN HIDE
My future husband 
MY BABY'S LOST!
Und ich kämpf mich durch die Nacht
Hab keine Ahnung was du mit mir machst
Bin unter Tränen wieder aufgewacht
Ich krieg dich nich ...