Jef with 1 F has been doing it for a minute. I found him on a street corner with a Bible in his hand singing Pixies songs 13 years ago. The next thing you know he is living in my closet and doing market research with my girlfriend. Under the name Clemente, he became one of my favorite songwriters and a damn good entertainer. I’ve watched him come from the streets to doing infomercials for hair products in Los Angeles, and now cleaning gutters to make ends meet in Australia. We caught up for a few minutes recently to talk dreams and life before he hits the ATL next week under his real name, Jef Siler.
And here it is:

Dry Ink: How are things?

Jef Siler: Boss hog. Yesterday I found a temporary tattoo of Robert Smith at Wal-Mart just in time for NYC.

DI: What’s new?

JS: For years I was sure I could live without my uni-brow, plucking away at it week-by-week. Then I realized I didn’t have to reach for the tweezers anymore. Now not even Hair A-Gain can bring it back. People diss Bret Michaels from Poison, but he was right on when he wrote “You Can’t Always Get Whatcha Want.”

DI: What are you doing in the States?

JS: What am I not doing! Since I got my waist-size down to a 33 I rented Spanglish and watched it with the subtitles, felt so dizzy…

DI: You recently did some shows with David Bazan from Pedro the Lion in Australia. How did that go and do you have any plans of doing shows together in the future?

JS: Hopefully not, he was dead weight on the tour.. However, I like his style, we’re both health nuts, crazy about barley, wheat, hops, yeast. To be honest, I learned a lot about being an artist who’s “present.” To be dishonest, you have to learn to live with a bad conscience. We spoke about that, too.

DI: How many songs are you recording for your next record?

JS: Finished 11 songs last year and we’ve just laid down nine more in Sydney last week. This one’s gotta have some Georgia folks on it so I had to bring it North-a the equator for that dirty South icing.

DI: You recently decided to go under your real name Jefrey Siler and not under Clemente. How did that come about?

JS: I wanted to flip around everything in my life, so now I go by Jefrey on stage and Clemente at home, I’ve ran it up the flag but the Mrs. ain’t saluting.

DI: How’s the response been?

JS: a) like skipping rocks in a drained pool. b) The same sound as when you tell a good joke to a bad bank teller. c) The sound of two hands clapping. d) All of the above.

DI: Who’s putting out the next record and will you be touring to support it?

JS: My mom, she lives in Gwinnett near Borders and says she’s got connections. As for touring she hasn’t given permission yet

DI: What are your plans for the ‘09? Will you be spending much time in the United States?

JS: Snacking between meals. As for the U.S., gotta find a way to spend more time in New York City, it’s an expensive magnet for talent and tight jeans. What’s not to love?

Jef will be playing at the Wonder Root on Saturday, March 14th in Atlanta with The Buddy System and April 8 at the EARL with Maria Taylor. Check it.