European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - January 6, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse Indiana s favorite son sings the blues Singer songwriter John Cougar Meo Eneanio to writing is a painful process. Blarr Mcshane associated press a t first listen fhe lonesome Jubilee is somber almost depressing look Al we i Loday s America listen again advises John Cougar Mellencamp. The music is jubilant and the conclusions i Csc people on the record Are reaching arc Cubit and. You can l solve a problem unless you have a problem and we can do it. We can solve our problems says Melloncamp he Eri locally acclaimed Indiana Rocker. I Haven t said this before bul this is a blues record Mellencamp continues in a voice Raspy from Cigar Eitts when you heard Crossroads and the Guy sings 1 believe i m sinking fast1 you know Hal ecoling " it s been a while since Mellencamp 36, has known thai feeling. Atler Well documented problems with his manager his image and the in pics Early in his career he has produced in succession some of the finest Rock n Roll albums of to decade us huh scarecrow and now the lonesome Jubilee. After 15 years of making records you be got to get better Mellenkamp said during a recent Manhattan Stopover on his us tour ii you Don to buddy you re in the wrong business. I mean smart town was a great big hit but i wrote that song 10 years ago. Ii was called Trie great Midwest but this Limo i told die Story belter Iho music was bolter. When you Stop challenging yourself As a writer you in dead. Seven months every Day Down in the laundry loom for this last for the lonesome Jubilee the music changed Dobro. Accordion and fiddle Are prominent and the lyrics were blues lyrics sad songs about the sad to Iris we live in said Mol encamp who says hell be glad to see a new Ace in the while House. John Cougar mall Ancamp performs in he Fol lowing locations Paris Jan. 11 Hamburg sch Jan. 13 Stockholm Jan. 15 Frankfurt Hochst Jan. In Mannheim Mozart Saal Jan. 19 the Hague Jan. 20 Lausanne Jan. 22 London Hammersmith Odeon Jan. 24 it 25 the end of the Reagan Eta i Leel wonderful about that. A Lew years Horn now nobody will want to admit to voting of the Guy said Mellencamp an organizer and performer a All three farm Aid shows. Reagan is a Guy Hal emotionally made sense bul logically Mads Vel Mellencamp Whoso Lales single. Cherry bomb lakes a Wistful look Al the past says he still believes the current times of crisis will someday become the Good old Days. Of sure. That s the funny thing about nostalgia Aboul memory. I remember being in College Haling every second of every Day and i remember talking to a Guy i lived with and he said. "1 can. But 10 years irom now we re going to think this was a Good Lime " he said laughing. Mellencamp s Lile has changed Sinco those Days. He still lives in Seymour ind his Birthplace but now he has three children. He has become a Star of course but Al the same time his celebrity has grown his perspective on his music has changed it s More rewarding for me now. The rewards Are seeing people my own age. People 14 years old. People so years old and they re All digging these songs said Mellencamp. I started out selfish in the music business doing it All or to. Bul now i m really there Tor however Don t be misled. The changing Altitude does t mean the feisty Mellencamp has mellowed in lad the Mere suggestion annoys h
