MUSIC
Cage Awakens in Hell's Winter
Seth Saltzman
Click here to listen to a track from Cage's new album, "Hell's Winter"
A bad breakup with Eastern Conference Records, a nasty drug habit, and other life halting instances have kept Chris Palko, better known by his fans as Cage, busy gathering himself back to "life." Now, after months and even years of seclusion and depression, Cage is finally ready to be back in that underground hip-hop spotlight. Now that "Movies for the Blind" has been concreted as a success in underground rap history, Cage looks to put that behind him and start all over again. With a fresh outlook on life, a new record deal with Definitive Jux Records, and enough motivation to start regaining his old fans (as well as adding new ones), Cage seems as ready as ever to be successful.
How have you evolved as an artist since "Movies for the Blind"?
Cage: A lot of different steps I guess. I had a period, a long period of depression I guessspiraling out of control. I didn't feel that I was making music; I didn't feel like I was saying anything. I felt I had never said anything. I always said something but shit was bullshit to me anyways. It was kind of like a realization; I had series of unfortunate incidences that brought me to the point. One being not making any money on Eastern Conference, drugs were just, like, way way way way too much drugs, and, uhh, just like a waking up one day in your apartment, reclusive, 30 something pounds overweight, and completely just, like, a mess and no car, had a couple of hundred dollars in the drawer, enough money in the account to keep it open. And uhh, we went into talks a year before we even started recording the album about what the album would be about and decided to kind of, like, point it to myself basically.
Do drugs still play a part in your life?
Cage: Nah, I mean, weed, that's it. I don't do anything else. I barely drink. I drink on occasion, but usually not more then once or twice a month.
What kind of approach did you take in the making of "Hell's Winter"?
Cage: It's just a brutally honest approach. Pretty much going into this record I knew which things I wanted to do. I knew what I wanted to touch on. It's basically, like, the making of Cage. It's basically about me. "Movies for the Blind" was me regressing. Basically when we made "Movies for the Blind" it was like we were basically trying toI knew I was gonna put "Agent Orange" on the record, so in doing that I kind of felt like I still had that old story to tell. I didn't want "Agent Orange" to stick out on the record as just sounding like it didn't fit. So I tried to cater around it a little bit and still kind of tell that old story. And by the time that record came out, it wasn't who I was anymore. And going into doing "Hell's Winter" it was like doing nothing like that at all. It's like a completely different story. It's like, maybe the prequel to that, but then, like, jumping ahead of movies to current day.
Do you feel that "Hell's Winter" is your most well-rounded album so far?
Cage: As far as production wise, and I defiantly paid attention this time, like "Movies" was a lot of incoherent shit. Yeah, it's defiantly the most well-rounded. I mean, it's my favorite record that I've done.
Is there a specific reason for having a lot of political tracks and references on the new album?
Cage: It's who I am currently. I have my political opinions. I try not to be too preachy on the songs because I have when people do that. I didn't want to come across like I’m trying to educate you, so I kind of kept it more, ya know, my opinion on things, more kind of bitching about current states and what's going on. It's pretty obvious what's going on at this point.
Is "Too Heavy For Cherubs" based on real life experiences?
Cage: Everything on the album is based on real-life experiences. Everything is true stories, except for "Subtle Art Of The Breakup Song" which is pretty much a metaphor for a really really bad break-up.
What kind of promotion are you doing for the album?
Cage: As far as touring, I just did the west coast leg of the Aesop Rock tour. I'm doing a couple of European tours, doing a couple of release parties on the east coast and the west coast, and then going back out for a full Europe [tour], and then around November doing a full US [tour] and doing a bunch of spots in between.
Do you have any other projects that you're working on right now?
Cage: I'm pretty much just focusing on this. This is pretty much taking all my timer right now. I'm just thinking of the next record and talking about doing a Weathermen record. But this is first and foremost.
Are you at a level of success that you're comfortable with?
Cage: Something a little more than this would be cool. That's a question I can probably answer better a year from now. I don't really have that many complaints other then like money that is owed to me, but at this point its not something I'm expecting to see.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
Cage: Probably making some transitions from music to something else or still making music, it's hard to say. I'm kind of like looking, instead of year, I'm looking into albums, projects, and shit. A couple of albums from now, there are a lot of things I want to try.
If you weren't rapping ,what would you be doing?
Cage: I don't know. Honestly. I wouldn't have been here right now. I guess if I wasn't doing this, I guess it would have to be a two part. If I wasn't doing this and I graduated and went to college, well…but If I wasn't doing this I probably wouldn't have done that either, so I don't know if I'd even be alive at this point.
How do you feel about rap music these days?
Cage: I don't listen to that much of it. Most of the shit I listen to are people that I'm friends with or Indie shit. I listen to everything and uhh I pretty much listen to everything but country. Right now I’m listening to a lot of older stuff now. I'm not listening to anything too current, but I am going back to the library and listening to a lot of shit.
What were your reasons for leaving Eastern Conference Records?
Cage: A few reasons. A-I had hit the ceiling with them years ago. There was no growing up there, it was a matter of actually growing down. With movies I hit the ceiling with them and everything after that pretty much, the company started going downhill. I felt it was a sinking ship and I wasn't going down with it. I had been loyal for five years and giving every chance I could to make any kind of money with them, and that wasn't happening either. So, you know, there was money, it was careerknowing that I was gonna be able to achieve what I wanted to.
