Our interview series Icebreaker features artists talking about things—some strange, some amusing, some meaningful—that just might reveal their true selves. This edition stars folk-rocker Kevin Morby, whose new album Singing Saw is out now via Dead Oceans.
Which YouTube video have you watched the most times?
The one where the baby monkey is in the tree and then he scratches his ass and smells his finger and falls out of the tree. It's literally just a 12-second clip, but it's the best. Just type in "monkey finger butt," and that's the first thing that comes up.
What is the worst job you've ever had?
Delivering food on my bike in New York. I would just be on my bicycle in the most horrible fucking winter storm, delivering, like, fried chicken to people. The thing about that job is literally everyone hates you. The people at the restaurant hate you because you're constantly in the waiter's way. Pedestrians hate you. Other cyclists hate you. Cars hate you. Then the person gets their food delivered to them, and it's freezing cold, and they hate you. I had that job for about four years and I'm very glad I don't have to do it anymore.
Who is an artist you love that nobody would suspect given your own music?
I'm a really big Fiona Apple fan and, more times than not, when I put her on in the car, people are surprised. I think they associate her less as a songwriter and more as a '90s MTV generation artist.Idler Wheel is my favorite album of hers, but when I put on Tidal or When the Pawn, that '90s production sometimes makes people be like, "Aw, turn that off!"
What's the best thing about modern music culture?
That you can be a kid in the middle of nowhere and have a shot at being heard via the internet.
What's the worst thing about modern music culture?
Comment sections.
What is the best advice that anyone's ever given you?
An old friend of mine once told me to take no advice at a time when I was seeking a lot of relationship advice from a lot of people. He's a married man, so there was something amazing about that, because everyone's got something different to tell you, and it becomes confusing. He was like, "Dude, just do what you think you have to do."
What are you most vain about?
My hair. It's baby thin and feathery and drives me crazy no matter what I do with it. It's weird because you see people with thicker hair that just kind of stays put, but if I'm in any sort of weather, I look like Bill Murray in Kingpin when it starts to all come unleashed.
When is a moment in your life when you felt like a total idiot?
There was this one time I was in the hospital—I had this insane inflamed lymph gland and no one knew what it was. So I took my clothes off and put them in a bag, and then they put me in a robe and took me to get all these X-rays done. When I put my clothes back on at the end of the day, my iPhone was gone, and I freaked out. It was a miserable day; I had been there for like 12 hours. So I was like, "Someone who works here stole my fucking phone." I caused this big scene. Everyone in the hospital was very concerned. Then I realized that my phone was just in a different pocket. I had this moment where I thought, Do I tell them? I gotta fucking tell them. So I did. It sucked.
How about a time when you felt like the smartest person on the planet?
Any time I'm locked out of somewhere with another person, I can usually pick the lock successfully. And then I feel like James Bond.
What is the most recent song you've heard that made you believe in the power of music?
"Rock Bottom Riser" by Smog. I was just in Europe, and my jet lag never really went away. I wasn’t sleeping very much. Then one night, my girlfriend saw a Bill Callahan show in L.A. and took a video of that song and sent it to me. I was just listening to it over and over—it was comforting. On the plane coming back, there was really bad turbulence, and I just put that on loop.
How would you describe yourself as a dancer?
Retired—but willing to come out of retirement given the right partner, song, or alcohol.