Alejandro Escovedo
Surviving a near-death experience, particularly a severe drawn-out illness, can have a liberating effect on an artist.
Alejandro Escovedo was diagnosed with hepatitis C in 1996 during the tour to promote his “With These Hands” album. That eventually turned into advanced cirrhosis of the liver and a host of other complications, and in 2003, he collapsed after a concert in Phoenix, Ariz., and it put him out of the business for a while.
In spite of the dire prognosis, Escovedo survived and is now back on the road to support “The Boxing Mirror,” some of it documenting the personal trials he endured.
The song “Died a Little Today,” for instance, discusses some of the lessons learned from being that close to death.
“When you have a chance to reflect and get better, you hope to become a better person somehow,” he said.
Escovedo said he felt those changes in the studio, recording with producer John Cale.
“It made it easier for me to focus on the music and on my relationship with the band,” he said. “It’s been easier to shape songs and ideas. I have a better idea what I want a song to sound like and what I want to express.
“What I’ve been through has made me a lot calmer person than I used to be. There was a lot of laughter and a lot of joy in working on the record,” he said. “The process takes so long, that was a great feeling in itself.”
