By: Sharon Needles
Careless Magazine - May 2000
Cody Jackson is in full tantrum mode. He's pacing in the hotel lobby looking for someone to yell at. It seems in another room, a British journalist asked Jackson to confirm the latest rumors swirling about - did the management team of a certain pop princess pay him large wads of hush money in return for a public denial of romantic involvement? Maybe he's sick of Britney speculation. Maybe he's not used to eating breakfast at early morning media sessions but one thing is for sure, Flint's singer is in a foul mood when it's my turn to shove a mike in his face.
Jackson's reps have warned the gathered media to stay away from personal questions but it is hard to avoid as these are the issues that have kept Flint in the news between albums - their 1998 debut 'White Trash Folklore' and the latest effort 'Soggy'. Early reviews heap praise upon 'Soggy', a concept album with Jackson's lyrics primarily focused on his attempts to decipher the female psyche. "Is that what you get out of it?", Jackson asks. Wearing a faded fad-starting fisherman's hat, last night's facial scruff and perpetual frown, his mood brightens and he laughs at his own joke, "Really, it's alls about sex."
Sexual lyrics have gotten Jackson's band into trouble. 'Sweet Love', Flint's first single off 'Soggy' was smacked with a ban from Top 40 radio and was not stocked by a large retail chain in reaction to strong sexual content. Jackson shrugs. "I can't do anything about that. They'll spin 'The Bad Touch' by the Bloodhound Gang because they think it's a tribute to the Discovery Channel and nature and alls that but they have problems with a song about a young man's adventures at a bar. My song is not the one with 'doggy style' in it but mine is the one that is too graphic."
"Good one, buddy." Jackson says to no one in particular.
Jackson's mood lightens as the interview progresses and chit-chat about 'Soggy' keeps him preoccupied with what annoyed him before. As tempted as I am to ask Jackson for his 'opinion' on the BIG question: Fake or Real - the breasts of a young diva?; I decide to give the guy a break. Gossip makes for a better story but is also likely to create a scene. And after seeing Cody Jackson explode on an earlier interviewer, I didn't want to cause another tantrum and end up being the one to say 'Oops... I did it again'.