Michael Monroe says he’ll never get complacent when it comes to songwriting as he’s suffered too much for his art over the years.
His latest album entitled Blackout States is out on October 9 – and the former Hanoi Rocks singer says he’s been through too many character building experiences to let his standards drop at this stage in his career.
He tells Mitch Lafon: “I get inspired by everything I hear and see from my life in general. The more mileage you have, the more experience and more stuff you have to write about. The songs are mainly about personal experiences. I actually feel pretty happy. I’ve never been complacent.
“Some people say you have to suffer for good art. I’ve suffered enough. I’ve got enough character – I don’t need to build any more character. You don’t have to really be in dire straits to write a good song.”
He continues: “It’s positive energy. I like to write about things that make people raise some questions. You don’t have to turn your brain off to have a good time.”
Monroe also reiterated that he won’t reunite Hanoi Rocks, and says 2007’s Street Poetry was the perfect place to close the book on the band.
He adds: “I would never do a reunion just to do a tour to make some money or a one-off thing. That would never happen with Hanoi Rocks
“After Street Poetry, it started not being fun any more. It came to a point where we just decided it was time to call it a day and put Hanoi to bed permanently with the band’s integrity intact – that was the most important thing to me.”
Monroe will head out on tour later this week to support the follow-up to 2013’s Horns Ands Halos:
Oct 09: Digbeth The Library, UK
Oct 10: Sheffield Corporation, UK
Oct 11: Glasgow Cathouse, UK
Oct 12: Manchester Club Academy, UK
Oct 13: Norwich Waterfront, UK
Oct 15: London Electric Ballroom, UK
Oct 16: Vaureal Le Forum, France
Oct 17: Nuremberg Hirsch, Germany
Oct 18: Kortrikj De Kreun, Belgium
Oct 20: Frankfurst Zoom, Germany
Oct 22: Ludwigsburg ROFA, Germany
Oct 23: Pisa Borderline, Italy
Oct 24: Ravenna Rock Planet, Italy
Oct 25: Milan Live Club, Italy
Oct 27: Pratteln Z7, Swizerland
Oct 28: Dusseldorf Zakk, Germany
Oct 29: Plymouth Pavilions, UK
Oct 30: Swindon Oasis, UK
Nov 27: Jyvaskyla Lutakko, Finland
Nov 28: Joensuu Kerubi, Finland
Dec 04: Kotka Kymenlaakson Suurimmat Pikkujoulut, Finland
Dec 05: Helsinki Tavastia, Finland
Dec 11: Tampere Pakkahuone, Finland
Dec 12: Seinajoki Rytmikojaamo, Finland
Dec 18: Lahti Finlandia Klubi, Finland
Dec 19: Turku Viking Grace, Finland
