Because cool, as we know it, folks, implies effort. In fact, it doesn’t imply but expects the following: ironic t-shirts, jeans from Japan that you can’t ever wash though the ink dyes your white Vans blue, a predilection for “urban vinyl” toys, being able to say “I had a seriously peaty scotch at Diamond”, and a record collection that includes singles by mumbly teenagers from Sarf London. (Looking at you The XX.)

Awwww, yeah.

That ain’t Doughty.

And yet….

…what makes Doughty cool (besides his love for both open and closed brackets and his making of witty and catchy “small rock” choons) is that he is, well, no bullshit. Mike Doughty is just an honest guy making music. Writing. Doing Stuff.

He’s honest about himself, honest in his songs, honest when talking ABOUT his songs, honest about getting clean, being on crazy pills, breaking-up/dating/being single/fucking a republican, about what he thinks about his time in Soul Coughing (he’d rather dig out his own liver with a spork before reforming) and honest in every question he answers during his Question Jar live gig. (What’s a Question Jar? Put your questions in a jar! He’ll answer them! Even the ones about cheese or robots! Especially the ones about cheese and robots!) Read my review of his Question Jar show in Van, here.

So it being the season, and Doughty being the No BS guy,  the Backstage Rider had to ask:

Mike Doughty, honestly, what are your New Year’s Resolutions?

My New Year’s Resolutions by Mike Doughty

1. Be groovy
2. Eat my greens
3. Observe the first law of rocking, which is: Don’t stop rocking.
4. Avoid the key of D
5. Limit coffee consumption to sub-cocaine levels
6. Get really really fat
7. Eschew arson
8. Listen to more Tigrinya folk music
9. Wear fisherman’s waders
10. Burn guitars for fuel

See? No BS. . Except maybe about the waders…and the getting fat… and…uh, I’m not certain. Why don’t you ask him? I’m sure he’ll answer honestly.\m/

Mike Doughty’s latest album is “Sad Man, Happy Man” and out now on ATO Records and orderable through all fine establishments. He’s also heading out on tour with his guitar, the incomparable Andrew ‘Scrap’ Livingstone on cello and the Question Jar. So check the dates and go. Come armed with any question except “What is the unsingable name?”.

Follow Mike Doughty on Twitter: www.twitter.com/mikedoughtyyeah
Check his site for the blog and tour dates: www.mikedoughty.com
Watch his new video for the stonking “(You Should Be) Doubly (Gratified)”
Mike Doughty Live in Vancouver photos by Brittney Kwasney

Oh and hey: What are your New Year’s Resolutions? This website’s one of mine. Make with the commenting functionality below and let us know about your rockingest musical resolution for 2010… or why you think they’re utter bobbins in general.