New Uncle Kracker record likely to be finished mid-2006
posted by cTc on 11.25.05 @ 08:47 AM EDT

The Macomb Daily - Friday, November 25, 2005 - Mitch Hotts

Macomb County native Uncle Kracker hopefully is resting comfortably today after his scheduled performance Thanksgiving evening at the Emerald Theatre in downtown Mount Clemens.

We caught up with Kracker - real name Matt Shafer - a week before the show and he was in a talkative mood, discussing plans for his upcoming record and checking in on some of his superstar buds.

Since his former record label Lava merged into its parent company, Atlantic Records, Kracker said there's no pressure being put on him to complete the follow-up to last year's "72 and Sunny."

The new record likely will be finished by mid-2006.

"I'm going out to Los Angeles in a few weeks to work on it," he said in a telephone interview. "I'm sitting around writing a new record and cleaning the house in between."

Kracker also has been working and hanging out again with his mentor Kid Rock (Macomb native Bob Ritchie) and the two have exchanged some musical ideas that may or may not end up on either of their solo records.

"He's been busy in the studio," Kracker said. "We're at that point in our careers where we can be as busy as we want to be, doing everything and doing nothing. He's made some progress on his new record and he's finishing up another mix album. We've been working together on some new things and he's been helping me with some of my stuff."

As we reported in The Macomb Daily earlier this week, Kracker was miffed that his friend, country superstar Kenny Chesney, did not win the Country Music Association's Entertainer of the Year award, which instead went to Australian hunk Keith Urban.

But he also talked about Chesney's short-lived marriage to actress Renee Zellweger. (Chesney and Zellweger are seeking an annulment after a 5-month marriage.)

"I would never say they jumped the gun or anything when they got married," Kracker said. "They really were in love. That's what Kenny said and I believe him. I guess it just didn't work out and now they're dealing with the aftermath."

He continued on about relationships in general: "Relationships can be so (screwed up) anyway. You can date someone for 10 or 12 years and never marry, then finally get married and before you know it, you get divorced. When you're dating one of two things can happen - you get married or you break up. Your options get slimmer and slimmer."

On other country acts, Kracker said he's into the new Sugarland record but also has been listening to some old stuff such as John Anderson's mid-1980s hit "Swingin'."

With so many parties going on in Detroit and neighboring cities such as Mount Clemens for the Super Bowl in February, expect to see Kracker out and about - either as a guest or a performer. He attended last year's Maxim party in San Diego and had a great time.

"In the meantime, I'm spending Christmas at home," he said. "I'll be sitting around watching it snow - hopefully."

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