This musician loves performing with different artists as his locations change, and his style reflects his craftsmanship. David Jackson took our interview questions and wrote this more-than-unique article himself. Kristen added what is featured in italics. The rest is brought to you by our kick ass vocalist and creative writer, David Jackson.

Our interview today takes place in Austin, Texas – the home of David Jackson and his Project. Kristen, our ever-thorough, truth-seeking, music-loving reporter, pulls up to a thatch-roofed bungalow on one of Austin's many west-Texas hills and thinks to herself, "I'm in for a long day, but at least I'm finally in Colton-Jackson-Pierce-Hopkins land."

Two hours later, she reaches the top of the hill, and is greeted at the door by David Jackson – a wild-eyed anxious-looking guy in his mid-twenties wearing an unassuming pair of jeans, a "Free The Ozo 3" T-shirt, and a black Beatnik hat.

"Come in, you're two hours, late. Let's get started," he says with a sarcastic grin, having obviously just watched Kristen make the hike up to his door.

Inside David moves a stack of papers that look like cheats to reading sheet music from a bean bag chair, and gestures for Kristen to sit down, and then proceeds to sit at his computer in the corner. One quick look at this setup gives Kristen the impression that this will not be an interview like any other she's done in a while. Paper everywhere, straw falling from the ceiling, and the occasional rustle from a small cage under David's desk all point to support this assessment.

"Whenever you're ready," David motions over his shoulder to Kristen as he faces his computer screen and continues working on what appears to be nothing more than some type of online cartoon.

"Okay. Ummm." Still exhausted from the climb, Kristen flips through her notes to try and catch her breath and asks," Give us some background. Where did you grow up, etc.?"

David quickly turns and speaks under his breath, "I was strictly informed by the witness protection program that I would not have to answer that type of question.  However... he sits back in his over-sized black leather computer chair, "Since you asked so nicely, Baton Rouge. I moved around a lot as a kid, but because I lived in B.R. for 10 whole years, I just claim it as home. It's the only place I've ever missed after I left. But, even in the decade that I was there, I lived in a dozen different houses. By the way..." he motions toward Kristen's pen as she scrambles to write this all down "decade is Greek street slang for 10 years, and 'dozen' is hillbilly for a pack of eggs...it also means 12 –I told you that I moved around a lot."

Kristen tries to look amused and asks, "When did you start getting into music and how long has "the project" been together?"

"Wooo, hold on. One question at a time, there. It's hard enough to try and answer this while I'm juggling, but answering two at a time would just make me drop all 4 of these flaming apples and believe me, that will not be a pretty blend with my choice of roofing materials". He pauses for a second to catch one of the apples in his mouth, which scorches his lips and he begins to cry. Then, with a mouth full of burnt apple, and three more in the air."

"I kinda just decided when I was about 13-years-old that I wanted to start playing the guitar. So, I blurted out my desire at lunch one day, and my mom (thank God) called my bluff. I started taking lessons, which lasted about 6 months, and I loved it." He pauses to skip into the bathroom, returning a few seconds later with Vaseline for his lips, while three and a half apples lie still in flames on the floor.

"The next question is a different one altogether. There isn't actually a band that exists called 'The Project'. It's more like a community of musicians that is constantly changing and growing. I find people that are FAR too good a musician for me to have any business playing with, and I ask them to learn my songs and do some shows with me. Then, when I've learned some from them, I find a few more that I can learn from and add them to the mix."

"This last weekend is a perfect example. I played a festival South Texas with a 5-piece band consisting of a flamenco guitarist, a tenor sax player, a funk bassist, and rock drummer. Then, later that night, I played a local club with a completely different bass player and drummer (Chris Ultsch, the one on the album). It makes for an ever-changing show. I would be the first to concede that having a steady band certainly has its advantages, but I just get bored so incredibly easily that I am really enjoying the constant progression at the moment." The balm is now caked onto his lips so thick that it drips onto his shirt as he speaks.

"I'm actually working on forming a band in each of the major cities in Texas at the moment so that I can travel alone and still play full-band shows." David reaches into a small cage under his desk and pulls out a beautiful white duck which is obviously terrified as he begins to pet it slowly.

Kristen is now staring at the wall to avoid being completely grossed out but, like the trooper that she is, continues to ask away. "Ummmm, I have your live album, are there any others? Tell us a little about your live album, when it was made, and how you feel about the recording. By the way, I love love it!" Our brave reporter tries desperately to still sound interested.  (David, I AM interested!)

"Holy Crap! The questions are growing! I just threw my duck threw the window!" he says as a cloud of feathers fills the room, "Luckily, he/she ('cause who can tell, honestly) could fly. Okay, first line of business is Thanks'.

"Secondly, there is one other album that is a solo acoustic CD-R that I recorded in about 4 days. Most of the songs were actually just written in the studio so I could get to 10...giving me 'a decade of music' on my first album. I released it right before Spring Break 2001. I was playing on South Padre Island for Spring Break and just needed something to sell." As the feathers clear, David's face is again visible to Kristen. He continues, barely audible as his lips are now covered in the duck feathers that stuck to the Vaseline.

"'Breaking Ground' was done live because of the nature of 'The Project' primarily. I just didn't think that I was ready to narrow down the musicians that I was playing with and try to pigeon-hole each song in the studio. I figured that if I did a live album I could always just have the excuse 'hey man" he's now swinging his arms in animated form, "'lay off...it was live' Also, I was under the sad misconception that it was be a bit cheaper to record live...horribly wrong.

"The album was recorded on May 20th, 2003, and released October 15th of that year. I was already living in Austin, and went back down to the Rio Grande Valley (where most of the musicians were that I was playing with) to record the show. It was lots of fun. We also planned to release a DVD of that show, but I ran out of money. So, I still have tons of video footage that maybe one day I'll sell to MTV for enough money to buy some more ducks.

"How do you feel about the recording?" Kristen asks.

"I don't really like it. But I'm okay with that, 'cause if other people do, that's what counts...I guess. I was really depressed after I'd listened to it for a few months 'cause all of the excitement had worn off, and I really hated myself for releasing it. Then I read an interview one time with Dave Matthews (an up-and-coming singer-songwriter...you should check him out), and he compared listening to himself to Chinese torture...brilliant. I can definitely relate."

David continues as he leans toward the pen in Kristen's hand as if it's a microphone, "Dave, if you're reading, let's have coffee and cheesecake sometime and discuss this at length. I need a support group for my albums."

Looking back at Kristen as he sits back in his computer chair, he concludes with a smile "I really am glad that you like it, though."

Kristen is now speaking rapidly and obviously trembling, "What do you think is most special about the David Jackson Project?" She is packing up her things and trying to wipe the feathers out of her hair as she jots down David's response.

"I think my hat is most special. Most special indeed."

He removes the black beatnik to reveal a head of hair reminiscent to Einstein's, or another mad scientist's asymmetrical white-boy afro.

"Honestly, I think the whole philosophy of how/why we play music together is fairly unique, at least in the rock world. Guys in the Jazz world have been doing this for years, changing up musicians to keep the dynamic and energy of the music fresh. However, I think I have a lot of growing to do before this is really an effective pursuit (I still can't read or write music...which as a band leader, in the music world is the equivalent of being an illiterate English professor). Kool-Aid?"

He's now kneeling an ice chest that has been stood up on one side to be used as a refrigerator.

Kristen ignores the question completely and is now just rapidly firing off the questions to get what she needs for the story and hopefully get out of here soon. "What song of yours is your favorite to play? Do you ever get tired of playing any of them?" She looks around the room for an exit.

"I don't really like any song that I've written after about 6 months...which means I've listened to it and/or played it like 10 million times and just get tremendously bored. So I'd like to think that I'll be able to keep progressing every song as my career and my knowledge of music progresses, which will hopefully remedy my extreme boredom with my former song-writing. Also, I don't like to play favorites with my kids. And, since I don't have any children, by kids I mean songs."

Kristen nods blankly. "Who are you currently listening to?"

"That's a great Question!" David says as he rushes over to a closet door, spilling Kool-Aid everywhere. Behind the door is a single stack of CD's about seven feet high. He begins grabbing CDs off the top of the pile, glancing quickly at them, and tossing them across the room behind him.

"I know by asking that question you're probably expecting me to list a buncha folks that I grew up with, or maybe some people who've influence my style recently..." he says as a burned CD-R falls at Kristen's feet. The title scribbled on the face of the CD says "Saul Williams – amethyst rock star / Soul Coughing tunes". Kristen makes a note as she ducks to miss the other CD's which are now being recklessly hurled her way.

"However, I am a firm believer in only having one CD playing at a time. Otherwise, you can hardly make out what's going on. I once tried to listen to the Beatles, Korn, and Joni Mitchell all at once, and it made me think that they all sucked..." Some more CD's and cases get thrown around as Kristen picks up one pile and starts scribbling down the titles..."David Gray – Lost Songs; Duncan Sheik – Humming; Jeff Buckley – Live at Sine`" her thoughts are interrupted by David's sudden scream in mid-sentence.

"AH HA!" He stands up and practically tackles Kristen as he jumps her way to show her what he's apparently been looking for this whole time. With a huge smile on his face, reflecting an obvious sense of achievement, he goes to the fridge and starts drinking from the pitcher of Kool-Aid. Kristen turns over the CD-R to read the title "Jade Day – The Taste / In Absence or Abuse".

(Kristen is ecstatic about the Duncan Sheik find.  She certainly approves.)

"It's both of his albums on on CD-R." David says, noticing the Vaseline and feathers now stuck to the pitcher he's holding. "He's easily the best singer I've ever heard in my life, but he's also a freakishly good writer and guitarist. I'd give you that one, but it's my last one. Anyway, that's who I'm listening to as often as physically possible - just Jade. He inspires me in writing, singing, and instrumentation. He's also a good friend, and lives here in Austin. Hopefully the world will soon know how good he is."

Kristen is now creeping toward the door and sets the CD back onto the counter. "What's your goal with your music?"

David is standing at the door, apparently expecting her early departure. "I want to write songs that last forever. I want to perform those songs with the same level of emotion that caused me to write them. I want those songs and performances to help people remember great times, and forget the bad ones. I want to do this until I can't anymore."

Kristen stands still for a second. It's the most concise and well thought-out answer so far. She pauses, halfway waiting for the punch line. When one doesn't come, she tests her luck and asks another serious one.

"How do you feel about the indie industry right now"?

"Another great question! You get a gold star. And a duck. Well, I'm all out of duck, so maybe a rack of lamb?" Distraught, Kristen starts walking down the hill as David now follows behind, still answering the question, and leaving a trail of Kool-Aid stained feathers behind him, which then stick to the driveway.

"I think the indie industry is right on the verge of either its biggest blow in history, or a MAJOR break-through. There is only so long that fans of music will tolerate being bullied around by corporate entities telling them what is good, and how they are allowed to hear that music. The mix tape generation of Dave Matthews became the download generation of John Mayer, which is now being HUGELY attacked, and it's forcing everyone to re-evaluate their consumption of the music that feeds their souls."

Kristen is now almost running down the hill as David picks up speed behind her.

"I'm quite excited about the possibilities. Necessity is the mother of invention. When music fans find themselves backed into a corner, the smart and creative ones will respond with innovative and intelligent ideas that are revolutionary to the music business. I was really encouraged to read the interview in Rolling Stone with Steve Jobs of Apple Computers. People like him getting involved and starting programs like iTunes, and the iPod are a good start (though he admits that it's not yet the solution) to resolving what is in my opinion a musical crisis. The whole concept of suing people for downloading is insane. And CNET shutting down MP3.com was another serious blow to indie artists. I have sympathy on the people who are actually seeing their livelihoods affected by downloading, but not nearly as much as I have for the people who are being attacked for loving music so much that they are consuming it in every form that they can find. I also wrote a little more about this subject in the blog section of my site...http://www.davidjacksonproject.com."

As Kristen closes her car door, she realizes that the passenger window is open, and David is leaning inside and scribbling his answer onto her notebook all the while still talking.

"All in all, I am thrilled to be part of the industry at this stage, 'cause I think we're on the verge of something big," he says.

He quickly looks up, winks, mutters "Thanks for coming", steps away from the car, and turns toward his house – just in time to see the roof now completely in flames.

Kristen is now quietly backing away as she hears David mumble "God I hate apples."

NOTE: No duck, apple, reporter, or CD was harmed in any way during the making of this interview.

NOTE 2: This interview was brought to you by the letter "J" and the number 1.618

Kristen did not write this article, she asked David standard questions, got a crazy response in a creative format, and decided to showcase how crazy cool Mr. Jackson is.

For more information visit: http://www.davidjacksonproject.com.