Kevin Martin of Candlebox | Full Interview

“There is darkness in enlightenment”

[Interview conducted on October 21, 2020​.]

We discussed:

• Their song “Let Me Down Easy”

• Co-writing with Pete Cornell, brother of Chris Cornell

• Their cover of “For What It’s Worth”

• Opening for Rush in 1994

• How initially being a drummer influenced his songwriting

• Being a reluctant singer

• Breadmaking. Yes, the making of bread.

• And more

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Co-Writing with Pete Cornell

Cris Cohen: With the new song, “Let Me Down Easy,” you co-wrote that one with Pete Cornell. What do you like about him as a songwriter that you sought him out to co-write?

Kevin Martin: Well, I knew Pete obviously back in the eighties, when I moved to Seattle. I moved there in 1984. I met him a couple of times through shows and whatnot. Big fan of the band he had called Inflatable Soule. We had a ton of friends in common. We never played shows together, but I always admired him. I mean, he was so different than Chris (his brother). Being that he was a few years older, I think his songwriting was a little more of like the classic approach to songwriting. Whereas Chris just seemed to be so asymmetrical with his songwriting.

Years and years go by. Candlebox blows up and does its thing.

We get together in 2018 to play a couple of reunion shows in celebration of the 25th anniversary of the debut album. And Pete came to the show with his wife, Amy Decker, who is my manager. We just started chatting. I hadn't seen him in so long. I was like, “Man, first of all I am so sorry about the loss of Chris and the loss to your family. I can't imagine what you're going through.”

He's like, “Life is tough, but you have to move on. You have to find your footing again and try and live.”