10:20am | Joseph Arthur is a singer, songwriter, guitarist, and a Grammy winning designer and visual artist. At 7 PM Wednesday night, he will be making an in-store appearance at Fingerprints Music. Admission is free, but reservations are required and can be made by calling the store.

He’s currently on tour promoting his new CD, The Graduation Ceremony, which includes appearances by several notable artists, including famed drummer Jim Keltner and songstress Liz Phair.

Last year he joined forces with Ben Harper and Dhani Harrison to create Fistful of Mercy, which some have been calling a ‘Super-Group,’ and recent rumors have been circulating that he may be teaming up with members of Pearl Jam.

Because he’s on the road, I emailed him some questions and he wrote back with answers. Here’s what I got:

Sander: Your work as a visual artist and designer has been much celebrated. As a singer, songwriter, and musician, however, how does it feel to receive a Grammy for your CD packaging?

Joseph: You mean does my musician self have sour grapes about the success of my painter self? Constantly! But then again we all share in the spoils.

Sander: You’re a member of what’s being called a ‘super group,’ Fistful of Mercy with Ben Harper and Dhani Harrison. What is it like to be part of a ‘super group?’

Joseph: When you are a member of a super group you acquire super powers, such as the ability to un-ring a bell or make time go backwards. My favorite though is just being invisible. I am actually in the room with you now but about to fly away.

Sander: You’ve been called ‘prolific.’ For each song that gets produced, how many get tossed?

Joseph: They all get tossed, but the good ones are boomerangs and come back around. I’m working on an album of outtakes called “Boomerang Songs.”

Sander: Is there any truth to the rumor that you’ll soon be working with several members of Pearl Jam?

Joseph: I would tell you but then I would have to kill you and, considering the fact that this will be in the LBPost, I would then have to kill thousands and thousands of people for which I would most likely go to jail until death and end up burning in hell for eternity, so I’d prefer to say “No Comment” and leave it at that.

Sander: In your song, “I Would Rather Hide” from the 2002 album Redemption’s Son, you mention alien abduction. What are your thoughts about such things?

Joseph: That song is about a person being abducted by an alien, but I believe I’m an alien that’s been abducted by people. Of course they think I’m crazy on the planet I’m from.

Sander: Based on your repeated visits, you seem to have a fondness for Fingerprints. What is it about the place you find so appealing?

Joseph: I love record stores. The place where sonic dreams are sold. Future homes built on sonic landscapes. Comic books and t-shirts. Mingle with girls you check out while checking out. Nothing beats a record store. Certainly not the lonely furnace known as the Internet. Support your local record stores!

Fingerprints is one of the best. Rand was the one who told me to burn my shows to cd and sell em at every show. He’s a cool dude.

Sander: The paradigm for the distribution of music has been changing rapidly and radically in the last decade. How does this affect your ability to make a living from your work?

Joseph: It doesn’t seem to affect me drastically one way or the other cause it’s always been a struggle and it continues to be one and I wouldn’t have it any other way. The struggle breeds the break-through. The struggle gives life to art and a dance to a tune. The struggle is the life blood of creation and the need that keeps us going.

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Fingerprints Music is located at 420 East 4th Street. To make a reservation for Wednesday’s in-store call 562-433-4996. To learn more about the store, including their impressive list of upcoming events, visit FingerprintsMusic.com.

To learn more about Joseph’s music, touring schedule, and artwork visit JosephArthur.com.

Learn more about Fistful of Mercy at FistfulOfMercy.com.