Heart to Hart with Corey

A non-sequitur chat with Corey Hart, who was in Edmonton last week promoting his new album, Jade.

SUN: Hi, Corey. Nice hair.

COREY: This is my high school look. It never got me any girls.

SUN: Well, one, at least.

COREY: I started to cut it by the time I met Erika (his first wife).

SUN: What's your favourite Burt Bacharach song?

COREY: The first one that came to mind was Close to You, but I don't think it's my favourite. It may be the one that I dislike the most.

SUN: How many other guys do you know named Corey?

COREY: None. I met a few girls named Corey, though.

SUN: A lot of songs on Jade have a techno-electronica feel to them. Did you do that to be trendy?

COREY: I like a lot of what Sheryl Crow is doing on her records. So the loops and all that was somewhat influenced by what she was up to.

SUN: Your oldest girl, India (31/2 years old; sister Dante is eight months) - is she exhibiting any musical traits?

COREY: She is dancing. She dances to Loreena McKennitt. She performs for us. It's remarkable. It's so interesting how a child gravitates to a certain type of creative expression. She's also playing the piano, but as far as talent (laughs), I don't think she's exhibiting any yet.

SUN: Does she like your music?

COREY: She's got no choice. She hears it all the time. She was in the studio when we were recording Jade (at Compass Point Studio in the Bahamas).

SUN: She knows you're a pop star?

COREY: She knows that it's daddy's work. It's funny when she says 'Corey Hart.' It's weird. Prior to having my first record, Corey Hart was just my name. But now, even when I say Corey Hart ... .

SUN: You're referring to yourself in the third person.

COREY: That's because it's almost become a brand name. My essence is still me. But that name Corey Hart refers to this (gestures to the album). So when I say sometimes, 'what's daddy's name?' she goes 'Corey Hart,' I know she doesn't even know she's saying a name that people know. It's just weird to me when I hear it.

SUN: Are you big on astrology?

COREY: Not particularly. I like that I'm a Gemini. I just like the duality of it ... but I don't check my moon rising or anything like that. I had my chart done when I was a kid. He said I was going to be successful at music, but I was playing music at the time, so he had a 50-50 shot.

SUN: What was the first song you wrote?

COREY: It was called Thank You, like the Alanis Morissette song. I was thanking the piano. That was the message of the song.

SUN: Why did you decide to move to the Bahamas?

COREY: Several reasons. I like that I can be anonymous ... and my dad's been living there since I was 12, so I used to spend Christmases down there. After I got out of high school, I thought about moving down there so I could get to know my dad, but didn't have the desire to get to know my dad so I didn't do it Three or four years ago, I decided I wanted to do it, so we tried it out.

SUN: That brings us to the song called Reconcile. Is that about your dad? (His parents split when he was 11.)

COREY: Yes. It was something that had bothered me a lot. He's getting on in years and there wasn't a lot of time to know him and I wanted to know who my dad was. Like I say in the song, 'Along the beach I never collected shells from my father's shore.' That song was important to write because it freed me, as songwriting can do for me. It can free me and shed light.

SUN: Have you ever actually worn sunglasses at night?

COREY: The co-producer of that record used to wear sunglasses at night, so it was a running joke. It hurts your eyes after a while.

SUN: Anything you wrote in the '80s that you're embarrassed about now?

COREY: Absolutely, but none that I wish would be stricken from the archives. I needed to write them, because had I not written them I wouldn't be able to write what I've written now. But I can't watch a lot of videos. I cringe.

SUN: Are you and (partner/singer Julie Masse) going to get married?

COREY: Yeah, maybe. We need a couple more kids. I want all the bridesmaids to be my daughters. I want four girls.

SUN: If you couldn't be a singer, what would you do?

COREY: I would try to write a book.

SUN: Have you ever done anything just for the money?

COREY: I've never done anything to try to make money. Had I done that, I assure you, I'd be a much wealthier man than I am today.

SUN: What's the biggest mistake you ever made?

COREY: This is my third interview with you, right? Just kidding ... My biggest mistake? I haven't made it yet.

Corey Hart will tour Canada again in April.