Q&A: Jenny Lewis and Johnathan Rice, aka Jenny and Johnny

Since "I'm Having Fun Now" sounds neither like "Acid Tongue" nor Rice's most recent album, "Further North," we thought it would be best to have Jenny and Johnny explain before they head out on tour.

Soundspike: Was there a particular moment when the Jenny and Johnny concept was birthed?

Johnny: We did a bit of reaching on Jenny's "Acid Tongue" tour during the encore with "Love Hurts."

Jenny: The Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris version.

Johnny: And something about the way we interacted felt fresh to us. I don't know if I have it in me to write a song as cool as that, but singing that way was really cool.

Jenny: The only rule we had, once we realized we were making the record, was that it couldn't be something we've already done. I was going to take a year off -- and that's just impossible now -- so I wound up with a handful of songs [for this project]. Throughout the course of the week of rehearsing we inadvertently created something new.

That's absolutely true. The fact that both of your voices are prominent yet constantly switching places with each other gives it a strong, thought-out presence. How did that evolve?

Johnny: With this particular thing, even the recording process, it was great for us but not natural for the people with us. It was not traditional in that she's the lead singer and I back her up. We wanted to connect as a new character, one with two perspectives.

Jenny: Even the name. It just happens that Jenny and Johnny are our names, but every girl can be a Jenny and every guy can be a Johnny. [In creating new identities] you get to take a break from yourself, which can be exhausting. I love collaborating and I love singing with other people whether it's the Watson Twins or Elvis Costello or Johnathan. One of the true joys of my life is harmonizing.

Johnny: The joys in life again.

Jenny: Why do something unless you really want to?

Johnny: The mind is a powerful thing, and sometimes you just get sucked into something and you wind up doing something you don't want to be doing.

Interesting point. But how do you commit to project like this? What's the first step?

Johnny: You know those old school fire lines where you hand the buckets to one another? I'd write something and hand it to Jenny. Some songs I feel like I took them as far as I could and then Jenny comes in and adds a bridge where I didn't even realize it needed one.

Jenny: We both had songs that were nearly complete when we started. "Scissor Runner" was the first one we had.

Johnny: "Just like Zeus" was another early one. With a few exceptions they were all written pretty close to each other. There were a few productive spikes in 2008 and 2009, and because [the songs were written] so close to one another I think there's a cohesion in the album.

Which speaks to your point about creating the single character from both of your perspectives. You have achieved something that's not easy -- it's a pop record with plenty of sunshine and stories rather than emotions. It's not like your solo projects. You obviously tapped an area that previously you had not.

Johnny: A lot of our friends talk about the record like it's in its own little world. We've spent so much time together that we have this third brain between us to use as a timeshare.

Jenny: It's less confessional, which is so much about getting touch with your past.

Johnny: Your friend [Jenny's godfather, actually] Jerry Cohen said something insightful -- so much modern music is a therapy session. That chick Pink is talented but her songs are so extremely personal. Back in the '50s and '60s you wouldn't do that. I remember in "Beatles Anthology" when Paul says he's really happy so many of their songs were about love and peace and were happy songs. I loved that. We spend so much time writing confessional songs as singer/songwriters that it's nice to step away from that.

Jenny: Or use a song to berate our friends.

Anyone in particular?

Jenny: It's a handful of friends. This is L.A.

Was there any male-female duo that you guys are particularly attracted to?

Jenny: Ian & Sylvia, X [John Doe and Exene Cervenka].

Johnny: Richard and Linda Thompson, Evan Dando and Juliana Hatfield. We weren't trying to refer to other duos.

The next step is to take this on tour. Will you be adding covers, doing solo stuff as well as the Jenny and Johnny material?

Johnny: The record is only 34 minutes long. It's kind of terrifying, but luckily Jenny has a trunkload of anecdotes.

Jenny: But I'm kind of sick of myself.

Any leftovers from the sessions you could add to the mix?

Johnny: Actually there are some things that didn't get finished.

Jenny: (sighs) OK, I'm lazy. I have to write the words.