Mike Doughty earned a special place in DCist's heart at a gig by his former band, Soul Coughing. Doughty, the lead singer of the group, was introducing the members of the band to the audience in between songs, and when he got to himself, he said "And I...am human and I need to be loved, just like everyone else does." Respect.

Despite a smattering of success on "alternative radio" in the late 1990s, Soul Coughing broke up at the turn of the century and Doughty struck out on his own by grabbing his acoustic guitar and touring incessantly, criss-crossing the country numerous times each year. He released a live record and two albums on his own before signing with ATO Records last year. He is currently on tour supporting his new album, Haughty Melodic, and was nice enough to take time out from his busy tour schedule to answer some of DCist's questions via e-mail.

When you left Soul Coughing, you went solo and stripped your sound down to great effect. Was there a conscious decision to record the songs for your new record backed by a band?

I didn't really decide, per se. I'd been moving into some drum machine stuff, some minor little arrangement filigrees, a little keyboard here or there. Like on Rockity Roll. So when I got together with (Haughty Melodic producer) Dan (Wilson), we initially were doing stuff with just guitar, drum machine, and piano. The other parts just kept getting added, and we added more and more, until it became the baroque monster it is.

You actually sing now! How has your songwriting evolved from the days of Soul Coughing?

But I always sang! "Janine", "True Dreams", "Soundtrack to Mary", "Idiot Kings", "Circles"--I see what I'm doing now as a natural next step from the more singer-songwritery aspects of Soul Coughing.

Why did you pick ex-Semisonic frontman Dan Wilson as producer of your record?

I just loved him. Loved his ideas. Loved being in his house, eating lunch with him, talking about books and music and women. He's got a great bedside manner as a producer, too; very non-pushy.

Was there one incident in particular that made you write, "Thank You Lord For Sending Me The F Train," because I think anyone who's lived in NYC has been there at one point or another.

It was something I used to say to myself when the F Train showed up at last, late at night. An early foray into prayer.

Did you really drive yourself from gig to gig for the last few years? No crew/tour manager/sound guy? Are you touring with a band for your fall tour? Does this mean you'll actually have a bus and someone else will be doing the driving?

Yep. I sure did. Like a crazy person: 9,000 miles on my first solo US tour, in 2000. Now it's a full band, and a soundguy/tour manager, and we're on a big old tour bus. Madness.

Approximately how many questions have you answered regarding Dave Matthews and being signed to his ATO Records label while promoting this record?

MANY!

You've played DC quite a few times over the last two or three years. Any memories(good or bad) that stick out?

Oh, I love playing DC. Soul Coughing made a great live recording at the 9:30 club in the 90s. People at the clubs are just great, really eager and passionate.

I was surprised that you only included one hip-hop record in your list of "Music You Should Hear" on Amazon.com. What are your other favorite hip-hop records?

I'm obsessed with Jay-Z, for one thing. I love 50 Cent, but the negativity is so overwhelming that listening to the guy makes me want to stay in bed all day. I listen to Hot 97 (in New York) constantly. Mostly I think hip-hop is a singles medium, not albums, which accounts for that list. I have a boatload of old hip-hop and R&B cassingles--yes! Cassingles! (cassette singles))--from 1989-1993 that I need to get converted to mp3s so I can listen to 'em. Whooliganz, Intro, Sista, Double XX Posse, Romeo And, lots of relatively obscure stuff.

In addition to writing songs and making music, you're also a published author and an accomplished blogger. What do you use your blog for? How does it impact what you do as an artist? Do you feel guilty when you don't update your blog regularly? Are there any blogs you read on a regular basis?

I just use it as a creative outlet. You can be more brief and elliptical than in a newspaper column, which is something I've done in the past. I DO feel guilty when I don't update--but it's not so often a problem, I'm pretty obsessive about the bloggage. I love Sasha Frere Jones' blog, I stole a lot of style moves from that guy's blogging. And Dave Holmes--the former MTV veejay--is a great, snarky pop-culture guy.

Mike Doughty's Band plays the 9:30 Club Wednesday night. Tickets are $15, click here to buy them online.