Chesnutt discusses music, his inspiration, health care

As always, life is full of ups and downs for Vic Chesnutt.

Current downer: the Athens songwriter is dealing with a lawsuit filed by a local hospital following surgeries that racked up bills in the range of $70,000. With a pre-existing condition, he's limited to hospitalization insurance, he says; it's clearly not enough, and while he's made payments, he hasn't been able to keep up. (He has some special thoughts about U.S. Rep. Paul Broun, but more on that later).

The lawsuit is a huge source of stress, he says, and it's certainly no help for someone battling depression. But he finds solace in his work. And thankfully that's a much-needed "up."

In the past year alone, Chesnutt's released four CDs - last October he joined forces with fellow Athens band Elf Power for "Dark Developments." Last month was "Skitter on Take-Off," produced by fellow underground songwriter hero Jonathan Richman, who came to Chesnutt with the idea to produce his record. And then there's the soundtrack to the German film "Mitte Ende August," also released last month.

In August came "At the Cut" - which brings him back to Athens on Monday with his Vic Chesnutt Band, a "supergroup" consisting of eight musicians hailing from esteemed and lauded Montreal bands Godspeed You! Black Emperor and Thee Silver Mt. Zion Orchestra, as well as guitarist Guy Picciotto of equally esteemed, legendary punk band Fugazi.

Chesnutt's especially pumped to be touring with his band that, more than a supergroup, is really a dream band for pretty much any musician.

"I love these people so much," Chesnutt says by phone from a hotel in Montreal. It's the morning after the first rehearsal before the tour's kickoff Oct. 23 in Ottawa, Ontario. "This is a truly incredible braintrust, with all these people - we've got some of the smartest and most sensitive punk rockers out there," he adds, laughing at his own description.

The members' bands unite in an anti-corporate, true do-it-yourself philosophy, the Godspeed and Silver Mt. Zion albums replete with lengthy political statements rather than glossy band photos. (Fugazi also is a politically active, d-i-y band.) But what's most noteworthy is the music, a conglomeration of styles and sounds stretched into something of an instrumental opus that builds in intensity and loudness with a gradual, thrilling crescendo. Songs are 15 minutes or longer. And anyone who's been to a Godspeed show likely will tell you it's the best - and loudest - live show they've ever seen (Chesnutt included).

It's their second outing together (following 2007's "North Star Deserter" and subsequent tour) and an intense pairing.