Mike Cooley

I was surprised to learn that songwriting doesn't come easy to Mike Cooley, the irreverent second guitarist of Drive-By Truckers. (Suicide Girls, via @keithdok)

KD:Your songs are always highlights of every Drive-by Truckers record, but there are usually only two or three. Is writing like pulling teeth for you? Are you really critical of your own work?

MC:Yeah, I am. I didn’t start writing at a young age, and I’ve never turned out a lot of songs. If I write four or five in a year that’s like a lot. I will think about ‘em a long time before I’ll ever commit ‘em to anything.

KD:So you have to be perfectly satisfied with it before you’ll show it to the rest of the band?

MC:Oh yeah. Yeah.

KD:Are you ever envious of Patterson’s ability to crank ‘em out?

MC:I’m envious of everybody who can do that! But that’s just never been me.