Love and Rockets’ David J Recharges With Solo Project

“Therapy.”

That’s the simple explanation Love and Rockets member David J gave for the existence of his new solo album, “Songs From Another Season,” essentially a series of diary-like songs written and recorded over the past two years. One listen to the song “Stranded Trans-Atlantic Hotel Nearly Famous Blues” confirms his need to vent some frustrations.

“That was written on the last Love and Rockets tour, in a hotel room somewhere in America,” he said, speaking by phone from his home near London. “I can’t even remember where, which is part of the syndrome. I wasn’t (happy) at the time.”

Theoretically, that time should have been one of elation for the singer-bassist. Love and Rockets, consisting of J and his fellow former Bauhaus members Daniel Ash and Kevin Haskins (J’s brother), had risen above its cult status, headlining major concert halls in the wake of its American Top 10 single “So Alive.” Instead, he found himself depressed to be far away from his wife and young son (to whom he was merely “the man on the phone”), while enthusiastic but bothersome fans camped outside his door.

The 33-year-old musician is aware that some--including those loyal fans--may be a bit put off by what they might interpret as self-pity from a musician in what many would consider an enviable situation.

“I suppose there is a certain amount of that in it,” he admitted. “But it’s saying, ‘Go away, but sweethearts, come back another day,’ because I know I need that (attention).”

Part of the therapeutic process will include going back on tour to support the solo album, but on a much more casual basis than with Love and Rockets. Accompanied by guitarist Max Eider and accordionist Owen Jones (both of whom were part of the Jazz Butcher’s band with J in the mid-’80s), J will stick to small clubs, including McCabe’s on Sept. 4, Bogart’s on Sept. 5 and the Roxy on Sept. 6. The idea is to renew a sense of freshness in the music-making process in preparation for when and if--yes, if --Love and Rockets gets back together.

“It’s very much up in the air at the moment,” he said, noting that Ash and Haskins are both doing various side projects now. “We decided to have a sabbatical for a year, and that’s coming to an end and it looks like it’s going to continue into the next year. The idea is we’ll get back together when we’re really hungry to do it. We want to feel like a young band going in to record our first album.”