Enigmatic Singer-Songwriter Lewis Gives His First Interview

Last year, reps from Light in the Attic Records went out in search of the enigmatic singer-songwriter Lewis, whose two albums -- L’amour and Romantic Times, originally released in 1983 and ’85, respectively -- the Seattle label had just recently reissued. They found the artist, who was previously thought to be dead or missing, sitting outside a Canadian coffeehouse. Now, nearly a year later, Lewis (whose real name is Randall Wulff) has sat down for his very first interview with Maxim.

The interview offers more details surrounding record collector Jack Fleischer and Light in the Attic’s Matt Sullivan’s first encounter with Wulff, at which time the singer turned down $20,000 in royalties for the reissues (“There was something very Lewis-like in the way he declined the check. ‘He said he had ‘no interest in coin.’”). Rivlin-Nadler also recounts difficult-to-confirm stories from Wulff's past, including his allegedly illicit dealings as a stockbroker on Wall Street, short-changing the photographer behind L’amour’s album art, possibly dating model Christie Brinkley and offering fashion advice to George Harrison.

When asked about his now-beloved 1983 album, Rivlin-Nadler says Wulff dismissed the questions, saying, “Oh, that was a long time ago, a long time.”

Although he chose not to attest for his time on Wall Street, Wulff looked back longingly on the city -- a place he doesn’t think he’ll ever get to go back to. “Say hello to New York for me,” he said. “I love that place so, so much.”

During the interview, he also alluded to the possibility of new music:

As for his life now, Lewis says he lives with his girlfriend and his cat. "I play music all night," he says. "That’s what I care about." We ask whether he plans on releasing any new material. Maybe in a few months, he says. He’ll let us know.

Read the complete interview on Maxim.