In 2002, Atlanta-born singer-songwriter Cody Chesnutt released "The Headphone Masterpiece," a double-disc set of transformative soul songs, both sacred and profane, recorded on a four-track in his bedroom. Rapturously reviewed, "The Headphone Masterpiece" wasn't a hit exactly (though one of its tracks, "The Seed," was successfully remade by The Roots), but it was a career-maker.

Fame, even at the modest level enjoyed by Chesnutt, brought with it difficulties: It was draining, soul-killing. At one point, Chesnutt had two mistresses and a wife; logistics caused problems. Not long after the album's release, Chesnutt retreated. He patched things up with his wife and spent the next 10 years as a stay-at-home dad to their two children. In the fall, he released "Landing on a Hundred," his second full-length album, recorded at the legendary Royal Studios in Memphis, Tenn.

In a phone call to promote his upcoming Martyrs show, Chesnutt, as affable and forthright an interview as one could hope to find (Really. They should all be like this.), talked about the wages of fame, the dangers of profanity, and why he's not as strange as you think he is.

Read the full interview

9:30 p.m. Friday at Martyrs', 3855 N. Lincoln Ave.; $15 (21+); 773-404-9494 or martyrslive.com