John Mellencamp

John Mellencamp will play a series of dates in North America this summer.

He's known for being surly when he has to be, but John Mellencamp can also be a pretty thoughtful and reflective guy -- as he is during a new profanity-laced interview that finds him laughing, "I'm the luckiest guy you will ever talk to."

Now that his musical, 'Ghost Brothers of Darkland County,' is behind him, John Mellencamp is ready to get back to rocking. In a new interview, the songwriter says he's written a massive amount of songs since 2010's 'No Better Than This.'

If you've seen any of John Mellencamp's recent round of talk-show interviews for his new musical collaboration with writer Stephen King, 'Ghost Brothers of Darkland County,' you probably noticed the rocker was sporting a black eye. In fact, it was kinda hard to miss.

'Ghost Brothers of Darkland County,' the Southern gothic musical with lyrics by Stephen King and music by John Mellencamp and T-Bone Burnett, will embark on a 20-city American tour beginning in October.