Phoning from his parents’ place in Minneapolis, Stuart Davis is drained.

And you can’t blame him.

The profoundly intelligent and witty singer/songwriter has spent most the year recording his eighth record, “Bright Apocalypse,” contributing chapters for two books, “A Complete Guide to Ken Wilber, Kindred Visions” and “Spirit of Gen X,” writing his own collection of memoirs from the road, founding a record label and moving to San Franciso.

And, of course, he’s still been gigging practically nonstop.

So how does he react to an early evening interview request?

“Can we do this a little later? Like 3 or 4 a.m.?”

Sure, Mr. Davis. Anything you say.

Actually, we opted for an e-mail interview, and it was more like 6:35 a.m., after 22 hours in the studio.

How has your life as a musician changed since you founded your own record label?

Well, for starters, I don’t have to worry about how to find a record label that’s interested in releasing albums about God by some weird skinny bald kid in horrible clothes. It has relieved stress in that way for sure. For the first time in my life I have a record label that allows me to do whatever I want artistically and also lets me make all the decisions on what will be done with my music in the business sense.

Post Apocalyptic Records is funded by fans. How does that work?

Well, basically, each investor buys shares in the album. Each share is worth a certain percentage of future sales in the album. All of the money from sales goes to the investors until they have made back their money plus some profit. After that point, we split it down the middle. From then on out, it’s basically a partnership between us. It’s pretty straightforward.

You’re finishing your eighth record, “Bright Apocalypse.” How does it differ from the first seven?

All the songs on this album are about God. That’s not necessarily a new topic for me, but it is the first time I’ve devoted an entire album to the subject. However, these songs aren’t associated with any particular religion or even religion in general. People may not notice what they’re about immediately, these songs have more layers to them and are less about entertaining people than they are about stirring them internally.

You’re known for having a witty sense of humor. Can you be funny on a record about death and God?

Well, I hope so. Although this album probably has less humor on it than the earlier ones, it is by no means a dry, dull affair. Whatever people think of it, I promise they will not be bored. Church may be boring, but these songs are the antidote to that sort of spiritual anesthesia.

Another record that dealt with death and God was “Kid Mystic,” which you told me two years ago was your first concept record. Is this your second?

In a way, I think I was trying to make this album back when I recorded “Kid Mystic.” It just took me several years to figure out how I could do it. I’m crossing my fingers it will work for other people like it has for me and my dog.

You have never tried to hide the fact that you draw more influences from books than music. Now you are writing books. Will you ever call yourself an author before a singer/songwriter?

It took me 10 years to learn how to write good songs, so I should probably hold off on making predictions about my future as an author. My own book isn’t done yet, but I’m hoping it will be worth a read. It will be a lot like my albums, funny in places but geared overall toward topics with depth. I like to juxtapose the light and the heavy, the sacred and profane. It’s all one ball of wax in my opinion, and I like it when the dirty laundry is dumped all over the new carpet. It’s good contrast.

You’ve been working on an ongoing book about touring. Give me an example of what the book will be like.

There will be essays and stories about things that have happened to me on the road, whether it’s drinking my own piss by mistake or getting ripped off by hillbillies in the Rocky Mountains. In addition to that I’ll write pieces related to what my songs are about and of course there will be material on spirituality/mysticism, in which I’m just a clumsy underling, but it is the centerpiece of my life nonetheless, so it always ends up in there.

Singer/songwriters are peeking out into mainstream music here and there. Do you listen to guys like Elliot Smith or Wes Cunningham?

Sad to say, I don’t know any of them. I don’t own a radio or a CD player, so I don’t get to hear music much unless I’m off the road and I use my girlfriend’s CD player. Even then I pretty much listen to XTC or weird tapes of people giving talks on topics I’m interested in. I prefer silence most of the time.

Do you have any guilty pleasures?

I would say my guilty pleasure is being a Duran Duran fan. When I am off the road, I pull that one out and play it over and over. “Save a Prayer” gets me every time.

You have moved to San Franciso since I last talked to you. Do you enjoy living there as opposed to Minneapolis?

Minneapolis is my true home and always will be, but for now I’m enjoying being in a different part of the country. San Fran is like any other place — it has its ups and downs. It’s easy being weird in the new age capital of the world, but I confess that the whole new age thing drives me nuts sometimes.

You’re playing People’s this weekend rather than The M-Shop. Does that have anything to do with the fact that Rusty is gone?

No, but I will really miss Rusty. She is one of my favorite human beings, and the music world will be poorer for her absence. I owe her a lot.

Did you really meet a woman at a costume party dressed as a mermaid?

No, but I am young and life imitates art.