(here we are again……..!)
The same question in a different (and global-artistic) way: how is possible for a great artist to participate with heart to his own music and not only with professional technique?
I BELIEVE IF YOU HAVE WRITTEN THE SONG, IT HAS A PERSONAL TOUCH TO IT, EVEN IF ITS JUST A MADE UP STORY, THERE IS ALWAYS SOME BASIS OF TRUTH IN IT, AND BEING AN ARTIST THAT MOSTLY DOES MY OWN MATERIAL, EITHER WRITTEN BY ME OR SOMEONE ELSE IN THE BAND THERE ARE FEELINGS TO DRAW FROM THAT YOU MUST EMOTE TO MAKE IT REAL TO THE AUDIENCE … THE SAME HOLDS TRUE FOR SONGS WRITTEN BY SOMEONE ELSE, IF YOU WANT TO PERFORM IT YOU SHOULD HAVE SOME FEELING FOR IT, OTHER WISE THERE IS NO REASON TO DO IT-THAT SAID I HAVE BEEN HIRED TO SING SONGS ELSEWHERE THAT I HAVE NO FEELING FOR, BUT YOU MUST MUSTER UP SOMETHING, SOME RECOLECTION OF A FEELING TO SELL THAT SONG, ITS REALLY LIKE ACTING IN A WAY …
The last LT’s work, Join the band, has been a great reunion for friends of the band: are you proud of this product? I especially loved the Inara’s version of Trouble and the whole collaboration with Buffett…
THIS WAS A FUN PROJEST TO DO AND TO ENLIST PLAYERS OF SUCH CALIBER TO JOIN THE BAND ON LITTLE FEAT SONGS WAS FANTASTIC, INARA’S VERSION OF TROUBLE WAS TRULY INSPIRED, AND THE WAY THAT WE CHANGED UP ARRANGEMENTS OF OLD FEAT STANDARDS WAS SUCH FUN TO DO, IT’S LIKE WHAT I SAID BEFORE ABOUT PLAYIING SONGS SO MANY TIMES AND LOOKING FOR NEW AND DIFFERENT WAYS TO PLAY THEM …. ALSO TO HAVE JIMMY BUFFETT INVOLVED AND TO RECORD AT HIS STUDIO IN KEY WEST FLORIDA WAS FANTASTIC, A GREAT ENVIRONMENT TO WORK AND PERFORM … VERY PROUD INDEED OF THIS WORK ….
I like the North cafè cd with Fred Tackett: it’seems there is a great legacy between you and Fred, a “heart legacy”…. How is possible a deep musical unity after long years of collaboration? Many people and artists after years become enemies, not friends….
I THINK THAT FRED AND I, AS WELL AS ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE BAND HAVE SUCH A DEEP RESPECT FOR ONE ANOTHER THAT THE FRIENDSHIP RUNS DEEP, I DON’T THINK THAT YOU CAN BE CREATIVE WITH PEOPLE YOU HATE, MAYBE OTHERS CAN BUT CERTAINLY NOT ME, WE ARE LIKE FAMILY AND LIKE ANY FAMILY THERE ARE TIMES WHEN YOU DON’T AGREE WITH ONE ANOTHER, BUT FOR THE MOST PART YOU ARE ON THE SAME PAGE AND HAVE COMMON INTERESTS AND DESIRES, LITTLE FEAT IS LIKE THAT, WE HAVE A DEEP LOVE AND RESPECT FOR THE MUSIC, AND THEREFORE FOR EACH OTHER…FRED AN I IN PARTICULAR SINCE WE HAVE BEEN PLAYING TOGETHER SO LONG EITHER WITH LITTLE FEAT OR ON RECORDING SESSIONS OR NOW FOR THE LAST DECADE TOGETHER IN OUR DUET … AND THE DUET IS SO DIFFERENT AS IT ALLOWS US ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO INTERPRET THE SONGS IN AN ALTOGETHER DIFFERENT WAY … MORE ORGANIC I THINK AS ACOUSTIC AND STRIPPED DOWN, THE SONGS BECOME THE FOCAL POINT MORE SO THAN THE GREAT PLAYING OF THE ENTIRE BAND …..
Why Shaun left the band?
UNFORTUNATELY THIS WAS A SIGN OF THE ECONOMIC TIMES, WE HAD COME TO A POINT WHERE WE WERE EITHER GOING TO STOP PLAYING AS LITTLE FEAT OR HAD TO CUT BACK FINANCIALLY,AND SHE WAS THE ONE MEMBER WHO WE COULD CONTINUE WITHOUT, WE HAD DISCOVERED THAT WHEN SHE WENT ON THE ROAD WITH BOB SEGER AND WE CONTINUED TO PERFORM WITH OUT HER, AND IT WAS LIKE THE OLD LITTLE FEAT, WITH A PURELY MALE PROSPECTIVE, I MISS HER, I REALLY DO, BUT FINANCIALLY WE COULDN’T MAKE IT HAVING 7 MEMBERS ANYMORE, WE ALSO CUT A COUPLE OF PRODUCTION JOBS TO MAKE IT MORE FINANCIALLY POSSIBLE TO KEEP THE FEAT TRAIN ROLLING …. I HOPE THAT THIS ECONOMIC DOWNTURN CHANGES SOON OR WE’LL PROBABLY SEE THE END OF OUR TOURING AS A BAND BECOME A REALITY, UNLESS SOMEHOW WE HAVE A HIT RECORD OR SOMETHING THAT INCREASES THE FLOW OF FINANCES …. SAD REALLY, BUT I KNOW THAT EVERYONE IS FEELING THE PINCH, AND PEOPLE JUST DON’T HAVE THE MONEY TO SPEND ON MUSIC AND CONCERTS LIKE THEY USED TO ….
Richie: do you have good news about him or not….?
GOOD NEWS IS THAT HE IS PLAYING HIS DRUMS AGAIN, SLOWLY BUT AT LEAST PLAYING … HE HAS A VERY LARGE HILL TO CLIMB WITH THE CANCER IN HIS LIVER AND ONCE AGAIN THE COSTS OF MEDICAL TREATMENT IS STAGGERING, FOR SOME REASON AMERICANS DON’T SEE THAT THE COST OF HEALTH INSURANCE HAS COME TO A POINT WHERE MANY JUST CAN’T AFFORD DOCTORS OR MEDICAL TREATMENT THAT IS REALLY NEEDED .. IT IS SUCH A POLITICAL BOONDOGLE, A GREEDY ASPECT OF POLITICS THAT KEEPS US SCRAMBLING TO DO BENEFITS AND SUCH FOR HIS TREATMENTS … HE IS LIVING IN CANADA NOW WITH HIS WIFE WHO IS CANADIAN, AND SOON HE WILL QUALIFY FOR THE NATIONAL HEALTH SYSTEM THERE, BUT FOR NOW HE MUST PAY FOR THE TREATMENTS AND THAT’S HARD, THANKS TO SWEET RELIEF, A PROGRAM THAT HELPS MUSICIANS GET FINANCIAL HELP THROUGH DONATIONS HE IS COPING WITH IT, AND IF ANY ONE IS INTERESTED IN MAKING A DONATION THERE IS A WEB SITE, SWEETRELIEF.COM THAT WILL TAKE THOSE DONATIONS AND FUNNEL THE MONIES TO RICHIE AND HIS FAMILY ….
A few question – if I can – about your “personal life”: Where do you live now? Do you have a family or do you live alone? What are your interests beside music? Are you a religious person?
I LIVE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, A FEW MILES OUTSIDE OF LOS ANGELES WITH MY WIFE PAMELA AND THREE CHILDREN, SON GABRIEL WHO IS ALMOST 21, AND DAUGHTER GENEVIEVE 18 AND MY YOUNGEST DAUGHTER IS GILLIAN WHO IS 12, AND THEY ARE THE JOY OF MY LIFE, AND WHILE I AM A VERY SPIRITUAL PERSON, I AM NOT A RELIGIOUS ONE, THAT IS I DON’T BELIEVE IN BELONGING TO ONE RELIGION, I FEEL THAT RELIGIONS HAVE UNFORTUNATELY BECOME POLITICAL ENTITIES AND ARE BUSINESS ORIENTED, I AM A PACIFIST, I BELIEVE IN PEACE AND LIVE AND LET LIVE, AND EVEN THOUGH I KNOW IT IS UNREALISTIC, I STILL HOPE THAT SOMEDAY THE WORLD WILL BE AT PEACE AND THUS WE ALL FIND WHAT HEAVEN IS ALL ABOUT RIGHT HERE ON EARTH ….
Tell me something about the music that you like today: are there new bands and new songwriters that you love more than others?
MY MUSICAL TASTES ARE STILL PRETTY MUCH LIKE ALWAYS, I LOVE MY OLD JAZZ RECORDINGS, AND BLUES, I HAVE RECENTLY BEEN LISTENING TO BILL FRISELL AND JOHN SCOFIELD AS I THINK THEIR GUITAR PLAYING IS AMAZING, ALSO THERE IS A NEW BAND FROM LOS ANGELES CALLED GRYPHON LABS WHO ARE GREAT PLAYERS, AND THEY PLAY WITH DWEEZEL ZAPPA AND HAVE JUST MADE A CD CALLED MODERN MYTHOLOGY, ALSO A NEW BAND FROM AUSTIN TEXAS CALLED BAND OF HEATHENS WHO PLAY A LOT LIKE LITTLE FEAT AND THE BAND …
Rock music: do you think is still alive? If yes: where and how…?
THERE WILL ALWAYS BE ROCK MUSIC, TODAYS FORM IS REALLY MORE HIP HOP AND THE NEW R&B BUT IT IS STILL ROCK AND ROLL WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, GENERATIONS ALL HAVE THEIR DIFFERENT SOUND, AND THIS IS THE ONE OF TODAY BUT IT ALWAYS EVOLVES AND CHANGES WHICH IS WHY I LOVE ROCK AND ROLL, IF ITS GOT A BEAT AND GROOVES SIGN ME UP … ONE WAY TO MAKE SURE THAT ROCKK AND ROLL IS ALIVE AND WELL JUST LISTEN TO THE SOUNDTRACK OF LIFE, ALL OF OUR COMMERCIALS, AND LOTS OF MOVIES HAVE THAT ROCK AND ROLL SOUND TRACK GOING ON, IT’S WHAT ATTRACTS US …
And what about the southern rock? I think that Allman brothers are living a great moment with Greg, Derek and Warren….
YOU HAVE JUST MENTIONED TWO OF THE FINEST GUITARISTS ON THE PLANET, I LOVE HOW EACH ONE OF THEM PLAY AND BOTH OF THEIR STYLES ARE SO DISTINCTIVE, AND OF COURSE GREGS PLAYING AND SINGING IS THE SIGNATURE OF THE BAND, I’VE ALWAYS BEEN A FAN OF THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND, AND THEY ARE SUCH NICE PEOPLE AS WELL … ON THE SUBJECT OF SOUTHERN ROCK I THINK THAT TODAYS COUNTRY MUSIC OUT OF NASHVILLE HAS REALLY TAKEN OVER THAT MANTLE, THERE ARE SO MANY OF THE NASHVILLE BANDS THAT SOUND MORE ROCK THAN COUNTRY SO THAT WOULD GET MY VOTE FOR SOUTHERN ROCK!
New Orleans: what’s about the city? The Kathrina days passed: people and music are still alive?
AND NEW ORLEANS IS STILL ALIVE AND WELL, NOW THAT THEY HAVE A SUPER BOWL CHAMPION I THINK THE CITY IS UNDERGOING A REVIVAL THAT WILL CONTINUE FOR YEARS TO COME, THE BANDS FROM THERE, THE RADIATORS, PAPA GROS FUNK, THE METERS, THE NEVILLES, JOHN MOONEY, ANDERES OSBORNE, AND SOME NEW ONES LIKE IVAN NEVILLE AND DUMPSTA FUNK OR BONEARAMA, THEY ARE ALL AMAZING, AND LETS NOT LEAVE SONNY LANDRETH OFF THE LIST, EVEN THOUGH HE’S FROM LAYFAYETTE I STILL THINK OF HIM AS A NEW ORLEANS LOUISANA BOY!!!
Blues music is your cradle: do you think at yourself like a blues artist in the way (for example) of Jorma Kaukonen? Any plan to record an acoustic classic blues album?
WELL I LOVE THE BLUES AND STILL PLAY A LOT OF BLUES, AS A MATER OF FACT WITH FRED A LOT OF THE LITTLE FEAT SONGS WE DO AS A DUET COME OF MORE BLUESY, DOWN ON THE FARM AND OLD FOLKS BOOGIE IN PARTICULAR, WE HAVE A NEW CLASSIFACATION FOR MUSIC IN THE STATES CALLED AMERICANA, LEVON HELM IS A BIG INFLUENCE IN THE GENRE, AND THAT’S WHERE MY INTENTIONS ARE THESE DAYS IN WRITING, IT ENCOMPASES BLUES AND ROOTS MUSIC, YOU SHOULD REALLY TAKE A LISTEN TO LEVONS TWO RECORDS PRODUCED BY LARRY CAMPBELL, REALLY FINE WORK
Future and new projects: what move on in the future of Little feat and Paul Barrere?
FEAT ARE IN THE BEGINNING STAGES OF WRITING AND GETTING READY TO DO ANOTHER STUDIO RECORD, IT WILL BE IN THAT AMERICANA VEIN AND INCLUDE BLUES JAZZ AND COUNTRY, AND FRED AND I JUST RELEASED ANOTHER LIVE RECORD CALLED LIVE IN THE UK 2008 FROM RECORDINGS WE MADE ON OUR TOUR IN 2008 THOROUGH OUT GREAT BRITAIN …. IT WILL SOON BE AVAILABLE THROUGH OUR WEB SITE PAULANDFRED.COM …
Do you have plans to tour in Europe and expecially here in Italy?
I WOULD LOVE TO GET BACK TO ITLAY, WE HAVE TOURED IN EUROPE NOW THE LAST 4 YEARS USUALLY IN THE SUMMER, AND FRED AND I DO IT IN THE WINTER, SO IF ANYONE IN ITALY WOULD LIKE TO GIVE US A GIG, LET ME KNOW, WE HAVE ALWAYS HAD GREAT AUDIENCES IN ITALY, THEY ARE VERY SOPHISTICATED IN THEIR MUSIC TASTES!!!
Thanks Paul, God bless you
Walter
And THANKS to Steve KLEIN!
