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Roots Rocker Dave Alvin
Wednesday, July 10, 2002; 11 a.m. EDT
One of the founding members of the Blasters and a later member of X, Dave Alvin has gone on to a remarkable solo career releasing such brilliant albums as "Every Night About This Time," "Blue Boulevard" and his just-released live album, "Out in California." He has also recorded an album of traditional songs, titled appropriately, "Public Domain: Songs from the Wild Land."
Alvin will be online Wednesday, July 10 at 11 a.m. EDT, to talk about his music. One of the great songwriters of the past 20 years, Alvin and his band, The Guilty Men, will play two nights at Iota, Friday and Saturday, July 12 and 13.
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"Out in California"
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The transcript follows.
Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control
over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.
washingtonpost.com:
Hello everyone and thanks for joining us. This is Joe Heim of washingtonpost.com's Entertainment Guide. We're very happy to have Dave Alvin with us today to take your questions. Dave is joining us from Pittsburgh, PA where tonight he'll perform at Rosebud. Tomorrow Dave will be in Richmond, Virginia at the Virginia Museum of Arts and of course on Friday and Saturday he'll bring his band to Iota in Arlington. OK, let's get started.
Takoma Park, MD:
Do The Knitters play shows any more? Do you still play with them? Any chance they'll make it to this coast?
Dave Alvin: Yes we do. We started doing show about 2-3 years ago. An old friend of ours was a victim of arson and wound up being homeless and we did a benefit. She lost everything in the fire so we got her clothes and a place to live. As far as coming to the East Coast, I don't know. The Knitters was always sort of an escape hatch. It's a chance for me to get away from being me. Hopefully maybe when of these days.
Omaha, NE:
Any particular reason you selected Bo Carter's ALL ROUND MAN as one of the covers for the live recording sessions?
I'm enjoying OUT IN CALIFORNIA while at work this morning...
Dave Alvin: I'm a big Bo Carter fan and it was one of the songs I considered for Public Domain and the other reason is I don't have a lot of certain nasty songs. My songs tend to be more sad so it's kind of nice to throw in something out of left field.
Milwaukee, Wisc.:
Who did you you see for your first ever live concert? How old were you and who did you go with?
Dave Alvin: The first time I ever remember seeing music being played live was at a county fair in Commerce, California and it was in 1959 and it was a guy pretending to be Elvis. But the first real concert I went to was Hermans Hermits, The Lovin Spoonful and the Bobby Fuller Four at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. My mom took my older sister and her friends. I was seven or eight and I still remember Bobby Fuller and the Lovin Spoonful were amazing. It was hot and in the daytime and all the members of Bobby Fuller Four were dressed head to toe in leather.
Durango, Colo.:
Good Morning Dave!
Thank you for undertaking such a gruelling schedule this summer. I hope to get to one of your shows.
My question: What type of writing are you doing these days? The last two albums are kind of short on new Dave Alvin Songs. What do we have to look forward to?
Other question: What other artists have you been working with? I really enjoy your works with Sonny Burgess and Ray Campi, etc.
Dave Alvin: Most likely an album of acoustic songs. I write all the time but I'm a harsh editor and if I don't think the songs are worthy of other songs I've written in the past I won't put them out. Hopefully by the early part of next year.
In the past eight years I've produced a lot of records. If you like the Sonny Burgess thing, I did a couple of records with Big Sandy and the Fly Rite Boys and also the Derailers. The most recent are Christy McWilson and Jill Olson and I'm real proud of both of those records. It's fun to do different things.
Omaha, NE:
Dave
You created a whole new definition for AMAZING in the face of the circumstances at the Zoo Bar 29th Anniversary fest (Sat July 6).
Can you tell the short version of the evening for the folks here? And what sticks in your memory the most about the evening now that you've had a little time to rebalance your nerves and your adrenaline? (How's the guitar?)
Dave Alvin: What happened was it was an outdoor festival on the streets of downtown Lincoln last Saturday night. I was supposed to play at 11 at night and there was thunder lightning and pouring rain and at first I chickened out. Then I decided that you can't welch on a deal. There were people standing in the rain having a wet time. My motto is to try not to disappoint people. The guitar is fine. I was wiping it off every 30 seconds.
Boston, Mass:
Hello, Dave...it's been a while since we've seen you in another medium- you were in "Border Radio" in '87 and then wrote some wonderful stories, "Any Rough Times Are Now Behind You." Since your music lends itself so well to storytelling, have you considered another book, or perhaps some film roles, like John Doe and Dwight Yoakam have done?
Dave Alvin: Yeah, I'll do another book probably in the next couple of years. As far as acting No, I'm not an actor. The Hollywood side of the business doesn't interest me. I prefer playing live to just about anything.
Alexandria, VA:
Man, the best cruising music is the Blasters Collection - just awe inspiring - love your solo work - besides Iota, any chance of future gigs at the Birchmere?
Dave Alvin: Probably when the next studio album comes out.
Harrisonburg, VA:
Dave, what is in your cd player now?
Stick
Dave Alvin: Well, I'm so archaic that my cd player is at home. I still have a cassette player. What I listened to driving yesterday was a compilation of various tracks by Michael Bloomfield, the late blues guitarist.
Akron, Ohio:
A few years ago a tribute to you and the Blasters was released. How did that come about and how did you feel about it?
Dave Alvin: It was the first CD that ever made me cry. It meant the world to me. There were no stars. It wasn't that kind of tribute cd. It was just garage, rockabilly and roots bands. To me, that really meant that we had an effect on normal, everyday people. It meant that my songs really touched people. Some of the versions of the songs reminded me of why I wrote the songs in the first place and that just makes me cry.
Portola, Calif.:
"Long White Cadillac" is my favorite song of yours. I'm wondering what influenced you in creating the amazing guitar on that song, and I'm wondering if you ever play it when your on tour with the Guilty Men?
Dave Alvin: Yeah, we play it and in fact it's sort of our Dark Star in that the Guilty Men version we've never rehearsed an ending so the second half is almost total improvisation every time we do it and that keeps it nice and fresh. The guitar part is basically something between Lightnin Hopkins and Ornette Coleman.
Takoma Park, Md.:
Oh please, please, please sing "Blue Wing" at your Iota shows (I'll be at both!)
Dave Alvin: Consider it done.
Sacramento,California:
Hi Dave,
I hear you quit smoking. I'd like to do the same. Do you have any tips you'd like to give me to stop the habit ? See ya at the Palms in August.
Dave Alvin: It's not true. The only tip I've got about smoking is I wish I hadn't started because I think you can only quit when you absolutely want to and I still enjoy it, I hate to say.
Bell Gardens:
I'm sure that we all can remember the magic of hearing Little Richard and Big Joe Turner for the first time. Who turned you on to the old R+B classics? How old were you at the time?
Dave Alvin: My cousin Donna who was about 12-14 years older than me and she lived in Bell, California and she turned my brother Phil and I to Big Joe Turner and Ray Charles and a lot of the vocal groups like the Medallions, the Penguins and groups like that. I was probably 4 or 5 then.
Brea, Calif.:
The music business is so harsh. Was there ever a time when you considered quitting it? And what would you be doing if you had?
Dave Alvin: Yes, several times. I'd be a no good bum. My last day job was a fry cook in the late 70s and I don't even think I'd be any good at that anymore so I have to play music. I did sort of semi retire after my first solo record for about 3-4 years and when I came back I decided that I was going to live on the outskirts of pop music town and try not to deal with some of the inherent crap of trying to play the pop music game.
Tampa, Fla.:
Hey Dave,
Out in California is very cool! Thanks for giving us another great live album. I know it's a joke, but what's the story behind actually playing Free Bird and putting it on the album!
Come back to Tampa real soon!
Dave Alvin: Well, just about any where you play a gig and no matter who you are whether you're Richard Thompson or N Sync some joker always requests Freebird so I just decided OK, we'll play it.
Sykesville, MD:
Hi Dave!
Thanks for all the great music. I was talking to Alejandro Escovedo at his recent show here in town and asked what he thought of some new young alt-country act, and he kind of shrugged saying he didn't really listen to anything new. Then I asked what he DID listen to and he said, "I go back to the same 5 albums or so..." and he named Joe Williams & John Coltrane, Louis Armstrong & Ella Fitzgerald, The Kinks (I think he said Village Green Preservation Society).. and damn I can't remember the others.
Do YOU have a list--not really a desert island list--but more those records that recharge your batteries and make you glad to be alive and fired up to keep making music?? And are any recent things on that list or is that list by definition made up of music you listened to between the ages of 5 and 20?
Dave Alvin: Sometimes I hear a new band or a singer songwriter that does that. I've got a ton of records like Big Joe Turner to Charley Patton to recently I've been spending a lot of time listening to old Randy Newman. When I hear something like the White Stripes, little jolts like that are cool. Rock and roll still exists.
Crestwood, N.Y.:
I always thought that your song, "Common Man" was the best summing up of the Reagan years that I ever heard. Do you have anything planned for these Enron times?
Dave Alvin: Thanks. I think that that song still covers it in these days. I am always debating with myself how political to make songs and I tend to lean more towards how people are pressed between the great forces of the world that they have no control over, so I tend to not do what Bob Dylan calls the finger pointing songs. But who knows.
Phoenix, Ariz.:
Has there been one particular influence or person that has the greatest impact on your life and helps in you pursuing your musical aspirations.
Dave Alvin: No, there's been too many. If anything, if there's anyone, in the early days, it is probably my brother Phil.
San Francisco, Calif.:
Hey Dave,
Not a question so much as I wanted to let
you know that I'm a fourth grade teacher
here in California and I use Public
Domain to teach my students about folk
music and the idea of the public domain
itself. They really like your music. Thanks
for the material.
Dave Alvin: Thanks. Keep up the good work.
Washington, D.C.:
Any chance that a Blasters reunion tour might make it to the East Coast soon? Do you have any desire to write songs for those guys anymore (or for anyone else, for that matter)?
Dave Alvin: Yeah, it's highly probable that a temporarily reunited Blasters will make it to the East Coast. No, I don't have desire to write songs for them. I write songs for me now. There are songs that I've written since the Blasters that would be great Blasters songs, but not to put myself in the role of writing for other people, I don't feel comfortable any more doing that.
Arlington, Va.:
Fourth of July and Every Night About this Time are such amazing, emotional songs ... Who are some of the songwriters who have inspired you over the years?
Dave Alvin: Willie Dixon, Percy Mayfield, Curtis Mayfield, Big Bill Broonzy, Hank Williams, Lieber and Stoller, Bob Dylan, Chuck Berry, Woody Guthrie, Merle Haggard, Tom Russell. We could keep going.
Seattle, WA:
Just a comment. I grew up in South Gate, CA. I was 12 the first time I saw X, and Exene brought up the Blasters at the show. The next year I saw you guys open up for the Go-Go's at the Greek, and I was hooked. I saw every show I could, and even got albums signed at Middle Earth records. The Blasters - and through the years, your solo records - opened up a whole new musical world for me. The L.A. music scene was so diverse then, and helped me appreciate so much about all types of music. Every record you put out just expands on that for me. Just a long-winded thanks!!!
Dave Alvin: Wow, thanks. I will say that I just did a show in Winnipeg with Los Lobos and it reminded me of really how diverse and powerful and great the old L.A. music scene was. It doesn't really exist like it did on any level anymore, but it was sure great and fun while it lasted. Los Lobos sounded absolutely amazing.
Ivar Theatre:
Did you know "El Duce" from the Mentors? I consider his lyrics to nearly rival the best out of L.A. Your thoughts?
Dave Alvin: I knew El Duce because he was the bartender at a bar called the Zero One and I don't know about his lyrics but he always gave me free beers.
Arlington, Va.:
I saw you in Madison at the Harmony Bar last week and you seemed a little out of sorts and ornery at the band, but somehow it made for a rocking show. What was the deal?
Dave Alvin: I could not hear my vocals in the monitors and so it's kind of like trying to sing while being strangled. But after a while you just turn up louder and try to have a good time.
Long Beach :
What was it like going on American
Bandstand when you were a kid? To this day,
Dick Clark occasionally mentions the Blasters. Did you bring him a present?
Dave Alvin: It was great. It's a touch surreal. We went on in 82 and 83 and Dick Clark was always nice to us cause I think deep down inside he still is a 50s kind of guy and I think that he appreciated for example that we had Lee Allen in the band and Lee had been with Fats Domino in the 50s and I think Dick Clark appreciated that. But, we got in trouble for stealing beer out of Sheena Eastons dressing room. Maybe it was more than a touch surreal.
Hawaiian Gardens:
Would you be so kind as to mention some of the best "covers" of your tunes by other artists? And what was the strangest?
Dave Alvin: The strangest was Shakin Stevens cover of "Marie, Marie" It was an international hit and because of that I started getting covers from various countries in various languages and I always enjoyed that. As far as other covers of my songs I appreciate anyone who has done a cover of my songs. My favorite are the tracks on the "Blastered" tribute album. And my favorite of all of those is Last Train Home's "So Long Baby Goodbye". Instant tears for me with that one.
The Pike:
I just saw "X" this weekend. They tipped their hats to you, and then went into a
great version of "The Fourth of July".
The crowd went nuts. Just wanted you to know.
Dave Alvin: Wow. I'm touched. And I didn't think Billy Zoom knew the song.
Annapolis Md:
What are you buying at the record stores these days?
Dave Alvin: I just picked up a Dexter Gordon box set and a Lester Young box set and a Tampa Red compilation.
Chicago, Illinois:
Hi Dave, Most years you play on the Fourth of July at Fitzgerald's in Berwyn, Illinois at their American Music Festival. You've often said that there's no place you'd rather be on the Fourth. What makes this place so special, or do you say that at all the clubs you play?
Dave Alvin: No, I don't say that at every club I play. Fitzgeralds is kind of like playing at home. It just feels like you're home. The people that run it are just the best.
Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif.:
Dave -- Any chance that you and Tom Russell will be writing together in the near future?
Dave Alvin: Certainly.
Arlington, Va.:
You've been able to maintain a career in music for over twenty years and (aside from some brushes with over-production in the mid-80s) it seems like you've managed to do it more or less unscathed. Do you have any particular advice for aspiring musicians or songwriters in this regard?
Dave Alvin: Yeah, get into another line of work. But if you really want to do it, stay true. All the cliches are true. Stick to your guns, stay true to your roots,and when you don't love music any more get out.
Washington, DC:
What effect has Dave's production work (for artists such as Christy McWilson) had on his songwriting and performing?
Dave Alvin: Not that much. I don't try to impose my style of songwriting on people I produce. My style of songwriting is so uniquely mine that I really don't try to force it on anyone and because of that I don't let their's influence me that much.
Omaha, Neb.:
How do you define success for yourself ...?
What's your next goal .. .or do you set goals?
Dave Alvin: No, I tend not to set goals. When the Blasters started, our goal was to play the music we wanted to play and not have to work our day jobs. And nothing has changed. That's the major goal. There are smaller ones, like I'd like to write a song with Bill Morrissey or Terry Allen two of my favorite songwriters, but the main goal is not to work a day job.
washingtonpost.com:
That wraps up today's show. Thanks to everyone who joined the
discussion.
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