Here are the answers to all the questions I have received from members in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Please send on any questions you may have for Rory. I would like to make this section a regular feature of "FRESH EVIDENCE". The first question is answered by Donal and the rest is answered by Rory.
(1 ) Can we have an
up-date on the situation regarding the release of "IRISH TOUR '74.
Answer by Donal: We are still trying
to locate missing master, which we believe to be somewhere in Germany
(2) What is the possibility
of releasing the long- awaited purely acoustic album
Answer. I' d love to do an acoustic album.
I'd like to mix blues songs with more folk material. Getting all the right
material is the question. I'll record some tracks I've written for acoustic
this year and see what happens.
(3) Have you any plans
to release another live album.
Answer: Yes, possibly in' 91, if not after
the next studio album. We recorded some live dates at Christmas (Town and
Country) which I'm checking. We hope to record some live gigs in America.
(4) How do you spend
your time when you are not recording/touring?
Answer : Reading crime fiction and biographies.
Also cinema, playing records and playing guitar.
(5) Who is Dashiell
Hammett (the Continental Op was dedicated to him)
Answer : Dashiell Hammett was one of the
greatest crime- detective writers. He set the style which was followed
on by Raymond Chandler et.al. His main character was a detective called
the "OP". His best books include: "The Glass Key" and "Red Harvest "
(6) Who is Clifton
Chenier?
Answer: Clifton Chenier was the great
zydeco accordion player and singer. He died a few years ago.
(7) What is Zydeco?
Answer: It's a style of music from
Louisiana, a cross between the blues and creole folk music.
It's played a lot as dance music. The accordion
is usually the lead instrument and the songs are mostly sung in French.
(8) Do you still keep
in contact with any ex-members of the band?
Answers : Sometimes, Lou Martin played
on a track on the last two albums.
(9) Why have you never
played any of your song's from the Taste era. After all they are your songs,
just as Paul McCartney has managed to lay the ghost of the Beatles to rest.
Answer: Perhaps I should play one
or two. I did write them. When Taste split up I was keen to move on with
new material.
(10) Can you list
your top ten favourite songs and state briefly why you have chosen them.
Answer: This is just a random selection.
(1) Blonde on Blonde- Bob Dylan -Maybe
his best album with greats like "I want you"
(2) Eight Miles High -Byrds -Great 12 string
and production. (45 single)
(3) Source point John Hammond- Very underrated
guitar/vocalist.
(4) Exile on main street -Stones- "Ventilator
blues" has great feel and riffs .
(5) Rockin' The Blues -Howlin Wolf -A master
of the blues with great guitar from Hubert Sumlin.
(6) Chess Masters Sonny Boy Williamson
-Tough player and singer, no compromise
(1) Rights of Passage- Martin Carthy ~
Beautiful control on vocals and guitar.
(8) EP -Muddy Waters -Great sound and slide
from the king.
(9) EP -Big Three at the cavern -Brian
Griffiths, great guitar.
(10) Best of Bo Diddley. Great sound and
mood. '
(11) Are there any
plans to re-release "Photo-finish" as some fans can't get it in the shops.
Answer: Yes. I'm remixing some of
the tracks soon for CD. It should be out in '91. I'm also going to remix
some of "Deuce" tracks for re-release . Photo-Finish was a strong album
with song's like "Shadow Play" and "Shin kicker". We recorded it in Coln
in about four weeks after sessions in San Francisco didn't work out. "Mississippi
Sheiks", "Cloak and Dagger" and "The Last of the Independents" would sound
better with a remix.
(12) How do you feel
about :
(a) Although Fresh
Evidence got excellent reviews you were unable to capitalise on this due
to ill health.
(b) Despite great
reviews it still failed to make any impression on the charts.
Answer: Unfortunately we didn't do
a tour to promote the album at the time but we'll catch up in '91. It's
selling solidly though.
(13) How do you think
your style has changed since Taste when you seemed to play an unorthodox
almost jazzy style to a lot of your solos?
Answer: My style has developed over the
years. Some jazz phrasing does creep into my playing sometimes even
though the recent songs aren't jazz style. My style is still a mixture
of many blues styles and rock and folk influences.
(14) Do you enjoy
playing blues "swing" numbers, like "My Baby She Left Me" and are
there any more of this type in the pipeline?
Answer: I love the feel of this song. I
like the intro and the guitar- harmonica answers at the end.
(15) Do you play any
jigs and reels on your acoustic?
Answer: Sometimes to loosen up. I'd love
to be better at playing jigs and reels. Ragtime guitar is also good for
warming up.
(16) How do you feel
your song-writing has changed. Up to "JINX" a lot of the songs involved
the usual male/female relationship topics. But "CALLING CARD" etc.,
seemed to be very introspective and personal.
Answer: I've written on other subjects
besides human relationships over the years, such as:
"RACE THE BREEZE" -Endless magical train
trip.
"SOUPED UP FORD" -Manic speed in mythical
car.
"SEVENTH SON OF A SEVENTH SON" -Faith healer
story
"MISSISSIPPI SHEIKS -Song about early acoustic
blues group
"BIG GUNS" -Crime story. A man caught between
the mob and the law
"SIGNALS" Outer limits idea ,
"LAST OF THE INDEPENDENTS" Gangster manhunt
SINNER BOY" Helpless vagrant
etc etc
Around the 'DEFENDER' songs I felt a new
feeling in my songs and imagery
"KICKBACK CITY" - Big city menace and depression
"CONTINENTAL OP"- Wry song about
tough P.I.
"DOIN' TIME" - Revenge/prison tension theme
"SMEAR CAMPAIGN" Dirty tricks, election
fever
There is general unity to this album. "FRESH
EVIDENCE" also has a mood to it with emphasis on ethnic blues sound etc.
Also ,"MIDDLE NAME", "HEAVENS GATE", "KING
OF ZYDECO", "THE LOOP"
(17) Have you any
thoughts on playing saxophone again in the studio or live.
Answer : Unfortunately I haven't played
it since we recorded "AIN'T NO SAINT" when I overdubbed two sax parts.
I really should practice.
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