Louis Hauguel : Hello Greg and thanks for accepting this inteview. So you released your debut solo album "Mississippi Murderer" this year, so tell me, how things are doing so far ? Could you tell us more about the creation process of this album?
GREG: Hi Louis—totally into the concept. The album “Mississippi Murderer” is doing well. I am very happy with the record label and the response I have gotten from its release. I have done some regional shows (solo) since the release-so much different from playing with a band, but exactly what I am looking for now. In order to relate the creative process of the album, I have to explain: Initially, I left the band with the idea that I no longer wanted to play music ever again in any form. I was turned off by the whole music scene, lost interest in all facets. However, if you are heavy into something like music though, as I am, it is something that just comes back like the plague. At any rate, I started playing guitar again and accompanying myself like early Dylan, Donovan, John Lee Hooker, Skip James, Son House…you know. I was playing in open tunings as well as standard, experimenting with capos, all that … I got into playing slide, playing with fingerpicks, stuff that was interesting for me again. I really got into doing this scene. It was also really heavy to play music again without the hassle of being tied into other people’s lives and situations, not to mention, being bogged with a reputation, which I was quite tired of. I learned about 60, 70 or more songs by guys I liked, to name a few, Muddy Waters, Lightnin’ Slim, Lightnin’ Hopkins, Reverend Gary Davis, Reverend Robert Wilkins, Mississippi John Hurt, Sleepy John Estes, Mississippi Fred McDowell, you know, an endless and continual list. I was so inspired by the songs I was playing that I started writing again. As far as the actual evolution/development of the album, I first have to introduce Zachary Koch, a really great friend of mine. He is the drummer in this heavy psych/RnR band St. Philips Escalator who you may have heard of; they have been on the scene a number of years now. I’ve known him for many years and I co-produced his band’s first album ‘Endless Trip’ (it was also released on our Living Eye label). He filled in during the band’s (Chesterfield Kings) last few tours and appearances and during that time I got to know him very well and we got to be really close friends. About the time I was thinking of doing an album he got in touch with me, like ESP. I previously recorded very primitively (30’s Delta Blues style), a few songs and sent them to my friend Enric Bosser at Penniman Records as we have been friends and known each other for many years since the Chesterfield Kings did shows with Enric’s great band the Meows back in the 80’s in Spain. Enric liked the material and suggested to put out a 45, which is what happened in this case. “Mr. Charlie” b/w “Rolling Stone,” alone-crude-me and a guitar-on Mean Dispostion (a division of Penniman)-same label as the album. Amid corresponding with Enric, he once said something to me like, “I can imagine what you’d sound like with electric guitars, drums, bass etc.”, and that what I was doing “would sound a lot more like the Stones ‘Exile On Main Street’”. That sort of vibe, you know. Enric’s words inspired me to branch out. I pulled out my electric guitars and played the same riffs as I did on the National steel acoustic and it was like really heavy sounding. I really got into the sound like this. Then-out of nowhere, Zach sent me a new song by his band St. Philips Escalator that they just recorded. I thought it sounded really great and at the time I was thinking of recording in a studio and playing all the guitars and all that. I asked Zach, who engineered this cut and where it was recorded-he said it was recorded by this young genius friend of his, Alex Patrick at his studio (‘Patrick House Of Rock’ studios). He introduced me to Alex, we hooked up, totally connected. He was into like the same heavy music, same things I like, ideals as with Zach. Really good vibes, you know. He engineered and co-produced the album with me. The album was originally cut with just me playing rhythm guitar with Zach playing drums. I then added all the guitars and vocals and planned on adding bass last. I attempted to play bass on the tracks, but my bass playing sounded too much like another guitar riff, so I asked Alex to play bass, and he did. Along with being a fantastic engineer he is also a multi-talented musician. He has his own heavy band, the Absolutes in which he is the lead singer/guitarist.
2/ What are your favourite blues albums and your main influences ?
GREG: So many its hard to list-from the early period, things by Skip James, Reverend Gary Davis, Son House, Robert Johnson, mid-period, Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Sonny Boy, Stones, Yardbirds, NY Dolls, James gang, Ten Years After, Roy Buchanen, Johnny Winter…. You get the idea.
3/ I actually wanted to ask you some questions about the Chesterfield Kings upcoming plans...but I read somewhere that you left the band, what are the reasons ?
GREG: Yeah-the band is done. FINISHED. OVER. I will never go back to that scene. First, everyone involved with the band seemed to have lost interest in it-it became secondary, or not even that high on the scale. Everyone went their own way; we ‘existed’ in name only for the last years and didn’t really do anything. I felt it was a good time to end it, the band ran its course. Paul (Morabito), who was the guitar player in the band, and I discussed many a time how we should go into a hard blues/rock direction without all the production/heavy harmonies/frills all that. It never happened, you know. Anyway, I left the band for many reasons, and as mentioned, we no longer had a blues vibe like we did years earlier (STONED, DRUNK ON MUDDY WATER) and we drifted into a zone where I was not at. I’m into slide guitar, Dobro, National, etc. The whole country blues thing as well. Anyway, what I did when I left and went solo was what I felt was missing the past number of years. I played all the guitars on the album as well. This was something I wanted to get back into as well. My style is deep rooted in the blues, both vocally and musically. Some of the guys are still involved with playing music: Paul Morabito moved on with his band The Moviees-they recently did ‘Cavestomp’ in NYC, Mike Boise, the drummer, he is into studio/instructional work ...
4/ I also read that you're a real record collector and as we all are a bit like that too in Fuzzine, how and when did you start collecting records ? What are your most precious possessions ?
GREG: Yes-I’ve been on that trip since the early 60’s when I got heavily into music. I started collecting per se, when the Stones came out. It became an obsession. Prized records? Stones picture sleeves I guess.
5/ What's your point of view on music these days and especially about downloading ? By the way do you believe the vinyl album will rise even more and definitely put the CD back in the shadows ?
GREG: I don’t mind-if the music gets around that is what is the priority. I love records-yeah-we all do-right? But the time now is digital, so you make the scene like that-people get into music from a download-fine—the song is with them. Vinyl has made an impact again because of innovative guys like Jack White. He has turned young guys onto the concept, and youth is the future, and when younger guys go through the trouble to find a vinyl record, that is what will make records come back in a big way. Will this take over CDs and downloads? I doubt it, but it is a heavy mix now.
6/ What would you say to a young musician that wants to live of his passion ?
GREG: I would say if you have a drive, you have to take the trip. If you get there and it is a bummer-get out before it pulls you in and down.
7/ Do you have any places in mind where you performed before and that gave you great memories ?
GREG: Lots…all over really. France I had many pleasant memories. Spain, UK, Italy … Germany, US…lots.
8/ Here it is ... the desert island records/books/movies, assuming there are all that stuff available, quite comfy island but still ... one record, one book, one movie you would bring there.
GREG: Record: Stones EXILE (double set!), BOOK: Peyton Place, MOVIE: Kiss Me Deadly
9/ What are your upcoming plans/actions/performances ?
GREG: Lots in my mind…lots of offers…hard to say what I’ll be doing!! I am working on more new material and constantly learning more blues favorites. I plan on doing more albums/singles/EPs in the future. Actually getting tracks together for my next album as I write.
10/ Final lines for you ... tell us anything you'd like to say/point at/review/talk about ?
GREG: LIVE LIFE!
Louis Hauguel for Fuzzine.
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