I expect you are putting a great deal of touring behind your new album Roses At The End Of Time?
I am touring in support of the album and with the group, Red Horse. Which is Lucy Kaplansky, John Gorka and myself for the record we did together (Red Horse). I am certainly keeping busy.
Is it like the older you get the more work you are finding is out there for you to do?
As my body falls apart my career is really coming together, she laughs. It has been a late bloom but I am happy for it.
As a creative singer-songwriter you have kept up this amazing standard. The last dozen years has seen you bring out some wonderful albums featuring a wealth of powerful songs?
I appreciate that so much because actually it is angst-driven when you are older. You do not have the need to write so in order to get the muse it is a lot trickier. I find that as long as I keep interested and active in what is happening in the world the songs they just keep on coming. I am so glad it is working the way it is.
I feel we are living in privileged times. There is always something to be found at your fingertips while you don’t necessarily take everything as gospel in what you read, the seed of knowledge is there for people to explore further?
I think it is so true. We really can’t over appreciate what it means to take on knowledge and to really use the brains that we have got, gain informative and knowledge and as long as I can keep learning I can keep on creating.
There is always a challenge out there. Different cultures and people to learn from, some of which say thirty years ago you may not have been exposed to?
Music is a language too. Even creativity in general it is a language that crosses all age groups and you find yourself still involved with young people and aren’t set into an age genre.
I think the way time has gone on age isn’t a big factor in music. Especially with younger people being more open-minded today?
I think so. The young people are so interested with what older people have to say if they can relate to it. They are so inclusive but I still find the industry hasn’t changed and it is business as usual and very aged bias. I am thinking about the old school industry, fortunately alternative media and outlets are so prevalent the industry doesn’t have the corner on the market it used to.
In times gone by if you weren’t signed to a major label, RCA, Columbia, CBS, Capitol, Mercury or Warner Bros you weren’t going to make it?
It was all or nothing and you had to play their game. It was death to me because I wasn’t any good at it and when I tried I lost all powers, she reflects. It has been so great to forge an alternative media and the new media has really enhanced that.
People today, are singer-songwriters allowed to be themselves?
You are better off being yourself now and that did not use to be the case. But I do think in the case of being political it does still limit you. It is not like that you aren’t going as have a wide an audience as if you had stayed off it that still does happen. I would rather build myself a grass network of fans that had their own thoughts on politics.
As for the songs of the album, one stands out and can’t be praised too much or the version you do of it. I am talking about ‘Death In Arkansas’ written by your brother, Tony (Gilkyson)?
Oh, yeah isn’t it a great song? I am glad you like that and will tell him. He so generously let me record it before he did. As soon as I heard it I thought it was the missing piece on the record. It is such a great story, such a great respective and kind of mysterious too.
It has such as beautiful melody run through it.
It is almost Irish sounding. My brother wrote the little hook and I wrote the second half of it and when the fiddle player (Warren Hood) came in we said let’s make this almost like a fiddle tune. Like, it was a reel or something.
Keeping things in the family, did your son Cisco produce the record?
He produced my Red Horse tracks, the four songs I did for the album with Lucy Kaplansky and John Gorka and did such a great job I thought I would have him do this one for me. He has a great feel for producing. He has been playing with me for years and has watched me do all these things and knows what I am capable of. What he would like to get out of me. We had a great time recording together.
Slouching Towards Bethlehem is a most interesting song?
It is from the (W.B) Yeats’ poem) The Second Coming I grabbed the idea of the beast ‘Slouching Towards Bethlehem’, that and ‘2153’ the big political songs on there.
Is 2153 you saying ‘we are not as smart as we think we are?’
Yes, she laughs. Exactly. It is like a fantasy where if the ‘right wing’ in America won and their policies destroyed us and if 100 years later when some alien archaeologist comes and looks what us human beings brought upon them selves, sifted through the remains and what would be their conclusions of the human race? It would not be favourable.
Going back to ‘Slouching’ I notice you play National steel guitar which is interesting?
I did. It took me a few times to get it right but I managed. I have a National Steel and been doing some writing on it.
What do you generally use for your writing, acoustic guitar?
Acoustic guitar but now I am setting up an amp and electric because it is nice to fool yourself into doing something else at ways of creating. Usually, I just pick up the guitar that is sitting right near me. It is a nice old Gibson that I have there.
The song ‘Vayan Al Norte’ speaks of the border, something I believe to be close to your heart?
It is. It is my pet project here in Austin, working for the undocumented workers. Because they are a huge work force in the United States and they have no rights and get used and abused and have no legal recourse if they do. If they don’t get paid or have bad safety regulations at the sites they work. So many of them die, here alone in Texas alone it is unbelievable.
It is it because they are so cheap and do jobs others won’t do?
Yes, that is a big part of it. They are also treated, as they are sub-human and a big part of our economy. There was a wonderful story on PPR where in Maryland or West Virginia or it may have been Carolina where they banned all undocumented workers and the whole economy collapsed and removed the ban when the whole area went down. People forget they buy a lot of stuff too, rent apartments and buy cars. What we have to do is for them to get permits, pay taxes and help get it sorted. While the horse has already bolted if this was done we would recoup a great deal of money in taxes.
You have John Gorka and Lucy Kaplansky guest on the album too?
It was so much fun doing that. John brought his computer and a microphone and we recorded the harmony vocals for ‘Death in Arkansas’ in a hotel bedroom when we were on tour.
You say you are touring with Red Horse, it must be great for you regards coming up with new ideas being in the company of such fine songwriters?
It is. We are already talking about making a new record together. It has been so much fun, easy and friendly.
This time you will have more time to bring in new ideas because the first one was a quickly put together. Is this one is going to be a more planned structure?
That’s right. We have been throwing around a lot of ideas already about how to approach the next one. You are right. With the first record it was like what are what are we doing? We are talking about doing some writing together and getting down to it.
You are of course among the featured acts on the Bob Dylan Tribute, Nod To Bob 2 from Red House?
Yes, they used a track from my Live Album, Your Town Tonight I recorded in Austin. I really love the new CD and listen to all the tracks on there. I think it is one of the best Dylan compilations out there.
I feel after the first Nod To Bob (in honour of his 60th Birthday) this one has lifted the standard a notch higher?
I agree. Even better than the first record. The interpretations are so interesting they open you up to Dylan in a different way. They are so delightful.
On the subject of songs, have you got anyone looking to record your songs at this moment?
Not that I am aware of. I am going to have to do a little sending out there. Since the Baez and Tom Rush covers are my last good ones. Nothing apart from the Conspirare Choir who did my ‘Requiem’ and who are going to record ‘Once I Had A Home’ from Roses At The End Of Time. I got such a great response from ‘Requiem’ that I am keen to see how this Grammy winning choir are going to approach this song.
I was pleased the way you paid tribute to Townes Van Zandt by way of your song ‘Midnight On Raton’?
When I was there in that hotel room in New Mexico and wrote it I just thought about him and that he had been there. It is my favourite Townes song (‘Snow On Raton’) and I thought how many road troubadours have been there. We all do this same thing. We all have this same love hate relationship with the road, it is hard and also so beautiful but it is your life.
‘Belle of the Ball’ I believe is memories of your mom?
I lost her when I was a young teenager so it was very frightening for me. It was interesting writing the song as a lot of things started coming back to me and that is why I wrote the song. Also, the song triggered a lot of other things too. Among those were a couple of dreams I had after she died, it was almost like a visitation.
What do you feel are the most rewarding things about being a working musician?
I think it is the on-going joy. My life is incredible. The fact that I get to do what I want to do and make a living out of it never ceases to humble me. I feel very lucky. Though the cathartic feeling of writing a song is very heady but I believe singing is the apex to me. Being able to sing. I love singing and hope to continue as long as I can for just love singing for people. It is just a thrill and to tour. Also, singing moves a lot of air through my body. It is just so exhilarating.
‘Roses At the End Of Time’; what prompted you to write such a song?
As you get to a certain age your mortality becomes the backdrop to your life. In a way it enhances the beauty of everything that is decent and good in your life. A successful relationship when you become older has a bitter sweetness to it because for one thing, you do not have much time left. There is preciousness to it. Also, it is a hard won place you get with another person and you are not the same person that you used to be and you no longer ask the same thing of them, you are just grateful to have someone with you.
Finally, what advice would you give to someone starting out?
I think it is important to not try and emulate someone, be true to your own voice. Don’t do it for the money, do it for the passion. Keep your overheads down for it is a great way to live your life and not to expect success. That is something you can work toward. You may never pick up the money but it is important you have been true to your self.
