We were lucky enough to catch up with Joe Purdythe American folk-singer-songwriter who recently released his thirteenth album, Eagle Rock Fireand who will be gracing Nashville with two sets during the 2014 Americana Music Festival 2014.
Nashville Lifestyles: Any hints as to what you have planned for the Americana Music Festival this year? Playing September 19 at Mercy Lounge, 8 p.m. and September 20 at City Winery, 5 p.m.
Joe Purdy: I got the boys with me and we are touring through. So, the first set will be a full band showcase, so there will be a little extra instrumentation there as well as new and old stuff, and I'll probably be leaning a bit more towards the newer release. The second set will be a solo set…I'm not usually one to play a bunch of songs the same in the same town, so each set will be quite different.
Which of the songs from your new album are you most excited for people to hear?
I guess any and all of them. We will definitely play 'Eagle Rock Fire,” which is the title track of the record.
Since you mentioned it, what is the story behind the album's title?
Well, the house that I was living in at the time was up on a hill in this area of Los Angeles called Eagle Rock. We were rehearsing there when we received an early notice to evacuate. There was a fire on the other side of the hill. When the boys left, it was coming up the backside of the hill.
Instead of evacuating at the first notice, I just kind of… sat down, and I began writing a song. That's where it first started, and that's where the opening lines came. I guess it started out as kind of an expression, and how I considered it to be a false alarm, and how I didn't believe that the fire was going to get up to me. Luckily, it didn't make it up to us and everything turned out fine. Luckily, I was right that day.
Are you mainly inspired by what happens around you for your songs?
Yeah, I think everybody is for the most part. It's a little bit harder to remember the fictional stories.
I'm very inspired by traveling, and through the years I think a large part of my catalog has come from my travels. Different places in the world and in the country are just so beautiful and interesting. It's difficult to not be inspired by going through new terrain and beautiful scenery or not so beautiful scenery, or situations… or places that people are living in… or places that you are passing through. There are always millions of stories in every place that you encounter. That's just the nature of life I suppose.
Since this is your 13th album, is there anything different about the writing and recording process this time? Easier or more difficult?
Different, but not more difficult. I have a studio here in LA that a few of my buddies and I have put together over the years. We've gotten to the point where we can do all analog. I have a full analog console and a 2-inch reel-to reel tape machine. We mix down to quarter inch and then straight to vinyl at the quarter inch; then we master from the quarter inch tape. We roll all the screens out of the room so we don't have to look at anything and we just play. It's really making music with your ears instead of with your eyes.
We took a Willy Nelson, 'Red Headed Stranger” approach with this album. It's a simple style of presentation, because he used all old ribbon microphones. I tried to do a record from a really pure standpoint and I had most of the songs. Then, I ended up writing a couple more songs while we were recording the album. As you know, it often happens… you start playing and then it sounds good and you get inspired.
If we turned on your iPod/music device, what would be playing?
You would have to steal my record player (laughs)…Recently, I really have dug into Joe South. He's an incredible songwriter and a great guitar player. He played on Dylan's Blond on Blond and he wrote this song called 'Games People Play” that was popular back in the day.
I picked up his greatest hits record, while we were on the road. Half of the time I'm against greatest hits records, but this one was great and it was like three dollars. We carry a record player around with us and set it up in the green room when we play. We listen to records all the time, but this has so many great songs like 'Down in the Boondocks” and 'Birds of a Feather” and 'I Knew You When You Were Lonley.”
We're assuming you been to Nashville before; is there anything you plan on doing while you're here?
I'm looking forward to hearing some good music. There are some great folks that live here. I was actually in Nashville not too long ago, and I heard a rumor that Darrell Scott was going to do one of his last shows for a while. I was really hoping that maybe he would be playing so I could catch his show...