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Blues Harpist Charlie Musselwhite's Interview with SBM
This is Pat
Benny doing this interview with Charlie Musselwhite.
Questions For Charlie
Musselwhite
(1)
Congratulations, Charlie, on
the success of your latest CD, ONE NIGHT IN AMERICA. It
really is a superb recording. At this stage of your career,
it must be exciting to be able to gather the formidable
talent that accompanies you?
(Charlie)
IT WAS A FUN SESSION ALRIGHT AND WHEN YOU ARE IN THE STUDIO
WITH TOP NOTCH MUSICIANS WONDERFUL MUSIC ALWAYS HAPPENS -
CAN'T HELP BUT HAPPEN.
(2)
On your website, you get a
lot of questions from guys wanting to know how you altered
your harps to achieve a certain sound, and you gently
disabuse them of any trickery. At the risk of
joining their ranks, may I ask you how you achieved that
clear, crisp sound on ONE NIGHT IN AMERICA?
(Charlie)
WELL, ON THIS CD I DON'T USE ANY AMP AT ALL. I USUALLY
PLAY THROUGH AN AMP, BUT I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A NICE
CHANGE TO JUST PLAY STRAIGHT AHEAD ACOUSTIC HARP RIGHT
INTO THE VOCAL MIC WITH NOTHING ADDED. IT IS JUST PLAIN
STRAIGHT HARP WITH NO EFFECTS.
(3)
In your liner notes, you
mentioned that a semi-truck in Mexico hit you. I've
heard many stories about you, but this is a new one for
me. Could you tell us about it?
(Charlie)
IT WAS AN UNUSUAL ACCIDENT. NOBODY COULD FIGURE OUT HOW
IT HAPPENED OR WHO WAS AT FAULT. ALL I KNOW IS THAT AN
18 WHEELER PLOWED INTO THE DRIVERS SIDE - MY SIDE AND
HIT ME HARD. I GOT TWELVE BROKEN RIBS, A BRUISED KIDNEY
AND SPLEEN. WHEN I GOT TO THE HOSPITAL I WAS TALKING
ABOUT WHEN I'D BE GOING HOME AND THE DOCTOR - THE ONLY
ONE THAT SPOKE ENGLISH - SAID, YOU ARE STILL IN A LIFE
AND DEATH SITUATION. I REMEMBER SAYING, YOU'RE KIDDING
ME, AND I COULD TELL BY THE LOOK ON HIS FACE THAT HE WAS
DEADLY SERIOUS AND THAT'S WHEN I GOT SERIOUS. I KNEW I
WAS IN A LOT OF PAIN - TO PUT IT MILDLY, BUT I WAS
DETERMINED THAT I WAS NOT GOING TO BE DOING NO KIND OF
DYING BECAUSE I STILL HAD A LOT OF THINGS I NEEDED TO
DO. SO THAT HAPPENED ON DEC 13 AND I WENT HOME IN A
WHEEL CHAIR ON THE 30TH IN ORDER TO PLAY NEW YEARS EVE
OF THE MILLINEUM. THE DOCTORS SAID IT WAS TOO SOON TO
TRAVEL AND I SHOULD STAY IN THE HOSPITAL ANOTHER WEEK IN
CANCUN. I TOLD THEM, I GOTTA GIG - I GOTTA GO. THIS WAS
A BIG NIGHT AND I DIDN'T WANT TO LET THE BAND DOWN. THAT
WAS ABOUT THE NICEST STAY I EVER HAD IN A HOSPITAL.
EVERYBODY WAS SO NICE. ON CHRISTMAS THEY ASKED ME WHAT I
LIKED AND THEN THEY MADE IT ALL FOR ME - HOME MADE
GUACAMOLE, CHIKEN MOLE, HORCHATA, ETC - THEY WHEELED IT
IN WITH CANDLES - THE NURSES WERE REAL ANGELS AND IF I'M
EVER IN ANOTHER WRECK I HOPE ITS NEAR THIS SAME
HOSPITAL.
(4)
There has been so much
written and said about your past, the drinking and
wild life. Despite the fact that most of us know that
you now live a less volatile lifestyle, do you ever
get tired of the fans and the media asking you about
the old days?
(Charlie) IN
A WORD - NO. ALSO, I FEEL LIKE IF THERE'S ANYBODY OUT
THERE THAT HAS A PROBLEM, MAYBE I CAN BE AN
INSPIRATION FOR THEM TO STOP. IN FACT, MANY PEOPLE
HAVE TOLD ME THAT I INSPIRED THEM TO QUIT DRINKING. I
TELL THEM THAT IF I QUIT, ANYBODY QUIT. ON OCT 12TH OF
THIS YEAR IT WILL BE 15 YEARS SINCE I HAD A DRINK. I
FEEL LIKE A GOT A REPRIEVE FROM DEATH ROW.
(5)
Unlike most of the
blues harpists that base their music on a certain
style of playing, you have always put a lot of
variety into your recordings. Have you ever worried
that your listeners wouldn't respond to a new
project?
(Charlie)
I DON'T KNOW IF WORRY IS THE RIGHT WORD. I'M ALWAYS
CONCERNED ABOUT HOW THEY WILL RESPOND. BUT I KNOW
YOU CAN'T PLEASE EVERYBODY, SO I JUST DO WHAT I
THINK IS RIGHT AND HOPE THAT PEOPLE WILL TRUST ME
AND COME ALONG FOR THE RIDE. IT SEEMS LIKE MOST OF
MY FANS ALWAYS APPRECIATE WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO.
(6)
I've heard several stories on how you came to
record with the band INXS, could you tell us the
real story?
(Charlie) WELL,
OKAY. I WAS ON A TOUR OF AUSTRALIA AND ONE DAY I
GET A CALL IN MY HOTEL. IT IS SOMEBODY FROM INXS
AND THEY KNEW I WAS GOING TO BE IN SYDNEY SOON AND
WOULD I COME TO THE STUDIO ON ONE OF MY OFF DAYS.
I DIDN'T REALLY KNOW WHO THEY WERE. I'D NEVER HEARD
THEM, BUT I SAID I'D LOVE TO COME TO THE STUDIO.
WHEN I GOT THERE THEY WERE ALL VERY NICE AND I
ENJOYED VERY MUCH WORKING WITH THEM. IT WAS A VERY
LAID BACK SESSION AND NOBODY WAS ACTING ARROGANT
OR "STAR-TRIPPING" OR ANYTHING LIKE
THAT. ALL THE GUYS IN INXS WERE REAL DOWN TO EARTH
GREAT GUYS. ANYHOW, ON ONE OR TWO TUNES I JUST
PLAYED STRAIGHT AHEAD LIKE I WOULD ON ANY SESSION
BUT FOR SUICIDE BLOND THEY SAMPLED MY HARP AND
ANDREW FARRIS PLAYED MY HARP SOUND ON HIS
KEYBOARD. "FAR OUT" I THOUGHT.
(7)
Your previous
recording, CONTINENTAL DRIFTER was largely a
departure into Brazilian music. Do you plan to
do more of this, or perhaps incorporate the
blues into yet another genre?
(Charlie) NO,
THAT WAS NOT BRAZILIAN. SOME OF THE TUNES WERE
RECORDED WITH A CUBAN GROUP KNOWN AS CUARTETO
PATRIA. THEIR LEADER IS AN AMAZING SEVEN STRING
GUITARIST NAMED ELIADES OCHOA. I CALL HIM THE
MUDDY WATERS OF CUBA. THESE GUYS ARE NOT FROM
HABANA WITH RUFFLED SHIRTS. THEY ARE FROM
SANTIAGO DE CUBA AND WEAR COWBOY BOOTS, SO YOU
KNOW THESE GUYS ARE STRICTLY DOWN HOME - BUT
VERY SOPHISTICATED MUSICALLY, AT THE SAME TIME.
WE RECORDED IN NORWAY AND LATER AFTER THE CD
RELEASE, WE TOURED SCANDANAVIA, SPAIN, MEXICO
AND CALIFORNIA. IT WAS A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE
BEING ON THE ROAD WITH THEM AND WE ALL BECAME
VERY CLOSE FRIENDS. THERE WERE ALSO SOME TUNES
ON THE SAME CD WITH MY TOURING BAND AND SOME
SOLO TUNES OF MINE, TOO.
(8)
Where do you see
the Blues in general headed in the next
decade?
(Charlie)
I CAN'T PREDICT THE FUTURE, BUT I CAN LOOK
BACK AND REMEMBER HOW WHEN I STARTED OUT BLUES
WAS MOSTLY BEING PLAYED IN LITTLE ROUGH BARS
ON THE SOUTH AND WEST SIDES OF CHICAGO. THEN
THERE WERE NO BLUES MAGAZINES, NO BLUES
FESTIVALS, NO BLUES SOCIETIES; AND TODAY THERE
ARE BLUES FESTIVALS ALL OVER THE WORLD. THE
BLUES IS IN GREAT SHAPE AND IT SEEMS LIKE ALL
IT NEEDS IS EXPOSURE. WHENEVER SOMEBODY HEARS
GOOD BLUES FOR THE FIRST TIME, SOMETHING
RESONATES WITHIN THEM AND THEY KNOW THEY NEED
MORE OF THIS AND THEN YOU HAVE A NEW FAN FOR
LIFE. IT HAPPENS EVERYDAY - SOMEBODY ELSE
DISCOVERS BLUES AND THEN THEY CAN'T GET
ENOUGH. AND BLUES HAS EARNED ALL THIS
POPULARITY ON ITS OWN. THERE HAS BEEN VERY
LITTLE IN THE WAY OF A PUSH FOR BLUES LIKE
OTHER MUSIC GETS. IT JUST KEEPS SLOWLY GROWING
AND GROWING ALL OVER THE WORLD. BLUES IS NOT A
FAD.
(9)
If you could,
what changes would you make to ensure the
preservation of the Blues and expand its
growth?
(Charlie) ALL
IT NEEDS IS THE PROPER EXPOSURE.
(10)
I've had the
opportunity to see you perform solo on
several occasions. Do you plan to do more
of these? I'm sure that you have many fans
that are unaware that you are also an
accomplished blues guitarist.
(Charlie)
YES, I WILL BE PLAYING A LONG TOUR FOR THE
COLUMBIA ARTIST MANAGEMENT, INCORPORATED (CAMI)
WITH PEOPLE LIKE DEBORAH COLEMAN, COREY
HARRIS, HENRY BUTLER, ROBBEN FORD, ELVIN
BISHOP, OTIS GRAND AND DUKE ROBILLARD. WE
WILL PLAY SOLO, DUO AND BAND SITUATIONS
AND SOMETIME DURING THE SHOW I'LL DO AT
LEAST A COUPLE OF TUNES SOLO. IT'LL BE A
LOT OF FUN FOR EVERYBODY - THE AUDIENCE
AND THE MUSICIANS.
(11)
I'd like to
thank you for your time, Charlie. There
are lots of excellent harp players arund
but in my opinion you are the most
versatile and influential blues harpman
since Sonny Boy Williamson. But I have
to ask, who is your favorite harp
player?
(Charlie) THANK
YOU FOR THE KIND WORDS AND I CERTAINLY
ADMIRE YOUR TASTE. AS FAR AS A FAVORITE,
I JUST DON'T HAVE A FAVORITE. TO ME,
EVERYBODY HAS SOMETHING TO OFFER. JUST
BECAUSE ONE PLAYER HAS MORE TECHNIQUE
THAN ANOTHER, DOESN'T REALLY MAKE HIM A
BETTER BLUES PLAYER. SOME CAN DO MORE
WITH LESS THAN ANOTHER CAN DO IN THEIR
WHOLE LIFETIME WITH MORE - IF YOU KNOW
WHAT I MEAN. ITS THE BEAUTY OF THE BLUES
- ITS ALL ABOUT HEART AND FEELING FIRST
OF ALL. I REMEMBER WHEN I LIVED IN
CHICAGO AND WOULD HANG OUT IN ALL THESE
BLUES CLUBS - ANYBODY COULD SIT IN THAT
COULD PLAY WITH HEART. NOBODY WAS
CRITICIZED BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T DO
TECHNIQUE GYMNASTICS. PLAYING A SIMPLE
EFFECTIVE BLUES WITH JUST A FEW NOTES
CAN BE WAY HARDER THAN PLAYING EVERY
NOTE YOU KNOW OVER AND OVER REAL FAST.
SO, THERE ARE A LOT OF PLAYERS I ENJOY
LISTENING TO FROM THE REAL PRIMITIVE TO
THE REAL UPTOWN - JUST LET ME HEAR IT
WITH HONEST FEELING - THAT'S ALL I ASK -
AND I'M WITH YOU ALL THE WAY.
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