Dave, I heard you say that Blue Blvd was written about a favorite girl cousin you had when you were a kid. You said that you really liked hanging out with her and that it was always a little bit different but a lot of fun. Blue Blvd is a good story, any other stories about her that you would care to tell?
Blue Boulevard was written for my cousin, Donna. She was about 12 years older than me and her musical tastes (50s R&B and rockabilly and later George Jones, Conway Twitty, and Merle Haggard) were a big influence on both my brother, Phil, and I. She exposed us to Big Joe Turner when we were just little kids and for that alone I'll be forever grateful. Donna was a wild girl in the 50s and a wild woman in the 60s, but she was also a loving mother who struggled to keep her family together through a couple of divorces and some hard economic times. When she was just a teenager, she loved to cruise Tweedy Boulevard in the South Gate, California and after she passed away in the late 80s, I wanted to write a song about her from the standpoint of some early 60s cruiser come back to the old boulevard looking for her 25 years later. Everything has changed but I still hope he finds her. Thanks for asking. I miss her.
Unfortunately the Blasters Collection is out of print (I only have one copy myself) and neither Phil or I have any power in getting it released. Since Slash Records was bought from Warner Brothers by Polygram (I am not even sure of that) they're the ones who'll decide whether or not the bulk of the Blasters catalog will ever be re-released on CD. I'm not holding my breath. I hope to play Vancouver one of these days but Canadian distribution of my CDs is rather spotty so I wouldn't hold my breath about that too long either. One way or another, I'll get up there one of these days.
[Ed: Note Dave is playing at the Folk Fest in Vancouver, 17-19 July, 1998]
While I'm at it: At your shows I look forward to the between-songs reflections. It's not every music guy you want up there as Mark Twain, but at your shows it adds a dimension. Also: At the last show I picked up the Tulare Dust Merle Haggard tribute CD and, to my astonishment (I was in high school for Okie from Muskogee), he and it were wonderful. I imagine that's why you all did it. Thanks for getting me into something new, unexpected and good.
So thanks for the music, keep on making it, and see you at the Birchmere.
Well, Mark, I'm sure things have worked out better for you and your wife than they did for Wanda and Duane. Thanks for the kind words about the songs. I'm proud and touched that they might mean as much to other people as they do to me. I'm also glad you've worked up basement versions of some of 'em. If your versions are as "non-talented" as you say (and I doubt they are) then take my suggestion as a record producer and open up a couple of beers and turn up the volume. They'll sound better, I promise. I'm glad you enjoyed Tulare Dust; Merle Haggard means a lot of different things to different people, but to Tom Russel and me, he's just one of the great American songwriters. Oh yeah, I thought the same thing when I heard that song you mentioned, but then I realized that sort of thing happens to a lot of people. Anyway, thanks for the kind words and see ya' at the Birchmere in April.
I've only gotten a chance to see you live once- it was back on the tour after Blue Boulevard. I saw you in Philadelphia with the Skeletons at this little bar with a postage-sized stage. It was an incredible show.
Anyway, I now live in Northern New Hampshire, far away from most great live music (about 2 hours North of Boston). I recently got to see Steve Earle play at Raoul's Roadside Attraction in Portland, Maine (only an hour away for me) to a sold out audience. That got me wondering why more bands don't come up to Raoul's in Portland to play shows. I'm sure it's too late to consider adding a Portland, Maine show to your upcoming tour but I'd wonder if you would consider a stop at Raoul's on your next tour through New England.
Yeah, I remember that gig with the Skeletons, the pride of Springfield, MO at a club called J.C. Dodds. We played VERY LOUD that night. How's your hearing? Mine's fine, so far. I'd love to play in Maine. I've played in every state except Alaska, Hawaii, and Maine. (I had a girlfriend from Maine, but that doesn't count, I guess.) So if someone at Raoul's wants us there, the band and I will probably show up.
The song is called Mary Brown and it's on my new CD, Blackjack David which should be out in June [ed: June 16th] if all goes according to plan. Hopefully that won't be too late for your friend to sing it to his Mary Brown and everything for them is of the happy-ever-after variety. I should be in the northeast this year with both the band and just the acoustic guitar.
Check out my site if ya get a chance, I hope to be releasing a disc this Spring myself, called Knife in Water. http://www.crl.com/~diyall.
Take care, thanks for the music.
Hey Debora, how the hell are ya'? Are you still living in SF? It's great to hear from ya'. Wow. Have you been to Annie Whiteside's new bar down a little alley named Boardman Place? It's next to the Hall of Justice and surrounded by bail bonds offices. If you ever need song inspiration, it's there for the asking. I wish you the bet with your new CD and if I ever go online (if I ever get a computer), I'll check out your site. See you soon somewhere.
Just figuring out this e-mail stuff. Busy with school, sister, Beth getting married next month. Hope that you'll be planning a visit to Milwaukee this spring. Shank hall is not the only option. If there's anything that I can do to help, just ask.
Hey Kathy, I'm glad things are going well. I think the band and I will be up your way this summer for Summerfest, but nothing is confirmed yet. [Ed: - it's now scheduled: 2 July] Hopefully this time I won't be playing the same time as the Jayhawks and Hootie. Tell your sister Congratulations and see you soon.
Hey Keith, those were some wild shows back in the Paradise Lounge in SF. Loud and Sweaty and Fun. As I told Kieron up in Vancouver, Canadian distribution for my CDs is weak to say the lest, but I usually play one of the Canadian folk festivals every summer and have a great time so who knows? [Ed: Dave is scheduled at the Vancouver Folk Fest, 17-19July] See you at the Paradise.
Yeah, I love New Mexico. I love Albuquerque. I love the Dingo Bar so yeah, I'll be playing there sometime very soon I hope. [Ed: Yup, Dave's there on my birthday, 29July98] And tell Miguel I'd love to have you guys open a show as long as you come out with both barrels blazing. As far as me and John Doe's previous work together, check out an album called A Minute to Pray A Second to Die by the Flesheaters on Slash/Ruby CD The record was cut in 1981 and the members of the band are John, Bill Bateman, D.J. Bonebreak, Steve Berlin, Chris D. and me. It's not everyone's cup of tea, but if you like swampy, noisy, raw, voodoo punk rock you might like it. Play it loud and the neighbors will move.
Thanks for the nice words about the book and I'm trying to finish the next one but when it'll be done is anyone's guess. The song you heard me doing with the Paladins was I Thought it Over by Joel Scott Hill on an old 45 on the Trans-America label. If you find an extra copy, let me know because mine was stolen years ago.
p.s I now build guitar pickups for Lindy Fralin- he says hello. He was in the Bopcats who opened for the Blasters in 1982 in Richmond. Also if you ever need any pickup repair or replacement email me or call us [ed: Dave was given the #, but I thought it best not to advertise it here...] (I would be honored to help thanks for writing those great songs.) I'll be at the Birchmere to see you guys in April.
thank you
Sneaking into bars to hear music when you were 12? Reminds me of me. Since 1983 I've played a 1964 stock Stratocaster on stage. The pick-ups are the original ones. I bought it at a music store in the San Fernando Valley that no longer exists. I paid 1200 bucks for it and that seemed like a fortune then (wait a minute, I'm sounding like an old man now) but I'm afraid to think what it would cost me now,. Tell Lindy hey from me. I still have the Bopcats record and still remember the party after the gig in 1982. Does the Fan still smell like cookies? Is the Texas/Wisconsin border still open? See ya.
keep on making good rock`n roll!
Hey Knut. I've played Norway a lot (but not in the past couple of years) from Buda and Tromso to Trondheim, Bergen, and Oslo and always dug it. Great audiences who really know their music. So yeah, I'd love to play Stervik if it's ever possible. You can reach my booking agents at Mongrel Music at 415-512-7877 in San Francisco. I ain't promising nothing but we'll see what happens. Anyway, keep rockin' no matter what!
Last modified 25May98
Dave Alvin Q&A/Questions/Comments
