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Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Radney Foster and the circle of life
Radney Foster has sealed gaps between roots rock and mainstream country for nearly a quarter-century. The southwest Texas native, whose forthcoming “Revival” matches equal parts gospel and grit, considers his multilateral success a mystery. “(Foster and Lloyd) had big old hits playing rockabilly meets British pop with harmonies like the Everly Brothers,” he says. “Nobody said it had to make sense.” Foster hosts his 50th birthday party tonight at Hill’s Cafe with Jack Ingram, Pat Green and many other guests.
American-Statesman: Darius Rucker told us recently that he’s thought of recording your entire ‘Del Rio, Texas, 1959’ album.
Radney Foster: Well, that’s incredibly flattering (laughs). I’ve known for a long time that he’s a really big fan. My sister called me one night when (Hootie and the Blowfish) were doing some VH1 thing. I see this rock band with a black lead singer with a voice as wide as a freight train wearing a Radney Foster ‘Del Rio, Texas 1959’ T-shirt. I couldn’t tell by the music if they liked me or if the T-shirt was free, but I dig it (laughs).
Talk about your new duet with Rucker (`Angel Flight’).
(Co-writer) Austinite Darden Smith had been in contact with the Texas National Guard about them commissioning a song. Darden was just like, “Hey, man, I’d appreciate it if you’d help me write this song.” I said, “Absolutely.” A significant portion of the royalties from that song and a documentary we’re working on will go to the family support services charity that helps guardsmen in a time of crisis.
What’s the focus of the documentary?
Its working title is “Inside the Confessions.” It bookends the fact that this record was made around two stories of the circle of life: I lost my dad last year, and yet my oldest boy is coming home. He’s been living in France for 13 years. Now he’ll be a freshman in college two miles from my house. So, I have this one unbelievable joy, but I lost my dad. In typical fashion, I just wrote about what I’m doing.
The new album’s title track certainly captures that duality.
Well, Darrell Brown and I had written several songs around the framework of joy and sorrow. When we got through writing “A Little Revival,” he said, “I think I know what the title of your next record is. I think I know where this is going.”
How did your spirituality factor into the songwriting?
I was raised in a strong Christian family, yet like any other guy I grew up going through all the doubts. I came to my own sense of where my faith lies. I’ve never been really good at preaching about it to anyone. I just figured that’s between me and God. It’s always been a part of my writing, because it’s a part of my life.
What has affected your faith most as you approach turning 50?
A real rebirth of my faith was when my boy Julian was moving overseas with his mom. That’ll shake you to the core. I used to tell everybody that I became a really good fly fisherman because every time after he left after being with us on a vacation, I’d go fly fishing all by myself. That was my day to yell at God.
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60 Tigres celebrate ‘Sonido’ return
With Paul Saucido’s “Sonida Boombox” back on ME TV every Friday night at 8 p.m., Latino rockers are getting new exposure. To mark the show’s return, Monterrey, Mexico’s 60 Tigres, Austin’s up-and-comers Loxsly, Tuerkarock and the Latin Tron D.J. Crew are taking over the Scoot Inn this Saturday for what promises to be a great show.
Cover is $10. Doors open at 8 p.m. The Scoot Inn is at 1308 E. Fourth St.
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Kitty Kitty goes out with a Bang!
Tickets are $15. For more information go here.
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Behind the Band Name: The Octopus Project
One thing that didn’t make it into today’s story celebrating the tenth anniversary of beloved locals The Octopus Project was the story behind the band’s appropriately colorful, goofy name. Partly that’s because while the Octopus Project might stand out as one of the local scene’s sillier names if it were slapped on any other band, it’s practically tame compared to the group’s eclectic sights and sounds.
Still, given my longstanding fascination with unusual band names, I couldn’t resist firing off an e-mail to band member Josh Lambert post-interview to inquire about the origins of the band’s sobriquet. In the process I discovered things could have been far, far worse. Here’s what he had to say:
“The name came about while we were trying to name a band that Toto (Miranda), Yvonne (Lambert) and I were in with another friend. I was on the phone with the other guy in the band, and each of us would randomly say a word. One of us said, ‘Octopus,’ the other said, ‘Project.’
“Our friend didn’t like the name for his band, so it got voted down, but it always stuck in the rest of our minds. So, when we broke off to form our own band, we used the name. The only other name I can remember from that phone call was Quarterly Porpoise. I’m really glad we didn’t go with that!”
Meanwhile, somewhere in a parallel universe version of Austin, a band named Quarterly Porpoise is struggling mightily to be taken seriously.
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