I Feel So Good- Richard Thompson So Far

When Rolling Stone’s David Fricke, one of rock music’s most iconic writers, anointed him one the top 20 Greatest Guitarists in contemporary music- (actually #19), and then punctuated that selection by noting that Thompson is the ‘Greatest Guitarist in British Folk Rock,’ the singer-songwriter didn’t spend a lot of time wondering what it would take to move up a notch or two, or break into the top 10

Thompson is aware of the honor, but keeps his own perspective on it

“Yeah, it’s nice, but it is also kind of silly.  I mean how do you really make a decision like that? Where is Segovia on a list like that- obviously, if he isn’t Number 1, than it doesn’t really get at the point, does it?  How can Les Paul even be given a number like 37?  It sells a lot of Rolling Stones’ but it isn’t really an accurate reflection of the state of musicianship. It s kind of futile to compare musicians working in different genres.”

His career began in the mid-sixties in his native England; Thompson is barreling through his fifth decade as a ‘working musician’ with no indication of slowing down creatively. He is rooted in a remarkable period of British pop music, the mid to late sixties; when he and his band-mates in Fairport Convention forged an entirely new style and sound, blending English and Scottish folk music with rock, Cajun and American folk traditions, along with world motifs like gypsy, middle-eastern sounds- all played on electric instruments. A measure of Thompson’s and Fairport’s influence was their being tagged with as “the English version of the Byrds.” a simplistic, shorthanded label that actually undervalues their contribution.

Bristling with Thompson’s trademark keen and mordant wit, his eclectic musical taste, and stunning guitar chops, the songs he wrote and recorded more than 45 years ago retain a timelessness that a lot of music of that era simply does not have. How has that music managed to stay so fresh, and transcendent?

“Well, it does have a lot to do with how we recorded it. Working with a great producer, Joe Boyd, and a classically trained engineer, John Wood, we intentionally avoided a lot of the studio effects and touches of the time.  We did the songs in a very ‘neutral’ way, straight-ahead- drums in the center, guitars and vocals by the guitarist ‘miked’ in the same place- we created a real visual in the mind of the listener- any listener could ‘see’ the band as we played in the studio.  That, and not a lot of those ‘psychedelic’ sound effects, make the music sort of timeless, I think.

Thompson has recorded more than 40 albums.  While that is a considerable amount of work, it has reflected a lifetime as an artist.  And that sort of longevity has advantages and disadvantages.

“Well, an advantage to longevity is that I don’t have to build an audience on the back of hit records.  My audience, over time, has come from word of mouth.  I suppose the disadvantage of being around so long is that it is impossible to get your CD’s reviewed. The reviewers just seem to say ‘oh look, yet another package from Thompson.’ It is a bit frustrating, when you work hard, and are coming up with new things to say, to not be able to get your materiel reviewed.”

Though Thompson has unearthly chops on guitar that have made him a highly desirable collaborator, his skill as a songwriter has lead to an astonishing range of artists covering his music.

Thompson is a bit circumspect with regard to his body of written work.

“Well, I’ve never really had the time to get frustrated with whole idea that I should have a bigger audience than I get.  The music I play doesn't deserve a big audience.  I’ve always written for a more selective group of people, with ideas about the world, and as a result, I’ve always known I was never going to have a huge crowd of followers.”

Those who know Thompson and have long admired him might disagree.  Marblehead-based Dave Mattacks, an accomplished drummer who has partnered with Thompson repeatedly since first joining Fairport in 1969, uses him as a benchmark when speaking with others about the art of songwriting.

"As a musician, I'm always having people tell me about great songwriters and/or guitarists who I 'need-to-hear.' My response is usually positive, as I genuinely am interested.  But I usually respond with  ‘so, what do you think of Richard Thompson?’  If I get a blank stare back, well, I'm afraid you've just lost ten points. To put it frankly, if you don't know about Richard, and you're telling me about songwriters and guitarists...”

Another measure of Thompson’s pre-eminence among the songwriters of his generation is the extraordinary number artists, across a wide spectrum of musical styles, covering his songs. The list includes Robert Plant, Allison Krause, Elvis Costello, R.E.M., Bonnie Raitt, John Doe, Shawn Colvin, Nathalie Merchant, Mary Lou Lord, The Pointer Sisters, the Five Blind Boys from Alabama, Los Lobos, David Byrne, Dave Gilmour, the Neville Brothers, Don Henley, Bob Dylan, Shawn Colvin.  For starters. "

Yeah, well the covers are a nice surprise,” says Thompson, in a characteristic understatement.  He is less surprised about the number of ‘country’ artists who find his work compelling.

“There is a strong tie between Appalachian music and Scottish music, so the connection with artists who do country seems a natural one to me. Country is a pretty tight genre, so I guess it does say something that a number of those folks like the songs. Then again, I can remember listening to ‘Prairie Home Companion’ once, and they proved that just about any song ever written can be done in a bluegrass version.”

His peers have covered Thompson classics like Wall of Death, Dimming of the Day, Turning of the Tide, I Misunderstood, Where the Drunkards Roll. Thompson’s evolution as a songwriter- from his early, traditional-folk influenced tunes, to the searing and powerfully self-revelatory work with his former wife Linda, on through to his narrative and character-driven story songs provide a veritable banquet of choices for other musicians. His song 1952 Vincent Black Lightning- a melding of the outlaw ballad tradition with modern biker culture, fueled by some of the most incendiary and intricate finger-picking extant, continues to seduce artists up for the challenge of telling a great story, and embellishing it with high-order instrumental chops. 

These days, Thompson occasionally plays with his son Teddy, born of his earlier marriage to Linda Peters Thompson- the extraordinary vocalist. The younger Thompson is not joining the elder Thompson on this tour.  The elder is, of course, understandably proud of his son.

“It’s been great fun to collaborate with Teddy. It’s wonderful to make music with family, because you share a lot of the same sensibilities.  You’re on the same page.  Your voices sound similar, so you can sing great harmonies. It’s been great to see him become a musician, someone I enjoy and admire. Of course, as a parent, it can be frustrating.  He’s good; why don’t more people listen to him?”

Given the length and arc of his father’s career, I suspect that Teddy will be adding luster to the family legacy for a long time to come.

photo credits: Ron Sleznak

photo credits: Ron Sleznak

Tom Russell - An Ancient Trade, and an Important One

Tom Russell takes songwriting very seriously. He’s been at the craft for better than 20 years, and has 25 albums/CD’s to show for it. His most recent effort, Wounded Heart of America, released late last year, features a bevy of covers of his songs by an impressive array of performers. Contributors include the late Johnny Cash, Doug Sahm, and Dave Van Ronk, as well as Joe Ely, Ian Tyson, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Nancy Griffith and Iris DeMent, among others. Pretty hefty friends.

Russell finds the collection has provided him with some great listening.

“Johnny Cash did a real interesting version of "Veteran's Day." It sounded like it came off his first record, The Hot and Blue Guitars of Johnny Cash, on Sun. An honor of course. A deep honor.”

“My favorite cover might be Laurie Lewis doing "Manzanar," because she nailed it with passion.” Manzanar is the interment camp that housed Japanese-Americans, who were rounded up early in World War II.

Passion is something that Russell believes is a very important ingredient in good songwriting. Passion, and something a little harder to define.

“Songs are pure magic... the good ones. They take us out of real time into a place where nothing moves or ages. Painting can do the same thing. There are not that many creative writers that can achieve that. Nor poets. It has to do with "duende" and ancient tricks of the muse.”

To judge by his output, Russell is a master of those ancient tricks. His deep commitment to his craft leaves him with a fairly high set of standards. While confessing he doesn’t have the opportunity to follow much of the newer music, he also isn’t impressed with what he hears happening ‘out there’.

“I don’t hear much these days. I'm usually affronted by people's lies in song. I listen to Lucinda Williams, Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Van Morrison and old Fred Neil records. I’m an old crank.”

Crank or not, Russell, who is also a published author, tends to write songs that have as their geographic locus the West. He is also a terrific storyteller. Why the Western setting?

“The West is where I come from. There's a different language out here. Something to do with the desert and the sky and the nearness to Mexico. I'm never that comfortable in the East - except for New York. I lived there for fifteen years. Bobby Neuwirth and I wrote a song about New York City called "The Biggest Bordertown in the World." Sort of a Western way of looking at the East.”

While he was pursuing a career in music, he also managed to acquire a degree in Criminal Justice. Like so many of his experiences, nothing was wasted.

“I had intended to teach or do something with a street level agency, but I hated academics and University people, so I went back to the guitar. The crime stuff now seeps into the songs... the guitar is a better weapon than a University degree. Trust me.”

Tom Russell has cut his own path in the music business. Although his songs turn up often on CD’s by other artists, he hasn’t aggressively shopped them.

“The songs seem to find their own way cause I've never really "pimped" them in Nashville or places like that.”

He also believes it is important to have a presence on the Internet.

“Downloading became necessary because most young writers can't write enough great songs to fill an album. So one song makes sense. The Internet is an interesting forum - it's bottomless if you don't abuse it. To me, it's just another carnival stage. It's another way of throwing some wine toward the thirsty.”

Something of a renaissance man, Russell has published both fiction and non-fiction, as well as writing and performing music. Recently, he has taken up painting; his current recent release features original artwork. Russell uses southwestern motifs and colors to create striking images. Still, when asked which medium he prefers, there is no hesitation.

“Song and performance. I'm working on painting.”

Russell has no intention of slowing down.

“Hemingway says you can't retire if you're a writer. It's like backing up into the grave. I'll never get sick of the minstrel trade and I don't think Dylan or Merle Haggard will either. It's only the worthless that give up. And the whiners...and a lot of people are whining these days on the fair grounds of music. I'm very happy to be able to travel and sing. It's an ancient trade and an important one.”

TOM RUSSELL IN CONCERT

If you happen to be in Eastern Massachusetts on August 21, you can catch Russell at a wonderful venue, the Firehouse Performing Arts Center in Newburyport, MA. You can contact them here

CD Review: Tom Russell, Wounded Heart of America

Wounded Heart of America
Tom Russell
Hightone Records
2007
www.tomrussell.com

A good song touches the heart of a listener, makes them think. Sometimes it makes them cry. A great song touches the heart of the person performing it; it draws something heroic out of them, something that is visceral, and real. Tom Russell writes great songs. Truly, great songs.

Wounded Heart of America, a collection of artists covering the songs of Russell, is far more than homage. It is a series of performances by singers and songwriters that weave together a larger story of America. It is Russell’s America, seen through the eyes of illegals and Mexican-Americans, Japanese-American citizens relocated during the Second World War; through the words of Alaskan natives and heartbroken drunks, wide-eyed young lovers, Texas State Troopers, and half-cocked Outcasts. It is truly the wounded heart of America, the people who belly up to the bar in search of something they can’t name, of the midnight floor cleaners prowling silent shopping malls, of cops and outlaws, bar-room preachers and justice denied.

The list of performers loaning their talent to the collection is impressive; even more so when you realize that they are some of the best songwriters and interpreters of the last couple of generations. Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, Johnny Cash, Dave Van Ronk and Beat legend Lawrence Ferlinghetti occupy one stellar end of the spectrum, Dave Alvin, Joe Ely and Ian Tyson another, Doug Sahm, Nancy Griffith, Iris DeMent, and Laurie Lewis yet another; and there is still room on the disc for contributions by the likes of Jerry Jeff Walker and Suzy Boggus. As performers, it is as talented a group as you will gather anywhere. More than that, and key, is the stunning reality that it is also a collection of some of the best songwriters in America.

The coherence of the album is remarkable, given the stable of talent, and the fact that it does represent a full and lengthy songwriting career. Russell has produced more than a catalog; the album reflects a quality that places Russell in pretty rarefied company—Springsteen, Guthrie come to mind. Each has produced a body of work that is a tapestry, gathering the strands of a much larger story; each strand able to stand alone, yet completely of a piece with the next. It is a considerable accomplishment. And, it is self-evident in this CD.

Whether it is Dave Alvin’s aching baritone telling the story of fringe-dwelling wanderer, or Dave Van Ronk’s off-kilter and obtuse tale extolling the simple unpleasant existence of the “other” in America- the Black Sheep, philandering, too-loud relative whose primary activity is to embarrass the family, the lyrics are balanced by performances that are melded with the style of the particular artist. More than that, Russell’s intrinsic solidity as a songwriter provides a foundation that allows the performer to transcend their own style; to fuse with a larger story. That is a quality unique to truly great songs; Russell offers a dozen and a half of them here.

Russell is a one of the most literate, thoughtful, and astute songwriters on the scene today. He can turn a mean and artful phrase; to do it in the context of a genuine, heartfelt story of human longing, and passion, and experience, well, that is the essence of art. And Russell is an artist, from the rich and passionate original artwork that adorns the CD to the deeply expressive lyrics and eclectic American melodic stylings of the song.

This CD is flat-out brilliant.