Read More Here — The Allman Brothers Band, Sept. 26 @ The Track Center
Above, The Allman Brothers Band performs “Midnight Rider,” with the current lineup.
If you live in Fayetteville, you’re already well aware of what is going on. The constant rumble of motorcycles has announced the arrival of Bikes, Blues & BBQ, which continues through Saturday (Sept. 27).
As for the music, the event’s headlining concert takes place tomorrow (Sept. 26) with a performance by The Allman Brothers Band at the Randal Tyson Track Center. Tickets, which are $42.50 and available at www.tcbconcerts.com.
While touring with his own group, Allman Brothers Band guitarist Derek Trucks chatted with the Northwest Arkansas Times about his longtime appreciation for the Allman Brothers, how he approaches the songs in a live setting and what local fans should expect at the show.
Click the ‘more’ link below to read the interview transcript.
Or, if you prefer, we’ve also made the interview into a podcast, available to iTunes users by clicking here.
Kevin Kinder, Northwest Arkansas Times: Where are you calling from today?
Derek Trucks: Well, we played Telluride last night and this is kind of a bus driver sleeping stopover on the way to Missoula, Montana.
KK: Are you playing with the Derek Trucks Band right now, or these are Allman Brothers dates?
DT: These are with my guys.
KK: How do you make that transition from all these dates with the Derek Trucks Band to gigging with the Allman Brothers? Do you find time to practice in between?
DT: No, it’s usually on the fly. You know, most of the music in both of these bands is pretty engrained in my head at this point, so, you know, you have a lot of songs you can call up at will.
KK: How long have you been playing with the Allmans?
DT: I joined in ’99, so, it’s been about nine years.
KK: Do you remember when they asked you to be a full-time member? Do you remember getting that call?
DT: Yeah, I was out with my band. We’d just done our first record, so it was … obviously, I was shocked and honored to be asked, but it wasn’t an instant decision. I had to make sure I could keep my thing going and do both because we’d invested so much time and energy into what we were doing, I didn’t think that just bailing on it was an really option. Luckily, it was able to work out so I could keep both things rolling. It would have been hard to not do the Allman Brothers gig, but I think luckily everything has worked itself out.
KK: When you come here to Fayetteville, you’re performing with the Allman Brothers. I know they’ve have always been considered a great live band. How do you recapture some of that magic from the original lineup with the current group?
DT: You know, I don’t really think you have to really recapture it. The rhythm section, and Gregg, his voice is still there, and that catalog is there, and I think the fact that me and Warren, they were a huge influence on us early on, and so there is that tie to the past. And then Oteil and Marc are just amazing musicians, you know, we have a bunch of really talented guys on stage, playing music that they love to play. You know, it’s not exactly throwback or retro, it’s a living, breathing band at this point.
KK: Do you think chemistry is a big part of what you can do?
DT: Yeah. I think it’s essential. You can throw a bunch of great players together, but if the egos don’t mesh, the musicality doesn’t mesh, then it’s not going to be as good as it could be. Sometimes, the right five mediocre players might sound better than five great mediocre players if the chemistry is right. You really get magic when you have a bunch of great players and the chemistry actually works, so, that’s what you hope for.
KK: You touched on this a second ago. Is it difficult to meet people’s expectations? Do they expect you to sound like the Allman Brothers circa ’71, or you said it’s kind of a living entity. How do you balance between what maybe someone remembers from a live recording they have versus what you’re capable of doing?
DT: You know, I think part of it has to come from a personal respect for the music. I think there is a certain amount of the Duane [Allman] parts and the Berry Oakley parts that we will kind of pay homage to, but then outside of that, I really don’t think you can put too much weight in what people are expecting to hear. I think you have to play music and keep it inspired for the guys onstage, that’s what keeps a band going for 40 years, not trying to play exactly what people want to hear, but playing real, live music. If people flock to it, great, if not you’re probably going to keep playing it anyway. That’s what the original band was doing. They weren’t checking the pulse, and seeing what pop music in the day was working. They played music that inspired them. It was Elmore James, it was John Coltrane, these things that the band was into colliding onstage. There was a certain amount of weight you have to put into music and live music in a band, and there is a certain amount of really taking it seriously. And if people are into it, that’s even better. But you can’t adjust too much on what people expect out of you.
KK: I know that you have a long history with the Allman Brothers Band, in terms of hearing that music in your household. Do you have a first song that you remember?
DT: No. It was the “[Live at the] Fillmore East,” “Eat A Peach,” those records were always playing, the “Layla” [album by Derek and the Dominoes, which featured Eric Clapton and the late Duane Allman as members] record, but I can’t think of a first tune that really jumps out.
KK: What should someone expect at a concert? Will you stick to newer material? Older material? How do you create a set list?
DT: With this band, it’s a different set list every night. We keep track of what we played last time we were in town, or last time we were in the area, and it’s a rotating list, so, we don’t know until 3 or 4 o’clock, usually. We all get together and throw some tunes around. Warren [Haynes] is really good about keeping track of what we’ve played the trip before. It’s a day by day thing.
KK: The Allman Brothers haven’t released a studio album since “Hittin’ the Note.” Are you working on new material with the band? What is the status there?
DT: Yeah, we went into rehearsal before the Beacon run that we canceled, when we found out Gregg was sick, and there a bunch of new tunes kickin’ around. But then, with his treatment and everything and all that, it kind of got pushed aside. But there are ideas, there’s tunes. We’ll just have to see if it all lines up. Everybody in the last five years has been so busy, doing … Warren has Gov’t Mule, Oteil [Burbridge, the Allman Brothers Band’s bassist] has his band, I’m out with my guys, I did the Clapton tour, you know, Warren did the [Grateful] Dead thing for a while. There have been a lot of schedules to juggle, and so far, the studio hasn’t worked out. But you know, I’m sure we’ll make it back in. I think the Allman Brothers always feel more comfortable in a live setting, so I don’t think it was anything that everybody was dying to do immediately when we got out of the studio. But I think now, everyone is starting to feel that pull again.
KK: Will you play any of these songs that are in the incubation process? Or will you play some from “Hittin’ the Note?” I’m curious.
DT: Yeah, there will be some tunes from “Hittin’ the Note,” played, probably. You know, it’s a huge catalog of music that either the Allman Brothers recorded, or tunes they’ve played along the way, or tunes Duane recorded, you know, tunes that Warren’s band or my band has done. There is a lot of stuff to draw from.
KK: Have you played in Fayetteville, Arkansas before, to your knowledge?
DT: My band has. We’ve played a few different clubs there along the way. It’s been a while, though, it’s been a few years.
KK: Well, Derek, I don’t have any more questions. I appreciate your time very much.
DT: Cool, man.
KK: We look forward to having the show here. There are a lot of people excited that the Allman Brothers are finally coming here.
DT: Thanks. It should be fun, man. I’m looking forward to it.
KK: Alright. Enjoy your trip here, and we’ll see you at the show.
DT: Sounds good. See you in a few.
KK: Thanks.
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