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The word legend gets thrown around a bit loosely from to time to time. It also happens to be a term that one can't impose upon their own existence--it has to evolve, grow and develop over the course of time. A legend is someone larger than life, a person whose myth is as powerful as their actions. A legend is rare, a person to truly cherish if they happen to achieve that status while still above ground. In light of this, I assure you I have considered the nature of the word heavily before claiming that J.J. Cale is most certainly a legend. There is a beautiful irony in the fact that John (J.J. being his stage name) is a legend because plenty of people aren't even sure exactly who he is, and most people wouldn't realize it if they crossed him on the street. He may not stand out in a crowd, but his songs have become a part of our American musical fabric. Even if J.J. Cale doesn't set buzzers off in the brain, "After Midnight" and "Cocaine" can be sung word for word, by young and old. And while these songs may be mere footnotes for true fans of J.J. Cale's fourteen-album collection, this point does in fact lead to his legendary status. Something about J.J. Cale's original sound, amazing songwriting, mysterious nature, and ability to elude the limelight has helped craft the story of a man who has helped define a style of music. A man who changed the path of music and influenced almost everything that followed him. He is in fact that most rare type of musician--the Living Legend.
Cale's ability to live life on his own terms, away from the big cities, swanky parties, and destructive rock lifestyle has only helped fortify this man as a true American icon, one we can be proud to show our kids. And when someone once compared a J.J. Cale interview to the appearance of Halley's Comet they were right. Perhaps that is why I was so eager to speak with the man who has been responsible for such an important part of my musical make up. Listening to his gravel voice creep out of the phone, his mannerisms and vocal patterns are just as guarded, polite, humble, and intriguing as you would expect. While it's hard to dig too deep--and one doesn't push with a man of this stature--there is still an overwhelming sense that John Cale is completely genuine, original, enigmatic, "laid back," and timeless. Just like his music.
At 65 years of age the man is still making music that stands the test of time. In his latest piece of work, To Tulsa And Back (due out on Sanctuary Records June 8), we find Cale literally going back to where it all began--his hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Coming off an eight-year gap in recording, the music world is certainly eager to hear what Mr. Cale has brewed up. And while his latest record may show signs of an older Cale, perhaps a Cale who looks a bit more closely at the world, it still pushes with the dusty grit-filled guitar, poignant songs, and mixed-down vocals that helped to create a body of work that only gets better and more important with age. After recently speaking with Cale I'm inclined to believe that all this hype, these elaborate descriptions and powerful words, aren't what he's looking for, and in fact probably only serve to make him a bit uncomfortable. He's the "anti-rock star." Cale would rather write the song and drift off to the side, letting someone else get the glory. He sits in the dark with his shades on, speaking softly as he avoids cameras. He's from a different world, one where the music is paramount and everything else silly. J.J. Cale is the workingman's hero, a rare breed, a Legend.
Often times as a writer (and editor) you are inclined to trim the fat, cut sections out and carve an interview down to its core. More often than not this is certainly the appropriate thing to do. But something about the rolling manner of this conversation, Cale's accent, his relaxed, unrushed nature, and perhaps most of all, the incredible lack of text actually available finding J.J. Cale in quotes has led me to leave the majority of our chat untouched. So settle in, kick your feet up, let the world slow down and step back to a slightly different time as we let the tape roll with the one, the only, J.J. Cale.
Kayceman: I wanted to start off with To Tulsa And Back. It's been about eight years since your last studio work, why so long between albums?
J.J.: Yeah, I didn't realize it was that long. Time went by and I hadn't made an album in quite a while, so I guess I figured I better make an album. Time flies when you're having fun.
Kayceman: So what have you been up to the past few years? Anything you'd like to share with us?
J.J.: Well I played a few gigs. I haven't worked in the past year or so, but in 2002 I did seven months on the road, which is quite extensive for me. And you know, just regular stuff, mow the lawn, watch the sun go up and down, write songs. And that's basically what I do.
Kayceman: And since you haven't been touring too much and it's been a while since the last record, are you always playing music, and writing music even if we're not hearing it?
J.J.: Sometimes I do and sometimes I go a long period where I don't write anything and don't even really get into music, maybe just noodle on the guitar a bit. I generally do most of my writing when I know I'm going to put out an album, which can be anywhere from six months to a year. I'll write some new songs, or maybe re-write some of the old ones I never put out.
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"I started to modify them trying to get a better sound out of them. Then it became a hobby, then it became an obsession. If I'd buy a guitar I'd immediately go, 'Well I think I'll stick this pickup in it. Or put this kind of a deal on it, or modify that.'" |
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--J.J. Cale |
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Sure. Now it's been documented that you are quite a production and studio buff, do you still have a recording studio in your home?
Yeah I do. Everywhere I've lived in the last 30 or 40 years I have. Technology constantly changes. It went from analog to digital and different kinds of recorders and different kinds of mixing boards. So I purchased whatever the state of the art equipment was and put it in where I live. And sometimes I rent a studio and let someone else do the engineering, but I'm an old engineer from way back.
What type of gear do you have in there; do you have any of the new cutting edge kind of stuff?
Yeah, this last bunch of stuff that the album was done on. Half of the album I did in Tulsa on Pro Tools, which is what everybody uses. And here at the house I put it all up and was using Alesis' HD24, which is a hard disc recorder and a Yamaha board, that's what I used for this last thing. We transferred the Pro Tools stuff over to the HD24 and mixed it here.
Do you ever just go into your studio and just mess around with what you got in there just to play around?
Yeah. Like I said I'm an old engineer from way back and I like to actually do that sometimes more than play the guitar and write songs. Writing songs is actually the hardest part of it. But yeah I try to keep up with it and buy new gizmos.
You seemed to be into drum machines long before it was the fashionable thing. I'm kind of curious how you got interested in that, you were one of the first people I heard using that?
Yeah the first album I put out was called Naturally that was in 1970, what are we talking 30 years, 35 years ago. I had an electric banjo and I traded it for a Japanese electric drum machine. It was before the drum machines were on the market really. And I think there were four songs on that first album that I used the electric drum machine on. And then I generally used it with a gentleman I had met named Roger Linn. We would sit around and talk about electric drum machines and the future of music. And he invented a thing called the Linn Drum Machine, which used digital stuff, and it sounded much better. They would sample a drummer and put it on a chip. And he was kinda the first gut to actually make a professional drum machine that everybody used. And then the Japanese started copying it and then it exploded and look what it is now, there's a million drum machines.
Sure. Now sort of in line with your interest in technology you seem to sort of modify some of your instruments quite a bit, is that something you were always interested in even as a kid growing up?
Yeah, not really when I was a kid but when I started playing out at nightclubs and bars and playing with rock 'n' roll bands. I didn't modify guitars until I actually made enough money to where I could own two guitars. And up until that time, maybe early '70s or whatever, then I started to modify them trying to get a better sound out of them. Then it became a hobby, then it became an obsession. If I'd buy a guitar I'd immediately go, "Well I think I'll stick this pickup in it. Or put this kind of a deal on it, or modify that." And then it becomes fun, it's kind of like an engineer, I enjoy it.
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