Untitled Document

PAUL BARRIERE interview
February 2009 by Philippe Archambeau .

You come from California, can you tell us about the Blues scene you

used to know when you were playing there ?

IT WAS PRETTY MUCH THE ASH GROVE AND THAT WAS IT FOR US HOLLYWOOD
TYPES GROWING UP IN LOS ANGELES AS I DIDN'T GET DOWN TO DOWNTOWN MUCH WHEN I WAS YOUNG, BUT THE ASH GROVE WAS WONDERFUL AS I SAW MUDDY WATERS, LIGHTNING HOPKINS, BIG MAMA THORTON AND A FEW OTHERS WHEN I WAS JUST A YOUNG TEENAGER,
AND HERE'S THE KICKER, TAJ MAHAL TAUGHT GUITAR AND HARMONICA THERE

How did you meet Lowell George ?

I MET LOWELL WHEN I WAS ABOUT 14 AND HE WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL WITH MY
OLDER BROTHERS, HE WAS AT A PARTY MY OLDEST BROTHER WAS HAVING ...

You joined Little Feat in 1972, how did it happen ?

LOWELL WAS A FAN OF MY LAUREL CANYON GARAGE BAND AND CAME TO ME AND
ASKED ME TO AUDITION AS THE BASSIST FOR A NEW BAND HE WAS FORMING, WHICH BECAME LITTLE FEAT, I FAILED ON THE BASS BUT TOLD HIM IF HE EVER WANTED ANOTHER GUITAR PLAYER I WOULD LOVE TO BE IT ... THAT WAS IN 1969 ... IN 1972, WHEN ROY ESTRADA LEFT THE BAND AS THEY WERE RELEASING SAILING SHOES, THEY EXPANDED THE BAND WITH KENNY ON BASS AND HE BROUGHT SAM WITH HIM, THEY HAD JUST LEFT DELANY AND BONNIE, SO THATS WHEN LOWELL CALLED AND ASKED ME TO JOIN AS THE SECOND GUITARIST!!!

What did you do before joining Little Feat ?

I WAS A WAITER IN A HIPPY RESTAURANT IN L.A. AND PLAYING IN A GARAGE
BAND CALLED THE LED ENEMA

Was it hard or impressive to play in such a famous band ?

WELL THEY WEREN'T ALL THAT FAMOUS YET BUT BOY THEY COULD PLAY AND IT
WAS SO COOL TO BECOME A PART OF THAT

What is your favourite Little Feat album you played on ?

TOO MANY TO SINGLE OUT REALLY, THEY ALL HAVE A WARM PLACE IN MY HEART
FOR VARIOUS REASONS

Can you tell us a little bit more about your new album "Join the Band" ?
How did you get the idea to do it ?

IT WAS SOMETHING THAT BILLY AND I HAD BEEN THINKING ABOUT FOR A LONG
TIME, WE ACTUALLY DID SOME VIDEO INTERVIEWS WITH FOLKS LIKE BONNIE RAITT AND ERIC CLAPTON TRYING TO PUT TOGETHER A DOCUMENTARY/RECORD ON THE BAND ABOUT 10 YEARS AGO AND COULD NEVER GET THE FUNDING TO DO THE JOB RIGHT, SO WHEN JIMMY BUFFET CAME UP WITH THE IDEA OF US DOING JUST A RECORD AND SAID HE WOULD FUND THE PROJECT WE JUMPED ON IT

How did you choose the guest musicians ?
I really did enjoy the duet with Brooks and Dunn on "Willin'".
Can you tell us more about this song ?

I LEFT THAT UP TO BILLY AND MAC MACANALLY TO DO AS THEY WERE THE PRODUCERS

Can you tell us which musical collaborations on this album were impressive ?
Bonnie Raitt ? Robert Palmer ?

WELL WE DIDN'T GET BONNIE THIS TIME, AND OF COURSE ROBERT HS PASSED
ON TO THE BIG STAGE IN THE SKY, BUT I GUESS HAVING DAVE MATHEWS WAS REALLY A COUP FOR US! AS WERE ALL THE STARS WE HAD JOIN THE BAND

Will your 1983 album "On My Own Two Feet" soon be re-released ?
Can you tell us more about your first solo album ?

UNFORTUNATELY I DON'T THINK IT IS SLATED FOR A RE RELEASE ...
WE DID A COMPILATION RECORDING USING ALL OF ON MY OWN TWO FEET AND 4 SONGS OFF REAL LIES, AND IT'S CALLED IF YOUR PHONE DON'T RING ... YOU CAN FIND IT SOMETIMES
ON AMAZON OR E-BAY FOR THOSE WHO DIDN'T LIKE THE RECORD ...

Here, in Europe, we think that you are very close to Southern Rock.
Do you consider yourself the same ?

NOT REALLY SOUTHERN ROCK AT ALL, I GUESS BECAUSE OF DIXIE CHICKEN
PEOPLE JUST ASSUMED THAT WE WERE FROM THE SOUTH, BUT IN REALITY WE ARE FROM LOS ANGELES AND DO SO MANY STYLES OF MUSIC I CAN'T REALLY SINGLE IT OUT TO SOUTHERN ROCK, I THINK WE ARE AN ECLECTIC GROUP OF MUSICIANS WHO PLAY EVERYTHING
FROM FUNK TO FOLK!

What did Shaun Murphy bring to the group ?

A BIG SOULFUL VOICE

Can you tell us more about your collaboration with Fred Tackett ?

OUR DUET IS A FUN SHOW, WE DO A LOT OF FEAT SONGS LIKE THEY WERE
WRITTEN ON ACOUSTIC GUITARS, WE HAVE BEEN TOURING MORE IN EUROPE PLAYING LAST YEAR IN SCOTLAND, IRELAND,ENGLAND WALES AND SPAIN, AND I HOPE TO BRING IT TO FRANCE THE NEXT TIME WE TOUR!

What is the secret of the band stability ? I mean Bill Payne and Richie Hayward
will soon be in for 40 years, Kenny Gradney, Sam Clayton and you for 37 years,
and Fred Tackett of 21 years !

THE MUSIC IS THE GLUE THAT KEEPS US ROLLING ALONG, THAT AND WE ARE
REALLY GOOD FRIENDS

We just learn the death of Lynyrd Skynyrd's Billy Powell.
Do you have some words to tell us about this great lost ?
Do you think we can be one day lucky to be able to see Little Feat on Stage in France ?

YES I DO, AND I HOPE ITS SOON, FEAT HAVE BEEN DOING MORE
INTERNATIONAL SHOWS THESE LAST TWO YEARS SO I HOPE WE CAN GET BOOKED IN PARIS
AND OTHER CITIES IN FRANCE SOON

If you have to leave all and live on a desert island, what would be
the albums you take with you ?

JIMMY HENDRIX, ALL OF THE STUDIO RECORDINGS, HOWLING WOLF, THE
ROCKING CHAIR ALBUM, MILES DAVIS KIND OF BLUE AND BITCHES BREW

Thank you to answer to our questions.

YOU ARE MOST WELCOME