The Story
Back in 2001, I went on a mystical, musical pilgrimage to the Land of the Blues with my buddy Glenn Gingerich who had introduced me to the music years before. Down in Memphis, Clarksdale and along the muddy banks and lost towns of the Mississippi, the music comes up out of the ground. It echoes from every store front and brushes by you in the streets. You can’t help but feel it. And pretty much everything I do in music is about feel, so I felt it.
Standing in front of the Lorraine Motel gave me the feeling for the song. Working it up with Johnny Crosbie at his home, years later, was also mystical given that he lives on a street called Lorraine.
Many of the songs on this album had odd and curious roots. The rhythm of a bus ride and bittersweet memories of my family’s past inspired “St. Joseph Blvd.” And it’s also odd that Jack Tremblay, my lovely wife Nancy McGovern’s uncle, who plays the traditional sticks on the track, once lived on that street.
“40 Bucks and A Beer” came from Ed Roth’s take on what we once got paid for gigs. And the simple, yet moving guitar and piano lines on “My Sun is Shinin’ On You” took me back to desperate, lonely times where the lyric was waiting for me.
The grooves, the lyrics, even the imagery on this album, came about like that. When Nina saw us live and offered to do a poster for us, she said she felt something about the band that was charming, sexy and a bit mysterious. That sounded pretty good to us, so when she presented the Snake Lady image, it felt right and looked great.
Above all, making this album has been a journey. Holding the band together, and how we came together, is another mystical story of chance encounters and connections. Very much like the trip taken years ago to that strange and awful place.
Lots of times, Glenn and I would see things that stopped us cold, render us silent. And yet, in that silence, I could hear something… an invitation to embrace the music I love so much and find a way to make it real in this time and this place. Not just to mimic it but to be authentic.
Toronto was part of the crew because this music was created in the world’s most multi-influenced city, where just about every groove is being played all the time. So, it made sense to try and capture the currency of this setting.
We know the heritage of the music and we revere it. But keeping it current felt like the best way to honour that rich heritage. Like I said, everything I do in music comes down to feel. Having the privilege of being part of making this record felt great. We hope you get a good feeling from listening to it.
Personnel
Produced by Son Roberts in Toronto, Canada.
Recorded and Mixed by Norm Baker at Studio 92.
Mastered by Noah Mintz.
All songs SOCAN. All Contents ©2007 Gate Productions Inc.
All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction of this recording and/or the artwork herein prohibited by law.
Snake Lady Image by Nina Bunjevac
Photos by Son Roberts
All Lyrics by Son Roberts except with Ed Roth on You Don’t Yet and Forty Bucks and a Beer
Son Roberts – Vocals and Harp
Ed Roth – Accordion, Keyboards and Tambourine
John Crosbie – Lead and Rhythm Guitar
Sergio Faluotico – Drums and Percussion
Jeff Eager – Bass on tracks 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, and 10
David Boire – Bass on tracks 2 and 6
Karla Goldstein, Nancy McGovern, and Gail Roberts – Background vocals on tracks 1, 5, 6, and 8
Asher Roth and Chris Blachford – Assorted drunken shouting on track 10
Jack Temblay – Stickman from Montreal on track 3
Thanks to…
Thanks to Nancy Marie (how’s my sun, today?), Kate Marie, Gail Lauren, Joan Roberts, Allyson, Jake and Hartley, Glenn and Heidi, Dave and Lisa, Lilianna, Sybil T, Rick B, Burt, Nicky B, Pal Al and Dania, Mr. Mays, Larry K, Stavros, Yuri, Eddy B, Clinton, and everyone who has come out to the Annual BBQs or our gigs.
