What are your latest projects?
It’s all Blackfoot! I’m very, very busy; it’s a wonderful thing. Typically in this business, September through March is slow. But we’re getting November dates up through March! It’s been a happy week. I get a lot of mail about the Indian Project, but I haven’t worked on it since Blackfoot. I’m also doing a collaboration with Native artists, a compilation.
How many days a year are you touring?
This year, it’s about 80 dates. Not as much as the old days — we used to be on the road 300 days a year and playing 250 of them! I don’t know anyone does that now. Even AC/DC, Aerosmith, they’re not doing that now. I’d love to do six months on the road, one week off. Very few people feel that way. We grew up together; three of the four members of the band have known each other since pre-kindergarten days.
What creature comforts do you like to have on tour?
We’re such basic people. We were raised grounded. We have the easiest hospitality background rider in the business. None of this green M & M’s crap! We ask for water, basic liquor like beer and Captain Morgan’s Private Stock, and Red Bull. We also ask for Tiger’s Milk Energy bars. We get brand-specific, because it really matters with things like amps. We use Marshall amps and not Fenders. I was always told to ask for a lot and settle for a little, but that’s not my style. I’m willing to take my chances by being reasonable.
How would you compare your performances today to those of the 1970’s?
I think the only difference is, we do not have the rehearsal time that we used to. We all live in the South, but now we’re in three states and four different cities. It takes planning now and finding a facility. We miss it; we like to plan things out. We’re a well-oiled machine on stage. Not to say that spontaneous isn’t good. We have spontaneous things happen on stage.
Tell me about the new foundation in honor of (the late) Jakson Spires?
The Thunderfoot Foundation? It never got off the ground! We found out from our attorneys that it costs thousands and thousands to start a foundation. It was completely nonprofit and it’s a shame that you have to spend over $12,000 to do something for a fallen brother. We did receive checks and I was brokenhearted.
You seem to be very disciplined: up at 5 am, even when you have been performing ‘til 2.
I know it! My nephew sleeps until 7; I have half the work done by then. I was raised with a strong work ethic. Get up, get ready for the day, work well. That’s all anybody can ask of you. We would never call in sick. If you could breathe, you went to school. I’m a real country boy, not some drugstore cowboy. I love the mornings.
You are very proud of your Native American heritage. In the 1970’s, there was a real awareness in this country of their issues, but now, we only read about casinos. What’s your take on that?
In the early 70’s, there was no awareness. It was only at the anniversary of Wounded Knee that people became more aware. AIM started then. It wasn’t the coolest thing then to be a Native, though we were always proud of that fact. Then, it got all dormant again in the 1980’s. After Dances With Wolves came out, people became aware again. You know what gets me? Everybody talks about having Cherokee blood in them, like there are no other tribes.
What about playing casinos?
I’m all for it. It’s extremely hard to get your foot in the door. They’re looking for Lionel Ritchie, not Rock and Roll. We did play a casino in Vegas; they treated us like royalty. We had escorts, armed guards and limos. We laughed at it all!
You are involved with XM radio. Tell me about that.
We have a show every Saturday from 8 to midnight. They have about 200 choices, but I personally think it would be better to combine some formats and have about 100 choices. We started out with only Southern Rock, but with 32 songs a show, we were running out of material. Then, we asked them if we could play the bands that influenced us, like the British bands, and they said, “yeah.”
What do you think the future of Southern Rock will be?
I wish I knew! I’d be a billionaire. The problem is, when we come out with new products, new songs, the people don’t want to hear it. Lynyrd Skynyrd didn’t do anything new for 20 years. The fan base wants to hear the old catalogue. You want to evolve as an artist and it hurts. Some country acts have crossed over; Montgomery Gentry plays “Train, Train”. When I first heard about it, I worried that they would butcher it. But, no! Still, modern country acts are twangier, more bluesy and boogie than we were.
Tour information, band updates and merchandise at www.blackfootrocks.com
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