Interview with Bloodkin's Eric Carter: Part One
Posted: Feb 23, 2009Eric Carter Interview Part One
On the heels of the release of their new CD--Baby, They Told Us We Would Rise Again--Bloodkin finally begins to reap benefits of their work after walking obscurity's tightrope for the last 20 years. In the midst of mainstream press, continual recording, opening for the Drive By Truckers and a new dynamic within the band, Bloodkin emerge as timeless survivors.
Two weeks ago I interviewed my old-amigo, Bloodkin's guitarist, Eric Carter. Eric's gritty, hard-edged playing serves as the backbone to Bloodkin's sound. In our interview we discussed Bloodkin's new CD, songwriting, the future and Eric's new life-changes. In Part One, we start with Bloodkin's recent shows with the Truckers.
James Calemine: Hey man, what's up?
Eric Carter: I'm out at Danny's frolicking with the beagles. You coming over for this cookout? Danny's got some new picnic tables you gotta see...
JC: Well, with this new picnic table development, how could I not (laughter)? You ready to get it on?
EC: Yeah, ax (sic) me something...
JC: Let's talk about these shows with The Truckers first...
EC: The shows were all really good. I got up on two different evenings and played with them. There were a few shows we had to leave right after we were done because of the drive. I think we saw three shows. It's a real good match up. We talked about doing it before--their people talking to our people. It had been loosely kicked around before. It's good because it's coinciding with our new CD. We have three more shows coming up with them pretty soon--one in Charleston and two in Washington D.C. Then I believe that's it, and we go out on our own.
JC: Is Willie T (Tonks) going out with the band?
EC: I believe Willie will be at all of the shows. As far as the Truckers shows it's going to be Eric Martinez and Willie. After that, I'm not sure what's gonna happen with Martinez and travel arrangements. When we first did these Truckers shows, it's kind of necessary for me to be a little nervous at all the possibilities. We've played with Martinez and Willie before--never all together so much. At first I was worried about showing up with all the artillery, but that's a natural, built-in paranoia. It makes it easier to get ready for and it worked out fine. There was nothing to worry about. I think it's good we're aware of that.
JC: Especially playing in front of their crowd...
EC: Yeah, I think there's a segment of their crowd who knows who we are, but to a lot of them we're still the new guys. We were definitely on our toes. Two of the shows were really good. By the last show of our third night playing it was getting to the point where it sucked that we had to stop playing after forty-five minutes...
End of Part One
Part Two tomorrow night...songwriting...sobriety...salvation...
James Calemine
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