PAUL COTTON MUSICAL ARCHIVE

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The John Brindle Interview - March 2002

John Brindle : Can you run through your song contributions to the new album?
Paul Cotton: I’ve got a song called I Can Only Imagine, another one called Every Time I hear That Train, kind of my tribute to my favourite city out here, Santa Barbara, another one called The Running Horse which is inspired by, of all things (laughs), the Legend album cover.
JB Were these songs specifically written for this project, are they all new songs?
PC Yes they are.
JB Do you have a big backlog of songs built up over the years?
PC Always do, there are quite a few I’m working on now, including a song called Bareback. Not to toot my own horn here, but I’m 2,000 miles from everyone … anyway it’s got a nice little groove to it. There’s no album title song so I thought I’d kick it around. It started off as an instrumental then I changed it. This version has got lyrics and what not, maybe we could use it somewhere down the line.
JB The actual title of the new album sounds very Pocoish
PC Yes, well with the cover in mind, a girl with a tattoo on her back. That’s the working idea for the cover right now.
JB How do rehearsals work with you living away from the band on the West Coast?
PC Basically I came to the studio with a mini-disc of my three songs and they all contributed. We haven’t mixed the record yet, it’ll be about a month.
JB Do you feel pleased with the quality of songs that each member has contributed, do you think it is a strong record?
PC Yes, everybody is writing exactly as you would expect. Every song sounds like a Rusty song, Jack too. With George we’ve got that voice on top again, crystal clear. Very Poco like.
JB What guitars did you use on the new record?
PC On The Running Horse, the Gretch White Falcon. I also use the Stratocaster, that Rusty gave me, that’s very obvious. The one that really stands out for the leads is my Les Paul Standard. That’s pretty much the trademark, we really nailed it, it sounds like we used to on some of the old records.
JB I always feel that you brought an edge to the band’s sound, very much like Stephen Stills does with CSN.
PC Thank you. Well that is exactly how they saw my role (the other members of Poco). They needed that rock ‘n’ roll edge.
JB Although Jimmy Messina is a fine musician he doesn’t have that rock ‘n’ roll style that you have.
PC No, he’s a surf guitarist. He’s a very clean, excellent player. Two notes and you can tell it’s him. I participated in one of his ‘songwriters in the rounds’ sessions in 1997.
JB Can you run through some of the favourite guitars you have in your collection?
PC I have Norman’s Rare Guitars. Which has actually moved closer to me, this is where Clapton and Bob Dylan, George Harrison … they’ve all been there. Now Norman is right down the street from me so I go in for a set of strings and come out with a White Falcon! It’s a dangerous place to be. I love Gibson acoustics. I had a J100, which is a kind of stripped down version of a J200, and I’ve tried taking that on the road. That is about as big as you can carry. I kind of got rid of that. I have a Martin HD28, which I don’t take out of the house. I use it for recording. Rusty and I used Takamines. I’ve retired mine after twenty years, in perfect condition. Now I’m using a Goden, which is made in Canada. They are hollowed out, really sturdy. They have a microphone inside which combines with the bridge pickup, it’s just wonderful. I carry it in a soft case, which goes overhead in the aeroplane. It’s durable, that’s my main acoustic. After 9/11 I was told that you weren’t allowed to carry those things on board with you so I had to get another acoustic, An Alverez, a beautiful black cutaway, nice and loud.
JB Going back to Poco Paul, how do you feel about the proposed second new Poco record that Rusty was telling Steve about last night, with Randy and Richie?
PC I can’t wait! To be able to sing on Take It To The Limit? That would be an honour. I guess we’re projecting that, maybe this Fall.
JB I would imagine it should be good fun to rework some of the old material into an acoustic format?
PC Yes, when Rusty and I do our acoustic duo we kind of fool around with those old songs. Under The Gun came out great this last year live. It’s very Beatles like now! It’ll be a challenge and a lot of fun, stripping them down.
JB On that note can we talk about your solo career? I’m not just being polite but I thought Firebird was wonderful. The paired down arrangements really suited the material. Are you pleased with it in hindsight?
PC There is always something I would change. Overall, yes I am. It holds up pretty well.
JB On Firebird, the Poco material that you reworked came out well in that format. It was almost a risky thing to do but you pulled it off.
PC Oh, I’m glad. Rusty contributed beautifully (on Bad Weather).
JB There are a number of standout songs. For example, I think Do What You Do is a classic Paul Cotton song.
PC That is the one Firebird song that Poco do play.
JB You should pitch Don’t Stop The Carnival to Santana, make some money!
PC Yeah, he could really go for it. I have a Ricky Martin version too! The song just wrote itself, it’s a true story. We just worked it up in my band, it sounds fantastic.
JB I understand you have been playing some solo shows. How have they been?
PC I just went on Arizona television, two weeks ago tomorrow, ‘Good Morning Arizona’, 9.30 in the morning and several million people saw it! We weren’t able to follow it up because we were at a sports club that night instead of something that my audience would go to. The momentum is the thing with me and we haven’t quite pieced that together yet.
JB Is Tom Landt involved in your band? He’s a talented fellow.
PC Yes he is. No, Tom is going to retire, he’ll be there somewhere down the line. He fitted my music really well, we spent weeks and weeks working on When The Coast Is Clear.
JB We hear about this project from time to time. Is it ever going to come out?
PC I don’t know, it may come out on this new Poco owned label.
JB Is it all self-penned material?
PC Mostly, although there is a version of Van Morrison’s Into The Mystic.
JB How do you like being a band leader?
PC It is different in that there is more responsibility, talking to the audiences about the songs. I enjoy it, I really do. It’s very satisfying. I’m always writing, not everything is going to fit the Poco format, I’m an R & B man myself. I can also do the Rock ‘n’ Roll stuff for Poco.
JB When The Coast Is Clear has a nautical theme, I understand. Is sailing something you have been interested in since you were a young man?
PC No, I moved to Florida in 1987. Lots of big boats down there! I had a break from music and got into something else.
JB Going back to the proposed Poco label, Paul, it seems a really good idea at this stage of your careers. Maybe you are not going to sell millions of records but you will have creative control, that’s got to be healthy hasn’t it?
PC I think so, it’s the way to go for us. Eliminate the middle-man, there’s very little A & R involved. We are still going to reach our core audience. All we need is the distribution.
JB It’s exciting to have a new record to talk about. Is the band sounding good live?
PC Yes, this is the band!
JB What sort of venues will you be playing in the States?
PC We are at Atlanta in about a month. I think that is a big outdoor festival. Mostly outdoor events, they are all starting to come in now. It’ll be exciting doing radio and promotion again.
JB The age-old question, do you think anything has hit potential on the new record?
PC Rusty has got some very radio worthy things, ah, it’s hard to say. I think when this puppy finally gets mixed we’ll have a better idea. I think there needs to be some editing too.
JB Certainly in the UK at present there is a lot of interest in Americana, I’m sure Poco would fit into that medium.
PC Oh, I hope so. World tour, we’re ready (tongue in cheek)!
JB Well, one of these days I’ll try and get over to see you guys. Thanks a million Paul, good luck with the new record and your solo career.
PC Thank you so much.

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