Decades ago, Paul Barrere wrote a song called “Old Folks’ Boogie.” It wasn’t, at the time, autobiographical, but it was prescient, perhaps. The musician will tell you he’s old, several times in a conversation, but not yet, at 68, too old to boogie. Barrere’s teamed up with Roger Cole once again, releasing a five-song EP: Lost in the Sound, Vol. 1. He’s also still playing somewhere in this country a few times a month as part of Paul and Fred, with his Little Feat bandmate, Fred Tackett. And, yes, still making his way to Jamaica every winter for fun in the sun with the Feat and their fans. All of this, despite the daily challenge of his self-disclosed health issues, and, well, getting older. Barrere took time out on a recent Tuesday morning in Southern California to talk about his health, his partnerships with Cole, Tackett, and Feat, and his life on and off the road.
You have been generously candid with the public regarding your health issues. Can you give us an update?
I seem to be doing pretty well. The reason that I did come forward and bring it to the public’s eye is because the whole thing started with the Hepatitis C virus. It’s something that people, especially in my age group, should all be checked for. It’s a horrible virus that can cause cancer, which is what happened to me. I was cured of the Hep C and then they found a tumor. They treated the tumor with this new treatment called Y90, where they inject it right into the tumor, into the liver. So far, it seems to have arrested it. It’s been a year-and-a-half with no growth, no mastication, and no signs of the cancer moving anywhere else. My only drawback is fatigue. But then again, I’m old.
Tell me why when you work on your solo material, you do so with Roger Cole, and not, say, Fred Tackett, for instance?
First and foremost, they are not solo records. They are Paul Barrere and Roger Cole records. When we started doing this, when Riding the Nova Train came out, it was a collaboration. I said to Roger, it shouldn’t be a Paul Barrere solo thing. It should be the two of us. For me, it was an opportunity to do something completely different from Little Feat. When you talk about Paul and Fred, everyone relates it to Little Feat. I wanted another avenue to express myself. That’s why I like doing this stuff with Roger. We come at it from a whole different perspective. I also get to be a little freer in my guitar playing. I don’t have the constrictions of fitting in with a whole band. We’re much more finite in our arrangements.
Can you elaborate on that whole different perspective?
I don’t want to say pop, because we’re still very eclectic. If you listen to the EP, there is a song like “You’re Annoying,” which is a country send-up, to “Political Freak Show,” to “Lost in the Sound,” which is very epic. Or, something more simple, like “Grain of Sand.” It enables us to have more control over the situation than what Little Feat would produce. I really enjoy it. I like the recording process. I like the time we spend fine-tuning lyrics, arrangements. There’s no real pressing need to have things done. It’s an easy and comfortable way to create music.
The EP seems to be divided almost exactly evenly between songs that you take the lead vocal and songs when Roger does, including splitting one. Is this balance intentional or just the way things shook out?
It’s more intentional than anything else. With the two styles so diverse, the nice thing about being involved with Roger’s music is that it taught me a lot. I’m hoping that is reciprocal when we do something that is more in my vein. The hardest thing is getting people to pick up on it and not just want to have a Little Feat record from me. So many fans expect it to be a Little Feat record, and it’s never going to be a Little Feat record. If I wanted to do a Little Feat record, I’d record with Little Feat.
When Roger brings a song to you, do you try and meet in the middle between your respective styles, join him on his side, or stay on your side and add that flavor?
What I try and do is start from his point of view and then bring in some of my style points, and see if it works. We’re from two different generations. To combine them into one form of music is not only interesting, but thought-provoking. So far, I think we’ve done a really good job.
This is a digital release. How can people get the EP?
If they go to betterdaze.com, under the music heading, in the store, you can download the record and all its artwork in two different formats: mp3 or 44.1, which is CD-quality. That’s how we’re going to see this one, as opposed to pressing CDs and having the cost of shipping. We tried that with the first two records, and business-wise, it’s kind of a downward spiral, unless you’re Adele. I watch my kids, and they barely ever buy a new record. They’ll buy old music (on vinyl or CD). Any new music, they just download. [It’s also available on Amazon and iTunes.]
Has work started on Volume Two?
We’ve just started knocking around a few songs.
Have you given thought to forming a band with Roger to perform this music live, or are you content with it being a studio endeavor?
I’m satisfied in that aspect. The thought of actually putting together a band, rehearsing, and trying to crack into live performing to where you are going to be financially comfortable is kind of overwhelming for me. The last thing I want to do is get in a van which is probably what would happen. Clubs, and so forth, to me would be a step backwards from a performing angle. We did one performance together, but both of us have health issues that don’t enable us to really get out there and do it; me, with my liver, and he’s got a broken back. We also have different approaches. He likes to do music as it is recorded, where I like to improvise a lot. I’ve never been one to copy myself from night to night.
Just an aside of astonishment: Roger is playing drums with a broken back?
Yes. I am amazed at the things he can do.
Was it always the plan to do a five-song EP, or were you anxious to put these five out collectively rather than as singles or a full album?
We’ve always had it planned that we would do a Volume One and a Volume Two EP, basically based around the hope that Roger would be granted another surgical procedure. So, that’s why we got the first five tunes together and put them out as an EP. Marketing music these days is just an overwhelming task. You have to be constantly on social media pushing the stuff. And, it just doesn’t translate to sales a whole lot. We get lots and lots of streams, but it doesn’t pay a whole lot. It’s a crazy business to say the least. Frustrating. But, the joy really is in the creation of the music. If I wasn’t having a good time doing it, I wouldn’t, at this point. Like, I said, I’m old. (Laughs)
Music, especially in a digital format, seems, unfortunately, to be devalued now more than ever. Why is that?
It’s not just music. It’s the progression of humanity at this point. We’ve become a throwaway-based economy: You get something. You use it. You toss it. I think movies is another similar industry. Books, definitely.
Is it reversible?
That’s an interesting concept. It’s a sad state of affairs to think about. I’m not Debbie Downer. It’s just how things have grown, or their lack of growth. We live in a strange, pre-dystopian situation, where if change doesn’t happen, it will keep getting worse and worse. I would love to see giant changes all around the planet.
Is the role of an artist to reflect and offer alternatives or to distract?
It’s a little bit of both. There should be things that are distracting so that a person can have a good time. I think there is still a way to combine that with a good message. The message doesn’t have to be dogma, but just points something out for people to think about, to have a conversation. There are fewer and fewer real conversations these days. People yell at each other; they seem to be really good at that.
It seems like art used to direct the medium; longer songs encouraging the advent of the LP, for instance. Now the medium is directing the art; a positive with social media and digital independence is that it allows artists to connect more directly with their fans.
Absolutely. That’s another part of Better Daze; to have that freedom. We’re not telling anybody how to think. We’re just pointing things out. I think that’s something artists should do.
And, like the ethos of the ‘60s generation in which you grew up, not just with music, but as influential citizens, too.
I was talking with Jackson Browne the other day, talking songs and stuff, since we’re going down to Jamaica (for Little Feat shows). He said he’s been playing a lot, but that he has all these side projects for all these wonderful charities. He said it takes up a lot of his time, and I said, I applaud you for your devotion. If I was healthier, I’d get more involved.
Is performing becoming more difficult or does it provide some relief?
Being onstage is always fun. I thoroughly enjoy the interaction between musicians. Fred and I have a sort of sixth sense between us when we perform. We can basically almost read each other’s minds, and take songs that we do into different places from night to night. I’ve been trying to keep those (shows) down to working a weekend a month. So, you’re not on that constant jag of being on the road. That’s the thing that beats me up more than performing; the travel, the lack of sleep, getting on and off buses, in and out of hotel rooms. That kind of got old. But, I still like performing.
When you’re off the road for a long period of time, do you start to miss it more, or less?
I think I missed it less. But, there are certain situations that I really enjoy doing. The Dead Feat shows with Anders Osborne in New Orleans during Jazz Fest. It’s a jam fest. Who wouldn’t want to be involved with that? Things like that are exciting and great to do, and in a fun town.
How much longer do you want to do this?
I keep cutting back on my schedule. Mainly because, at 68, I’m comfortable financially, shall we say. I like relaxing. These past couple years being home so much has been wonderful. My kids say, “It’s unbelievable having you around so much. When are you leaving? “ (Laughs) I’ll continue doing it as long as I feel up to it. Who knows what tomorrow brings? Every day is a blessing.
Speaking of Anders, Little Feat now seems to be embraced by not one, but two, maybe even three generations of musicians. You joke of being old, but that admiration is a positive that comes with age. How does it make you feel?
I think it’s a testament to the music we made. To me, it’s total flattery.
Can you give me a state-of-the-band Little Feat update?
It’s like, absence makes the heart grow fonder. Little Feat, for years and years, kept beating the same bushes. We noticed our guarantees were going down. It just wasn’t a solid business plan. Nowadays, when we go to Jamaica and doing four dates in the Northeast in the fall- people actually want to come see you, and in bigger venues. It works out as a better situation. There’s talk of doing more than just the one fall run but, so far, nothing has come of it. Little Feat is always on the back burner. If it happens, it happens.
The back burner is still lit?
Oh, yeah. I try never to burn bridges or put flames out.
