{"id":316,"date":"2010-08-26T05:22:47","date_gmt":"2010-08-26T10:22:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.musoscribe.com\/?p=316"},"modified":"2010-08-26T05:22:47","modified_gmt":"2010-08-26T10:22:47","slug":"interview-the-fabulous-thunderbirds-kim-wilson-part-one","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/blog.musoscribe.com\/index.php\/2010\/08\/26\/interview-the-fabulous-thunderbirds-kim-wilson-part-one\/","title":{"rendered":"Interview: The Fabulous Thunderbirds\u2019 Kim Wilson (part one)"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Fabulous Thunderbirds are nominally a blues band, but in the thirty-plus years since their founding by Kim Wilson and Jimmie Vaughan<\/strong> (the latter left for a solo career in 1989) they\u2019ve melded a lot of styles into their music. The group rose to commercial prominence with MTV and radio hits \u201cTuff Enuff\u201d and \u201cWrap It Up,\u201d (both 1986), but continue to be a popular concert draw.<\/em><\/p>\n

After Vaughan left, Wilson led an oft-changing lineup (one that for a few years included ace guitarist Nick Curran, whose album <\/em>Reform School Girls<\/a> is reviewed here<\/a>). The latest lineup has been together since 2008, and includes Wilson (vocals and harmonica), Johnny Moeller and Mike Keller on guitars, Randy Bermudes on bass, and Johnny\u2019s brother Jay on drums.<\/em><\/p>\n

I had planned to meet up with the band just before they took the stage at the 2010 Bele Chere Festival in Asheville NC, but schedules being what they are, the band didn\u2019t have time before taking the stage. In the end, this worked to everyone\u2019s advantage. After Wilson and his bandmates worked the autograph line, they invited me into their tour bus (good thing, since it was a hot and humid July night) and we sat down for a post-show conversation.<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Bill Kopp:<\/strong> For me, your music has always sort of transcended genres. It’s not strictly blues: there’s plenty of R&B, soul and rock in it. And it’s changed over time. Do you think those changes are a function of the changing lineups, or do they have to do with the sorts of songs you write?<\/font><\/p>\n

Kim Wilson: <\/strong>I\u2019m kinda going places that I want to go. I might not have been able to go those places with other lineups. This lineup affords me to go a lot of different places, a lot of different kinds of music. More than I\u2019ve ever been able to do. The singing has become a little more important\u2026the singing is everything. It\u2019s the whole thing. The harmonica is good, and you can create a lot of excitement with that, but without the songs and the singing\u2026<\/p>\n

It\u2019s all about females appreciating it. So you\u2019ve got to be able to sing \u2018em up a little bit to get that. Otherwise [chuckles]\u2026you\u2019ve got problems<\/em>.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Bill Kopp:<\/strong> Do you think you have been unfairly pigeonholed as a blues act?<\/font><\/p>\n

Kim Wilson:<\/strong> Sometimes. When we try to do things now, you know, they put us right in that blues category. And they\u2019re able to do that because the blues category is so nebulous. People are having a hard time figuring out what blues is, because they\u2019ve been exposed to so much stuff that isn\u2019t<\/em> blues, [but] that\u2019s called <\/em>blues. There\u2019s very few bands who are gonna be able to really play blues.<\/p>\n

As much different stuff as we do, lots of times on blues festivals, we\u2019re the only people playing any blues!<\/p>\n

Bill Kopp:<\/strong> Lots of jam bands and stuff\u2026<\/font><\/p>\n

Kim Wilson:<\/strong> Jam bands \u2013 that\u2019s okay. As long as they don\u2019t call it blues. I think it\u2019s time for just music <\/em>festivals. There\u2019s so few people playing blues now. What\u2019s cool about these roots festivals is that you get people like Mavis Staples<\/strong>, Alison Krauss<\/strong> and Robert Plant<\/strong>, Robert Cray<\/strong>, Los Lobos<\/strong><\/a>, some jazz people, some soul people. You really get the cream of all musics, and you kind of cut the fat off. Ad you get an opportunity, a special day with [artists] who are kinda just starting out.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s a standard that you need to go by. You need to give the audience the top of what there is. And I\u2019d like to think that we are one of those bands. But I think you\u2019ve got to give people their money\u2019s worth. I think that after five in the afternoon, you really can\u2019t be messin\u2019 around. You know what I mean? Up \u2018til five, maybe.<\/p>\n

Bill Kopp:<\/strong> \u201cIt\u2019s been a long day. Impress me!\u201d<\/font><\/p>\n

Kim Wilson: <\/strong>Right<\/em>. What do they say? Win or go home. I mean, it\u2019s easy for me to talk like that now, because I just got finished playing in front of a great crowd. They were very receptive from the beginning. And that makes your job so easy. You just give \u2018em all you got, and you can relax. There\u2019s not ever a feeling of being frantic.<\/p>\n

Bill Kopp: <\/strong>When they\u2019re looking at their watch and crossing their arms, you\u2019ve got problems.<\/font><\/p>\n

Kim Wilson:<\/strong> And that happens sometimes. But this is a concert pretty much in a perfect world, as far as a crowd goes.<\/p>\n

Bill Kopp:<\/strong> It helps that [laughs] we all get fairly liquored up earlier in the evening. <\/font><\/p>\n

On some level I kind of see you as a more modern version of John Mayall<\/strong>.<\/font><\/p>\n

Kim Wilson:<\/strong> The way I\u2019ve got people comin\u2019 in and out [of the band]?<\/p>\n

Bill Kopp:<\/strong> Yes. You\u2019ve got the vision. The way I see it, there\u2019s enough \u201cspace\u201d in your vision. It\u2019s not like, \u2018you guys are gonna come in, and you\u2019re gonna play this note, and you\u2019re gonna play it this way.\u201d It\u2019s not that. It\u2019s wide open. And it\u2019s not just that you\u2019re the constant guy. It\u2019s more than that. Do you think the Mayall comparison is a fair one?<\/font><\/p>\n

Kim Wilson:<\/strong> Sure. But there\u2019s a fair number of people you can say that about. Muddy Waters<\/strong><\/a>, for instance. There\u2019s a few bandleaders who have played a lot of different kinds of music that have had people come in and out of their bands. People like Duke Ellington<\/strong> and Count Basie<\/strong> had some unbelievable people.<\/p>\n

Mayall, he helped out a lot of people. He gave a lot of people jobs, and pushed them on their way. He did a great thing. And he made people aware of blues music. He comes from my era. That was back in the sixties when we were kids. I\u2019ve gotten to know John over the years. He\u2019s a great guy; he\u2019s always been very gracious, very complimentary. I have a lot — a lot<\/em> — of respect for John Mayall.<\/p>\n

Bill Kopp:<\/strong> It\u2019s hard to imagine: if we didn\u2019t have him, what we would have missed on. Some really talented people that might not have gotten that hand up.<\/font><\/p>\n

Four-fifths of the current lineup has been together since 2007, and Mike Keller<\/strong> has been with you for two years. With all the gigs you’ve done, I imagine that you all got that whole unspoken musical communication thing down pretty quick.<\/font><\/p>\n

Kim Wilson:<\/strong> We\u2019re finding some direction now. The whole Chicago blues thing with this band is not there; that\u2019s not what it really is. You can get some tastes of it, but it\u2019s more Bobby \u201cBlue\u201d Bland<\/strong>, Texas-type stuff, more guitar-oriented stuff. I\u2019ll pick up the harmonica maybe three, four songs in a night. And good ones, y\u2019know? But I think it\u2019s really about all those different directions you can go, that you can show people.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve actually thought about doing some more country\u2026doing a country type of thing. I love George Jones<\/strong>, and I\u2019ve thought about showing people what I can do as a country singer.<\/p>\n

Bill Kopp:<\/strong> There are hints of that in your music. Country blues. It wouldn\u2019t be a left turn for you.<\/font><\/p>\n

Kim Wilson:<\/strong> You know that song, \u201cDo You Know Who I Am.\u201d That\u2019s very country sounding.<\/p>\n

Bill Kopp:<\/strong> If you tweak the arrangement a little bit, it would be totally <\/em>George Jones.<\/font><\/p>\n

Kim Wilson:<\/strong> [laughs] I\u2019d love to hear him do it!<\/p>\n

Bill Kopp:<\/strong> That would be nice. It would probably pay some bills, too, wouldn\u2019t it?<\/font><\/p>\n

In part two<\/a> of our interview, Wilson talks about the origin on the concept of the band, where he wants to go with the new recordings, and who he’s listening to these days. Wilson also throws a few good-natured f-bombs. <\/em><\/p>\n

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