JERRY LEGER
“THE GOOD OLD DAYS ARE BACK IN DRAG” MINI-ALBUM
Q: This new 7-track “mini-album”, as you’re calling it,seems very out of the blue. What’s the story behind it?
A: Well, there’s no real big story behind it. In lateOctober I thought it would be fun to walk over to my buddy Tim Bovaconti’s andrecord some mainly new tunes that I thought had a certain vibe to them.
I called up mygood friend Kyle Sullivan to play drums, Tim picked up the bass and I ended upplaying an old Andy Warhol covered Telecaster. The songs ended up sounding pretty good so I thought I would releasethem!
Q: What urged you to release this so soon after thecurrent album Traveling Grey?
A: Well, I don’t think it’s so so soon. Traveling Grey is almost a year old now.If I had the money and people were willing, I’d release 3 albums a month!
I just thought it was a lot of fun to make and I feelthat comes across. A couple of the tunes, “You Didn’t Bury Me Deep Enough” and“When the World is ending” are very alive and jump out at you. We basically dideverything live off the floor so it’s not faked enthusiasm!
Q: Is it true that this will be a Digital-Only release?
A: Well, for now. Cd’s seem to be more and moredisposable. I just put out the last album on vinyl because there was demand forit. I think The Good Old Days are Back inDrag will for now be a digital download with a probable vinyl release downthe road. I just wanted to get it out before xmas and I did!
Digital has something exciting going for it in the sensethat in a few seconds you can have new music to listen to. I still use pen andpaper for most things so I’m still getting the hang of things. My thoughts onthe digital age might already sound out-dated (laughter)
Q: Correct me if I’m wrong but I picked up a certainearly rock ‘n’ roll feel to most of thetunes except for “Coffin Blues” which sounds like an old field recording fromthe 30’s. Did you have any particular intentions with how the songs were goingto sound? Was there a concept in mind?
A: Hmm, Well I knew there was a certain sound and feel Iwanted for all the band tunes. I did feel that having slap-back echo oneverything was a must. We recorded everything live with that echo on in ourheadphones. I did think that at least a few songs lent themselves to that 50’srock ‘n’ roll excitement. I love early rock ‘n’ roll. It always puts me in agood mood when I hear it. I mean, what an exciting time. Imagine living in thelate 50’s? I love the innocence. I love the 60’s as well, a lot of folk, soul,and rock ‘n’ roll heroes in that decade but minds were also fogged up and blownup. You can’t beat artists like Buddy Holly, Little Richard or Chuck Berry forgood ol’ rock ‘n’ roll! I mean, Chuck is a poet!
“Coffin Blues” was just a song I had laying around that Idug and I recorded a demo using my bathroom for an effect and recorded it on alittle tape recorder. It came out sounding really lo-fi and drawn out (laughter)and I thought I’d stick it at the end of the album to see if you were stilllistening.
Q: Where did the title, The Good Old Days are Back in Drag come from? Is it a reference toanything?
A: Well, it’s actually a line from a very old song ofmine called “My Cute Asylum Dream”. Ineeded a title and that old line popped into my head. I thought it was funnybecause I’m letting my rock ‘n’ roll influence seep into these tunes but I’mthrowing a new dress over it. Actually the only older tune we recorded (“NeverWait”) was written around the same time as “My Cute Asylum Dream”. I wasprobably 17 or so. From the sounds of it, I was more in touch with the humancondition back then!
Q: Well, it’s great to hear you playing electric guitaragain. We haven’t heard you play this fast since your 2ndalbum Farewell Ghost Town. How do you feel thefans you’ve made with the last couple more folkie-country albums will thinkabout the new project?
A: Who knows! It all sounds the same to me!