Chattanooga Pulse

It’s been a long time in the making, but finally JJ’s Bohemia and I have wrangled this fabulous foursome into a Scenic City show, October 17! The Tammys will be opening up for the band, which is kind of like a dream come true for front man Dustin Concannon, as Superdrag has been one of his favorite bands and biggest influences. Actually, Superdrag has come up quite often as a favorite in many of my interviews. It isn’t hard to understand why when you listen to them.

I hate to come across as someone who gushes, but with this band, I’ll risk it. They rule. Simply put. They haven’t been in this market for a few years, but are back and ready to rock your faces off, with a new album, Industry Giants. Check it out and see what all the fuss is about. And by fuss, I mean rock.
Hellcat: The last time I spoke to you guys was in March, right before the release of your new album. What all has happened since then?

John Davis: The record came out on March 17, then we left for SXSW the next say. We originally had six shows booked for the four days we were scheduled to be there, but we missed the first two because we had to sit on the runway in Nashville for four hours. Bummer. We got to see HR from Bad Brains, the Circle Jerks and Grant Hart from Husker Du the first night we were there. We were pretty stoked on that. Anyway, we went out and played D.C., Philly, New York, Brooklyn, Boston, Rock Island, Chicago and Charlotte, so far. Plus, we got to record another session at Daytrotter, which we really enjoyed doing. I’m a big fan of what they’ve got going on up there.

HC: How has the reception to the new album been?

JD: I’d say it’s been overwhelmingly positive. Overall, the press for this record is probably the best we’ve ever gotten.

HC: I can see why. The album is solid. Has it been what you expected? Why or why not?

JD: I tried not to have too many set expectations going in, honestly. In a situation like this, you kind of already know that anything you do is going to be constantly compared to what you did 10 years before. In some people’s minds, we’d never top Head Trip In Every Key no matter what we came back with. I’m all right with that.

HC: What is your personal favorite song on the album and why?

JD: Probably “Everything’ll Be Made Right.” I think that might be my favorite guitar solo I’ve ever put down on a Superdrag track. It was cut on a 1956 Fender Stratocaster. Frankly, playing that guitar made me feel proud to be an American. That’s a prime example of American ingenuity that changed the entire world and made it better, in my opinion. If you can’t pick that instrument up and feel moved to play your very best, you oughta just hang it up and go to the house.

HC: That’s actually my favorite song, as well. I dig the lyrics. Which song seems to get the most response live?

JD: “Aspartame”, probably.

HC: What do you see Superdrag doing in this upcoming year? And the next?

JD: We have plans to do a special Limited Edition release of Jokers With Tracers, the 20 Head Trip In Every Key demos we recorded up in Bearsville, NY in February of 1997. That stuff has been pretty sought-after among the hardcore fans, but all the versions that circulated online, etc. were pretty poor quality. These will be re-mastered from the original masters, and we’re putting a lot of thought into the packaging and extras. There’s even been some talk of going out and playing the “Head Trip…” record top-to-bottom at a handful of special gigs. I guess we’ll see where it goes.

HC: Has keeping a clean lifestyle changed you or your music in any way? How so?

JD: It’s changed me in every way.

HC: How does having a family life and being a successful musician work out?

JD: You’ve got to maintain the proper balance between taking care of your family, spending time with your kids, and doing what the music requires. We established from the get-go that the new-school Superdrag thing was going to be strictly part-time. None of us have any interest in staying on the road indefinitely and missing our wives and kids. So the gigs are pretty sporadic and infrequent, but it’s just the way it’s got to be.

HC: That’s admirable. Do you have any free advice for the aspiring musicians out there?

JD: The world doesn’t owe you anything, so do as much as you possibly can for yourself. If you deal with a label, never let them tell you how the music should be done, and never go against your instinct for the possibility of some short-term advantage. You have to live with that record for the rest of your life, so make it the way you want to make it. Nobody knows more about how your music should sound than you do.

Superdrag with The Tammys
$10
9 p.m.
Saturday, October 17
JJ’s Bohemia, 231 E. MLK Blvd.
(423) 266-1400.
www.myspace.com/jjsbohemia