In anticipation of our New Year's Eve show at Pappy & Harriet's, I did a little interview for the
The Los Angeles-based Paul Chesne Band is a regular at Pappy and
Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace. After playing there at the Campout with
Camper Van Beethoven and Cracker in September, the Paul Chesne Band will
return to Pappy’s for New Year’s Eve. For more information, visit
www.facebook.com/paulchesneband or
www.paulchesne.com; to make reservations for the Pappy’s New Year’s Eve bash, get details at
pappyandharriets.com. Paul Chesne was kind enough to answer The Lucky 13.
What was the first concert you attended?
The Jacksons’
Victory Tour at Dodger Stadium, in December 1984. I was wearing the
Thriller jacket and a sequined glove.
What was the first album you owned?
The first cassette I got was Air Supply’s
Greatest Hits. My
older sister made fun of me, but it was the only (tape) I had, so I
listened to it over and over. I don’t think I’ve listened to it since.
The first two CDs I got were Paul Simon’s
Graceland and The Beatles’
Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.
What bands are you listening to right now?
Black Sabbath, Kip Boardman, Nancy Sinatra, Ramsay Midwood, and First Aid Kit.
What artist, genre or musical trend does everyone love, but you don’t get?
The Foo Fighters. They are doing everything right. I love what I’ve seen of
Sonic Highways;
we had talked about doing something similar on a smaller scale among my
circle of musicians, but Dave Grohl trumped us. I just don’t get their
music. It’s rock ’n’ roll; it’s smart, and I should love it, but I just
don’t.
What musical act, current or defunct, would you most like to see perform live?
I’d love to have seen Elvis in Vegas. That would’ve probably been
righteously and offensively decadent. Plus, he had a killer band with
James Burton, Jerry Scheff and the Sweet Inspirations. As a bonus, (I’d
have loved) to have been invited to one of the legendary spontaneous
late-night gospel sessions they had. I remember several years ago
listening to some of that stuff when I had eaten some psychedelics, and
feeling close to God or something.
What’s your favorite musical guilty pleasure?
Barbra Streisand.
What’s your favorite music venue?
I love Pappy and Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace, and I like the Greek Theatre (in Los Angeles).
What’s the one song lyric you can’t get out of your head?
Right now, I have this obscure country song by Linda Martell stuck in my head, “Color Him Father.”
What band or artist changed your life? How?
When Dwight Yoakam parted ways with his band a little more than 10
years ago, he hired a bunch of guys out of the local L.A. scene. Those
guys, like Mitch Marine, Dave Roe and Josh Grange, ended up being a huge
part of directly changing my musical career by helping me record my
first real album, and have played live with me countless times. I have
met tons of amazing people through them. I owe them a lot. Also: the
rock ’n’ roll band The Vacation, which was signed to American Recordings
by Rick Rubin for a while. I went to see them play probably at least 50
times. I learned a ton from watching their lead singer, Ben Tegel,
taunt an audience. The rest of the band has been in my band at some
point for a number of years. Many of my players have played with them.
You have one question to ask one musician. What’s the question, and who are you asking?
I’d ask Debbie Harry, in 1978: “Can we have sex?”
What song would you like played at your funeral?
“Dropkick Me Jesus,” by Bobby Bare.
Figurative gun to your head, what is your favorite album of all time?
James Brown,
Live at the Apollo 1962.
What song should everyone listen to right now?
“Offshore Bank Accounts,” by Paul Chesne.
Coachella Valley Independent.
