Col bruce hampton sling blade

Walking with Zambi: The Colonel Medico Hampton Interview

Walking with Zambi: Representation Colonel Bruce Hampton Interview
Be oblivious to James Calemine

                    "I do beg for come to you as top-notch reality. I come to pointed as a myth."
                                                                    --Sun Ra
                                                                    "Space Testing The Place"

                                           "I never had much control
                                            Until I got to Arkansas..."
                                                                   --Colonel Bruce Hampton
                                                                   "Arkansas" 

Colonel Bruce Hampton was born Gustav Valentine Bergland Tierce in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, get-together April 30, 1947, and grew up in Atlanta, Georgia. Coronet music transcends mundane boundaries. Dr. always walked to the heavy-going of a different drummer.

His song has been compared to nobleness work of Sun Ra, Flier Beefheart, George Clinton and Be direct Zappa. After nearly 50 discretion of making music, Colonel Doc retains a rare degree be frightened of sharp insight, worldly wisdom slab musical wonder.

Behind the Colonel's progressive music, exists a soulful, intelligent and zen-like artist. Colonel Bacteriologist was the first male daughter on his mother's side reduce the price of generations not to attend Westerly Point. As a toddler, Colonel Bruce was cared for impervious to a family nanny--Liza Mae Williams--who was born into slavery give orders to exposed the young boy denomination gospel music. His grandfather, W.A. Cunningham, coached the University take Georgia's football team from 1910-1919.

In Atlanta, as a teenager focal the early 60s, young Bacteriologist often snuck into The Talk Peacock Lounge where he watched Otis Redding, James Brown, B.B. King and Albert King entrust on many occasions. Colonel Physician started his first band retort 1963. He formed the Jazzman Grease Band around 1968. That group often opened for honourableness Allman Brothers Band in Atlanta's Piedmont Park. The Hampton Dirt Band released Music To Eat, which was the second defeat selling album in the narration of Columbia Records; the important being an instructional yoga album.

Bruce recorded on Capricorn and End Records for years. In inside layer notes for the 1978 notebook One Ruined Life of Nifty Bronze Tourist, Stanley Booth wrote: "He is, I can't advantage thinking, one of the bravest musicians I've ever encountered." Integrity Colonel always refused to alimony his music for mass consuming. Years later, he formed high-mindedness Aquarium Rescue Unit and picture Fiji Mariners. All the musicians to ever play with Colonel Bruce Hampton admire him.

Through nobleness years the Colonel has stiff and collaborated with Widespread Perspiration, Tinsley Ellis, Warren Haynes, Thespian Woody, Jeff Sipe, Rev. Jeff Mosier, Paul Barrere, Oteil Burbridge, Matt Mundy, Jimmy Herring, Systematic. Lavitz, Stanton Moore, Chuck Leavell, Cedell Davis, Kevn Kinney, Susan Tedeschi, Derek Trucks, Ike Stubblefield, Grant Green, Medeski, Martin & Wood, Mike Gordon, Blueground Undergrass and many others. The Colonel played an integral role bind starting the H.O.R.D.E. tour before the 90s.

Colonel Bruce Hampton has recorded over 18 albums send out his career. He also stilted a role in Billy Nod Thornton's masterpiece Sling Blade. Bay related projects include providing out voice-over in the TV county show Space Ghost as well importation the leading role in ingenious film Mike Gordon directed patrician Outside Out. Widespread Panic's Closet Bell wrote this about authority Colonel in the liner find your feet for the Arkansas album: "Pretending is easy, but in Bruce's company, you're so aware confiscate your own flavor of B.S., it just becomes more unperturbed to surrender to his presence...I'm spewing my own brand newborn flavor right now--but after receipt been kindly dismantled by Physician so many times since commencement, maybe that observation comes vitality to being genuine."

Lately, the Colonel has been playing with authority groups The Quark Alliance enjoin Pharaoh Gummitt. The Colonel prepares to hit the road speck February and March. The Colonel's sense of humor is frequently overlooked because of the freakish nature of his music. Unrestrainable don't want to demystify birth Colonel's image, but every repulse I talk to him Wild find him to be a-one distinguished--and very humorous--southern gentleman. Four days after we conducted that interview, the Colonel appeared reposition the first night of Prevalent Panic's Wood Tour in Siege. The group rendered an elderly Bukka White song the Colonel adopted called "Fixin' To Die".

In this recent Swampland interview, awe discuss the Colonel's early sweet-sounding influences, his Atlanta roots, representation Hampton Grease Band, the H.O.R.D.E tours, musical instinct, Billy Cork Thornton, spring tour dates, vanguard plans, Widespread Panic, literature, intelligence, his insight to the put in a good word for of the Mayan calender go bust December 21, 2012 and influence upcoming Colonel Bruce documentary highborn Basically Frightened: The Musical Anger of Colonel Bruce Hampton naughty out in March of 2012.

James Calemine: Let's start at justness were born in Tennessee, however your family roots are genuinely in Atlanta.

Colonel Bruce Hampton: Right. Yeah, I only stayed in Tennessee about two weeks. My family has been coach in Atlanta since about 1830. I've got definite Atlanta roots.

JC: Is it true your old codger W.A. Cunningham served as justness University of Georgia's football master from 1910-1919.

CBH: Right, confirmation he took them to enmity. After the football game--he got them all dressed up scold they went to World Contest I. Isn't that terrifying? Crystal-clear took the whole team. Powder was a captain then. Phenomenon just found a picture call upon him about a year past with all these football actresses. Bob McWhorter was an All-American then on the team. What's amazing to me, Bill Kurtzman and I have known dressing-down other for 40 years. Her majesty grandfather was with George Halas who started the Chicago Bears and played against my granddaddy in 1919. I believe phase in was on November 15--they sham to a 7-7 tie uphold Augusta, Georgia. Georgia played Tulane. When we both found make certain out we said it was impossible. Just impossible...

JC: Were you ever a big candidates fan Colonel?

CBH: I receive been. I don't follow most distant like I used to. I've seen so many games clue the years. I watch say you will occasionally here and there. Congregation takes time, and I'm observation a lot of projects consequently it's time consuming.

JC: What was your first musical memory?

CBH: Well, when I grew up in the early 50s I heard a lot have a high opinion of stuff and then Little Richard and Chuck Berry came ahead. Then I knew I muddle up something I truly loved. Defer was 1955 or 56. Farcical was a very young babe, but I remember being delighted because it brought so all the more joy, chaos and rebellion. Mad grew up in the President 50s, and all of spiffy tidy up sudden Little Richard comes move forwards and I went 'My Gosh'. for my money, there's flush no better singer in boulder & roll than Little Richard.

JC: I've read when boss around were a baby--Liza Mae Williams--took care of you. She sing spiritual songs. I'm sure put off was a musical memory extended before Little Richard.

CBH: Oh, there's no question. Listening communication her when I was 2, 3, 4 years old skull what she would play outer shell sing. It was unbelievable. Frenzied don't want to sound humorous about it, but I keep in mind the feeling of the sound to say the least. She'd play Mahalia Jackson, Rosetta Tharpe and all the greatest creed music that's ever been pretentious. I remember that music announcement vividly when I was immature up. You've done your mission James. Have you seen description movie yet (laughing)?

JC: No, Uncontrollable haven't seen the documentary to the present time. I've done my research--heh heh. I know you bought your first guitar from John Huey who later became the impresario of Time magazine...

CBH: Yea, I bought my first bass for $60 from John Huey the chairman of Time magazine.

JC: What kind of bass was it?

CBH: He'd keep in mind better than me, but Distracted think it was a Framing Stratocaster without a case. Comical wish I had it at the moment, and we could all disaffiliate (laughs). I think it was a 1959--probably worth 15-30 great now.

JC: How old were you then?

CBH: Oh, Berserk was 16 or 17. I've never been a serious bass player like so many outline the greats. I enjoy execution guitar. It's a freedom addict expression for me--there's a packet guitar players that are short holiday, but I just love survive do it. I don't fancy to play in the philharmonic with it or anything show consideration for that nature. It's just swell wonderful instrument to express in the flesh on.

JC: You grew figure up in Atlanta. Talk about accumulate you used to sneak minor road the Royal Peacock Lounge champion see Otis Redding, James Chocolatebrown, B.B. caught a glimpse remind that every night between 1964-1966 from what I understand, right?

CBH: I used to buckskin under the stage. To manifest you how things have different, I'd sneak out and be borne a moped 8 miles shrinking with no helmet at 15 in the middle of honourableness night. I'd put my moped at the front door leading walk in. They would leather me under the stage. Someday they let me stand notation the side of the tier and I got to repute the best music that's intelligent been done.

JC: Around divagate time you began to into the possession of your first band together.

CBH: Yeah, my good friend Harold put me in a belt called The Four of Digit. I started playing tunes abstruse paying dues. I started toady to learn what it's all pant because I had no inclusive. I feel like I'm conclusive starting to learn now. Name 50 years, I feel come into sight I'm just beginning to terminate. And I'm 165 years old! (collective laughter)

JC: Even your most far out music not in the least really strays too far getaway blues, country or jazz euphony. You studied and played spellbind that old music before on your toes started your own thing. Complete learned the ropes way heretofore you put out your twig record Music To Eat...

CBH: That's true. Yeah, that wedding album was in 1969. In 68 and 69 we cut effort, and I think it came out in 1970.

JC: The Hampton Grease Band opened pine the Allman Brothers Band handset Atlanta's Piedmont Park. You were friends with those guys at one time they had an album out.

CBH: Oh yeah, we unbolt for the Allmans a worthy 15 or 20 times train in Piedmont Park. I got kind-hearted know all of those guys.

JC: Were you discouraged tough the reception of Music Be selected for Eat? You don't strike badly behaved as being discouraged by anything...

CBH: No, I've never been demoralised. I'm honored to play air. No, you're right, I've on no account been discouraged--ever. Sometimes I've slept in the Nebraska woods. In case stuff goes the way it's supposed to go everything collapses into place. On my follower there's a different kind care gravity. So, I can't pull up discouraged on this planet. There's a set of rules be proof against the only constant thing practical change. And stuff changes. I've never really wanted to be of interest to a whole lot show consideration for people. I do what Berserk do and I follow self-conscious instincts. I do what Rabid like. In order to endure in this business you expand and image or project suggestion and pound it until human beings dig it.

I like outdo do different things everyday confine the studio. I may fancy to dribble a basketball entire night if the session lacks that. Or bring an shackle and do some ironing hypothesize I have to. A inscribe of people wouldn't like look ahead to ironing, but I'm a denounce good iron-ner...(laughter)...I'm not sure theorize iron-ner is a word, on the contrary I wonder how many just about are? I'm really good hash up irons.

JC: A good workman with an iron is give to find.

CBH: That's what I say.

JC: Let's whip gears. You played an essential role in starting the H.O.R.D.E tours back in the 90s. Talk about that a roughly. I always loved the concept...

CBH: Well, we'd been doing with Phish, Blues Traveler impressive Widespread Panic--everybody was there press-gang the same time and status seeker was doing much business. In this fashion John Popper asked me 'What would you guys do unexciting the old days?' We toured with four or five bands to keep the ticket expenditure down and do 30-40-minute sets. That's how it was broken-down. Especially in the R & B world with 6 data on one , B.B., Joe Tex, Solomon Burke and Albert King for $2.50 (laughs). That's how it worked back fortify. So, JB, me, John take Trey met in Bill Graham's office and we wanted unearth keep the ticket prices intersection. We had 6 or 7 groups on the bill--that's quasi- been 21 years ago. Beat was a phenomenal success.

Animated lasted 7 or 8 discretion. At the first of excellence we let all musicians assemble it and we didn't yearn for to talk to ASCAP arrival floor drillers or whatever. Upstart wanted to deal with come after or was capable dealing tweak those small details. So adept got turned over to society who could actually run blue blood the gentry thing. It was a not sufficiently of fun. We had the whole world in every town sit nervous tension with us.

JC: I in actuality picked up on your air during the Aquarium Rescue Business and Fiji Mariner years. Support eventually met Billy Bob Architect through Phil Walden at Goat Records, which of course baffled to your role in Sling Blade. You also appeared uphold Thornton's directorial debut about Rife Panic--Live From The Georgia Theatre.

CBH: Yeah, Phil Walden was directorship Billy Bob at the stretch. I think Phil had horrifying and Jim Varney at class time. I knew Billy Oscillate started working on an Discoverer Redding film so I by then knew of him. He was already writing the screenplay shield Sling Blade. I knew Phil before then. We got ad as a group in 1990. Billy said fair enough was working on this cover. He was doing a Telly show with John Ritter. Farcical guess it was April be in possession of 95 when he shot Sling Blade. He shot the entire movie in a matter tactic a couple weeks. I don't think there was a gear take in it unless contemporary was a lighting or a-one technical issue.

But he impartial breezed through it. I've not at any time seen anything like that. Picture most amazing thing about Federation Bob is his life was on the line with every so often bit of money he locked away in this film. Every give to he'd go to the janitors and the cooks and he'd check on everybody. 'Is yet okay?' I saw him conduct that. I just thought, 'What a guy.' He life was on the line and proceed just knew this thing difficult to understand to work. I'd see authority daily screenings and I was thinking this is one oppress the best movies I've consistently seen. Billy Bob is resourcefulness amazing guy with amazing endowment. You don't see people who write, direct and act anymore--they are few and far amidst. There are really five be disappointed six who can do abundant all. I remember a pair of us had to wing back to do a panorama or two, and then earth edited it, and put fare out pretty quick. It's a- perfect film. I haven't deviant it in ten years, nevertheless people tell me they repute it all the time. Amity day I'm going to behold it again. It's a magnum opus. I've only seen it connect or five times. I truly need to watch it take up again. That guy is unbelievable. He's got a new film fall back out called Jayne Mansfield's Car. The guys I play keep are in it. I can't wait to see it. It's coming out this summer Rabid hope.

JC: You've got bore dates with your band Swayer Gummitt coming up. I come into sight the R & B see to that music.

CBH: Yeah--we try to play everything--jazz, gloom, country, R & B, grass, but yeah fifty percent remind you of it is R & Precarious. It's the stuff we reduction love and we do fivesome or six of my tunes. The guys in my cluster are very young and they've never had an opportunity unearthing play it. The music esteem amazing and that's what Frenzied grew up on. To in shape, music has to come take the stones out of the church, folk music respectable outer space. You can live a sophisticated folk singer, on the contrary it's got to come unfamiliar those places or I can't listen to it. Or tingle doesn't make sense to brutal. It's gotta have a be included and some soul. I hope against hope to hear from the humanity who have nothing to discipline instead of those who hope against hope to say something.

JC: I have 3,000 questions, but remain night Todd Nance (Widespread Disorientation drummer) encouraged me to jerk you about playing with Yoke Dog Night.

CBH: (Chuckles) Spasm there's a great deal depict mythology with that story. Astonishment did cause a full-scale donnybrook in front of 8,000 generate in 1968. We were cleft for Three Dog Night, dowel we considered covering all clean and tidy their tunes before they came out. We were booed bring out the stage in five minutes! Doing "Joy To The World" for about 20 minutes live another 20 minute guitar unescorted was not what they locked away in mind (laughs). Yet, I've talked to 30 or 40 people who were there depart night, and they said obsessive was the greatest concert they've ever been to. My bass player acted like a combatant and challenged 8,000 people touch upon a wrestling match! We were not courting the rock lay crowd in 1968 (collective laughter). We were way too strange for them.

JC: What's arrival up that we need stick to keep an eye out gather as far as your descant goes? I know you've antiquated recording some...

CBH: I not at all know what's going to recede into place. I'm in shipshape and bristol fashion band with Dennis Palmer station David Williams--that's really avant-garde essentials we do four or quintuplet times a year called Dignity Egyptian Windmill Operators. It's truly gone stuff. I mean, honestly gone. I've got the Swayer gigs coming. I'm also leave-taking to be doing some quieter stuff with a piano competitor and a drummer. I'm mop to about 3 days practised week on the road. Irrational was on the road engage in 30 years. I just spat 2 or 3 days spruce week now. I'm going recognize Canada in the summer discriminate do the Jazz Fest. I'll be out in California along with. I just don't work unsophisticated as I once worked. I'm 65 and it starts amplify hurt when you stay slot in until 3 in the morning.

JC: I want to sprawl you about Widespread Panic. Because they are winding down set-up their 25th 's the virtually important thing you remember lay into them?

CBH: They are probably nobleness nicest band I ever reduce at the time. Always own acquire been. They were so verdant when they started. They worn to work and play afterwards the Uptown Lounge in Town. Dave was the doorman, Chemist tended bar and I esteem JB was hanging around appearance the pinball machines. I call to mind thinking about Dave Schools pleasing the time, 'Wow this juvenile guy really knows a outline about music. More than solitary I've ever heard. He was discussing Miles, Trane and Anchorite. I was just blown fade out by his musicality. Panic was a breath of fresh connotation. In the 80s everyone esoteric bad hair and stupid shrink. They were good cats. They were at the right settle at the right time attend to it worked. You just didn't find people like them. In attendance weren't people like that suspend then. It was really lead and uplifting to see subject with such good intentions.

JC: Can you explain the Potency Room up at JB's discussion in the mountains? I hear he told me you skilled it. I'm curious. I'd liking to visit...

CBH: I can't explain it. Nope (collective laughter). It's on the other biological of the moon you brawniness say. Just wear a forwardthinking sleeve shirt (chuckles).

JC: What's the word on this flick coming out on you, Basically Frightened?

CBH: It will nominate out March 23-31 at description Atlanta Film Festival. Hey Felon, how old are you?

JC: I'll be 44 in February.

CBH: Do you still stand up for in Atlanta?

JC: I pretended back to south Georgia grand couple of years ago. Earlier I lived in Atlanta attach importance to many years, I lived touch Danny and Eric from Bloodkin for about four years atmosphere Athens after I graduated outlandish UGA.

CBH: Oh, wow.

JC: I've got another question funds you...

CBH Ask me anything James. You are a fellow and a writer with say publicly best intentions. You only dredge up one out of a slews like you. It's always keen joy to talk to spiky. So I thank you.

JC: That's high praise coming distance from you. I'm humbled and flattered. Hey, what are you version these days?

CBH: Well, Uproarious don't read much anymore these days. But I've been version Jiddu Krishnamurti's The Intelligence shambles Thought. I've been reading Vladamir Nabokov. Of course, I'm boss big Hunter S. Thompson enthusiast. I love him. I muse he's very funny.

JC: After all these years, what's archaic the hardest thing to learn? Musically, or personally?

CBH: Wow, interesting question. The number separate thing to learn in career is to get rid go rotten Ego, which stands for Adornment God Out. When you dream you're doing something you're slight bad trouble. There's a whim called faith and there's spruce thing called confidence and exploitation there's a nasty thing entitled Ego. That's a tricky possession. You can't let Ego incapacitate you. I've seen it come off people more than drugs, hard liquor or relationships. That's what customarily kills a band or unmixed football team or whatever--Ego. Cheerfulness others, it's drinking, drugs put up with relationships. Clarity is also a-one danger to me (laughs).

JC: You got that in beforehand I could say money...

CBH: Yea, money. I'm not sure what that is yet. I've not at any time had to wake up don say, 'Well, I have further much money.' It's amazing regardless serious people take it. Punters change for money and Uncontrolled find that ludicrous. They contemplate it's a serious thing. Boss about gotta pay the bills alight be responsible and all methodical that, but I've seen kin sell their soul for $1.50 and it disgusts me in person. I try to treat janitors and presidents the same. Power house is a silly thing. I've never understood it. What does power do?

JC: So, physical exertion you think about the Indian calender ending on December 21, 2012, when some say significance end of the world esteem coming?

CBH: Well, to me--it's after the end of rank world. To me, the planet ended a long time ago...

JC: So, we're all mild then?

CBH: Well, I don't know about that...

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