Hello Neil,
I'm happy to interview you; I like
your voice so much! Let's begin by
the beginning. I think you're from
North Carolina?
Yes, Lake James, North Carolina.
The South had a bad reputation with
the racial segregation. Did this
problem still exist in North
Carolina when you were young and,
more precisely, did you listen to
black artists through the radio or
in concert?
Yes, racial discrimination still
existed but we did not promote that
in our music. Many times there was
confusion about the confederate flag
we used, but it was to represent our
southern heritage. I listened to all
the Motown and Memphis artist;
Marvin Gaye, Temptations, Al Green
Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, and
Otis Redding.
Were some of these artists that
influenced you?
Al Green, Ray Charles, Otis Redding
influenced my singing style, but I
can only hope to have the soul in my
voice they sing with. I want to
incorporate more from their style
into my music.
Who were your others influences?
I loved listening to Jim Croce, Paul
Rodgers, Bob Seger, Burton Cummings,
Rod Stewart, John Prine, and of
course Lynyrd Skynyrd, Charlie
Daniels, Allman Bros, Bob Dylan,
Beatles, and Led Zeppelin...
How did you begin to sing and play
guitar, in your youth?
I started singing very young, and
picked up guitar at 12 years old and
began playing gospel in church...
What was your story before the
Copperhead era?
I started writing songs in Junior
High and High school first trying to
learn how to play all the classic
rock songs I could learn, I played
football as well in school which
helped me to learn more discipline
and to be more aggressive over my
goals.
When was Copperhead formed?
I met John Byrd in high school 11th
grade and we started the band which
was called "The Past" because the
name represented the classic rock of
the past which we played. We met
manager Dirk Peterson who suggested
to come up with a better name for
the band to help the band be
accepted as an original band as we
started writing our own music, so we
came up with the name "Copperhead"
and went in the studio to record our
music.
From where were the musicians and
how did you meet?
We all graduated from high school in
North Carolina and we started
practicing many different places but
got kicked out of many of them for
being to loud" ha, ha, ha.
What were the main influences of the
band and the musicians?
Same classic rock acts Led Zeppelin,
Pink Floyd, Marshall Tucker, etc.
What are the main developments of
the life of the band before your
Mercury record?
We started doing showcases with our
attorney Charlie Phillips out of
Atlanta, our manager called Atco
Records in New York and we hooked up
with Derek Oliver who connected us
with Ely Bail in Memphis who brought
the band there to record a 4 song
demo to submit to Fred Davis music
attorney; " son of "Clive Davis".
Did you record something before this
record for Mercury?
Yes it was the 4 song demo that
knocked their socks off.
How did you contract with Mercury?
Fred Davis and Charlie Phillips an
attorney from Atlanta negotiated an
8 album deal.
How occurred that the legendary Tom
Dowd produced your Mercury record?
After signing we needed a producer
and I went to LA to interview some
producers and our manager called Tom
Dowd on a chance and he was
interested in working with the band.
He called back and wanted to produce
so we flew to Miami, Florida with
engineer John Hannlin who worked
with the great David Briggs producer
of Crosby, Stills, Nash, and
Young...
Could you tell us about the record
sessions?
Tom Dowd was very demanding and it
was quite stressful but he taught me
a lot about myself and how to
record. Dowd was a very
psychological and philosophical and
it was hard as a young man at the
time to understand what he was
teaching me. I started to work with
him one on one and it became very
spiritual in speaking with him about
everything that was happening then.
Tom Dowd became a mentor to me and
I’ll never forget that opportunity
of working with him. "In fact the
record took me to the crossroads
which I nearly lost my mind" "a
crazy time"...
Jon Byrd was the lead guitarist but,
both of you are credited on slide.
How was the repartition of the slide
playing?
Some of the slide was cut live and
Jon Byrd played most of the slide
overdubbed in the studio. I played
slide on "My Tear to Dry".
Didn't you play any guitar solos on
disc or in concert?
Yes, I played in the studio, but I
played more when performing
"Live"....
I'm looking at the booklet and I see
that Brad Durden, the keyboard
player, is credited too on lead
vocals. What did he sing?
Brad sang with me "Highway" trading
vocals; I thought he was a great
singer and needed to do more with
the group... I got the idea to do a
duo vocal from the song of Lynyrd
Skynyrd "You Got that Right", and
told Tom Dowd I wanted a song like
that on the Copperhead record.
You wrote all the lyrics and the
music was composed by you, alone
sometimes, or with others sometimes.
How were the songs created?
I wrote the majority and sometime
collaborated with John Byrd, but
most was my writing. I did co-write
with Brad Durden, Eric Suttlymer,
and Tony Hawkins.
What tell your songs?
I wrote about my childhood
experiences lost relationships, and
lost relatives, living on the road,
"rock & roll you know".
Were they written before the record
sessions or during these sessions?
Most songs were written before the
session, but 3 songs were written
during the sessions; Highway, Hard
Living, Lazy Days...
What are you preferred songs?
I really like the song "Lazy Days"
of f the Copperhead records... My
recent material off my new solo CD,
"Good Man's Journey" are the songs
"Cane Preacher and Good Man's
Journey" but I really like them all.
The upcoming release for 2007 is
called "Southwind" and a favorite
song off this record is “Altar
Call"...
A thing that I like very much on the
disc is the guitar solo on "Where
Will I Be". Do you remember how Jon
Byrd created it?
It was one of the earliest songs we
had written together and he really
worked hard to find a melodic solo
which I really loved what he came up
with for the song.
If I’m not wrong, the studio tracks
of "Live & Lost" were from the same
sessions of the Mercury CD. How many
songs did you record?
No, all the studio recordings where
recorded at Southern Tracks, and The
Tree in Atlanta as well as the
mobile unit at clubs and
rehearsals....
On "Live and Lost", released in
2002, there are four live versions
of songs that were on the Mercury
dice. Did you play on stage all the
songs of your disc? Did you play
some covers? Maybe some of your
songs not recorded?
Yes, I always played guitar "Live"
and we played all of our Copperhead
material, as well as covers by; ZZ
Top "Whiskey Mama", and Dobie Gray's
"Drift Away"...
Why didn't you release a whole live
Album?
We considered that because of all
the songs that were recorded LIVE
but the band broke up before we
could finalize all the songs, and we
decided to release a mixture of
studio and live to create the title:
“Live & Lost”...
Could you tell us about the life on
the road and the shows?
Many ups and downs hard living, fast
women and it depended on where we
became hot on radio is where we
went. Copperhead stayed on the road
constantly...
With which bands did Copperhead
share the stage with?
We opened for Lynyrd Skynyrd,
Blackfoot, Molly Hatchet, 38 Special
and Foreigner... Kentucky
Headhunters and 38 Special is who we
worked with most of the time.
When and why Copperhead disbanded?
We broke up in 1995 because I was
going through some spiritual soul
searching and the band didn't
understand and were becoming jealous
about all the attention I was
receiving for being the lead singer
and songwriter, I went to the
crossroads … the band wanted to go a
different direction than where I
wanted to go, so it was time to stop
fighting them and myself.
Are you still in touch with the
Copperhead's musicians?
Not really, I know that they still
are in North Carolina working...
What are they doing now?
John Byrd and Tony Hawkins are
working in a Corporate Rock Band
together playing a few clubs and
private party's locally...
Is there a chance of a reunion of
Copperhead?
No not at this time, but I'm open if
all the members were in agreement to
do something like this in the
future.
What did you do after Copperhead?
I traveled like a gypsy and wrote
songs, I went to Europe to ski in
the Swiss Alps and had several
relationships and wrote more songs.
"I did whatever it took to stay
alive"...
Your solo album, "Good Man's
Journey", is released this year but
the songs are from different
sessions. Were they created and
recorded at the same period? When?
Yes some of these songs were written
and recorded a few years back and
some here in Nashville after I moved
here earlier this year.
Your voice, with Copperhead, was
strong and good but on this new
disc, it's more sonorous and
beautiful, it's incredible. How
occurred this maturation? Did you
work it on?
I guess you could say it is evolving
as I get older and more mature in
writing and Singing...
How occurred that Johnny Neel and
Chris Anderson play on most of the
songs? How did you meet them?
I was working with Travis Tritt's
rhythm section and they introduced
me to Johnny Neel and then Johnny
introduced me to Chris Anderson. We
worked on Ruby Jane, Glasses of
Wine, and Good Man's Journey and I
thought this would be a great team
to work with on my solo projects.
Could you tell us something about
the others musicians?
I met Barry Goudreau through a
friend and knew he was the lead
guitarist of Boston and asked to do
some recording with him -- Cane
Preacher features his classic lead
guitar sound. He also will be
featured in my upcoming project for
2008. Stu Kimble of the Bob Dylan
Band I met after the break up of
Copperhead and we wrote the song
Righteous Side a song about the
break up of Copperhead. Stu is
working with me on my solo projects.
The beginning of the disc is more
rock and the end more country and
sweet. Is it on intentional
evolution?
Yes it is somewhat intentional; I’m
discovering my own sound and solo
career with this recording.
What are the main characteristics of
the making of this album?
Taking time to gather material from
past and present and creating a
common thread to establish my
direction which is why it is called
"Good Man's Journey"...
Are you satisfied with the sales and
the critics?
Yes it is receiving great reviews
and I hope to gather some new and
old fans that will buy my CDs at my
web site: www.neilcarswell.com as
well as going to CD Baby...
Have you some radio airplays?
Yes radio is starting to pick up the
Good Man's Journey CD in Europe,
Canada, and USA...
Do you sell mainly in North
Carolina, in the rest of US or in
Europe?
We are selling well in Europe and
USA....
I suppose do you still play
concerts. How is composed your band?
I am preparing a new line up of
musicians and doing some solo
performances.
Do you tour after this disc to
present it? Where? Is there a chance
you come in Europe?
I will be touring here in USA and
will prepare a tour for Europe to
support this CD in 2007.... Oh yes
real soon I hope, "I want to go ski
in the Swiss Alps again" ha, ha,
ha...
What are now the next projects?
I'm working on the second solo
release for 2007, which I'm real
proud of called "Southwind". I have
a third record in the can for 2008,
so I will be busy...
In the booklet, you thank God. Is
the religion important for you? Do
you play Christian music too?
Yes, my influence from playing in
church carried me through the hard
times and God has always blessed me
with the opportunity to express
myself with my music...
I know that France hasn't a good
reputation in the USA after the war
in Iraq. Is it still the same
situation and, you, what do you mean
about us, the French people?
I feel that the French people
support the fight against
terrorists, but I don't really know
what the heart of the French people
feel about Iraq they only hear and
follow what their government
decides, much like here in the USA.
I’ve never been to France so I
really don't know the French people.
What is for you the Southern rock?
Growing up in the south it was
natural for me to have that sound
and influence in my music. I really
enjoy the lyric and the vibe of the
guitar rockin'...
We don't know too much bands of
North Carolina. Could you give us
some informations about this?
Well I know that James Taylor, and
Cry of Love being from North
Carolina. There are many great
musicians from there you just have
to dig deeper to find the good soil,
"ha ha ha...
My last question is: what are your
favorites Southern rock albums?
Street Survivors Lynyrd Skynyrd; Eat
a Peach Allman Bros.; Marshall
Tucker Greatest Hits...
Thanks.
Luc
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