The13th AÑO: 4
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NÚMERO 37
UNA R E VISTA IMA GINARIA
GREG DULLI THE MOST BELOVED ANTI-HERO
[ Interview with Greg Dulli from The Afghan Whigs by Pablo Ravale ]
THE MOST BELOVED ANTI-HERO One of my few musical heroes of a lifetime. In a perfect world, Greg Dulli would be a super star. It fulfills the requirements: challenging posture, punk credentials, a deep knowledge of Afro-American music, high class roll, sonic aggressiveness and a virtuous elasticity that allows you to do both a Fleetwood Mac and Björk cover, and all united by a Melancholic wounded male personality reminiscent of America's most beloved anti-heroes. However, at almost 50 years, the Ohio native remains a figure foreign to popular recognition. Greg has been the driving force behind three alternative rock projects: Afghan Whigs, The Twilight Singers (band in which the only constant is the same Dulli), and Gutter Twins (his project with Mark Lanegan). After a series of disagreements that led to its dissolution in 2001, Afghan Whigs returned to the stage in 2012 and, two years later, released Do To The Beast, an album that critics called a triumphant return, although the truth is that it is Of another achievement in Dulli's remarkable career. The difference with before, is that now the world seems to start taking notice. In order to get a taste of crossing a few words with him, I wrote him to the Facebook account of Afghan Whigs and a few months later, his press agent said yes... that Greg had a little time for me. Here the note: When I started listening to Afghan Whigs, back in 2005, I remember being fascinated by how few times it happened to me with a band. It was something that struck me deeply. To day of today I return to disks like Gentlemen, Black Love and 1965, and I can not avoid to move me.
It's quite a compliment that you tell me. I'm glad our music will generate that. Tell me, if Gentlemen and Black Love talked about love hell and violence; If 1965 conveys the festive delirium of a carnival in New Orleans; If Twilight, Blackberry Belle or Powder Burns (from The Twilight Singers) are perhaps the best records on the night, what was Do To The Beast? In Do To The Beast there are several references to childhood memories, myths and youthful fantasies. In that sense it may be more nostalgic than the previous ones. As you get older, put into perspective the things and decisions that have taken you to the point where you are now. During the recording process I was again in tune with music that I had not heard since I was a child. Most of what I write are abstractions. Rather than construct a narrative, I deal with sensations and images. It is about exploring the individual: create a tapestry of reminiscences to reflect on the person. It's complicated, because on the other hand I wanted a fresh record, immediate, for the now. That's why the sound is direct, to the point. In recent years I have had the fortune of traveling almost everywhere. Confronting other cultures strengthens your ability to adapt and enjoy. That is also reflected in the songs. In “Matamoros”, the second song of the album, you sing: « They say that fate is a card / And that the sun is a star / I'm throwin' shade, we got it made». There you are referring to what? It was one of the last songs we recorded. The idea came when a friend told us of a supernatural experience that happened to him in Tulum. While vaca-
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tioning there with his girlfriend, he met a strange man who claimed to be a native of Matamoros. After living with him, they both felt sick and desolate, trapped in the dark. When they returned to their home in Italy, they checked the photos of the trip and noticed that the man from Matamoros looked deformed, almost like a demon. The anecdote reminded me of an article I read some years ago about satanic cults where drugs were being trafficked and women were sacrificed in Matamoros. The whole thing took the form of a three-minute tape on my head. What made you come back with Afghan Whigs? Two things happened to me: the first was that while I was on an acoustic tour in 2009 with Gutter Twins, in which I played songs throughout my career, including some of the Afghan Whigs I had not played for years, I really enjoyed it As well as I noticed the emotion that caused the public. And the second was that when I released the last album of the Twilight Singers, I realized that we were getting more and more rock, and that was a project that I started as a way of escape to the sound of Whigs... So it was clear I was going back to that time and I was interested in the rock of my old band again. And at that time I contacted the others and scheduled some dates. What is your opinion about those who criticized his return without Rick McCollum? What happened to him? Well... I can not do anything, he did not want to participate in the album (Do The Beast). And we do not have dialogue today. Bands change all the time, just as there are changes in life. It is the same as in couples or in the family. You are my son and I am separated from your mother, but I am still your father. The band is my project and must move forward. With or without Rick. Tell me about the plans for Gutter Twins. Look, this morning I had breakfast with Mark (Lanegan) and he's preparing the tour for his new album, which is fabulous. He's going to be busy with that for the rest of the year. And I, in turn, focused
on the launch of In Spades, the new Afghan Whigs. With Mark we want to record another record, but I can not tell you when, because we still do not know. Of what goes In Spades? In Spades is a soulful rock album that emphasizes your pop instincts. It is not a conceptual LP, but it follows a defined path that began when molding the material. From the point of view of the lyrics, these are songs with the focus placed on dark emotional moments, pain, loss, grudges, as well as things more proper to the voodoo belief. Something of that we already wanted to advance with the clip of the song “Oriole�. What kind of bands do you like these days? I hear everything. But the last thing I remember that struck me was Grinderman and a Brooklyn soul singer named Sinkane. The one that is great, as I said before, is Gargoyle, the new of Mark Lanegan. You are very assiduous to perform covers. Tell me something about why you have this hobby and what is the formula to do it, because they are also really good. Sometimes better than the originals. They have to be songs that I love too much and I would have liked to be able to do them myself and to adapt to my way of working. That's a bit the way I do them. I love to do covers and sometimes I only do the version of certain part of some other song in which I find some connection with what we are playing. When you look back and remember Greg Dulli record composer like Gentlemen or Black Love, what do you feel? While I am a person other than the one who recorded Gentlemen, I know the man who sings well on the album. I do not feel that way anymore, but I still talk to him and keep him affectionate. Maybe it's a self-deception, but I like to think that I am a constantly evolving being. I do not think it is healthy to think in comparative terms. I think I wrote great songs when I was young, but I also think that the ones I composed a few months ago are just as good. It is impossible for me to say which ones are better.
It's not my role. The only thing I can do is keep the commitment to do only things that interest me. Greg Dulli is such a good songwriter, that to my mind anything new he publishes is going to be fabulous. Thanks again for the compliment... As a songwriter, I think I've done it for so long that I know how much to take in everything. If a song resists, I let it go and I chase the songs that wanted to turn into songs instead of continuing with something that took a lot of time. In this way, I can return later with
a fresh perspective. It has improved my strategy and now I work more effectively. To compose Do To The Beast made sketches in the evenings and the next day I went to the studio to start shaping ideas. I became good to do things fast. It is a great honor to have been able to talk to one of my musical heroes. I look forward to seeing you again in Argetina. I played twice there, one with Gutter Twins and one with the Whigs... Surely there will be a third.
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The13th UNA R E VISTA IMA GINA RIA