So, what s Nanci at now? could easily be the confused cry of Nanci Griffith s most fervent critics and fans. Last time she released an album it was set soul-deep in her folk roots. Before that she was dancing round the rock-pop arena with, among others, assorted members of U2. And before that, again, she d produced albums that ranged from new country to what Rolling Stone more accurately called folkabilly.
Well, this time round, on her new album, Blue Roses From The Moon, Nanci s gone punk. Sort of. Okay, before I give heart failure to some of her more strait-laced fans, I better clarify that claim. At least one track on the album stems from her love of Texas punk band, The Commandos.
They were the best thing that ever happened during the 70s on the Austin, Texas, music scene, she enthuses, sitting in her room in Dublin s Westbury Hotel. So I decided to do Morning Train because it was my favourite Commandos song. They were incredible, Suzie with this wild blond hair that went every which direction and this huge Gretsch guitar, even though she was this tiny person! But she could just go out there and kick your butt! And she was a massive songwriter. I love the lyrics on Morning Train . So if anyone thinks they ve heard every side of Nanci Griffith, they haven t, till they hear this track.
On many tracks on her new album, Nanci has gone even further back into those Texas roots that undoubtedly influenced a thousand rock acts like The Commandos. And at least a million country acts. How? By calling on the considerable, and too often under-rated talents of Buddy Holly s original group, The Crickets: Sonny Curtis, J.I. Allison and Joe Maulden. She also does a take on the Curtis classic, I Fought The Law , which originally was a hit for the Bobby Fuller Four but has since been covered by acts like The Clash and John Mellencamp and which always includes a variation on that great hold-your-breath-till-it-comes five drum rap section signifying gunfire.
Well, to hear something like that floor tom coming up again, on any track, like it did on songs like Peggy Sue , is heaven, right? Nanci muses, shivering with delight. But I wanted to do, with the Crickets themselves, their original version because it always blew me away, in terms of the acoustic kick-off. And, seeing as how you brought up the subject of drums, did you know that on that final tour, Buddy was playing drums for, like, Bobby Vee, because the drummer was ill, in hospital, after he caught frost bite on the tour bus! But the Blue Moon Orchestra won t let me play drums! Though I d love to.
But, on the new album The Crickets are all over the vocals on things like Nick Lowe s song, Battlefield. And Maybe Tomorrow is so typical, for a Crickets vocal. But then Sonny did that arrangement. And it really is such a thrill for me to record and play with them. After all, the day I was born, in 1954, Sonny and Buddy were trading in their Gibsons for Stratocasters! And Buddy did learn his guitar style from Sonny just like J.I. changed the course of rock n roll forever, with that floor tom, on Peggy Sue . But they don t get credit for that.
Happily, The Crickets will also be taking part in Nanci Griffith s upcoming tour of Ireland. That said, Nanci s album also includes her own legendary Blue Moon Orchestra and tracks that are more obvious tributes to lesser know names, such as our sister Teresa , to whom the sublime Saint Teresa Of Avila is dedicated. The sleeve note contains the cryptic message we understand ? Understand what?
We had a childhood friend, Teresa, and she killed herself in September. It was devastating, so my sister and Mary Margaret and I got together and wrote Saint Teresa Of Avila , Nanci reveals.
There was a school we all attended, where we were taught by Carmelite nuns, and we found it all rather mystical. Especially the whole Carmelite thing of harmony and chanting. Obviously, that spiritual, inner peace had somehow deserted Teresa so we try to recreate that, for those of us who remain, with this song. Not just exorcise our own grief but give that peace to others.
But, to tell you the truth, we really don t know why Teresa killed herself. She was a very prominent judge in Minneapolis and extraordinarily well respected but, apparently, something had gone wrong that she couldn t face. And we all understood that but felt sadness and grief at the thought that the spirituality we all had learned as kids didn t see her through.
But Saint Teresa Of Avila has been the one song from this album that we ve not even attempted on this tour. I m not sure we will ever perform it live. Musically, because it is so eccentric, and emotionally, I just don t know if I could make it through the song again. Maybe with the recording I should just leave it there, let it end, let her go. But something like that really is what Blue Roses From The Moon is all about, to me. Back to my roots again, in so many ways. n