Vic Conkers All

Vic Chesnutt has been described as the greatest singer-songwriter America harbours (Howe Gelb) and has had songs covered by Smashing Pumpkins, Sparklehorse, Madonna, Garbage and Live, to name but five. The wheelchair-bound singer from Athens, Georgia, is one of the most respected singers and wordsmiths in America today. His first two albums were produced by Michael Stipe; he has toured with everyone from Lambchop to Kristin Hersh; and 1996 saw an album, Sweet Relief II, featuring a variety of artists covering Chesnutt songs. But despite all this attention, Chesnutt is quiet, soft-spoken and humble about his craft.
Vic is coming to Ireland on April 1st, as part of his European Tour, when he plays Vicar Street. He is no stranger to these shores, however, having played here a few times before, most recently at Whelans.
That was a really great show, he enthuses. I m really excited about coming back again. I got a great little show coming for ya. My wife Tina is playing bass with me and I m using my little sampler. So it ll be sampled tapes, bass and me strumming my acoustic guitar, with a little distortion thrown in.
There ll be a lot of brand new songs. I ve been writing a lot of songs recently, and I ve been enjoying singing em, and I ll do a few requests here and there, and some Nine High A Pallet songs.
The aforementioned Nine High A Pallet, is his current album, even though it was recorded in 1993/94. Released under the band-name Brute, Nine High . . . is the sound of Vic with local Athens band, Widespread Panic. So how come it took so long to get a release date?
It kind of fell through the cracks and never got released in Europe, Chesnutt grins sheepishly. When we recorded it, it was the first time I stepped into a real band situation, although I ve done it many times since, with Lambchop for example. I remember that was really exciting for me and I needed that kind of relationship at the time.
Is it strange for him now, to have people hearing that album for the first time?
It s not quite as bad as people seeing your high school picture, he laughs. I m actually quite proud of this record: I like the arrangements we did and I think it has a really nice energy. Plus, some of the songs on it are the best songs I ve ever written.
Nine High . . . is perfect as a stopgap and is up there with any of Vic s other albums, but when will we hear a brand new Vic Chesnutt record?
I just keep writing and not recording, he admits. I ve lots of new songs and a lot of old ones that never made it on a record. I ve been doing a little bit of recording here or there, so we ll see what happens. But I d like to get a new record out in the fall.
Did Vic ever think, when he started to write songs, that he would be held in such esteem by his peers?
My notoriety has gone beyond my wildest dreams, that s for sure, he confesses. I didn t really think it would be like this. I guess I m naive and I don t really think about it, until I get a phonecall from Tom Waits or something and then it sinks in. That kind of thing will shock you out a bit.
It must be very rewarding, though, for the man who describes himself as an eccentric little folk artist that appeals to a certain type of music listener ?
Back when I was a teenager, growing up in the country, out in the boondocks, I thought Oh man, I m weird. I m not a normal person , he laughs self-consciously. I was sad about that. But now I m in my mid-30s and all kinds of artist types are giving me the stamp of approval, I think maybe I m not such a freak after all.
Vic Chesnutt plays Vicar St. on April 1st.