Kevin Bowe’s list of credentials, partnerships, and accomplishments rivals the cartoonish scroll where Santa keeps score on the wee ones. Writing, playing guitar, and producing for Paul Westerberg, The Replacements, Etta James, Jonny Lang, Communist Daughter, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, and Joe Cocker have netted him rights to having much more than a hand or a fist in 3 platinums and 2 Grammy winning albums. For Natchez Trace, his 2012 release, he spills out a similarly long list of contributors and backers from Nels Cline and Tim O’Reagan to Freedy Johnston and Alison Scott. His bandmates Peter Anderson on drums and Steve Price on bass round out the humbly put “trashy little 3 piece Minneapolis band”.
The Interview Part:
I often prefer reading fiction and I often prefer writing fiction. That doesn’t make it any less true. My story is my story BECAUSE I’m making it up, not because it’s all about me.
You’ve been around the block a bit, musically speaking, working with a lot of great artists, many based out of Minneapolis. On this last album, Natchez Trace, you pulled a lot of connections into it, including Paul Westerberg, who you’d worked with before. What’s it like for you being at the helm?
Well, I’ve been producing records for a long time so I’m pretty used to running
the show in the studio, although with the Prophets I don’t really have to. Peter and Steve know what they’re doing and know what I’m thinking before I even do. And with Westerberg you don’t really tell him what to do, unless you for sure DON’T want him to do that. He’s probably the most contrary person I’ve ever known, so you pretty much hand him a guitar, press the red button and go get a sandwich.
3 course steak dinner with small portions, or a vegan black bean burrito the size of your skull?
I’d flip a coin on that one. I’m not a picky eater.
I’m listening to “LA Dogs” right now. I’ve also been watching a lot of post-apocalyptic movies lately. As much as I want to think it’s about roving packs of savage mutant canines, I think it’s more about a sensible Midwesterner encouraging his or her mate to make it big in Hollywood, and when the locals eat their soul, that they will be willing to take them back. Tell me how wrong I am.
Very close. There are 3 songs in a row on that record that all tell part of one story. LA Dogs, Devil’s Garden and Gutters Of Paradise. All about a girl I never met that moves to LA to “make it” in the “entertainment industry”.
You’re still very rooted in the Minneapolis scene. How has your experience changed your song-writing craft? Are you singing about the road or home?
People may not like this answer but I never saw Mpls as much of a songwriting town. In my experience, Mpls is about bands, sounds, styles, but not really about songs per se, not like Nashville or even LA. Not to offend anyone’s jingoistic musical patriotism but there are no music publishers here, not a big co-writing scene and hardly anyone who writes with the intention of their songs being recorded by other artists. So I really learned more about songwriting in other places than here. As far as what I’m singing about, I’d say that usually songwriters who have done it for a long time or do it for a living tend to be less autobiographical in the literal sense. I often prefer reading fiction and I often prefer writing fiction. That doesn’t make it any less true. My story is my story BECAUSE I’m making it up, not because it’s all about me.
You’ve played with larger ensembles and crews before. What was the influence to strip it down to a three piece?
We could never find a 4th person that didn’t bug us.
What was the try out process to fill in bass and drums? Was trial by combat involved?
Us 3 were all backing up soul singer Alison Scott and then I started making the
“Natchez Trace” record and using Peter and Steve in the studio just because we were getting to be pals. Then we all kind of realized that this was a real band.
Okemah Prophets. My google-fu is strong, but I couldn’t find any definition for Okemah other than a city in Oklahoma. Anything you want to give us, or just leave us with a six letter mystery? What do the Prophets predict?
Our own demise. Actually it’s from Woody Guthrie’s autobiography “Bound For Glory”, he describes the local town lunatic in Okemah OK where he grew up. This guy would stand and preach to no one about nothing all day in the town square while people walked by and ignored him. They called him “The Okemah Prophet” and I thought you know, that’s exactly what I do.
Your recordings are absolutely brilliant. What should we expect from your live show? A bit more raw? Bright and clean? A lot of stage banter about our impending doom?
Thanks, glad you like the record. Live, yes we are more raw, the 3 piece band format is a fascinating limitation, an imposed discipline that forces you to rock your nads off. No choice. Our motto is “every part of the buffalo must be used”. Stage banter depends on how entertained we are by the crowd. If there is a crowd.
Besides your band, who should I be listening to right now?
Whatever makes you happy is the best answer. I’ve been on a Waylon Jennings and Sia kick lately.
I’ll be bartending that night. What do you lads drink?
I will forever be a grape Nehi man.
Upcoming Local Gigs:
Who: Kevin Bowe and The Okemah Prophets, Jillian Rae, Jake Ilika and the Heavy Set
When: Saturday, Nov. 8th. Doors at 9pm, music starts 9:30pm.
Where: Ed’s (no name) Bar
How Much?: $5 at the door.