A Conversation with NRBQ’s Terry Adams – HuffPost 6.17.14
Mike Ragogna: Let’s get down to Brass Tacks, Terry.
Terry Adams: What was that fifteen seconds of silence about?
MR: That’s just to get my recording software synched-up.
TA: We used to say, “We’d like to have two minutes of silence before this performance, please,” and everybody would just go wild. [laughs] It never worked for our audience, they were screaming and throwing stuff, “Come on!”
MR: Okay, let’s get down to… oh, right, did that lame joke. Sooo, tell us everything there is to know about Brass Tacks. What went into this album? You’re on keyboards and vocals again and you’ve got Scott Ligon and Conrad Choucroun and Casey McDonough, how did you approach this differently from the other albums?
TA: Well every time we get together we record a couple of tunes, so there wasn’t time to stop and make an album, but the last few times were together we did a few songs and then we said, “Hey, we’ve done enough, let’s see what we got.”
MR: That’s a comfortable arrangement, huh?
TA: Yeah. It’s no rush, we took our time and did it when we were together. We don’t play all the time, we’re not always on the road. There’s some breaks between tracks. So what do you think of it?
MR: I think it’s cool! I think it’s your usual nutty, collective genius. Do you mind if I use the word “nutty”?
TA: [laughs] Okay. [laughs]
MR: Your arrangements are as sophisticated as they are fun to listen to. What’s the creative, nutty genius process like these days?
TA: It’s getting the right sound and the right tempo and the right feel for the songs we write. It’s rpetty simple, pretty basic.
MR: What about as far as the songwriting and all that? What goes into that these days, and maybe versus how you did it in the past?
TA: Well, there was an instant song on this album called “Love This Love We Got.” It was probably the only time I’ve written with someone else, Scott and Casey, where I got this idea and within fifteen minutes we all three wrote a song and recorded it right then. Every other time I co-wrote it was really me finishing a song up to one certain point and then just saying, “Hey, I need a line here” or a bridge or something like that, but this was all at once. I like that one.
MR: Over the years, what has the brotherhood of NRBQ been like? What has it evolved into at this point?
TA: [laughs] I’m always the guy when we’re in hotels it used to be dial nine and then the room number or something and we’d call each other, “What’s on TV?” When we’re not on the road I’m still that way. Even if we had a week off I’d be bugging guys at home, “Hey, you watching channel five?” It’s recognizing the same things. Loving the same commercials, whatever it is that happens to stick out in the current times. Did that answer anything? [laughs]
MR: [laughs] Yes, that proves that you guys are after all these years.
TA: With Casey and I, we’re alway sending each other pictures of Julie Newmar. Still hung up on Julie Newmar! I haven’t gotten past that yet. But you know what we also found out? One of my biggest pet peeves is gas-powered leafblowers, I can’t stand it that people would rather do that–they wear ear protection but anybody walking by doesn’t, and they burn gas instead of using a broom–it’s a pain to me. I found out that Julie Newmar has maybe an even bigger hatred for gas-powered leafblowers than I do! So now I really want to meet her. Not only do I have a crush on her but I also want to talk about this.
MR: Now how in the world did you find something like that out?
TA: Well, you know, people just tell me. I guess all information’s available today. Maybe she had a court case suing somebody because they were using this thing next door and she couldn’t stand it anymore. The pitch that they make is more detrimental than a gas-powered lawnmower, it’s a higher pitch that gets under your brain.
MR: That brings us to “Get That Gasoline.” You might express it in a humorous way, but you do feel strongly about conservation, don’t you?
TA: Oh yeah. I was always the guy in the band who, going back to motel rooms, “Okay, we’re going to go play now, make sure you turn your lights off in your room.” I couldn’t stand it when a member of the band would leave all their lights on in the room and the TV set. I’d say, “What are you doing?” “Uh, so anybody walking by will think somebody’s in here and they won’t come in here and rob my pajamas.” It’s a big trade-off. You’ve got your pajamas, but pretty soon you won’t need any pajamas because the Earth will be dead!
MR: Gotta love when Congresspersons and Senators doubt climate change exists and if it did, nothing can be done about it.
TA: Yeah. Everybody knows the old thing where people say something but they’re really saying something else. It’s really not about whether or not you believe it, it’s whether or not you want to keep making money that way. People do that all the time. They say one thing and there’s a hidden, self-serving message.
MR: Ignorance is a really big cash cow.
TA: Yeah.
MR: Speaking of social issues, there’s “Greetings From Delaware” on the new album, and it’s all about credit cards. What’s the story on that one?
TA: Well, living on the road, you have to have credit cards, but it’s just… [sighs] There’s a line in there about, “I’ll show you how you can live it now.” It’s wild how can keep going, you fill up one, you fill up another one. You’ve got to be spontaneous on the road, “We’re changing hotel rooms, we’ve got to book this flight” and so on. Even though I’d written the song a little while back I know how it feels now. I don’t know about your side of the country, but we get the bills from Delware. I think all the banks hide–er, live there. They have a tax shelter or something over there, so whenever I see mail from Delaware it’s always, “Hey, how are you doing?”
MR: Especially Wilmington.
TA: That’s right! You know about that.
MR: I have my fair share of mail from there myself, thank you.
TA: [laughs] That’s a fun song, though, isn’t it?
MR: Yeah, but I wouldn’t expect anything less from NRBQ, sir. So…do you guys even know how to define yourselves?
TA: No, we never have! I’ve never had an answer for that. The reverse is the crazy one, to say, “What kind of band are you?” and then come up with some narrow thing, “We’re a this band.” What are you doing to yourself? “Oh, you’re one of fifteen hundred thousand of this kind of band.” Why be one of something? Why be a part of it? In the fifties or before that things were more localized, DJs could play songs in the south that they didn’t play in the north and there really was something to that, growing up in that area, but we’re living on the planet now. It’s honest language to use sounds to express yourself.
MR: Wow.
TA: If it’s time for this, it’s time for that. It’s not ever a display of different stuff, it’s just speaking. This is the way we are now, this is the way the world is.
MR: Well when you look at NRBQ, I’ve heard people describe you as being anywhere between Tower Of Power and Frank Zappa. And you’ve had songs covered like “Get Rhythm” and “Me And The Boys.” You know song structure, yet NRBQ is almost like structured madness.
TA: [laughs] And I feel as strongly about bringing in songs that I didn’t write as I did about the ones I did, although there’s no thanks for it, I don’t get any money for it, I never took credit for it. Now I wish I had. I have a gift that I can hear music and know something that no one else is thinking of and figure out how it should be, how it could be applied ot the modern world as NRBQ. Somebody will say they’re doing the cover of Johnny Cash, there’s no “cover” there, this is new music, as I see it.
MR: Exactly, you’re using the bare bones of the piece but you’re making it NRBQ. The band has perservered over the years, you’ve had your fair share of stuff happen. Recently, you lost Tom Ardolino, how did that loss hit you and the group?
TA: Tom stayed with me and played up until maybe two years ago. He could read my mind, he understood my approach to music and culture. I just found a box full of letters from him dating back to 1970 before he was in the band. They’re all just enthusiasm for records that he found or things that I played for him or sent to him and he’d find something else. He just had a great, broad scope of appreciating culture, especially from entertainment television and music, and a good attitude about it. He never did really have to deal with a real world, as some people would call it. He didn’t have to grow up. Every day not just me but I’m sure some of his other close friends, too, want to reach out and pick up the phone and call him. Especially, as I was saying earlier, “Hey, check out Channel Five right now! Look who’s on the news.” He’s the guy that you want to turn to. I miss him a lot, but now if I want to say something to him instead of just keeping it to myself I just say it out loud to whoever’s with me, I say, “This is what Tom would’ve said.” [laughs]
MR: This has been a particularly challenging period, huh.
TA: Well, yeah. It is, but it’s something that I knew I was going to do to keep the band going. My resume is only “Leader of NRBQ.” I’m looking for a job. “You got a band called NRBQ I could be the leader of? I’m the perfect guy!”
MR: I really am surprised that you haven’t been tapped to host a late night show.
TA: I wouldn’t mind hosting an old movies show or something like that.
MR: What advice do you have for new artists?
TA: Well a musician has to figure that in the world today people are bombarded with music all the time. Listening to music is sort of a lost art. A lot of people can’t sit down, take the time out of the evening and actually listen to music without the visual stimulation and all kinds of stuff that has nothing to do with it. My advice to an artist today is to make music that will stop people and make them listen to it. You can’t just throw it in there and expect it to make a difference today. There’s just too much going on. That’s my opinion.
MR: So where is NRBQ going from here? What is the big plan?
TA: Well it’s an ongoing project, the band gets more popular every year. It’s something I’m seeing through.
MR: But you hate it, right? You’re just doing it out of obligation?
TA: [laughs] No, no. We have a lot of dedicated fans who have been with us for years, that’s the good thing. The bad thing is that we’ve had fans that have been with us for years, too. Some people want to wrap things up and put them on a shelf or in a jar and say, “This is how it is.” That’s the last thing that NRBQ could ever do. We don’t know yet what this band’s going to do. I’m determined to make this band the biggest band on the planet.
MR: That’s part of the plan?
TA: [laughs] We’re going to be tremendously successful as the years go by. Every time we put out a record it’s the one that people will start to hear. Same with every performance. It all really matters. It’s not about moe or the band, it’s about bringing the gift to the people.
MR: NRBQ hasn’t even peaked yet, has it.
TA: No, no way. Not even close. That’s not to take away from anything that’s ever happened, because all that’s been incredible. I love everybody that’s ever been in the band. I wish I could see them now, I’d give them a big kiss! I think that’s all great, but I’m not ready to sit back and bring out the photo album. That’s the last thing I want to do, turn into a reunion band bringing out the photo album. That’s so not NRBQ or anything that I believe in.
MR: So the number one record might have done more harm than good for NRBQ?
TA: [laughs] Well, I don’t know abou that, but I see what you mean.
MR: Maybe with a different career trajectory, NRBQ wouldn’t have kept the spirit and the feistiness. You’ve quoted Duke Ellington who said, “Jazz is the music of personality.” Is this personality becoming even bigger?
TA: What I meant by that was that the players react to each other, it’s not a plug-in, rehearsed–a lot of records today it doesn’t matter who’s on bass or who’s on drums because it’s really about the girl with the nice ass up front. This is really about how musicians play together, and the personalities play a big part of it. “Do these guys really like each other?” for one thing. “Are they listening to each other?” Yes, that’s the answer, yes.
MR: Your music is so subtly sophisticated, I really appreciate that about you. Do you see the recipe for NRBQ changing or evolving?
TA: Well it’s about getting better. The music is maybe complicated, but it’s the simple music that’s hardest to make.
Transcribed by Galen Hawthorne