Interview with Blackberry Smoke

Blackberry Smoke hail from Atlanta, Georgia and play a killer brand of Southern Rock. I recently had the chance to interview them and find out more.

MM-Please introduce the members of your band and tell what instrument you play.Tell us a little about the history of your band.

Charlie Starr: vocals, guitar
Paul Jackson: guitar, vocals
Richard Turner: bass, vocals
Brit Turner: drums

Atlanta based Blackberry Smoke continues to grow into the premiere Southern Rock band of America. Over the last 12 months they have shared the stage with ZZ Top, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Shooter Jennings, Cross Canadian Ragweed and countless others. The band has recently finished recording their sophomore effort “Little Piece Of Dixie” with legendary producer Dann Huff (Keith Urban, Rascal Flatts) and engineer Justin Niebank, to be released in early 2009.

MM-You have a lot tour dates lined up from now through January. How exciting is that? What are your expectations of the tour?

GREAT! We are always excited to get on the road and see every nook and cranny of this great country we call AMERICA!



MM-How has the economy or gas prices been effecting your band?

Well we have taken beer off of our rider and asked for 40 oz. bottles of unleaded.

MM-Your latest release “New Honkytonk Bootlegs” is quite a bit different from your previous album. Tell us about it. The sound album had a retro type sound to it. Was this intentional? Did you use any vintage equipment in the recording?

We have always been big fans of old country music. this was a chance to kick back and let it come out. We even went as far as to record the song, "the only thing she left behind", with one microphone just like the old days. I think with the fiddle and steel it captured a sound we grew up loving.

MM-You had some gear stolen back in 2007. How did that happen? Did you recover any of it?

Never recovered. We know who stole it and he is locked up in a Chino , California prison serving some time for another offense. he will surely go to a special kind of hell for stealing our shit.

MM-What is the music like in Atlanta these days? Who are some of the best bands there that people may not be aware of?

There is a lot of rap and other types of r & b music in Atlanta... but the artist that pops in my mind is Zach Brown. He is a good ol hardworking road dog like the rest of us.

MM-Have you written any new material?

Yes, we have an EP out entitled, LITTLE PICE OF DIXIE - EP. The full length will be out in march of '09.



MM-What are some of the most memorable shows that you have played so far? SKYNYRD at the SMIRNOFF AMPHITHEATER in DALLAS in front of 20,000. and most recently every show on the ZZ TOP in your face tour 2008 HAS been AMAZING!

MM-Since 2008 is drawing to a close what are some of the best albums that you have heard so far this year?

AC/DC black ice! other than that I don't listen to much past 1979.

MM-Where do you hope that your band will be at five years from now?

Carved on the other side of MOUNT RUSHMORE.



MM-Pick the band from each of the following pairs that prefer and tell why you picked them.

Jackyl or Black Crowes
SORRY ITS A DRAW

The Allman Brothers or Molly Hatchet
SORRY ITS A DRAW

Aerosmith or Rolling Stones
SORRY ITS A DRAW

Lynyrd Skynard or ZZtop
SORRY ITS A DRAW

Is there anything else that you would like to say about your band?

We love what we do and we hope you do too!

http://www.myspace.com/blackberrysmoke