Getting to Know Patrick Sweany
Something Old, Something New; Something Borrowed, Something Blues

On many Monday evenings a quick stroll through snow, rain, wind or moonlight ends at Akron’s most-excellent rock club, the Lime Spider, where one of Northeastern Ohio’s best musical talents holds a regular residency. A singer, songwriter, guitarist, traveler, and historian-of-sorts – Patrick Sweany taps into a rich vein of music most-often labeled ‘The Blues,’ although Sweany mines traditions spanning Soul, Country, Folk, Motown, and standards of Americana that might just be forgotten were it not for his archival spirit.

Calling in the help of Blueswax.com music critic Eric Wrisley, a pub peer of noteworthy repute, Cool Cleveland contributor Daiv Whaley talked to Sweany about his soon-to-be-released new recording, the current state of music, and his motivations as a performing musician. In the process, his ideals of rock godhood were shattered. The details follow:

Cool Cleveland: You won a “Best Singer/Songwriter” award from one of the alt-weeklies in town for 2006. Are you going to release a collector’s edition lunchbox in commemoration?

Patrick Sweany: There will be no commemorative lunch box at this time, due to the fact the Bush administration has decided lunch doesn't raise standardized test scores, therefore marketing has nixed all plans for lunch-based initiatives.

The thing that always stands out when I see and hear you perform isn’t your excellent guitar skills or your songwriting – it’s your golden voice. If you could hear one person’s voice for the rest of your life, whose would it be?

Bobby Bland. No question.

Your portfolio of material spans about 100 years. Do you consider yourself an historian or archivist of old music? Or are you presenting these historic, traditional songs with a new interpretation?

I try to present the material as close to the original artist's performance as I can. But I am who I am. You can't do it all. But I try very hard to get "it," the major message or distinctive "hook" of that performance. There is a reason they do things the way they do, and I want people to hear that special thing - vocal inflection, guitar tone, phrasing, etc.- that excites me about that artist, which the average person in the audience just isn't exposed to, except through me.

I’m curious as to where you place yourself in the lexicon of music. Roots? Folk? Blues? Rock and Roll?

I guess “Roots Rock.” I don't want to limit myself to a certain niche that excludes a whole group of people, just because they think that blues is “old people music,” and frankly, most of what is called modern blues music is complete and utter garbage and I wouldn't want my name associated with it.

You just finished recording a new album -- Every Hour Is A Dollar Gone -- about one year after releasing C’mon C’mere. What’s different about this recording from your last CD?

I think that this album is really our best from a performance standpoint, as well as from a writing standpoint. I made a real effort to write lyrics that reflect what is really happening in my life, and not sugar coating things to make myself seem cooler, or nicer, or more romantic, which is an easy trap to fall into. There is so much bad writing in music, and just a complete disregard for direct, meaningful language, but it's tolerated because the song is catchy. I made a real effort to avoid cliched or easy language.

C'mon C'mere was recorded in one day, at Jimbo Mathus's Studio in Clarksdale, Mississippi, on the only day off of a tour. Everything first or second takes. We re-recorded two songs at Dan Auerbach's Pie Company studio in an afternoon later that year, basically the same way. Everything all at once, with no overdubs. I like the fact that C’mon... catches the sound of us in the room playing music, no overdubs, no dressing up, everything bleeding into every thing else... a really old school sounding record. I think that was a good move for us; we made a "real" sounding record, a good juke joint record. It made a lot of what is happening for us right now actually happen.

Every Hour... was recorded at Dan Auerbach's Nob Hill Studio, over three days, and Dan took a much more active role as producer than anyone ever has. I am a bit of a control freak. Any time I have let someone make even a minor decision for me about anything to do with my music, I have regretted it. Dan is one of the only people I would trust to do that - to have input on the arrangements, tempos, vocal phrasing. I've known Dan for quite a while and I know that he gets what I'm doing, and he knows it has to be natural and comfortable, but retain an ‘edge.’ And he has a real gift to get good performances out of the musicians he is recording.

The most important part of making an album is capturing good performances on to tape! We recorded this record on analog 1" tape, no more than 8 tracks, (most of the time only 7) all the guitars, drums, and bass were recorded all at once, with no overdubs. We were able to layer some percussion and some keyboards, a sax here, a harmonica there, on certain songs to flesh them out. The new disc is all Ohio!! Recorded and mixed in Akron by Dan Auerbach, mastered by Paul Hamann at Suma Studio in Painesville. It means a lot to me to have this be an all-Ohio project. I think it is our best work.

Speaking of your work, how do you find the tunes you perform, and can you speak a bit about where these selections have taken you in terms of opportunities or encounters with interesting people?

I listen to a lot of old records and tapes and CDs. Some things just speak to me. It's been a gateway to friendships with people of similar tastes, but nothing really interesting to speak of.

You have an excellent voice and you’re a serious guitarist! Do you view yourself more as a vocalist or as a musician? Which skill has taken more work to perfect?

That's a hard question. I practice singing a lot. I can't practice singing as much as guitar due to just shear physical strain and fatigue. It is harder to make noticeable strides with your voice, as consistency is a major hurdle as a vocalist. People don't always notice a bad note on the guitar, but if you have a little cold, or have strained your voice or just didn't get enough rest, everyone notices. It would be fun to just have a band where I'm the singer, but I wouldn't know what to do with my hands.

There are certain nay-sayers who feel that Rock and Roll is dead or dying. The music you make or bring back for your audience seems to me to be at the root of Rock and Roll. Where is Rock and Roll today, in 2007, in your opinion?

Some of it is good. Most of it is bad. I doubt that it is dying, but it just seems that the level of musicianship is sorely lacking. I just don't see very many well-rounded musicians. I don't hear anyone who knocks me out as a singer; it just seems that barely adequate is good enough. Most players I meet seem to fixate on one or two players and never grow out of that sphere of influence. It seems that most kids with any talent end up just being showboat, guitar-soloing assholes. I never had any desire to do that as a kid, and I still don't. I keep praying some kid will hear Clyde McPhatter, or Sam Cooke, or Ray Charles, or Bobby Bland. I think female vocalists like Amy Winehouse, Norah Jones, or to a lesser degree, Joss Stone, have a lot of talent and actually know how to phrase. I don't see it in any young, popular male vocalists.

Muddy Waters, or Leadbelly?

Can't choose; apples vs. oranges.

You’re a sexy guy, and you’ve got great hair. Are you a chick magnet? What’s the best pick-up line that’s been presented to you?

Uh... um... uh... almost no one wants to wait around after you load out several thousand pounds of gear, and then wait around to get paid instead of paying attention to them. Sorry to ruin your rock God fantasies. Favorite pick up line (that didn't work): "You're in a band? Wanna' go party? No I didn't see you play. Can I borrow a coupla' bucks?"

Seriously, an English degree?

Yep, I have an English degree from Kent State University. Me and most of the wait staff and bartenders of your favorite restaurants.

A lot of blues music deals with spiritual concerns and issues. Are you aware of those themes cognitively and/or does that affect you on a deeper level?

We all know what's right and wrong, whether or not we delude ourselves about it. Sure it affects me. I don't know if I necessarily get that from blues music.

Blues music was originally the music of the oppressed. Could you comment on how the blues has affected your worldview and the way you interact with other people?

Well, I've traveled a lot, and seen a lot of different strata of people through my music. Money makes a big difference. Poor people go to jail a lot more than rich people. Poor people join the military more than rich people. People who are surrounded by successful people, tend to be successful. It's a damn shame that talented, intelligent people, don't get to take advantage of their talent or intelligence because they can't afford to, and no one in their environment acts as an example for them to better themselves. A lot of that, regrettably, has to do with poverty.

On the flip side, my mother's family was a very poor working-class family in England. My mother told me when I was really young that her mother told her, "you are known by the company you keep." I am very lucky to do what I do, to have a supportive family, who want me to succeed, and I make a conscious effort to get rid of the people (dating, friends, professionally, etc.) who are not a positive and successful influence in my life. Maybe that makes me uptight or whatever, but I am responsible for what I do, I am accountable, I understand that every action has consequences, and I don't tolerate any irresponsible, little kid bullshit. I have a very small circle of friends, but I have had those friends for a long time.

Blind Willie Johnson or Blind Lemon Jefferson?

For pure emotion, just soul-baring, heart-breaking emotion, more easily for the uninitiated to grip: Willie Johnson. Lemon Jefferson is one of the true originals, what I refer to as a superhero of American history. Every one of his contemporaries - and the people after him - was influenced by Lemon. He was a virtuoso in every sense. Rhythmically, instrumentally, originality of lyrics, point of view, phrasing... and immensely popular among the audience of the day. You can't beat him. He would blow your mind on his worst day. Read any of the interviews of the "rediscovered bluesmen" in the 1960s, and there isn't one that wasn't influenced by Lemon Jefferson in some way, if not even having a version of one of his songs in their repertoire.

Do you feel the blues is STILL the music of the oppressed or has that changed?

I don't see it as music of the oppressed. It's either good or bad, that's all. I see some good stuff from time to time, I think the Fat Possum Records guys used to put out some good stuff. Most of what is marketed as blues is shit. Just a bunch of rock guitar solos by guys that can't sing for shit, that can't get gigs except to say that they play blues. That whole blues scene is rapidly becoming a sewer. I think it is so sad, because people with God-given originality and talent who actually have respect for, and relate to, the original blues artists, playing in that blues circuit can not develop an audience because the commercially-successful people in that audience are mostly playing unoriginal, rehashed, marginally-competent rock songs with long guitar solos.

But that's the music business. People apparently buy it, so apparently they demand it, and they keep making more and more of it. Booby Bland is as heavy and emotional to me as anything else. So is Charlie Patton. None of it sounds oppressed to me. It's just that someone like Nick Curran doesn't make as much money as Joe Bonamassa.

Do you listen to any “modern music? What’s in your CD player right now?

I listen to lots of "modern music," it's just that most of it isn't any goddamned good, so I don't listen to it twice. Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, and Amy Winehouse are really good, but they sound like classic soul, so is that modern? Neutral Milk Hotel, but they broke up ten years ago, so that's not really modern. I like Slayer's last album a lot. I like Slayer a lot, period. Nick Curran put out a couple of albums on Blind Pig a couple of years ago, and those were the best blues records to come out in the last 7 years or so. He's friggin' awesome, just a monster on the bandstand. He sounds like Ike Turner playing guitar with Little Richard as the singer. Does that count as modern? I think Queens of the Stone Age do some interesting rocking stuff. I like a lot of what the Strokes are doing. Clutch is always good, intelligent rock that keeps it really heavy, and seems to evolve and progress more than most of their peers. Although they are completely different type of band, I think the Black Keys do the same thing. They seem to get smarter and better. Does Bad Company's first album count? What about the Temptations? Link Wray?

You’ve played big cities like Chicago and NYC, and you’ve played in tiny hamlets between here and Florida. What city or cities seem to resonate with your music the most? Are there towns where you play that almost feel like you’ve lived there before in a past life?

I dunno. It really depends on the actual show or bill that we are on and the audience rather than the actual location. Sometimes the little towns get it. Sometimes not. Same with the big cities. Certain towns make you feel at home, and are nice and comfortable, but Massillon is always home for me.

Ray Charles or James Brown?

Ray had it all. I love James Brown's all-consuming performances, but Ray had everything.

Do you find there is a different reaction to your songs and performances between younger and older audiences, if any?

Not really. Kids tend to stay up later, maybe drink a little more. Sometimes.

The new album, Every Hour Is a Dollar Gone -- when will it be available to the public, and where can your growing legion of dedicated fans purchase it?

It will be available in stores on Tuesday, June 12th. Square Records in Akron is the best place to get it. We love them, great store. I strongly encourage you to buy it from your local independent record store. They need and deserve your business. If they don't have it, they can get it very quickly. And chances are you'll see or hear some other good music that you won't find at Wal-Mart.

Last question. One of the elements that seems to define your “sound” is your guitar style when you play with the full band. It sounds like Piedmont finger-picking on electric guitar. That’s pretty unique! Is that your own innovation or where did you pick up that style of playing?

It's just they way I learned. My Dad is a fingerpicker and the players I admired seemed to play with their fingers, so by the time I liked some flatpickers, I could get around it by using my fingers and a thumbpick. I like it for me; it's not for everybody. I think it gives me a really full sound, so I don't need tons of accompaniment. It was good enough for Magic Sam, and good enough for Gatemouth Brown, so it’s good enough for me.

Thanks, Pat. We wish you well. Rock on.

Patrick Sweany's new disc comes out this Tuesday, June 12. He celebrates the release of his latest CD with a gig at the Beachland Ballroom on that Saturday, June 16 at 9PM. Visit the Beachland at http://www.beachlandballroom.com. Sweany’s website can be visited at http://www.patricksweany.com.

From Cool Cleveland contributors Daiv Whaley & Eric Wrisley dwhaleyATfathomseo.com (:divend:)