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‘I'VE LEARNED THERE ARE OTHER WAYS OF DEALING WITH BOREDOM THAN GETTING HIGH'
Roots manoeuvre
Kicking open the doors of Celtic Connections in his own inimitable style, Steve Earle shows that age and sobriety have not mellowed him, as Ninian Dunnett discovers
ou‘ll know where Steve liarle lch‘s it you can
picture the t‘amous cm'et‘ iii The l’rwii'liecli’n'
Ii’oli Dylan. Just up that New York street where l)_\lan huddled against the snow with Sti/ie Rotolo in 1962 is the apartment liarle shares with his wile. the heautil'ul singer-songwriter Allison Moorer. It‘s a new lil‘e tor the 'l'exan at'ter man} )ears in Nashville. celehrated in the title and the songs on his recent release. lliixliiiigrmr Square Serenade.
'l‘wenty-one years at'ter his dehut. (lunar lomi. this is a spiritual homecoming tor a man who has even heard kids strumming one ot‘ his songs in Washington Square park. Greenwich Village still resonates with the liislot‘} ol' the (i()s l'olk hoorn which underpins all of It)tIit_\"s roots music. and liarle is in his element.
"l‘his is where l was heading all those years ago before I got sidetracked.‘ he s;t}'s. "l'his is where what I do was imented.‘
liit. eating well and cigarette-tree A and hearing an unliker resemhlance to the late Beat poet :\llen Ginsherg - liarle in his Slls is pla_\ing the long game at last.
‘I tinall} managed to get into m_\‘ thick skull that he missed out on the good—looking corpse hit.~ laughs the one time-alcoholic and heroin addict.
The change is made explicit on an alhurn that hids ‘(ioodhye Guitar Town' and romances his new wife in a language more personal and tender than his recent records. The move to New York has also nudged him into the world of the home studio. and a t'usion of folk music and heats on songs that include a cover ol‘ Tom Waits" ‘\\'a}' Down in the Hole‘.
58 THE LIST ~1~ 7 ” chi" 303:4
'I thought I was making demos. and then I realised that it might actuall} he the record.‘ the trouhadour sa_\s proudl}. ':\rguahl_\ I came up with a prett_\ hip hop Version ol that song'
Iiarle will he hack in .\'asli\ille this ('liristmas to see his parents and son. and to produce an acoustic .loan Bae/ alhum. the latest in a tren/s ol ci‘eati\e enterprises that includes a no\el. acting in the |ll£() series The ll'm' ll‘or which his \ersion ot' the \Vaits song is the themei and his on it satellite i‘atltti slitiw.
':\ thing I learned in reco\ei‘} is that there are other w :i}'s ot dealing with horedom than getting high." he sa_\'s. "l‘here's getting ot‘l' ol' )tilll‘ ass and doing something )ou‘xe ne\ei' done hel'ore.‘
There will he new things. too. in his upcoming solo shows. The plan is to hegin without a setlist i‘So _\ou could hear just ahout lu"'”'ing amthing' i. and then haxe a DJ working the new heats during the second halt ol' the set. '\\'e'\e tried it otit at a l'csti\al in Seattle. and then Austin (‘it_\ Limits. and it‘s l‘uii. it‘s reall} coolf
liarle ma} he enough ot a traditionalist to pi'i/e his connection with the geograph} iii a I)_\lan slee\e. hut he is unapologetic ahout mo\ ing torward.
‘.-\ Itil til people think I \Iltttlltl I‘L‘ tIHlllg‘ (it'll/It'l'llfltltl Rt’tlt/ tor the rest iii in} lil'ef he sa_\s. reterencing his rock} \uccess ot' 1988. Int more concerned with the couple ot‘ hundred thousand people out there who are prepared to go on the iourne} with me. In in} husiness right now. holding _\our own is winning and I‘m proud ot‘ m} audience.‘
Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow, Thu 17 Jan.
Duty Free We kick ott our
season l)l treetiie shows in
toniuriction with the (Lil) ‘.‘.‘llll local lioriiliastit‘ illllllltfi (Zhiites ipicturedi who spent a hunk of this .‘(tl as special guests ol the \‘i/aterlioi.s till tour and boisterous l-Eroeklvnites l evy. who recently signed to One little Indian. Should he a cracking show and most importantly. its fret-T ()almret Veltt'i/re. [dinning/i. til/ed lti‘ Jan. “lock 2‘: Pop,
Spectrum l’eter Keriilier aka psychedelic adventurer Sonic BOON]. one part ol 80s indie psych legends Spaceiiien (i. solo aural explorer and collaborator With the likes oi Kevrn ‘My Bloody Valentine' Shields plays a rare Scottish show of music lrorii his expansive hack catalogue. See prewew. page fill. Stereo, Glasgow. Sat a Jan.
(Rock (‘4 Pop)
Tattie Toes ()ptiriio kicks off the year in considerable style wrth another awkward gent. the genre»shredding skills of this Glasgow quartet. See preView. page (it). Sill) (,‘lt/l), Glasgow. Sun 13 Jan.
{Rock 8 l )()/)l
Celtic Connections Opening Concert: Common Ground Kicking things oil in considerable style. a vast array of rriercurial folk music talent led by lau guitarist Kris Drever. Karine Polwart. Mike ‘Waterhoys' Scott. Luka Bloom and Julie l'owlis Wlill literally tons more in tow. See preView. page 59. Royal Concert Hall. Glasgow, Tue 7.") Jan. (Fol/g
Steve Earle and Alison Moorer See prevrew. left. Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow. Thu 77 Jan. (Folk)
Korn The pioneers of 9th no metal are ooe of the few to have lasted the distance. Bear witness as to why the/ are the original and best. Carling Academy, Glasgow. Thu 7 7 Jan. (Rock <3 Pop;