Interview with Drew Holcomb at Voodoo Festival 11/2/14

While AWOLNATION was performing on the main stage, I was in the press tent getting ready to interview Drew Holcomb. He played earlier in the day on the Flambeau stage to a crowd of about 50 people. You can read about it here.

Without further ado, here is our interview with Drew Holcomb.

How was your performance today?

It was good. Anytime you're in a historic music city, it's always great. We don't have a lot of touring history in New Orleans; it's only our second time. We never play here. It was great: beautiful day, beautiful weather.

You have a new album coming out next year?

Yep. In January.

Can you elaborate on that?

It's our fourth studio album. It is probably the most fun I have ever had recording. We just went in with a bunch of guys we really trust and went to a studio we really liked. We tracked the whole record in eight days, which is usually like 8-10 weeks for us. We had fun and we did it quick, which was good.

You did Moon River [Festival] this year. How was that? I specifically want to ask about the band booking process and why you chose Will Hoge, because I love him.

I've always wanted to host my own festival and more specifically, I've always wanted to host it in Memphis, my hometown.

I was just there a few weeks ago for Pearl Jam.

Oh yeah! At the FedEx Forum.

The way I chose bands was, since it was the first year, I asked my friends. Will and I have become good buddies in Nashville: very similar style of music. It's become a good hang.

Do you think the festival will happen again?

Oh yeah. We already have a day. We haven't announced it yet, but we definitely have a day. It was very successful.

What is next for the band?

We are leaving from here to go to the west coast, then in January we releasing the record and going to Europe, coming back to tour and headline all over the U.S.

Is there anything else you want to add?

We've been at this for a decade and it feels like we're finally doing it exactly how we're supposed to be doing it and that's a good feeling.

On a side note, the cover album y'all did a few years ago, I actually played the John Prine cover (Long Monday) on my radio show.

Oh! That is so awesome! Thank you!

Emily: I had never heard that before and it was great!

I wanted to ask why you chose that particular Prine song. That is an extreme deep cut, not popular song.

When I first got married, that record came out. My wife was a school teacher and we were apart a lot and that was like our anthem. We were like "we are going to spend these couple of days together. It's going to be great. It's going to be a long Monday when I have to go back out on the road.

Congratulations on your baby, by the way. She is precious.

Thank you. I think so too.