Mike Mellor
One of the great things about everybody's buddy Ted Drozdowski is that if you ask him one question he'll give you an answer to four. I guess that's what being a journalist will do to you.
Everybody around here knows Ted for his limitless enthusiasm, good will and generosity, and even though he's still present in the pages of the Phoenix we miss his material presence around here.
That's why you shouldn't miss him and his band Scissormen as they barnstorm New England for the next 10 days. I caught up with him via email as he was planning his trip back north.
Mike Mellor: So Scissormen has got a lot happening all at once these days. There's a documentary film, Big Shoes, a new official live bootleg CD, an upcoming tour of New England, a European tour in the works...and do I hear rumors of a new studio album? Can you fill us in on some of what's going on with the band?
Ted Drozdowski: Funny, in retrospect I feel like I hardly got anything done this year as an artist, and I think that's because I'm such a road dog. The truth is I've written dozens of songs, plan to sign a publishing deal here in Nashville, played a great new European festival and had the amazing luck of Robert Mugge, my favorite music film maker, turning his eye toward the band and making a film where we're almost in every frame. That's kind of mind blowing.
And yet, because I've played fewer live dates than I would have liked I feel like I hardly got anything done. I realize that's wrong, but unless I'm playing gigs and spreading the gospel for this music I feel like I'm laying down on the job. I do all the other stuff, like making albums, so I can play live. For me that's where the magic is—where the songs really come to life and when I get to be something better than myself, a guy who can really offer something to people, whether that's entertainment, uplift, knowledge or chaos.
Mike: Does that mean that after all this other stuff next year is going to be a big year on the road?
Ted: Next year the plan is for Scissormen to tour our asses off. That'll be easier with the permanent addition of my favorite Boston drummer Matt Snow as the other full-time Scissorman. He'll be moving to Nashville to join the band and become an honorary southerner. He's as big a road dog as I am. And we play badass together. We've got to get to places Scissormen haven't been able to return to in a while, take the music to new towns and maybe even make the trip to New England twice a year instead of annually.
We're also looking at three weeks in Switzerland, Italy and France for May and June, around the time of the Blues Rules Festival in Switzerland. We accidentally recorded our new album Bootleg: Live at Blues Rules 2010, there in May. The festival was so cool, the promoters so open-hearted, the fans so warm that I wanted to share the experience. When I found out there was a board tape I figured, "Hell, let's put it out." I was also looking for a way to stay in touch with fans and friends, since I feel like I haven't been touring enough to see them all in person. We did a limited CD pressing with permanent availability on iTunes and other digital outlets. We recouped our very modest costs before the street date, so now I plan to put out a new limited pressing Scissormen CD every six months, just to stay in touch with everybody, with a full-blown studio production every 18 months or so.
Mike: I've noticed the practice of making limited edition boutique albums is suddenly rising in popularity. Let's make a point to talk about that when your next one is released. But until then we still have a documentary to watch, right?
Ted: Yeah. The movie, Big Shoes: Walking and Talking the Blues just previewed on the Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise and premiered at the Starz Denver Film Festival on November 5. I hope we'll eventually be able to get a DVD/CD package available after the festival run is over. All that's in Bob Mugge's hands right now, since he's the movie guy, but folks can get a sneak preview online.
Mike: An what about that new studio album rumor I heard?
Ted: I am chewing away at songs for a new Scissormen studio album that I think will close one chapter of the band and move into another by expanding our sonic approach and storytelling, but will still stand by our Mississippi hill country and Delta roots. It'll be interesting, and I think we'll get working on those songs and start looking toward the studio after Matt gets down to Nashville. I'm really excited about it.
And I suspect that when we get to New England in November some of those new songs and sounds are going to leak out during our shows, I'm really psyched for this run. We'll be getting the band to Portland for the first time in years, and making our first stop in Worcester and in Hartford. We'll be playing some of our usual haunts, too, but the grand finale is always the Lizard. I think of that as my homecoming show, since that's the place that really nurtured Scissormen. And we always have crazy-ass shows there.
This one is sponsored by the Boston Blues Society, and the great Boston guitar player Peter Parcek, whose new album I produced, will be part of the bill with his band and Barrett Anderson, too, who I met years ago through Ronnie Earl. We always close the night with a two-hour set and special guests and it just gets crazy and wild and goes in all kinds of directions, which I love.
SCISSORMEN 2010 NE TOUR
11/11 Chili Head Barbecue, West Bridgewater, MA
11/12 Venue Music Bar & Grille, Portland, ME
11/13 Black Eyed Sally's, Hartford, CT
11/18 Next Page Cafe, Weymouth, MA
11/19 Gilrein's, Worcester, MA
11/20 Lizard Lounge, Cambridge, MA