Wow! This week’s interview is a doozy. I sat down with Pelahatchie, Mississippi native Til Willis back in March to discuss a trio of albums he released simultaneously last November. We discuss the genesis of that Herculean project, and a couple of impending shows he had with his band Erratic Cowboy, before ditching the script and venturing into a wide range of topics like good songwriting habits,
“It’s kind of a daily exercise; the knife gets dull if you don’t sharpen it once in a while”
self censorship,
“You kinda just gotta allow yourself to be yourself in all your work, and if you think something, you know, you wake up in the morning and you’re walking around, thinking about some social injustice, and then you’re going to sit down to write a song, well, then, that should come through, you shouldn’t stop yourself from that…. I think that’s the danger you can get into. Self censorship is, in a lot of ways, more dangerous than public censorship.”
and Solomon Burke.
“Solomon was just amazing, as big around as he was tall, a voice bigger than the Empire State Building, and more soul in his little finger than most of us will have in a lifetime.”
We also discuss his weekly foray into live, experimental music, Oscillator Radio, and listen to a few of Til’s favorite songs that he found while digging through our archives. Easily one of the best conversations I’ve had since taking over Plow The Fields. Enjoy!
Part 1:
Tracklist:
“Cars” by Til Willis & Erratic Cowboy off the album Cars Et Cetera
“Hotel Al Uruba” by Til Willis off the album Tin Star
“Savior’s Things” by Til Willis off the album Hackles
“Shiny Attraction” by Til Willis & Erratic Cowboy off the album Cars Et Cetera
“The Old Plantation” by The Minus 5 off the album Down With Wilco
Part 2:
Tracklist:
“Winter In America” by Til Willis & Erratic Cowboy off the album Cars Et Cetera
“Wish I Was In Heaven Sitting Down” by RL Burnside off the album Wish I Was In Heaven Sitting Down
“Dead Horse” by Til Willis & Erratic Cowboy off the album Cars Et Cetera
“Up Late” by Til Willis off the album Hackles
Part 3:
Tracklist:
“Superball” by Dub Narcotic Sound System off the album Bone Dry
“Russian Flower” by Til Willis off the album Hackles
“None Of Us Are Free” by Solomon Burke & The Blind Boys of Alabama off the album None Of Us Are Free
Part 4:
Tracklist:
“Guantanamo” by Til Willis & Erratic Cowboy off the album Cars Et Cetera
“YWYHOYD” by Till Willis & Erratic Cowboy off the album Cars Et Cetera
“Spark” by Til Willis off the album Hackles
“Civil Wars” by Till Willis & Erratic Cowboy off the album Cars Et Cetera