Derek Trucks Band

On this page we post responses from the band to questions from YOU. We pick select questions that we think would be of interest to EVERYONE (not, when is the next time you're coming to South Dakota!). Please keep in mind that WE WILL NOT BE REPLYING DIRECTLY TO THE E-MAILS WE RECEIVE, so please don't expect an e-mail back. We will continue to post more answers to questions and involve other band members so keep the questions coming.

Please e-mail your questions to: ask_dtb@derektrucksband.com

Question: I've read a lot in interviews & articles about Derek's horn player influences. What are some of the influences on the other guys in the band? I have my obvious hunches, but I suspect there are some surprises in there that could lead me to check out some musicians I haven't checked out before.

Answer (Mike): These are some of my favorite singers, whom I have tried to steal from along the way: Ray Charles, Curtis Mayfield, Bobby Blue Bland, Nina Simone, Rev. Gary Davis, Otis Redding, Mavis Staples, Bobby Womack, Willie Nelson, Taj Mahal and many others. I appreciate expressive singers more than those who have "traditional" technical ability. Not to say that Stevie Wonder or Donny Hathaway, for example, aren't geniuses. But many modern singers have taken their cues from a few of these guys' early '70s tracks and abandoned a whole range of style and feeling in the process. I like it rough around the edges. I've listened to horn players, particularly for phrasing, like Miles Davis (especially his ballads) and Paul Desmond. I love Thelonius Monk's fearlessness in choosing "wrong" notes.

Question: We have recieved lots of questions regarding Derek's equipment so this is in response to all.

Answer (Derek):
-Gibson SG custom 1962 reissue
-signatures on both guitars include Otis Rush, Elvin Jones, Bobby Bland, Bob Dylan, John Lee Hooker, BB King, Family Man Barrett, Aubrey Ghen, Chuck Campbell, Bob Margolin, Hubert Sumlin, & Walter Wolfeman Washington (although many have worn off thru gigging)
-Strings - DR .11 - .46
-Guitar tuned to open E always
-No pick, pedals, or effects
-Glass Coricidin Botte for slide (vintage if possible but Dunlop Blues Bottle slide for backup)
-Amp - 1965 Fender Super Reverb (same amp on stage with DTB for 15 years)
Everything pretty much standard on the amp but the speakers are cheap Pile Driver speakers that break up nicely

Question: We got many questions for Todd regarding his equipment and influences so this is a response to several inquiries?

Answer (Todd): Hello DTB Fans, I have received some questions about the equipment I have been using and who my influences are, so here it goes. The main bass I have been playing is a 62 Fender Jazz Reissue which Derek sent to me out of the blue, I had no idea it was coming. Truely one of the biggest surprises for me. I have loved the sound since I started playing (my first real bass was a Fender) and I had really gotten into the six string bass when I simply found myself missing that "old school" sound of a Fender. Derek overheard me
and shocked the hell out of me later by sending that bass, I can't put it down. Thanks D.T. My other basses are a 79 Fender P-Bass, a 1991 Modulus S.P.I. (red) and a custom Greg Curbo six string. I also have a purple modulus six string which Oteil had for a couple of years. (I couldn't part with it forever, sorry Oteil, I wish I would have kept yours, lol) I am also playing through a 1976 Ampeg S.V.T. that we got from Lord Valve in Denver (the name speaks for itself, he is the man on amps) it is the best bass head I have ever owned. Oteil and Allen Woody really got me started with the vintage gear (and of course D.T., he won't plug anything in to his guitar from the last 3 decades, ha ha) and after playing there gear I had to find an old amp. That is most of my gear with the exception of a volume pedal and a Mutron pedal for the Bootsy funk sound. Another question I received asked about my influences. Where to begin? My youngest introduction to the guitar was from my Dad who played for the love of music, he had taught my brother and myself how to play some basic chords on the 12 string guitar. My brother got so good so fast that I had to try my on thing and I always loved the sound of the bass so I got my first Bass when I was thirteen years old. I loved it of course and started taking lessons immediately to read and learn basic theory. My father had a lot of influence and direction for me in music and was always there to encourage me. After high school I went to visit a great musician friend who was studying at North Texas in Denton, well that is when I heard Mike Pope. WOW! I was floored and inspired, he is a great musician whom I have always looked up to and I knew right then I had better get into music school. That is when I got to meet my greatest influences, Jimmy Herring and Russ Rodgers. They were teaching at The Atlanta Institute for Music and Jimmy told me to come to the Aquarium Rescue Unit show.(the WHAT show I said) I of course was blown away.(forget music theory, what the hell was this?) I could'nt believe what was happening.(I eventually met Derek through Jeff Sipe and the
COL.) After all the people who inspired me Oteil is hands down my biggest influence on the Bass guitar. Of course Jaco and Roco and all the great jazz bassist, but hangin with Oteil and listening to him take the Bass into new territory was truly inspiring night after night. It shaped what kind of Bassist I would be. I also want to thank all of the fans for supporting us and our music. Have a Happy New Year and we will see ya soon. Sincerely,Todd

Question: In the past you've had the opportunity to play with countless musicians, ranging from well known to the unknown. I'm just wondering who was the one you just couldn't believe you were up on stage with (if anyone). Also, is there a musician or group you haven't played with that you'd like to?

Answer (Derek): There are a few that really stand out. The first time I got to sit in with the Allman Brothers was an early highlight. Playing with Bob Dylan was pretty wild. But the four that have had the most impact on me were sitting with the original lineup of the ARU, John Lee Hooker on New Years 2000, sharing the stage with Les Paul, and ,as sappy as it sounds, the first time Susan sat in with the DTB.

As far as other musicians I'd like to play with the list is pretty long. Zakir Hussain, Wayne Shorter, BB King, Bobby Bland, Herbie Hancock, Pharaoh Sanders ...........

Question: How did you find your tone and voice?
What led you to develop the low E string distortion technique?
And how was it received at first?

Answer (Derek): It seems to me that your tone or voice on your instrument is developed just by experimenting to try to get the sound in your head out in the air. I have never been much of a gear person, to me alot of your sound is in your hands and not the equipment.

The detuning the low E string just came about when Jimmy Herring and I were out playing together. We are a little like two juveniles when we get together so some silly stuff happens. As far as how it was received I'm pretty sure neither one of us looked up to notice.

Question: Hey guys, I know Derek is a big Coltrane fan, but I dont know about the rest of you guys. In the spirtual aspect of his music, they say after A Love Supreme he reached this peek of spirtual realization in his music where nothing after was ever the same in its meaning. Some people were kinda weirded out by it. But do you guys think that there is a point of no return, almost like finding god? ...and im wondering if you guys even consider it [muisc] coming from another place, and posibly/eventually then reaching a narivana through music?

Answer: There are alot of more qualified people than I to interpret where Coltrane was coming from but I'll take a shot at it anyways. I think that A Love Supreme was obviously a very personal album for him but I don't believe he reached a point of no return. If anything he might have just reached that point in the respect of not worrying about what his critics thought of his music. He almost certainly believed that music comes from another place, and as a musician lucky enough to see or hear it, that it was his duty to devote his life to the search.

To the question of reaching nirvana through music, my personal take is you can get small glimpses of that in almost anything you do. Music is a pretty direct route to it but it is not something you can hold on to or lay claim to in any way. You just have to take it in when you are lucky enough to experience it.

Question: Is Derek getting burnt out touring, with his commitment both to the DTB and the Allmans?

Answer (Derek): It can wear you down from time to time, but I never feel burnt out. Playing music keeps your mind pretty fresh. I think if I was playing music with the goal of becoming "somebody" it would be inevitable to burn out, playing music that inspires you is its own medicine.

Question: I think that one of the things that gives your band it's depth is your incorporation of all types of musical styles. I especially enjoy listening to a rock guitar player who has an understanding of jazz. One of the jazz artists that we both seem to like is Sun Ra. I dig Sun Ra , but I am of the opinion that although he is a great musician, he is also an insane eccentric who preached some really whacked out bullshit. "Space is the Place" and "Joyful Noise" are two movies that document Sun Ra's teachings. Some of his philosophies, especially the afro-centric one's , seem downright scary. This type of thinking reflects the racist and negative teachings of extremism, like that of the Black Panthers. Shouldn't we work towards unity, not separation? The Derek Trucks Band is a great example of unity. Sun Ra and his followers don't seem to be like this.

You quoted Sun Ra on your last cd. What are your feelings on Sun Ra's philosophy ?

Answer (Derek): I think with Sun Ra you have to consider the time and all the social movements of his day. Just like Bob Marley, Curtis Mayfield, or Sly Stone a lot of their message was speaking directly to the poverty and inequality of their surroundings. Sun Ra growing up in Alabama in the 20s was around some of the most severe racism in this country. His preaching about space was just a way to detach from the hopelessness of his surroundings. To me his genius lies in his ability to create a parallel reality when the cards dealt to him didn't fit his vision. A lot of his speaking and music was designed to get a rise out of people, to shock them out of complacency. I have had a chance to hang with a lot of the musicians that played with him and they always talk about him with a unique reverence. Some of the stories they tell about him remind me of what Joseph Campbell refers to when he talks about the mythical trickster gods or jesters. Through all of the pranks and half truths there is a very serious message only visible to those that don't get hung up in the theatrics of it all. I also know quite a few white people that spent a lot of time with him, some for many years, that never felt any separation. In saying that, I believe you have to separate the message from the messenger sometimes. The messenger is after all only human.

Question: You guys have a great feel for traditional blues. I hear a lot of Albert King/Albert Collins style tunes. I was just wondering if you guys dig any guys from the Chicago post-war scene and if so who?

Answer (Derek): There are a bunch of Chicago guys we are all into. Otis Rush, Little Walter, Howling Wolf, Muddy, JB Hutto, Otis Span, Freddie Below, Magic Sam......

Question: How can you play such soulful music without expressing it physically in your body language. In other words how can you channel all that energy JUST through your playing without cracking more than a grin. Does this help your expressiveness with the instrument or is it just natural?

Answer (Derek): I think early on all the musicians that I respected the most just stood or sat there and played (John Coltrane, Ali Akbar Kahn, Duane Allman). It just depends on the musician but for me it feels more natural. As long as I have been on the road people have told me that they thought I wasn't enjoying playing because I looked so bored, but its actually when I am most aware and engaged.

Question: I have been wanting to know how did you all connect?.
Was it Derek to Otiel to Kofi etc.
Kind of like 7 degrees of separation?

Answer (Derek): It's all Col Bruce Hampton's fault, with the exception of Mike Mattison. Bruce introduced me to Todd and Rico. Kofi joined the ARU after Bruce left, and Rico and Kofi have been playing together for 20+ years in other bands.

I was told about Mike from two different producers on the same day. They both said "I think I found the guy" and they sent cds to the hotel I was staying at in Hoboken. I get two fed-ex packages and they both sent the same disc. I though it was a good omen and jumped on the ferry into NYC for a Columbia meeting. On the subway I see this guy that I recognize from the CDs I got that morning so I remember his name and halfheartedly yell "Mike Mattison?". So we just went with it.

Question: How much do you guys practice individually and rehearse as a band between tours and when you are on the road? I would love to just get a general idea of how that unfolds in a standard week on the road and when you are at home off tour.

Answer (Derek): It all goes in waves. For everyone individually it depends on how inspired you are at any given time. If you hear something that fires you up you play whenever you get a chance until you have a decent grasp on it. As a band we try to use soundchecks to write or just rehearse. Some tours wear you out more than others so it all depends on everyone's headspace. We also rehearse and write as a band off the road in the North Georgia mountains or at my house every few months.

Question: Who’s version of “To Know You Is To Love You” do you prefer? B.B. King or Stevie Wonder? Just curious since I hear a little of both in your performance, which is one of my favorite dTb covers.

Answer (Derek): I first heard the BB version and that's what we learned it from. Later on I heard a live Stevie version and loved it. I think the way we play it is somewhere in the middle. I try to play like BB and the band is leaning towards the Stevie track.

Question (General): Why don't you play...more often? When will you play my hometown again?

Answer (DTB Management): After receiving many e-mails asking when the band will play a specific region or town we thought we would give you some basics on DTB touring. First, due to Derek's hectic schedule with The Derek Trucks Band & the Allman Brothers Band it can be hard to fit in everything you want to do while reserving some time for the family. We do our best to play as many places as possible but there are many many factors that go into which gigs we can book and when. Unfortunately for you west coast folks, we are located on the east coast and quite simply it's far. We are, however, working on a tour for early next year that should cover some of the west coast. Please keep an eye on the website and we'll post dates as soon as they are booked.

Regarding Europe, as there were quite a few questions from this region, we have been working for a while to get to Europe. We are very eager to tour there and should be able to make it happen in 2005 or 2006. Slowly but surely European promoters and venues are learning about the DTB. You can help by telling anyone you know in the promotion business that they need to take a chance on us. It's expensive to tour in Europe with all the additional costs so we need people who believe in the music to break the ice and bring the band over.