Interview: Walter Trout (From Preston and Leyland Citizen)

Interview: Walter Trout

1:50pm Friday 3rd October 2008

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WALTER Trout is distracted as we begin our interview.

Sitting at home, he’s watching the American news channels covering the US presidential election campaign.

“I’ve been sitting here watching in amazement and awe at the eloquence of Sarah Palin (John McCain’s choice as potential vice president). It’s really exciting to think that she could soon be helping run the White House,” he says.

When I tell him I suspect he may have his tongue well and truly in his cheek, Walter gets serious.

“I really am scared to think that the Republicans might get in again,” he said. “Eight years ago when George Bush first stood I thought there’s no way people will vote for this guy. You never know over here how things will turn out.”

The honesty and openness is typical of a man who with his music hasn’t been afraid to go his own way.

After playing in various bands, including Canned Heat and John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, Walter went solo — he’s celebrating 20 years as a solo artist this year.

“I’ve had 20 years of making a great living with my band and I’m still climbing the ladder,” he said. “With every album and every tour we seem to get a little more recognition and more fans discover us.”

Walter has been a familiar face in East Lancashire. He recently played at the Great British Rhythm and Blues Festival in Colne.

“That was a bit of a Walter fest,” he joked. “We played our set and then we stood in for Wilco Johnson, who was unable to appear, and closed the festival.”

I ask Walter if he regards East Lancashire as a stronghold for his music.

“Every year for the past 20 years I’ve done around 25 shows in the UK, appearing at venues all over the country, so I think you could say that about quite a lot of places,” he said. “What I do have is an audience that will come out and see me and I’m very grateful to all the people of the UK who have done that over the years. Many have been with me since the beginning and I will always give them the best show that I can.”

Walter grew up in New Jersey in the '60s where playing in a band was a serious business.

“At that time New Jersey had so many bars where bands could play. It was quite a scene,” he said. “All those clubs had mainly covers bands but they had to be good so there was incredible competition between the bands, which made you better musicians.

“When I was growing up at that time I would spend hours practising, then play with the band for four hours and come home and practise some more,” he said. “I still do practise. I’ve got my Strat over in the corner of the living room and I’ll pick it up on occasions during the day. But I will do practice in my head, thinking about different licks and what might work well.”

Walter will play King George’s Hall next Friday, showcasing songs from his new album The Outsider, which critics are hailing as possibly his best yet.

“I put my heart and soul into the album and with some of the songs I wanted to get some things off my chest,” he said.

l Walter Trout and the Radicals, King George’s Hall, Blackburn, Friday, October 10. Box office on 0844 847 1664

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