WXPN Radio

The premier guide for new and significant artists in rock, blues, and folk - including NPR-syndicated World Cafe

XPN2 - XPoNential Radio

24/7 Musical discovery. A unique mix of emerging and heritage blues, rock, world, folk, and alt-country artists.

World Cafe Archives

Join the World Cafe through performances and interviews with celebrated and emerging artists.
Listen
  • font size decrease font size decrease font size increase font size increase font size

Terry Callier

Terry Callier Terry Callier
Photo: courtesy of artist
Terry Callier passed away on Saturday so we are re-airing a portion of our 1998 interview with him on Friday’s show. David, this begins with him talking: “All of these things are gifts as far as I’m concerned…” You had just asked him about how he feels about songwriting, in particular with the song “Lazarus Man” (which he performs after giving his answer).
You need to give background info on who he was, say he died on Saturday October 27th, and that this was recorded in front of an audience at the Warhol in 1998 around the time he released Timepeace.

This also needs an out. You will need to backsell “Keep Your Heart Right”, say this was recorded at the Warhol in 1998 around the time he had released Timepeace and that Terry died on Saturday October 27th.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
I would check this out: NY Times


IN THIS INTERVIEW
Terry talks about how songs just come through him and that he sees his songs as a gift transmitted through him. He explains that he has made a living as a computer programmer to provide for his daughter. When Terry heard an interview with John Fogerty he heard him say that songs come through him, and then Terry felt like he could say the same thing. He explains what inspired the song “Lazarus Man”. He talks about coming up in the folk scene in Chicago and coming up there. He speaks about his popularity in England and briefly discusses how he ended up recording with Beth Orton. He then discusses his religious beliefs and how he draws from many different faiths and has studied world religions. He explains where his name came from. Finally he discusses what inspired the song “Keep Your Heart in the Right Place”.

Setlist
LAZARUS MAN
KEEP YOUR HEART RIGHT

Resources

Soul and jazz singer Terry Callier has died. The 67-year-old songwriter experienced belated success in his career after working with acts including Massive Attack and Beth Orton.
Rolling Stone
NY Times
Spinner
LA Times

Billboard
Wikipedia

January 24, 2007 - Featuring soul singer Terry Callier on lead vocals, Massive Attack's sultry, passionate "Live With Me" exudes heavily orchestrated emotion that seems out of character with the group's icier ambient fare. In the hands of two great cult singers — Greg Dulli of The Twilight Singers and Afghan Whigs, as well as Screaming Trees' Mark Lanegan — the cinematic original becomes a hypnotic, sinister rock song.

Dulli and Lanegan recorded their take on "Live With Me" for a new Twilight Singers EP, A Stitch In Time, which provides a nice teaser for an album-length collaboration (as The Gutter Twins) later this year.

"I've been thinking about you baby / Almost makes me crazy / Come and live with me," Lanegan sings, his whiskey-soaked voice exuding characteristic menace. The tone transcends desire and enters — again, characteristically — into desperation: Over an ominous slide guitar, washes of electric guitars and a pulsing backbeat, the pleas get pushed into ever more unnerving territory, thanks to two great singers who know their way around it.

Listen to yesterday's 'Song of the Day.
Bruce Warren
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6968519