The Magnificent Seven: An Interview With DJ HWY 7-Melissa Smith
The Magnificent Seven: An Interview With DJ HWY 7
By Melissa Smith
Melissa Smith: You live in Portland at present. Is that where you are originally from?
DJ HWY 7: Yes. Lovely Portland, Oregon, Today, it’s sunny and in the low 90’s (low 30’s in Celsius). Don’t let anyone fool you that Portland is always drearily grey and wet. I’m originally from Virginia, with family still there. I have family and ties in Georgia and Louisiana, as well. I moved to Portland from Virginia in 1990.
When did your interest in what you would refer to as hill country music begin?
1996. When Matador Records released the R.L. Burnside LP “Ass Pocket of Whiskey” that had the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion recording with R.L.. I was a huge JSBX fan at the time and it was through this record that I learned about R.L. and the Fat Possum label in Oxford, MS. I started buying everything they released, and everything that I could find related to that region and it just sort of snowballed from there. The name HWY 7 actually refers to the route that runs North-South in that part of Mississippi. It starts in Holly Springs in the northeastern part of the state that is referred to as hill country and stretches down to the Delta region further southwest of there. It’s an amazingly beautiful drive with great roadside distractions like Betty Davis Grocery, home to some damn fine BBQ and fried catfish.
Why do you think that this music never gained national attention?
I think it has, just not to the level of other forms of blues or traditional music. Sure you can find it in record stores and online, but as far as seeing it live, you almost have to go to it instead of it coming to you. The musicians themselves are so ingrained with their daily living and what they need to do, or think they need to do, to get by. They seldom leave their hometowns due to jobs or some form of steady paycheck that they are afraid may disappear if they leave to pursue music. In their mind, the paycheck from music might not be as steady as some other form of income. There’s an old story about R.L. not wanting to tour because if he claimed money from it, it might keep him from getting his government check. It took a great deal of persuasion to make him realize that the music check was so much greater than the government check, and that he’d be crazy not to pursue it. In other cases, it may be trouble they’ve gotten into that keeps them rooted.
Do you play any instruments?
Trumpet. I was in a few punk/jazz/avant/“shoegazer” ensembles in Portland in the mid 90’s. One in particular, Apegrave, formed from the ashes of legendary Portland band The Hellcows played quite a bit and opened for the likes of JSBX, The Cows, Killdozer – all those Matador/Amphetamine Reptile noise bands that were pretty big at that time. Unfortunately, we never recorded. I’ve only ever picked up a guitar a few times in my life. Not that I can play one. Maybe I will try again one day.
You have put out two CDs. Are they self produced and how are they distributed?
I’ve compiled two CDs of some of my favorite songs. VOL. I was compiled right after Hurricane Katrina and VOL. II was made just prior to a trip to Memphis where I had a DJ show set up with some friends that are local DJs there. You can hear each area represented in the corresponding CD. There are so many great songs that have never been released on CD that I’d like to use each one I make to help get that music better known to people. It’s my hope that when people hear them, they get turned on to a musician or musicians the same way I did and go out and buy the full length records to hear more of the music that these great artists have released. I haven’t made it easy by putting that kind of information on the CDs, but I had to search for this music too.
The CDs are self-produced. I transfer the vinyl through my stereo in analog format direct to CD. I then just duplicate them one at a time. There is no formal manufacturing. The photos I use on the covers and labels are by the great Tennessee photographer Bill Steber. His pictures really capture the feeling I try to invoke in my sets.
The only “distribution” is me giving them away at shows or just sending them to friends and folks that are interested. I’ve put a few in jukeboxes in Portland and in Oxford, Mississippi – although I think the one in Oxford is long-gone since the bar, The Longshot, shut down. I don’t charge money for these, although after Hurricane Katrina I did give them out to people for a $5 donation at a fundraiser and of the $3,000 we made and sent down to New Orleans for Katrina disaster relief, $500 that day was from the Vol. I CD.
Would you ever consider having them officially distributed as there are a lot of people out there who would love to get their hands on these CDs?
I’m not sure. I guess if someone came to me and said they would do all of the legal work to secure the rights, I may consider it. But that is never what this has been about, it was always my intention to turn people on to the music with the hope that they would hear it, ask who I just played and then go out and find additional music by these artists. I think Fat Possum Records, among others, would agree that how I promote the music they release has helped them and exposed their artists to greater audiences. That was my intention all along. The “people out there’ can contact me or come hear me next time I DJ.
Have you encountered a lot of support in Portland for what you are doing?
I think so. Portland’s a great music town and DJs are pretty well respected. I think people here appreciate the tone that DJs set and I often get a lot of positive feedback from people. There aren’t that many DJs playing old blues records, although there are quite a few that do play old soul records. Some great ones like DJ Beyonda attract large crowds. The only problems I’ve encountered are typically my own doing as I’ve been known to drink too much while I DJ and the music gets too loud. I can’t help it, sometimes the music just demands to be played that way. There are some spots in Portland I won’t be allowed to DJ in again because of what’s transpired. Oh well. That’s why there’s Vancouver, BC. And fortunately new venues are opening in Portland on a weekly basis…
How many records do you estimate to be in your collection?
I haven’t counted in a long time, but I think there are probably about 10,000 LPs, 45s and 78s in total. Maybe this question will force me to actually count them.
Do you have them insured?
I actually don’t have them insured – yet. It’s on the short list of things to do, like the actual act of counting them. To insure them you have to catalog them and that is what is keeping me from doing it. I don’t have the patience. Every time I am asked this question, it makes me think of the iconic basketball player Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who at one time had one of the most extensive jazz LP collections known to exist. The collection was completely lost in a fire and the idea of replacing the collection was unfathomable. This was well before Ebay and all of the other outlets for finding LPs so to just start over seemed too daunting to him. I think I feel that way, too.
Do you listen to other types of music as well?
Oh yes. Definitely. I grew up listening to punk and I still do. I was heavily into D.C. “Go-Go” while living in Northern Virginia/Washington, D.C. in the late 80’s. Same with reggae as it was hugely popular in sections of D.C. that I frequented. I’m a huge fan of Detroit rock like the MC5, The Stooges and the bands that they influenced; Radio Birdman from Australia, The Hellacopters from Sweden. I was very into Sub Pop in the late 80’s to early 90’s. My collection of records is very diverse. I’m pretty much a fan of music in general.
Right now, I am very inspired by North African Touareg rebel music, bands like Tinariwen, Toumast and Terakaft. Like Ali Farka Toure before them, they play a uniquely hypnotic trance-like music that you can definitely tell was influenced by hearing western blues music like John Lee Hooker and blending these sounds with traditional music and instrumentation from their culture. It’s the closest contemporary thing I’ve heard to Junior Kimbrough, whose music I always go back to.
If you were about to be abducted by aliens and they would only allow you to bring one record, which one would it be?
I hate this question! I’d probably dig what the aliens were listening to, or at least hope to, but if I had to only bring one record, chances are it would be Booker T & The M.G.’s “Green Onions”; or maybe if I wanted to pay tribute to my adopted hometown of Portland, the great, first Billy Larkin & The Delegates LP on Aura. The reason I hate the question is that it’s too hard to decide. That’s why I have 10,000 records, so I don’t have to be limited. Take that, aliens!
The music you play is a very unusual, albeit wonderful choice to play in a bar. Why did you make the decision that you would bring this music to the masses, one drunk at a time?
It’s the music I love and the music I want to hear in a bar, so the best way to hear the music you want to hear in a bar is to either own the bar or DJ in it. I chose the latter so I could drink. Really though, I just wanted to turn people onto the stuff that I like, that I think people should hear. Like you said earlier, it appears it hasn’t gained the national attention it deserves.
I actually started DJing by playing old jazz records at The Dunes, a club here in Portland. I still DJ everything in my collection, although I tend to focus on the blues and soul, and rock bands that you can tell are influenced by old blues and soul. I can’t remember when I started, but it was several years ago and at the insistence, or encouragement, of my friend Sean to do something with all the records I had. And to allow him the chance to hang out with folks when he wanted to take a break from behind the turntables.
You do shows a lot with musicians and play between their sets. Would you take it further and actually perform onstage with the musicians or perhaps do some sampling in the studio? You could create an entirely new sub genre of music…
I attribute my DJ sets with bands to the great Mr. Airplane Man, and the bar I mentioned earlier, The Dunes. The fine ladies of Mr. Airplane Man are very into old blues and soul, and are huge fans of records and DJs. I ended up getting on the bill of their first show in Portland at The Dunes and we had a blast together. Every time they came through, they asked me to DJ. The concept just caught on locally with bands that had similar tastes in music as me. It’s a great idea for the band and the fans that have come to see the bands play. Think of all the times you’ve gone to hear a band you love, only to have the soundperson put on a completely different style of music in between bands while they change sets, and have it kill the entire vibe. Having a DJ play a similar type of music will keep the desired mood or vibe in the room. To answer your question more specifically with regard to playing with a band live or in the studio though, I doubt I’ll ever DJ while a band is playing. I’ll leave that to 311 or that Fred Durst character.
Have you heard of The Gramophone Sisters? I think you might appreciate their aesthetic.
I haven’t. But on your word, I’ll check them out. I always like getting turned on to new music.
You’re going to Memphis next week. Is this on another music expedition?
Yes. I can’t wait! It’s not a musical expedition per se, but of course I will try to incorporate that aspect into the trip. My dear friend, Jake Fussell, who is an amazing guitar player in the Lower Chattahoochee style of Georgia, is getting married in rural Alabama. Jake’s father is a folklorist who helped locate several people whose records I still DJ. I’m flying into Memphis to see some friends, hang out, and travel to the wedding with them. Of course I built in some extra time in order to go to Shangri-La and Goner, as well as a few other places in Memphis.
And to eat! I never feel like I have enough time there for all the restaurants I want to go to.
I heard that you track down rare recordings from deceased artists that have never been published. How do issues like copyright get resolved in that sort of scenario?
I have recordings like this, but I’ve never included anything on any of the CD compilations I’ve put together. I’d rather have them copyrighted or published through established publishers and make sure either the artist or the deceased artist’s family receive payments, publishing or royalties accordingly. But I actually prefer to look for obscure records that have been put out, and to research and learn from those.
Would you consider relocating to be closer to the music you love?
I actually would love to move back to the South. I believe I will one day, but I’m not really sure when or where. I’d love to live in Memphis. I’d really love to live in New Orleans. I’ve been there twice already this calendar year and the last time, I will admit I was looking for For Rent signs. I’d be more inclined to live in these cities, or even Atlanta, as opposed to the great town of Oxford, Mississippi, because I think I need a bigger city. I would want to visit Oxford as often as possible because of everything it does have to offer with regard to music, food and art.
Any thoughts on forming your own record label?
Not yet. I’ve helped friends that have labels with research, development and feedback, but I haven’t really given thought to starting my own label. I think I’d prefer to work with established labels that I admire, and assist them in any way I can. I know how hard it can be, and I don’t want to create any more of a glut than necessary, or (create) more work than I can handle myself.
What about having a radio show?
I would love that. I just don’t think I have the wherewithal to go out and look for one. I’ve been offered the chance to sit in with friends that have local radio shows here in Portland, but I find myself never making the time to take advantage of the opportunity presented to me. I DJ’d on the radio when I was in school in Virginia and I loved it. It was primarily punk and reggae, but I managed to get kicked off for swearing over the airwaves. Ha.
It sounds like you are a music historian in addition to being a DJ. Would you ever consider writing a book or filming a documentary on the topic?
I do try to research everything I listen to and DJ I love the story behind recordings; from musicians, to songs, to the labels the songs were released on. Last summer I spent an afternoon with Johnny Phillips of Select-O-Hits Records in Memphis. It was his uncle, Sam Phillips who founded Sun Records, and it was his father Tom, who ran the Select-O-Hits one-stops and eventually that label and several others, including the incredible Black Gold and Philwood Records. Johnny grew up in the studios and producing records for the likes of Philwood. I took him a very extensive discography that I compiled, which he didn’t have a copy of or even the recollection that so many records had been released. I spent the afternoon being told the most amazing stories about the artists, the recordings and everything he could recall regarding the history of the label. With regard to that, I plan to write further from the notes I took. It may not be a book. It may be liner notes to a compilation or an article for a magazine, or both. I can see writing to that extent. I’ve never even thought of documenting anything on film. I gotta think bigger/higher, but I think my day job keeps me grounded. Damn.
What is your day job?
I am an apparel/clothing developer here in Portland. I’ve been doing it a long time. It’s fun – but not as much fun as playing records.
So that is perhaps a commonality that you share with the musicians, as you possess these amazing skills yet the security of your day job takes precedence….
Yes, unfortunately. Ha! It makes it especially hard when I have the opportunity to do something during the week and I have to think about that 6:30am wake-up alarm. Damn. It just can’t happen right now. Maybe one day because that would be great!
In this ultra PC environment do you ever get a backlash regarding cultural misappropriation?
Wow. That’s an interesting question. I trust you are referring to race or to someone living in the Northwest playing music from the South that is/was made primarily by African American musicians. I’ve never experienced this. The musicians that know I am playing their records dig it. The labels that know I am playing their records dig it. So I think it’s safe to say I’ve never been put in that situation, which I am extremely grateful for. Thankfully, people just dig the music.
What I was getting at was a sort of a cultural colonialism masquerading as protectionism. PC factions often take issue when art which was created by historically disadvantaged groups becomes popular with individuals who are not part of that group. Often the creators of the art, as evidenced in your example, do not have any issues at all with this. As outsiders appointing themselves as spokespersons for a group that they have identified as oppressed, these ultra PCers are perpetrators of what they are accusing others of; going outside of their own cultural frame of reference and taking the voices away from the people they claim to support.
Fortunately, I’ve never had that happen. Luckily, the music I play speaks for itself and is fortunately unique enough that I think people just seem happy to hear it. It also helps that I align myself with like-minded venues, bands, and crowds that are just there to enjoy the music – and drink. I think it helps that the majority of the time I am in a bar setting and that’s not usually what is on people’s minds while in that setting. It’s just drinking, hearing great music and having fun.
Since I have ended things on such an uplifting note, perhaps it would be best if I handed things over to you so that you can spread some more of that Portland sunshine. Anything else you wish to add?
I’ll be with my Canadian sisters The Pack A.D. down here in Oregon when they play in Cottage Grove at The Axe & Fiddle on June 28th. I’ll then be with them again in Lake Elmo, MN at the 2nd Annual Deep Blues Festival on July 18th-20th. I suggest you make the road trip there for it. The ice in my drink has melted. I think I need to deal with that
Copyright C. 2008 Melissa Smith