Behold The Abyss: Lonesome Wyatt, The Interview.

It’s funny. Halfway through January and already I can look back on a year of achievement, on challenges met, competitors bested, obstacles overcome. I’ve accomplished more than most men, and without the use of my legs. Because, ya know, I’m only operating a webzine, but whatever. It is with great honor and pride that I am able to present to you my chat with the creator of “strange, sad music from a time that never was”, the one and only LONESOME WYATT of Those Poor Bastards and Lonesome Wyatt and The Holy Spooks. Mercy!
(photo taken by Patty Templeton)

You’ve got a new Holy Spooks album coming in March, but first I’d like to talk about Those Poor Bastards’ Behold The Abyss and the accompanying novel The Terrible Tale of Edgar Switchblade which came out in September. Any idea if the people are getting it? Is it a lot to expect of somebody to sit down with the book and the record and make sense of it all?

I don’t think it’s too much to expect for someone to listen to an album or read a book. I sure hope not. I don’t know if it makes sense to people. It makes some sense to me though and I am a person.

What was the creative process like for that project? Write a bit and then write a corresponding song? Write a song and then expand on the subject matter with the book? A bit of both? Have I missed the point completely?

You’re about right. While I was writing the book, songs just seemed to flow out of it. I didn’t originally plan to make the corresponding album, but it puked itself up and I couldn’t stop it.

Now you’ve got the Lonesome Wyatt and the Holy Spooks album “Ghost Ballads” coming up in March. Without giving too much away, what can we expect and what will surprise/shock longtime Lonesome fans?

I think Ghost Ballads has a kind of Victorian feel to it. It’s mostly story songs about ghosts. That fact that it was recorded at Hotel Hell might surprise someone I guess.

Personally, I think it’d be hard to like TPB and not be a fan of your Holy Spooks stuff or vice versa, and also the collaborative stuff like your record with Rachel Brooke for example. Regardless of the title it is always distinctly a unique Lonesome Wyatt project so I’m wondering, how do you decide which material/songs/books will go out under which name?

You’re too kind. When I set out to write a new song I usually have a certain project in mind. The Holy Spooks and TPB are also quite different in terms of lyrics and sound, so it’s pretty clear to me what song should go where.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but it doesn’t look like you tour all that much, considering how prolific you are with your releases. Do you just like to wait for the good ones to come along (like Hank III, Joe Buck Yourself, Dax Riggs, etc.), or would you tour a helluva lot more if you could?

I need a lot of solitary time and that’s impossible to find when you’re touring. My favorite thing to do is write and record songs, so I’d rather just focus on that. Also, I’ve been working more on stories so that takes up a lot of time too. I do like to play shows with people like Hank III and stuff but if I made a habit of touring I think I would go crazy. There’s too much to do at home.

What would it take to get you into Canada?

I’d play a show with a Canadian band like Timber Timbre.

What do you listen to for your own pleasure/misery, and can you recommend any lesser-known and more-deserving artists your fans might like?

I just recently found a good album called British and American Murder Ballads by Paul Clayton. I’m a sucker for murder songs. Another band I really like is this 60’s trio called The Fleetwoods. They have all kinds of great sad songs.

Thanks a lot for your time Wyatt, now what are you gonna do with the rest of your evening?

Cry.

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