INTERVIEW: Patterson Hood on Bringing 30 Years of Drive-By Truckers Upstate
07/26 @ Arrowood Farm, Accord
Photo by Brantley Gutierrez
“There are no rules. Whether it takes me four years to write and finish a song, or 15 minutes, if it's something I like the sound of and maybe people would want to hear, then that’s the song.”
Arguably the most important Southern rock band of the last 30 years, Drive-By Truckers makes their debut at Arrowood Farms in Accord (14 miles NW of New Paltz), as part of their Charm & Decadence tour with their friends, alternative folk-rock band veterans, Deer Tick, and up and comers, Thelma and the Sleeze, this Saturday, July 26th.
Hailing from Athens, Georgia, Drive-By Truckers have long been road warriors, touring regularly for almost 30 years, and releasing 17 studio albums, most recently with Welcome 2 Club XIII in June of 2022. I had a chance to talk with co-founder (along with Mike Cooley) Patterson Hood about the band, this tour, and their show at Arrowood Farms. I was nervous to speak to someone of Hood’s ilk—he’s a bonafide rockstar—but when he picked up my call, my nerves went away immediately. The voice on the other end was a welcoming one, with a sultry southern accent, and an immediate authenticity.
Over their close to three-decade history, Drive-By Truckers have firmly cemented their place in American Rock history, a meaningful accolade for Hood. “It is hard to fathom that much time has gone by. Cooley and I have been playing together for 40 years now; there were bands we were in before DBTs. It’s just been a long, crazy trip.”
The band would often have multiple focuses at once, like writing songs that would appear on albums Decoration Day and Dirty South, while also recording Southern Rock Opera, and touring on album, Pizza Deliverance. They have however slowed down since the COVID lockdowns were lifted, going from around 200 shows a year to 100, and this has been their largest gap between new albums. This has given some time for reflection.
“After this tour wraps up, we are going on a hiatus [from touring] and are going to get back into the studio to record a new album.” This will be the band’s 18th studio album, a feat that not many bands have accomplished in their careers.
When it comes to songwriting, Hood was more than happy to oblige in pulling the curtain back on the band's processes.
“Something that makes things work well, for as long as they have, is that Cooley and I are opposites in almost every way. For me, I write faster than he does—his songs are etched in stone—but as I’ve gotten older, I have been more deliberate.
“There are no rules. Whether it takes me four years to write and finish a song, or 15 minutes, if it's something I like the sound of and maybe people would want to hear, then that’s the song.”
For example, the song “Heathens” was a long process, where he kept going back to it until one day he thought, that’s the finished product. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the song “Sinkhole” was written on the side of the road in rush hour traffic in Mobile, Alabama. He didn’t even have his guitar on him when he wrote it out; he figured out how to accompany the parts he’d written later on.
In his younger days, Hood would write a number of songs at a time, pick the keepers and present them to the band for final inspection—the ultimate judgement of if they were any good or not. That is the kind of trust and respect he has for them, though he laughingly quipped, “They can be pretty tough sometimes.”
At that point, it felt like we were at a comfortable enough place to approach the topic of politics. Drive-By Truckers have not been shy throughout their history about politics, which is reflected in their lyrics, concept albums, and overall themes. I asked Hood, since starting the band, has he seen any progression—or perhaps regression—in the south?
“It’s complicated. Anytime you talk about the South, it’s going to be complicated,” Hood replied. “We revisited Southern Rock Opera last year because it was an election year and thought it would be interesting to view that album through today’s lens, only to find that it was perhaps more timely now, than it was in the late ‘90s or early 2000s when we were writing it and released it.”
A large part of that album was about Alabama governor George Wallace, a segregationist that was in office from 1963 to 1987, or most of Hood’s early life. He pointed out that he sees some of the worst ideals from the American South have now been spread around America, with the divide being more Urban versus Rural, and some areas in blue states being as right wing as Alabama, perhaps even more militant. “Some of the racial overtones of the MAGA movement might give Wallace some pause,” Hood said. The way he spoke about these topics speaks to the band really walking the walk behind their music – using their music and platform to lead the charge against political and social injustices.
It's no great secret to anyone that our country is facing economic challenges right now as well, which the entertainment industry is certainly not immune to. While Hood revealed that the band has had some challenges, they were able to get over the hump. That is maybe not the case for the up and comers.
“We are very lucky to have such a dedicated and passionate fanbase, that has allowed us to continue to survive, but I’m worried for the younger bands, and future bands. I don’t think we would have been able to do what we did in the ‘90s and ‘00s, to get things off the ground and make it in today’s economic reality.”
Looking ahead to this weekend, Arrowood Farms is in for a special set from an iconic band. Their approach to their shows is as eclectic as their discography—for proof, look no further than the way their song selections for each performance.
“There are no setlists, and what I mean by that is we don’t use them,” he informed me. “We pick the first two songs— say one is written by me, one written by Cooley—and then go back and forth. We have hand signals and other shorthand to communicate. Making things flow as seamlessly as possible is almost like a sport for us, forcing us always to be on our toes. It keeps things interesting and allows us to go with the crowd.” For example, a crowd that is rowdier, is going to see a few more rowdier songs. A more introspective crowd that’s really listening intently might see a few more quieter songs.
After nearly three decades of touring, Hood still gets excited when he gets to play new places, like Arrowood Farms.
“Man, I look at a map sometimes and just look at how many places I have been to and we have played. You know, it’s a big, ol’ country, and we have played every level venue in all sorts of small towns, and big cities, so there’s always an excitement to see somewhere new, and to get to meet new people.”
Of course Deer Tick is on this tour as well and will be making their debut at Arrowood Farms also. Deertick has built a legacy for themselves with their brand of alternative folk rock. Hailing from Providence, Rhode Island, they have spent two decades making unique music, some that could easily be dressed up and taken out, or could be seen sitting in the smokey corner of a dive bar and having a great time either way.
Opening the show will be Thelma and The Sleaze, who Hood spoke glowingly of. I was asked to add this for our readers, which of course I am obliging: “Get there early for them. LG (lead singer and songwriter) is incredibly funny with her banter, a smokin’ guitar player, writes great songs, and the band is super tight—it’s a lot of fun.” That’s huge praise from a legend, so take his advice and get there early!
Go to Impact Concerts for more information about the show, Arrowood Farms for more information about the venue, or get your tickets here.
Be sure to follow @drivebytruckers @deertickmusic @thelmaandthesleaze @impactconcerts @arrowoodfarms on Instagram for all the latest. Special thanks to Red Light Management @redlightmgmt.