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H-Town Rock
Rock Talk, Vol. IX
The San Antonio Express News once called Hayes Carll "one of the most acclaimed young songwriters on the Texas scene," and it only takes one listen to Carll's debut album "Flowers and Liquor" to know what all the praise is about. Carll's lyrics are as expressively gritty as his fine-tuned Texas drawl. His songs reflect his chaotic life on the Bolivar Peninsula and life in Arkansas. Carll never had to recover a sophomore slump, and his second album, released last year, received even more acclaim than his first. Carll's life has changed drastically between his first album, when he spent his time as a reckless wonderer, and his second album "Little Rock." Within the past two years Carll married, had a son and moved back to his hometown--The Woodlands. Not that he is slowing down anytime soon. Carll recently inked a deal with Lost Highway Records, the label of Elvis Costello and Lucinda Williams. Here he speaks to Houstonist about his past and his future.
How have you changed since you left The Woodlands?
I moved there with my parents in 1977 and moved away in 1994. I guess, like anyone, I grew up a little with time. Now I’m married with a son, but when I left I was an 18 year old just trying to get away. I had a bad case of wonderlust and wanted to see what was beyond the suburbs. Twelve years later I’ve seen a lot, done a lot of traveling and worked out those dreams I had.
Why did you want to move back?
Basically, having a son was what brought me back to the area. When I found out I was going to be a dad, I was living in Bolivar. I lived out there for about four years, but being a parent changed me. I wanted to be closer to my home, closer to my folks closer to civilization. Out there, it was a bit remote.
You are more popular now than you were before you moved. Has your schedule changed much?
I’ve been traveling a lot. I’m on the road more than I’m home, unfortunately. I did 220 shows last year, and including traveling days, I was gone about 260 days. I put out a record in March (2005) and haven’t been home much since then. It’s something you have to do at the level I’m at. I went without a label on the last record, and I’ve had to work that much harder.
Why did you decide to produce Little Rock without a label?
The music business is changing pretty dramatically. The major benefits of a record label is that you have someone willing to spend money distributing your music. But the individual artist probably doesn’t have as much control as they would like. The majority of record labels are probably bad deals for the artist. With the evolution of the Internet you have the ability to generate interest in your work through alternative means. People don’t have to be dependent anymore because there are ways to get your records out there. It still costs a lot of time and money, but it is conceivable to sell a record without selling away your rights as a musician.
Having said that, I just signed a record deal with Lost Highway (Willie Nelson, Lyle Lovett, Lucinda Williams, Ryan Adams), which is a really good record company. They are linked to a mainstream label–Universal–but their roster is filled with creatively independent people. I have the benefits of getting a major label without compromising my artistic integrity.
How would you describe your music?
The general description I would use is country folk rock. But the main thing I want people to know is I want to be a songwriter. The music part has evolved as I’ve progressed. Being from Texas, I have a lot of background in country music. That comes out in the twang of a steel guitar, and I perform a bit of a rock show, but at heart I consider myself a singer/songwriter.
People can listen to any song on your album by downloading the song from your Web site. Why make it so easy?
Ito took me a long time to get to this point. I’ve never been through a massive media push or gotten massive radio play. It has been about gigging and word of mouth. The Internet gives people one more way to have access to an artist. If they’ll listen to it, there is a good chance they’ll like it. I actually encourage bootlegging at shows. I think it builds a community around what I do if people are trading shows online.
What is your favorite place to play?
I’ve always liked North Carolina second to Texas. Texas is home, and once I cross the border, there is Little Rock. But North Carolina is a really pretty state and a great music community. It was the first place I would go on long tours and the first place I ever got any traction out of Texas. It’s just a good vibe up there.
What was it like to play at South by Southwest?
It was fun. This was my fourth year to do it. I guess the overall idea is usually to meet other people in the business like club owners, label managers, etc. I’ve been doing it for years now so I came in this year able to go out and play a fun show and see some people I don’t get to see very often. A whole world emerges in Austin over this one weekend. Before, I would get to meet people I would work with down the road. This year I’m pretty much set up with those things, so it was a chance to relax.
What shows did you sit in on?
Scott Miller, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Collin Herring and Drive by Truckers.
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