Patrick Hallahan
of My Morning Jacket

photo by Larry Safko, Bonnaroo 2005

October 20th, 2003- On the Madcap Studio telephone

 
Ex: Talk about some of the earliest music you heard as a child that inspired you to want to be a musician.

Patrick: Well, I know this is an easy one, but The Beatles. I came from a very musical family, and there was always Motown and The Beatles and Led Zepplin around. And classcal music. I just grew up with all of this stuff being played around me all the time. They put me to sleep to music, you know? There is so much that shaped the way that I view things.

Ex: Why don’t you talk about your experience with the band. Being n My Morning Jacket, and how that all came about.

Patrick: How I entered the situation? I was getting ready to go finish my degree. I had just been accepted, and it was kind of funny. Jim called me one day, and I was actually throwing a 21st birthday party for his twin sister, and he called at the party I was throwing and asked me to be in the band. I had previously vowed never to play in a band with him because we are such good friends, and I didn’t want to screw up the friendship. A lot of band bad sides can take away from a friendship, kind of like anything, but I agreed to do it, and it’s been the greatest decision I’ve ever made in my life. I couldn’t be happier with the group of people that I’m with.

Ex: Will you talk about the new album, It Still Moves?

Patrick: I think that this album is a lot different than the other albums because we toured our butts off before we recorded it. I think as a band, My Morning Jacket is tighter than it has been because of all of that playing, just non-stop. We recorded it live, so it has more of a live sound. But I think there are elements to this album that are apparent in the other albums as well. They are all recorded out on this farm, John’s grandparents farm and it has a very Kentucky atmosphere to it. I love it. It feels very much like home, that album.

Ex: Talk about “Slow Fear.”

Patrick: Slow Fear? Wow. Slow fear reminds me of walking down a dark hallway as a child and not knowing where anything was. The anxiety of that.

Ex: Lamppost and Television.

Patrick: When I think lamp post I think “city street corner,” and a saxophone player leaning up against it. Television I think, “bad.” That’s what I associate television with. I don’t like television at all. Television equals “bad” in my head.

Ex: The Perfect Word.

Patrick: Oh wow. The Perfect Word. I don’t even know if I can give that justice to tell you the truth. I guess the perfect word for me is “love.”

Ex: Pink Fuzz.

Patrick: Animal. Pink Fuzz equals Animal from the Muppett Show.

Ex: Black Feather Limbo.

Patrick: New Orleans.

Ex: Blue Screen.

Patrick: A cloudless day.

Ex: Modern Orange Sky.

Patrick: Perfect sunset.

Ex: Mermaid and Pharoah.

Patrick: Pharoah:Sphynx…Mermaid:Tuna.

Ex: Pen Lines.

Patrick: Thoughts.

Ex: Adopt-a-highway.

Patrick: Brilliant idea.

Ex: I’ll let my sweater figure it out.

Patrick: (laughter) Where are you getting these from? I just think of a red haired girl in a green swater saying that. I don’t know exactly what it means, but that is the visual in my head when you say that.

Ex: Porch light.

Patrick: Porch light equals book reading. I love reading books in porch light. It’s one of my favorite lights in the world.

Ex: Are there any newfound influences or things that you’ve been listening to, not necessarially new artists, but things that you have run across lately that have inspired you?

Patrick: Yeah, actually for the first time in my life I’ve really gotten into Bob Dylan. Just figuring out what everybody else has already figured out. It’s kinda hard to describe, but I just didn’t like it for a long time, and now I really do. I have a tremendous appreciaton for Outkast lately. I think between them and Erikah Badu, I can’t get enough. They are my last hopes in Soul. They are bringing a lot to the table as far as Soul music is concerned. I don’t think that R&B is R&B anymore. It’s very comforting music. And the new Ween album, “Quebec.” It’s amazing. That gives me hope for creativity.

Ex: How do you feel the “modern musician,” so to speak, fits into “modern society.”

Patrick: That’s a good question, but it’s multi-faceted because it depends on what kind of musician you are. I think that a lot of musicians today are at it for the hits, or for the next wave and to ride that wave wherever that takes them. The basis of that society is like a key almost, because there are people who want the next big hit. There are people who don’t want to think about it. Then there is the kind of musician that sits around and breaks down what they are doing and loves their craft, and puts so much heart and soul into it. I think that can be almost a square peg sometimes. It’s not as accessable. You look for it, and as far as the music industry is concerned, it’s not as easy to market. So those are two of many, but those are the two that stick out in my mind.