W&B: Mr. f#%^&*ing Nate… at last you keep still long enough for us to let the WoodGrain fans… ‘in’… A member of your band once recently called you “the youngest old soul in the music business…”…
You’re response…?
MN: I’m not the youngest old soul in music. Everybody has soul, most people just don’t know how to express it.
W&B: We can dig that man… so … the BlueNote has found out for us that you may (or may not) have grown up somewhere near or around south Irving (as did Joey Black)… Also that you come from a big family… How has this impacted you in recent years as you … Mr. Black & the rest of the members of The WoodGrain dive into the local music scene with a real sense of reckless abandon …?
MN: Well, Yeah I grew up in south irving, with eight brothers and sisters. I’m the 4th son, and me and all my brothers are heading straight for hell. So I think my parents your pretty used to it by now.
As for the state of my immortal soul? I think I still got a hold on it.
W&B: Hey Mr. Nate… Burnstem here … sorry I’m late. I had to see a guy about some…stuff…uh that last answer, truthful…yet cryptic man. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . uh. . .oh yeah… What does The WoodGrain have stirring in the pot that might have the humidity rising…?
MN: Well we got a whole lotta songs that are stewin. Thats the way we do it. We all have ideas that we’re constantly throwing around. We’ll be sitting around completely twisted, and we’ll come up with a cool verse or line, or a riff. And we just keep it in the circle and slowly work on it. But to give you a hint about these new songs, were focusing on our usual topics of sex, drugs, alcohol, killin, swindlin, pimpin, wimin, and sex.
W&B: Yeah man… alot of the “WoodKnots” are sayin’ stuff like MR. Nate’s songs are all about killin’ (i.e. Blackwater)… but we see beyond that & wonder what you think that sort of fan opinion does to your image & that of your songwriting?
MN: Well seeing as songwriting is a form of self expression, I suppose the fans think that I’m a murdering psychotic womanizing thieving drug addled alcoholic heartbreaking egotistical douchebag… Damn, I’m in a tight spot…
W&B: Don’t cry Mr. Nate… Sunday mornin’ gon’ come ’round again…
Really… you know these people love you… no matter what the content of your songs they… we… can feel it… right… you dig man?
MN: I can dig it. Hey man, I was wondering, whats your view on the Texas blues scene today?
W: My official stance on the uh… Texas …blues… ’scene’ is that it’s sort of at a precipice… you know… it’s great…GREAT music! It always will be but right now… & hopefully with you guys at the forefront of it…that ’scene’ you speak of is ready to evolve man… and right now… what do you think Burnstem…
&B: Man, you guys are totally freakin’ me out right now… Mr. Nate …
MN: I think your right man, the entire music scene is headed in a good direction. Popular music as we know it is going to burn like the shit…that it is, and I’m going to smile when it does. People are starting to listen to MUSIC again. We live in such a great time.
W&B: Man…you rule Mr. Nate… Aight… las’question… you know it’s comin’… what’s your one & only favorite song & who’s it by?
MN: Well Burnstem and company, I really cant give you a song, but I can give you an album. If I was to only have one album to listen to for the rest of eternity, it would be Cold Dog Soup, by Guy Clark. It doesn’t happen very often, but every once in a while, there’s a album that’s so good, you can never get tired of listening to it.
The title song, as well as the song fort worth blues
(about the death of Townes Van Zandt), are just two of the perfect tracks on that album. Do yourself a favor, and get a copy.
W&B: Once again …far fucking out man. Thanks for your time and being so forthcoming Mr. Nate!…
MN: (Dial tone….)
