Paul Pigat interview: moody roots, solo this Thursday, plus Ray Condo tribute news and new Cousin Harley album!

One of the things that is a pain in the ass about what I do is that I know some people who are my Facebook friends or such ONLY because I sometimes write about music, who ONLY start liking my posts or commenting on them when they have a gig coming up or an album coming out. It's like a neighbour who knocks on your door fifteen minutes before dinner to return the empty plate from last week... 

So one of the things that I really dig about Paul Pigat is though I have given him press on more than one occasion - for example, here (a Reverend Horton Heat interview where his name comes up) here (my big Straight feature with him), here (a blogpost about Cousin Harley's last album), and here (in the context of an Iron Maiden concert review!) -- the dude has never asked for any of it. In fact, when I shot him an email to let him know I'd mentioned him in my previous folk festival piece, he didn't even TELL ME HE WAS PLAYING AGAIN THIS THURSDAY. We had exchanged a couple of messages when I noticed the gig on Instagram. Ha!

He says it's just that he's a bad self-promoter, but to be honest, it's kind of refreshing.  

Suzie Ungerleider with Paul Pigat at the 2024 Vancouver Folk Music Festival, by Dave Bowes

Allan: What will you be doing at the Firehall Arts Centre? The references to Hoyt Axton and Randy Newman on their page for the gig intrigue me but I have never (I don't think) seen you do a solo live show like this? (Hoyt I can see but Randy Newman?). Will you be doing originals? Will you be singing or just playing or...?

Paul: My solo show is based on my project Boxcar Campfire. moody roots stuff. I started doing it as a solo electric thing as opposed to acoustic a couple of years ago. Its just got more vibe that way. and although I can get around on an acoustic, I'm pretty free to do whatever I want on the the electric. the Randy Newman clip came from Ford Pier;  he loved my tune "The Game," when we used to play together and said it was reminiscent of Randy's stuff. Its mostly original music or re-imaginings of covers.

Allan: Hm, I can hear that, actually. Cool. So how was folk fest? What were your favourite things that you were involved in? There was some gig you materialized at that you weren't scheduled for -- what was that? Barney Bentall did a Flying Burrito Brothers tune, I think... 

Paul: Folk fest was a blast. All were high points, but surprisingly my favorite was with Suzie Ungerleider,   it was such a quiet understated show, far different than what I did with Kevin Breit and Stephen Ulrich. Those were both great as well. I'm so glad they were both there. I've brought them both here over the last few years. Its kinda been my new plan that if I want to play and get to know a musician, I just figure out how to get them here and put on a show. Fiona Black has been a huge help with that. I've had both Kevin and Big Lazy do shows at Cap that Fiona has organized, and she decided to have them both at the festival, so it was a double bonus for me. not to mention the addition of Cyro Baptista who was incredible and a super fun hang. And we cant forget about Scott Smith's Adventures in Pedal Steel. So nice to be back at that gig after our pandemic hiatus. (I sat in on "Songs in the Key of" with Scott, which I wasnt scheduled for).

Allan: Right. I enjoyed that, but the Swedes at the East Stage were so loud they were overpowering Scott, so in the end, I went over there instead. Did you get to see much you didn't perform in?

Paul: I didn't get to see much, unfortunately. I played in Seattle with Big Lazy on Friday night and drove them to Van after the gig...   got to bed at 3 and then up at 9am to get to the site to do three consecutive sets, so Saturday was a wash. I went to hear Gord's show with the Marrow on Sunday morning, before I had to do a double header that afternoon. They were awesome. I spent a lot of time counting trying to figure out what time signature they were in!

Allan: Curious, one of the parts of the festival I haven't experienced is, I've never been backstage. I'm vying with the foodtrucks (which were pretty variable, this year!). How was the food?

Paul: Food was good this year. there was catering for the artists near back stage done by Hollywood North which I believe is a film industry catering company. I don't think there was catering last year but that was to be expected, since Fiona put the whole festival together in less that four months! There's beer backstage in the artist's lounge but it's expensive.

Allan: Tell me about the upcoming Ray Condo tribute at the Rickshaw in September? 

Paul: This year is the 20th anniversary of of Rays passing, so I thought we had to do something. its no secret that Ray was a friend and a huge influence on me; I had plans to do something in May for Ray Condo day but it just didn't work out in time. We've covered a lot of the same songs that Ray did so we figured we just go a bit deeper. 

Allan: The poster says it's a vinyl release show. What's the record that's coming out, Ray Condo Forever? How does that connect to your show? 

Paul: Even though Ray never wrote any of his music he sure owned it when he did it, so I guess its a covers of covers record. We will be doing all the stuff from the new record and all the tunes we've done of his over the years. and of course a few of our own.

Allan: I believe I saw you cover "Hadicillin Boogie" last time I caught Cousin Harley, live. It was wicked! (That's the gig where I was dancing like a maniac. I don't do that often but you put the holy spirit in me or somethin'). Who are the Ramblin' Ambassadors, by the way? Are Jimmy Roy and Stephen Nikleva involved, by any chance? 

Paul: The Ramblin' Ambasadors is Brent Cooper's band. He was the frontman for Huevos Rancheros. My original idea was to get a lot of the Ray alumni involved, but it was like herding cats. I tried to get Stephen and Jimmy for the gig but Jimmy is on vacation in France!

Allan: Any other big news? 

Paul: Only other big news is there is another Cousin Harley record coming out early next year for Cellar Jazz. they wanted me to do a jazz record. That's not really me. so I suggested a big band blues record with Cousin Harley and extended players. It's cool and very jumpin'!

Allan: Ooh! Okay, thanks. 

Paul: Hope to see ya at a show soon. If Maiden comes back I'm in!!!!

Note: Both Paul Pigat's show at the Firehall Arts Centre, on Thursday. and Art Bergmann's show at the Rickshaw on Friday, are part of the Create Arts Festival, more on which here!