Last February, I sent some questions via email to Dr. John‘s publicist in order to help promote his show at The Wilbur in Boston. Unfortunately, I did not get the answers back until the afternoon of the day of the concert. Since he is returning to the same venue tonight (Wednesday, 2/28) to promote his new album Ske-Dat-De-Dat: The Spirit of Satch, I figured that I would post the interview today.
Enjoy!
Photo by Bruce Weber.
Q: If I were to have you as my guide on my first trip to New Orleans (I have never been
there), what would I see that the typical tourist would not?
A: I would take you too see Jaegers restaurant in Jefferson Parish as well
as Joseph Segereto’s restaurant Eleven 79 on Annunciation Street.
Q: Do you still have any of the Ivory Soap boxes that you were featured
on as a child?
A: No I do not.
Q: In 1971, Mick Jagger and Eric Clapton played on The Sun, Moon & Herbs.
In the early 90s, PM Dawn and Beck each sampled “I Walk On Gilded
Splinters.” In 2012, Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys produced and played
on Locked Down. How does it feel to have fans with such cred and/or high
profiles?
A: It’s oaks. [i.e., “Oaks and Herbs, my Nerbs,” i.e., “okay,” as in “cool.”]
Q: Is the crawfish beignet the greatest food you have ever tasted?
A: There once was a time I could eat shellfish but now I can’t.
Q: What is some of the paraphernalia that you have on your cane and around
your neck?
A: A lot of spiritual things.
Q: How do you feel about the depiction of New Orleans and Louisiana on
television shows like True Blood, Treme, and American Horror Story: Coven?
A: I don’t watch TV but I did get to see the first Treme of the series and
I thought it was cool.
Q: How many credits did you have as Mac Rebennack before you became Dr. John?
A: A gang and a half of them.
Q: In putting together a setlist for a show, do you aim for continuity or a
theme, or do you just pick whatever you feel like playing on a given
night?
A: I pick what I feel.
Q: Is Hurricane Katrina something from which your beloved hometown will
forever be recovering?
A: New Orleans will always be recovering from Katrina as well as the NO [New Orleans] oil spill.
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