Roger Earl - Still On The Beat

Roger Earl – Still On The Beat

As the Foghat spin-off band Earl & The Agitators release their first album, Pete catches up with drummer Roger Earl for the lowdown plus quite a lot of history…

Looking at the new album, Roger there is quite a range of material – many of the own compositions are highlights. All Because Of You is to my mind superb…pacy, clever, fluid…how did this one come together?

Yeah, it’s one of my favourites too. Bryan came up with the intro riff. Scott came up with the title. Scott and I wrote the lyrics then Bryan and Scott arranged the song. But it’s my fault the song has the alternate solos at the end! I didn’t want to stop playing.

What made the group choose Jack Clements’ Guess Things Happen That Way? I really like the arrangement…

Scott and I are huge Johnny Cash fans. When I was 12 or 13, I would ride my bike to school singing Johnny Cash songs thanks to my older brother’s (Colin Earl’s) record collection. I felt it worked playing it fast and letting Scott rip it. One Take!

We must mention Craig McGregor – over to you for thoughts, please

We absolutely must. All of the songs with an * on the record were recorded by just me, Scott and Bryan at our Florida studio “Boogie Motel South”. Craig loved playing with Scott and enjoyed spending time at the studio. At the time Craig was not out on the road with us since he was battling cancer. He came down to Florida and overdubbed the bass parts in true MacGregor style ! Craig was my brother and co-captain of the rhythm section since 1975. I miss my friend. He did hand pick Rodney O’Quinn to fill in for him.

How did you first meet the mighty Scott Holt? I remember Buddy Guy praising him.

Arnie Goodman introduced us, and I invited Scott to come down to BMS to hang out. It was the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Bryan and Scott also really hit it off and we just wrote, played and recorded until we fell over. Scott once described the Agitators musical influences as putting a bunch of Chess and Sun Records in a blender and out we came! (popped).

That comes across, Roger! Where is the Club Arcada?

St. Charles, Illinois – right outside of Chicago. Ron Onesti is the owner and a promoter who gives a **** ! I love the man! He gets it!

Was the band name a spontaneous suggestion? From who?

We were recording some tracks at Dark Horse Institute in Nashville for our friends Audio Engineer graduation project. Listening to the tracks one of those evenings while drinking some Foghat Cellars 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon, Bryan had a moment of brilliance as he opened the 2nd bottle (as is often the case) and declared us “EARL & THE AGITATORS”. It stuck!

Are more live dates planned?

We have three booked so far for 2019: 2/14-18/19- The Rock Legends VII Cruise, 3/14/19 – The Club Arcada and a cool gig with EATA/Savoy Brown/Foghat on 5/18/19 at Penns Peak, Jim Thorpe, PA. It’s difficult to book individual EATA shows since Foghat is ALWAYS on the road (nothing has changed!). So we try to do shows together since 3 members are in both bands!

Back to Savoy Brown days, Chris Youlden recounts with great amusement how you might set up a cue for the band to come back in after your SB Boogie drum break wrap-up.and then play straight through it!

That sounds like me. Why stop when you are having fun? Actually, Chris was great to work with in the studio and at rehearsals. He would always let me know when he liked what I was playing. One song Chris did, John Lee Hookers’ “Don’t Turn Me from Your Door” (which he did in one take) is one of the few times I heard Chris play guitar in the studio…fuckin’ great! Chris’ writing with Savoy and his voice are (I think) what made us stand out from all the other bands at the time. Chris is cool.

PS: Charlie Huhn, Foghat lead singer, is a HUGE Chris Youlden fan!

What’s your favourite cut on Raw Sienna?

“A Hard Way to Go”

I am lucky to be friends with Chris Youlden, Kim Simmonds, Mr Bob Hall…I never got to spend time with the great Dave Peverett. How do you recall him, as an associate, as a musician?

Ah Dave. Lonesome Dave. Playing live shows was always a gas with Dave. He never gave it less than 110%. Walking on stage with him would always make me grin from ear to ear. It’s where he could let loose and become himself. Off stage he was quiet. On the road we sometimes went out after a show or a day off and I was the driver since Dave didn’t drive. Chicago & New Orleans were favourites and we would go out and jam at blues clubs. One time in Chicago we went to a place called Mother Blues. We paid 5 bucks, walked in and I went to bar to get us a drink. Dave was still standing at the door with is eyes wide on the stage. He said…do you know who that is on stage??? I did not but he knew it was Freddy Below (one of my favourite drummers). I knew who he was but did not recognize him. Dave was a walking musical encyclopaedia. We introduced ourselves and Freddy said ‘you wanna play’? We said yes, and Freddy left the stage and we played the rest of the set!

Did you ever sit in with the King Earl Boogie Band?

Yes, many times when I would come back to England for the holidays, birthdays and funerals. One in particular sticks out! They played at Highbury, Arsenals old home! I sat in for a number of tunes! Yes, there’s only one team in London! Though there are some who may take Umbridge with that!

If a younger listener wanted to get into Foghat, which album might you suggest?

It would have to be two. The first album that Dave Edmunds produces. He’s a true genius. And LIVE. That should start them out right!

Do you remember Foghat opening for Captain Beefheart? Cos I do!!

(Sighs) I DO TOO! Captain Beefheart! Great band and we all got on well. Royal Albert Hall…tell me how it was. That was a long time ago ! That was the first time we had really played out in nearly two years. We had Derek Taylor to thank for that. He really liked the album. He was working for Warner Bros (our label Bearsville’s parent company). We had a problem playing in England because of our departure from Savoy Brown. Savoy’s manager, Harry Simmonds told us we would never work again in England. And since he managed Savoy and the very popular Chicken Shack at the time, our agency (Chrysalis) would not book us since Harry threatened that they would not be able to book his acts. Kim Simmonds had nothing to do with that. He and I have stayed friends to this day. In fact, Kim played on our last record and we get up and play with each other any chance we get. We are with the same agency now and are doing more gigs together.

Clive Bunker, Mitch Mitchell or Carmine Appice? By all means say whatever you wish about each of them?

Clive Bunker – great drummer and nice guy too. Mitch Mitchell got the job with Jimi. He played like no one else could in that band. Outstanding, truly unique!

Carmine is a good friend of mine. What can I say.a real talent, though I think he should keep his trousers zipped up LOL

In your travels, which jazz drummers might you have seen and enjoyed?

When I was 16 I saw Joe Morello just off Piccadilly Circus. My first drum clinic (a place where sick drummers go?) The place was jammed with all the drum names in the land and then some. Now he was cool, funny and a very entertaining man. I got to meet him years later as I was also a Ludwig endorser in the 70’s. Beautiful man and very generous with his knowledge. Tony Williams & Billy Cobham?? WOW. I’m just a mere mortal when it comes to these cats!

Two tips for a novice drummer with a view to stage appearances?

Get a Roc n’ Soc (hydraulic) drum throne. Sit up straight and try to play as good as Charlie Watts. And don’t be an a**hole!

As mentioned in my album review, I sense little pure love in modern releases across the genres…do you concur or disagree?

I concur Pete, but I think one has to take album by album to sift through. But thank you for spotting the joy the Agitators try to impart. We do love to play and try to make nice noises!

Which female vocalist might be welcomed on to the stage at an Earl gig?

Dana Fuchs! What a fantastic voice. She was a special guest on Foghat’s last album “Under the Influence”. I told her she could join us any time, anywhere, anyhow!!

We really rate Dana. How do you relax, away from music?

I fish, therefore I am!

Suggest a novel or book that Earl might compose the soundtrack for? Any reason?

Don’t know about a soundtrack, unrelated really, but we are working on a book right now!

Thanks for your time Roger.

Thanks so much Pete.

Pete Sargeant