There must be a pile of great Folk Blues records in your library. What music did you grow up with?
   
We both came to blues in the same roundabout way I think most people do. Through bands like the Stones and the Yardbirds. You'd want to hear the originals that they were covering, then you get deeper and deeper into it trying to find the most raw and pure stuff. I was into electric blues more when I was younger, and as I got older I got into the more bare sounding gospel type blues and folk music.

What contemporary music do you listen to? Any bands that you like?
 
We don't listen to much new music. But I like to go see good live bands.

Oliver Henry is a nice addition to the fray, and I see that he has even written some of the new material. Who is he and where did he come from?
  
I've been asked not to divulge any information about Mr. Henry.

What prompted the move to a three piece?
 
Nothing special. It just seemed to us to us to be a natural progression. We've always had guests sit in with us at shows. He seemed to understand what we're doing and he's got a lot of good ideas.

How did the work on the new (second) album transpire? There appears to be three separate sessions in three different studios included. Did it take a while to get this record ready?
    
It took a little while, John has been in Med school in Cincinnati, so it was hard to get schedules together. We live about 4 hours apart. We sort of took our time and just let it happen. There should never be any sort of studio type of pressure about it. Just play and record it.

Do you have any releases out that are not on Estrus?
  
We have a single on Detroit's Italy records, and a song on the last Flying Bomb X-mas comp.  We have a single coming out on Cargo in June, I think.

How did the John Sinclair connection come about?
 
John does spoken word tours about the old bluesmen. We were picked to back him up one night in Cleveland. So it just started from there. We kept in touch and when we were getting ready to do the record we asked him to do the liner notes.

Tell us about the artwork on the new record.
  
It's a voodoo mural from Haiti. Christian figure's are picked to represent different spirits in their culture. The cover is the Matre de la Rosa. Spirituality has always been an important aspect of the blues. So the imagery on the record is a play on that.

What kind of touring have you previously done? Any crazy stories?

Up until now we haven't done much touring. Johnny got a haircut once, and I think I got attacked by a pit bull.

Are there other things for you besides the music? Any jobs, businesses or hobbies?
  
I mentioned John's medical career so that keeps him pretty busy. I don't think people should work more than they really have to. I try not to work as much as possible. So that keeps me pretty busy.

Are you guys in an Italian film (La Seconda Volta) by any chance? We heard the band's name mentioned in reference to it.
  
I met an Italian girl who told me there's a ska band in Italy called the Soledad Brothers. It must be them. She said they suck. They probably do, with a name like that.

What's gonna go down in Ottawa May 11th? What kind of fury can you sow?
  
Gospel, snake handling, the true word. You all are gonna get religion. Let's hope you people like to dance.