Interview: Arlo Guthrie
Published April 06, 2006
We live in an increasingly sophisticated world that makes it difficult to make simple comments on stuff. There are too many people on both sides of the border who are taking advantage of circumstances and the situation.
Kinky Friedman ran for governor of Texas and he had what I thought was a great solution to the problem. Get five generals and give them each a million dollars in a bank account. Then divide the border up into five equal parts and make each general responsible for that part. For each illegal that crosses the border in their area they would have $10,000 taken out of their bank account.
Make them personally responsible for the problem?
Yeah, the other thing is this is not just an American problem. There are people all over the world who are willing to exploit others. You can't just point the finger at America. You've got people willing to exploit their fellow countrymen for cheap labour, sell them into slavery. I read about a container on a ship full of Chinese people dead off the coast of Britain, I think it was.
Yeah, that's happened off the cost of Newfoundland as well.
Greed and globalization aren't just America's fault. You get people talking about being worried about their art, and dances... their culture being wiped out or taken over, and yet these same people are taking advantage of their people to use them as cheap labour.
You wouldn't have companies moving their plants unless somebody was prepared to exploit the workers where they were going to move the plant to.
It's like a groundswell of greed going on right now. You know we've proven we can do the opposite too, in times of disaster, like the tsunami and hurricanes and floods, and we need to try and maintain that. It's got to come up naturally though. A groundswell doesn't happen quickly and you hope that the people living through these times learn from them and don't let them happen again. We need to have a groundswell to help, not to exploit.
Building walls isn't going to work in the long run. Some people are happy with the wall in Israel, but somebody will get a weapon someday and knock it over or something. Walls aren't the answer between countries, though.
Don't you ever want to, or wish that you could point them in the right direction?
For those of us in the sixties, we had a couple of people who were examples we could look to, like Martin Luther King, Jr., as an alternative to what was around us. People in the Middle East don't have anyone like that right now who they can emulate along those lines. It's like they've never heard of him or (Me: "Gandhi."), yeah, or Gandhi.
Richard Marcus is a long-haired Canadian iconoclast who writes reviews and opines on the world as he sees it at Leap In The Dark and Epic India Magazine.
- Interview: Arlo Guthrie
- Published: April 06, 2006
- Type: Interview
- Section: Music
- Filed Under: Music: Folk, Interviews
- Writer: Richard Marcus
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I'm a little younger than Arlo's first audiences, but Arlo to me stands out as one of the few lights of decency left in the world.
And his live shows are not to be missed.
Great interview, Richard. I was lucky enough to see Arlo Guthrie a couple of years ago at the Ottawa Folk Festival; he is such a charismatic storyteller. His kids were playing in his band that weekend, and though "Alice" wasn't part of the Arlo's mainstage show, the kids did it with some other performers on a side stage the next day. Tons of fun, and a song that definitely revists a time and place for me (even if it isn't 1965/6.)
It's become a standing tradition to play the Alice's Resturant CD after our Thanksgiving Meal.
Thanks for the memories.
Quick-what floor was the psychiatrist's office on?
Excellent interview, Richard. I wonder if we'll ever get one with Ignatieff, or if that opportunity and its relevence, have been overcome by events.
great interview! Jet, a lot classic rock stations play it every T'day...
Good interview. I don't think it's flat on the page. I think the words speak clearly and well.
Fourth floor, damn I can't remember. I think that's cool that people have made that part of their holiday, does everyone go out and get busted for litering too? :)
I saw Arlo play with Pete Seeger back in 1980 in Toronto, and I should be going to review this current tour when it comes around on the guitar up here in Kingston. We have thanksgiving on the wrong day up here( or you do in the States I don't know which) but the song still means a lot.
If any of you want to expand on what the song means to you, we're going to be doing a special feature on it in mid May, which will be including my review and so far about six other B.C. writers writing about the song or the movie. It promises to be a blog meal that can't be beat...
Bonnie, on Live in Syndey Arlo talks about doing Alice with his kids one time, and he forgot the lyrics, and neither of them knew them to jog his memory enough to get him back on track. He said he went up to them after the show and said "Hey I knew my dad's songs, why don't you know mine" He went on to tell that over the course of the tour he would come across his daughter sitting off by herself in her spare time teaching herself the song... "It was like a great weight was lifted off my shoulders, I would never have to perform it again, it had passed on to the next generation...she's going to be in Austrailla in a couple of months, why don't you ask her to play I'm sure she be glad too..." The whole time he was telling this story of course he was doing that familliar refrain on the guitar.
It sure does seem like Mr. Ignatieff has forgotten about us doesn't it? Maybe now that he's running for leader though he might take the time... of course I'd like to change some of my questions... I'd have to ask him about his thoughts on Alice's Resaurant for one thing.
cheers all and thanks for the comments, Arlo is nothing if not a unifier for bringing people of all ages and backgrounds together.
Dave Naille if you read this post, I want to hear about Kinky Friedman running for Governor, that's something that never got reported up here, and that would have been news....
cheers
Richard Marcus
Terrific job, Richard. I've loved Guthrie's songs for years. You really brought him to life as a thoughtful, intelligent, multi-dimensional person.
In Jamesons Veritas
great piece. I am a big fan of Arlo. He is also the nicest musician I have ever met. I highly recommend his shows to anyone... it is more than a concert. It becomes an informal get together.
anyone reading who is a fan of Alice's Restuarant should also check out 'the Pickle Song'. It is funnier, and has a better melody too.
Great interview. I am very jealous.
I'd be mad if I saw Guthrie play and he didn't sing Alices but I can understand why. Very cool about having his kids playing the song now.
Did he say anything about the movie? I ordered it via Netflix and hope the song is on there.
No, sorry Richard, the line is "...go see the psychiatrist, room 604
You were close! :(
Well I'll try this again, I tried to post earlier this morning and it didn't happen, lets see what happens now. Jet Hey for a dyslexic that means I got it right, just got it backwards he, he.
Sorry Scott we didn't even touch on the movie, at all
The Motorcycle song: He's actually expanded on the story line now for it as well, he now talks about how he used to be embaressed about being a collage drop out, and going into coffed houses and getting up and singing stuff like "I don't want a tickle, I just want to ride my motorcycle, I don't want a pickle i just want to ride my motorcycle, I don't want to die, I just want to ride my mortor cy cle. But he's found out that they do graduate seminars on that song now, so he doesn't feel so stupid after all. Then he continues on with how the string of his guitar breaking and wrapping around the sign post saved his life...
Richard Marcus
The perfect interview for Richard to do, perhaps. Very enjoyable. Arlo seems as genuinely nice and non-judgemental as one would expect.
Dave
i'm so glad its still open, the restaurant that is, you know the one that belongs to Alice.
Gazelle, the restaurant has been long closed, its the church that's being used. Remember "Alice didn't live in the restaurant, she and her husband lived in the church, a few blocks away from the restaurant...
Dave, I think you're right about that, he probably is the perfect interveiw for me, I was really impressed with his answers about issues dealing with America and how quick he was to defend it. None of that kneejerk automaticaly blaming the sins of the world on western society. Even lefties like me get tired of that line fast...it's too much of a cop out.
I wanted to ask you, so I hope you check back in, Dave, about Kinky's run for governor in Texas. There's another one of my idols, Mr. Friedman, I was wondering if you had followed his campaign at all...I think his ideas on border securtity were pretty solid...
Richard
Dave Naille if you read this post, I want to hear about Kinky Friedman running for Governor, that's something that never got reported up here, and that would have been news....
I already wrote one article on it a couple of weeks ago. I'm now trying to line up an interview. After hearing him on the radio a couple of times and after having had a brief issues chat with Carole Strayhorn which was less than satisfactory, I'm leaning in his direction more and more.
Dave
Richard, I sent you an email a few days ago but didn't hear about. It was whether you want me to review the film and its relationship to the song.
Incindentally I realized that I saw Arlo play a show about three years ago and took a few photos of him.
He didn't play Alice's R. but was still pretty good. He was on the same bill with Rambling Jack Elliot.
Scott, I just sent you an email, checked our correspondance and all I saw was a request for the lyrics or a copy of the song, no matter. If you don't get the letter, to your gmail account, the ansewr is most definately yes.
Richard
Ok, cool. Will do.
Incidentally, tt would be cool to have a link to the lyrics of the song.
Have you heard Woody singing "Goodnight, little Arlo, goodnight?" It's amazing how within three generations the Guthrie family embraces what is best about America! I mean the America of Arlo and Woody and Leadbelly and Dylan and Baez and Seeger and Cisco Houston and Phil Ochs, not the America of George W. Bush and company.
I remember living in New York in the mid-sixties and hearing Arlo sing Alice's Restaurant for the first time on WBAI, which is the listener-sponsored Pacifica radio station there. I was knocked out by it then, as well as through the years. I love the movie, also. I saw Arlo live years later in Toronto, he was playing with the McGarrickle (sp?)sisters. Great show! Great interview, thanks!
nice to hear from this white haired survivor of long gone times.
We have had him visiting over here many times and once in our humble folk club to 39 paying guests , in spite of a sore throat, he retold the massacree to everyone´s delight.
but that was the 30th anniversary version, what is he up to this time!!
Also good memories of the Tonder Festival together with Pete Seeger,
thanx for the interview
Richard, I was thinking of this piece yesterday as a I read a WAshington Post travel piece about the town where the song is set. Email me your snail mail address and I'll send you a copy.
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Richard, this was a terrific interview! Like most people my age, I have very fond memories attached to "Alice's Restaurant". I'm glad you veered off course with your questions -- it's a really compelling look at an interesting artist. Thanks.