Five Questions with Peter Case

Hamburg native Peter Case is returning to Buffalo to perform two shows this week. The first will be a free, full-band rock and roll show (with Case on guitar and vocals, Mark Winsick on guitar and backing vocals, Jim Whitford on bass and vocals, and Rob Lynch on drums) at 5 p.m. Wednesday, July 25, as part of the Larkin Live concert series at the Larkin Square in the, you guessed it, Larkin District in Buffalo. (Kudos to Seamus Gallivan and crew for dong a fine job on the concert series).

The second show will be a solo performance at 7 p.m. Sunday, July 29, at the Sportsmen’s Tavern, 326 Amherst Street near Grant Street in Buffalo. Admission for this Private Concert Series show will be $20.

Case is one of the greatest songwriters of our generation, if I may offer an opinion, and has been in several formats, going back to his work first with the Nerves, then gaining popularity and some fame as the singer/guitarist/frontman for the Plimsouls, including the classic “A Million Miles Away.” The multiple Grammy Award nominee has released a host of solo records, for major, middle, minor and independent labels, and was the focus of Tom Weber’s excellent “Troubadour Blues” singer/songwriter documentary film from 2011.

I caught up with Peter online and, as you can probably tell, asked him five questions.

KJH: What will people get to hear from you July 25 at Larkin Square with Jim Whitford and Mark Winsick, and solo July 29 at the Sportsmen's Tavern, and what will be the difference?

PC: I love playing with Jim and Mark (and Rob) and we go way back so its blast to play electric rock and roll and blues with them, a lot of which we've worked out over the years, and some of which is always "off the cuff," put together in the moment onstage, which we can do 'cause we've known each other so long. It’s a show I only do with them, or the Plimsouls, musicians I know really well.

My solo show is what I go around the country doing, also in Europe and the UK... it’s songs and music I can't present in that spontaneous band lineup, it’s a different type of thing. It’s mainly at this point what I'm known for, what I was doing when I was nominated for the GRAMMY s 3 times,,, its my main gig.

It was inspired by several shows I saw in Buffalo as a kid: John Hammond Jr, solo at Kleinhans, James Taylor solo at Kleinhans after his second record, and Dave Van Ronk, solo performance, outdoors (in March snow!) by Buff State ... at one point I hitched rides over to Boston and saw the great blues singer Lightnin' Hopkins perform solo there, and it was electrifying and a big inspiration.

The solo thing isn't me "unplugged." It’s the way I play everywhere, and I'd like Buffalo to hear it.

KJH: You were a big part of, and basically the focus, of Tom Weber's film "Troubadour Blues." What was it like being filmed for such a movie and how do you feel the film turned out?

PC: It was weird: he filmed the movie for ten years, so I get to watch myself aging when I see it! But it’s been great, because it give people a behind the scenes look at the solo thing we've just been talking about.

KJH: You told me in an interview and have said on stage at times, to paraphrase, that conservative/Republican presidential terms are good for folksingers and material. What are presidential election years like?

PC: I'm not up anywhere giving political speeches. But I think people know how I feel. Hey, I'm in the 99%, but so is just about everybody else!

KJH: I am a big fan of your song "Words in Red" from "Wig!" and I think of it whenever I hear, mostly, right-wing politicians and preachers using the Bible and religion to attack others. Do you get a strong response for this song?

PC: Yes, that song has been very popular. I'm not anti-religion, I have a "higher power" that I believe in... the song is about "spiritual materialism"... putting money over love.

KJH: You've been singing, playing guitar and writing songs for about 40-45 years. Has the journey taken you where you expect or want, and can you predict where it may take you in the future? Any new projects to speak of?

PC: 40 years! I just can't bring myself to say that... even tho' its true. There’s people whose grandparents weren’t born when I started playing. So lets just keep it to ourselves, ok? I'm writing a book, nearly done, on its last draft I hope. Songs for an album coming, producing other people, touring touring touring, it’s how I make it... at some point I hope to find some way and place to fall back, but right now my retirement plan is to die on stage somewhere. And the new songs might be best ones yet. That’s the way I look at it.