Terry Lee Hale - Shotgun Pillowcase

Shotgun Pillowcase is the eleventh solo album from Terry Lee Hale and it will be released on Borderdreams the 15TH of February. Produced and recorded by Chris Eckman (The Walkabouts) and mixed by Tucker Martin (Jesse Sykes, Laura Viers), Shotgun Pillowcase will be a milestone in the already creative career of Terry Lee Hale who started in 1993 with the critically acclaimed Oh What A World. With this last CD, the Texan offers a new vision of his songwriting. Like he says “It is a record of risk taking, adventure and sharing. It is not about an artist running away from where or what he's been before but perhaps more about taking those pieces and parts into another room. This album is an affirmation.”
To capture part of the value of Shotgun Pillowcase, the best is to listen to the amazing opening track called Hearts and to read the answers that Terry Lee agreed to give to Leaky Sparrow when he was in Paris for the Townes Van Zandt Homage. And then, go and buy the record at your favorite music store.

Terry Lee Hale - Hearts .mp3

Leaky Sparrow: Shotgun Pillowcase sounds unlike anything you've ever recorded before. What did you change about your writing or the way you approach your music?
Terry Lee Hale: The sound of Shotgun Pillowcase is I think more about the recording techniques then the songwriting itself. The majority of the songs were loop driven rhythmically which automatically sets the song it what could only be described as a "modern" (bad word I know) framework - at least compared to what I had previously recorded. The nice thing about this record though is that the loops sound organic, almost like a real drummer. So first we laid the loops and then recorded the songs afterwards. I've never made music like this before and it is a difference you can hear. And in this instance at least a positive one.

LS: It's a very crafted record with some inspired arrangements. Was it a tough record to make?
TLH: Thank you for the compliment. I'm not sure how Chris Eckman would answer this question but for me at least the sessions went fairly smoothly. We both worked at it hard though and Chris had done a lot of pre-production work which helped the sessions enormously. My main difficulties were, as always, centered around my own limitations as a musician AND a tendency to "tighten up" in studio conditions. Being able to work with a musician and producer of the caliber as Chris is an enormous asset to have though. Chris has always seemed to be able to find a way to bring out the best in me and the material.

LS: Glitterati is a song from your producer Chris Eckman and No Distance Left To Run is a song from Damon Albarn. What made you decide to include on your record for the first time somebody else's material? Why this song from Blur?
TLH: Chris challenged me to step outside of my own work and into someone else's. It turned out to be a truly liberating experience. Those two songs colored not only the whole recording but I believe shaded my songwriting for this record as well. I think Chris recognized this "blockage" in me and sensed what some of the beneficial effects could be. He wanted me to get outside the "safe" zone. The Blur song is simply just a wonderful song that Chris liked from their CD 13. Graham Coxon is an awesome guitar player and it's an inspired performance by the whole band.

Web: terryleehale.com
MySpace: myspace.com/terryleehale