This week saw the release of No Blues, the new album from Baby Eagle, otherwise known as Steve Lambke. Yes, the same guy who plays in the Constantines. I sent him some questions and he found the time to answer them.When was Baby Eagle born?
Steve: I made the first record September 2005 in Winnipeg. Started playing shows January 2006 with an east coast tour with Jessie Stein/SS Cardiacs. That's when I called it Baby Eagle.
Who first turned you on to folk singing?
Steve: All this racket, all this singing is folk singing, right? Patti Smith says that rock and roll is the people's music; let's take it back, she says. Sometimes I like the acoustic sounds, when there is no amplifier. Same thing as punk rock I guess; it's there it's possible lets do it, but what do you have to say? What's the song going to be about?
Do you remember the first song you wrote? How did it go and would you be caught playing it today, in either the Constantines or Baby Eagle?
Steve: I do remember the first song I wrote. It's actually an alright song. I haven't played it in years. It's very much a teenage angst song. Yet it ends with a declaration of redefinition; the idea that the self and the relationship of the self to the world can be recreated. In that way it is like most of the songs I've written since, I guess. I've played it in a couple of bands but I can't see why the Constantines or Baby Eagle would ever want to play it.
The Constantines' song "Thieves" is one of my favourite songs, period, and I'm curious to find out more about what that song is about. It seems that song is about one particular experience, is that true?
Steve: 'Thieves' was very much based on a particular experience. Some of the specifics I made up, and some of the geography is a little confused. Some of the dialogue is real. Some of it is imagined. Every word is true.
What musicians do you listen to today?
Steve: I don't know man, we're in the middle of recording the Cons record and my head is spinning and I just want to go read a book or watch a movie or something.
This new album features even more guest players than your first one, all of whom you've toured and played with in the past. How did they end up accompanying you on the album?
Steve: All the musicians were in Shotgun and Jaybird. Our paths had been crossing for years. I was a fan. A very underated band. And a bunch of solid dudes. When you could see them play and how free they were with their approach to the songs, it was different from the records. Baby Eagle had played with them, the Cons had played with them a bunch of times. We met Fred up in the Yukon a couple of years back. There's some history. I was excited about playing with them. Those guys have a lot of feel. Jim had just moved into a 150 year old farm house out in the marsh. There was hardly any furniture yet. But good walls, and lots of space. I went there over Christmas holidays. Everyone was looking for an excuse to use that time for something out of the ordinary routine. Let's make a record. Julie only really got to come out one day, because she was spending the holidays with her family. But she was great. The track she sings lead on brings it all together. I got Will to play on that song when I came back to Toronto. His organ part is great.
I find with most Canadian albums I buy, I'll open up the sleeve and find that a bunch of other Canadian musicians I like have played on the album. I don't see that so much with music from other countries. What do you think it is about Canada that breeds collaboration like this?
Steve: It's the Canadian way. We're all in this together. Pool the resources. Pay your taxes.
Since there are so many people on this album, does this mean that you'll have other musicians with you live?
Steve: Shotgun will definitely be playing with me on this upcoming tour, and hopefully the Construction and Deconstruction folks. I think I might be playing a couple of shows later in the year with Christine Fellows and I think she'll be willing to help me out on stage.
Do you have a specific goal that you'd like Baby Eagle to achieve?
Steve: I want it to keep changing. I feel like it could be anything. I'd like people to hear the records. I want to keep making them.
Tunes: myspace.com/dreambabyeagledream
