MC: How has Alabama Shakes worked with its management team?
Howard: We rely on them to have that kind of knowledge we don’t have. It’s good to have someone who’s experienced. Sometimes you don’t have that luxury. In our case, we had a friend in Patterson Hood from Drive-By Truckers, and he heard us playing at this festival in Alabama, and they came and asked us if we needed help, and we said, “Yeah, we don’t know how this music industry thing works.”
MC: How did you find out your new album had gone No. 1? How did you react? Has it changed your outlook on the band?
Howard: My manager told me. It’s interesting, because we haven’t had much time to celebrate. I don’t even think about celebrating. I think about writing.
MC: Now that you’ve notched a No. 1 album and three Grammy nominations, what are your other goals for the Alabama Shakes?
Howard: I’d like to write a third record that’s still exciting to me, and material that is challenging. I’d like to marry this world of fringe music with something that you can dance and groove to, but still make it interesting.
I think all my inspirations are creative ones. If you dwell on financial success then it will come, but it’s not my motivation. I want to leave this legacy for my children and grandchildren.
MC: Are you planning to start a family soon?
Howard: I’m not sure; it’ll happen naturally. The guys on the road have kids and it works out. Of course it’s hard, but lots of people have families they have to leave behind. The touring, it’s not glamorous, and I don’t like things to be monotonous.
MC: How do you keep your mind off the monotony while touring?
Howard: I don’t think about it. I’m glad we have more songs to choose from and can get a little more creative with our set lists, but the crowds are always great, always cool and really happy to be there.
MC: Do you change up the set list?
Howard: We mix up the set lists all the time, unless we get a really good one. You can try different things with the crowd, see if they’ll do this, do that. People are hilarious, I’m up there talking to them, we say all kinds of things. We’ll have conversations.
On one occasion, this guy was yelling for Steve. I talked with him about that. It makes every show different. Anything you can do to spice it up. The further you put yourself out there, the more vulnerable that you become.
MC: How do you stay vulnerable, as you’re becoming a more seasoned musician?
Howard: Vulnerability is putting yourself in that song, being in that moment and thinking of that moment or whatever inspires the song and remembering it and really connecting to it. Not just playing parts a, b and c, but actually playing like a player. Like you picture yourself in a movie and you are a soundtrack and you‘re try to bring yourself into that moment. That’s what music does. It’s nice to feel like you’re connected to someone.
For more, visit facebook.com/theAlabamaShakes.
By Kurt Ozeck
