In Depth with Paulo Franco
Paulo Franco is an intriate artist that has been making a name for himself with his current release The Last Card. A favorite around the ears of Kurrent Music, Franco's soulful-rock sound, comes together with doses of alt-country influences; creating a sound that is very much his own. 2016 was a banner year for Franco, who not only released his latest record, but also made traction with his new single and video for "Leaving the River City." Within each release we dive more and more into the world of Paulo Franco, that truly has you opening your eyes and ears on his insightful songwriting journey. I had the absolute pleasure of speaking with Paulo Franco this past week, as he shares his endeavors for the new year.
What is the inspiration behind your new song, "Leaving the River City"?
The inspiration for that song was a Chris Knight song, Rita's Only Fault. If you've heard it you know how sad it is. I figured that Rita needed a better lawyer. When I wrote the song, the words leaving the river city kept popping into my head. I knew the character in this song was leaving. But I didn't know why, from whom or any of the other circumstances. While the song was in rough form with only words for the chorus, Rita's Only Fault popped up on a playlist of mine, and then I knew exactly what the woman was running from and why.
What made you discover your passion for creating an eclectic sound of rock with a twist of the blues and alt-country?
The love of that kind of music. As a consumer of music, I love all types. I grew up with classic rock and the blues, but my father was a fan of Johnny Cash and Glen Campbell. We used to watch Johnny Cash's variety show so I always loved old school country. My parents are also immigrants. They are from Colombia. In fact, all of my extended family lives in Medellín, the second largest city. So Colombian folk music was always present in my life growing up. It's still a part of my soundtrack. I love Carlos Vives, who has infused a traditional style of Colombian music called Vallenato (kind of like cajun music), with an Afro Carribean world beat sound (kind of like Zydeco as it is completely accordion driven). In college I was turned onto punk, ska and new wave. I still listen to that stuff all the time. In later life, I really fell in love with alt country sound and singer songwriters, especially the Texas troubadours. When I set out to write music, I have no idea what will come to me. A lot of times it's chameleon like. For example, the song Love On The Rocks was inspired by an Old 97s show I saw here in Richmond. Tommy Stinson was the opener. He said something about "love on the rocks" while he was chatting up the audience on stage. I thought that was a particularly cool line. I jotted it down and I set out to write a song using that phrase in the style of the Old 97s. Now that I am writing my own material, I really enjoy shows as a fan that inspire me to write.
I really enjoy the new video! What was the inspiration that went into creating it? What places in your mind did you channel to create it?
The concept for the video came from a review that Leaving the River City got from The Boot Dot Com. The reviewer loved the pop jangle of the song but said something like (not a direct quote but close) "don't let that fool you about the seriousness of the theme of the song. It's about a wronged woman who may or may not have iced her abusive lover." The video director is also a songwriter and when I told him about that review, we both latched onto the idea that we did not want to show the act of violence that the song suggests towards the end. So we decided to make a video that lets the viewer answer the question. Did she really kill her lover/husband, or just dream about it and leave without doing anything to him (other than stealing his truck). The actors were home grown. The young woman is my daughter Camille, and the boyfriend in the video is Andy Vaughan. He fronts a honky tonk outfit called Andy Vaughan and the Driveline and he and I are in a side project called the Burrito Riders League that pays homage to Country Rock of the 70s and ALL things Gram Parsons. The girl that plays young Camille is named Sophia McCarthy. She is the daughter of some very dear friends of ours. She was all pro. Camille and Andy had a hard time shooting the scenes were Camille gets roughed up. They kept laughing because they knew each other and Andy is a complete and total gentleman!! But man did he look the part with the t shirt he had on!
What are your favorite venues to perform at? and if you had to choose, do you feel more comfortable in the studio or onstage, and why?
I really enjoy the wineries and the breweries I play a lot!! They are a ton of fun, but I also like playing clubs with nice sound systems for obvious reasons! I am doing a few of those this year at places like the Camel and The Tin Pan in Richmond, and The Southern Cafe in Charlottesville, and I am really excited not only about playing those clubs but also the folks I'll be playing with!!As far as feeling more comfortable in a studio or onstage, I honestly don't have a preference. I have been a trial lawyer for almost 30 years so getting up and speaking and "performing" for people was something I got used to early on. I'll confess when I first got back into music I was pretty nervous. When I started performing my own songs, I was scared shitless!! Studio and stage work are two entirely different approaches to music. A record is for forever, and there a lot of things that you can do on a record you can't do live (or are difficult to replicate). If I had to chose one between the other, I would say that I enjoy recording more. There is something about being in a studio, recording tracks, listening, playing back, mixing, catching that lightning in a bottle and being around all that cool equipment that really makes me feel alive!! If any of your readers have recorded in a studio they'll know exactly what I mean. There is nothing quite like taking a non tangible idea that exists only inside my mind's eye, and bringing it to life. To hear it when it is done is an exhilarating feeling!
Critically acclaimed from the start of your music career, how have fans and critics been receiving your new record?
It's been great!! Lots and lots of positive feedback. Some of it humbling to say the least. The reviewer at No Depression listed my album at No. 2 to The Avett Brothers on her list of the best of 2016 that included records from Loretta Lynn, Margo Price and my personal favorites The Drive By Truckers. Surreal barely scratches at what I felt seeing my record above theirs on that list!!
How do you write your songs? What is the process like? Does it take you days, weeks, even longer? How does the perfect Paulo Franco piece come together?
Lots of different ways! I mentioned the manner in which Love On The Rocks came about as well as Leaving The River City. Most of my songs have a very personal connection. Rolling Back To Raleigh is the story of leaving my daughter at college for the first time. Anything For You is a song I wrote for my wife, Sonia. I wrote a song on The Green Porch EP called Married In A Black Dress about my parents wedding by proxy. It's a long story, but the short of it is, that my parents could not exchange their vows in person due to visa issues (my dad was in the US studying medicine on a one time student visa that would not allow him to leave get married an come back). My mom was back in Medellín Colombia where my family is from. So my dad's brother stood in for him since my mom's mother would not let her come to the US to get married. To protest my mother wore a black, knee length cocktail dress instead of a white gown. Three of songs on my first record By The Light of a Paper Moon tell the story of an extremely painful time in my life that started with a divorce from my first wife. I would have to say that my better songs come out fairly quickly usually in a day I'll have the song finished. Some take a day or two. I've also had fragments of songs that were forgotten, revisted and then finished quickly with a new and fresh look. Some of my songs like Carolina Girl, Catrina Y Su Calavera and Anything For You took on a new life when I set out to really improve my finger picking. I learned to do it as child when I took classical guitar lessons. But singing and finger picking were something I could not do at the same time. I spent the better part of year working on that to the point where the songs were shaped by that approach.
How did you create a sound throughout time that is so uniquely your own? What defines the Paulo Franco sound to you?
The Paulo Franco sound is a mix of music that influences me. There are several different styles and approaches. The lyrics are in English. But then I can turn on a dime and sing a song in Spanish thanks to having grown up in a bilingual home! This year is already shaping up to be a huge year for you.
What do you hope to accomplish in the New Year?
Trying to get the music out there. I plan on doing some short tours this year to support the record. I've also been in touch with some music critics in Colombia as well who really enjoyed what they heard. I would like to do a tour of Colombia and perhaps see where that goes. There is a big interest in American folk music down there and a growing ex pat community (at least there is in Medellín) and three of the songs on The Last Card are in Spanish. The Spanish music seems to be a big hit with audiences at the gigs I play locally. I guess I need to light some candles to St. Cecelia, the Patron Saint of Musicians and ask for some more inspiration!! Even though I am bilingual and fluent in Spanish, English is my native tongue and it comes a little easier in the songwriting process.
