Foghat are arguably the greatest southern rock band to not actually emerge from below the Mason-Dixon Line. They had the look, the sound, and Rod Price’s prodigious use of electric slide guitar to solidify their place on the scene alongside genre titans such as Lynyrd Skynyrd and The Allman Brothers Band during the 1970s. Even when you hear the opening riff of “Slow Ride” on classic rock radio today, it’s not hard to envision yourself cruising down I-95 unburdened by responsibility or expectation.
The fact that they began in London following the departure of “Lonesome” Dave Peverett, Tony Stevens, and Roger Earl from Savoy Brown is something that casual fans wouldn’t know unless their curiosity leads them to dig a little deeper into the band’s origin story. While they were rooted in early blues covers, the swampy vibe on albums such as “Fool for the City” and “Boogie Hotel” enabled them to triumph in America on a level that others didn’t.
With their latest album, “Sonic Mojo,” set to be released on Nov. 10, I caught up with drummer Roger Earl to talk about the music as well as how he keeps himself in premier playing shape at 78 years young.
MNOD: “Sonic Mojo” is your 17th studio album and first since 2016. Describe what the process of getting back into the studio felt like.
Earl: We have our own studio in DeLand, FL and we record all the time. We had been rehearsing and playing songs when Scott came down to do some Foghat songs. Kim Simmonds of Savoy Brown also co-wrote four songs with his guitar, three of which wound up on the completed album. Foghat always had great musicians right from the beginning with Rod and Lonesome Dave, but I’m having the time of my life even now. It’s fun. Scott is a great singer and the current lineup jells really well together. We recorded a bunch of stuff for the album and picked out the best. For the covers, we chose music that we all love. American music. Gospel, jazz, bebop. Every flavor is represented on this album.
MNOD: You recently played a show at the New York State Fair in Syracuse. How did the new material go over with that audience?
Earl: Great. We’ve been having a blast out there. The mix of really old and new material is energizing for us.
MNOD: 1977’s “Foghat Live” was recorded at the Dome Arena in Henrietta, NY, which isn’t too far from where I’m at in Buffalo. What do you remember about that night?
Earl: Rod and Dave were a little jammed up trying to write new material, so the idea to put out a live album seemed like a good idea. There’s a lot of youthful exuberance going on with that record. It’s still our best-selling album, as well. The only sad part is that we only included six songs on it despite playing for an hour and 40 minutes. Seven years ago, Warner Bros. discovered some tapes in a basement that were from a 1973 show we played in New Orleans, so there’s a good chance that those will be released at some point down the line.
MNOD: You’re currently living on Long Island. How did you come to settle there?
Earl: I first came here in ’68 or ’69 and officially began living here in 1973. I love to fish and I remember talking to various fishermen in the area who told me that it’s a great spot to be. Being inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame was a tremendous honor, especially for someone who wasn’t born here. I had a cheat sheet for myself when going up to deliver the speech and I ended up looking out to see 50 people that I recognized in the audience. It was a real honor.
MNOD: How have you kept yourself in playing shape as you’ve gotten older?
Earl: I love to play music, so I’m going to rock ’til I drop. I exercise mostly by riding a bike, because my knees don’t like running. Fortunately, we live in a world now where things can be fixed, so, when I broke my back, the doctors fixed me. I look after myself pretty closely. I also sit down at the drum kit for an hour or two every day. The pandemic afforded me time to take my first vacation since I was 12, so I spent a lot of time fishing and growing vegetables. I got the COVID shots to stay fit. I had COVID three times and thankfully it was just like getting a cold. I know friends that dealt with getting COVID without the shots and they had a rough time. We’ve had to limit our exposure to people at shows, though, so we’re not doing meet and greets anymore, which is kind of a shame. I love signing stuff and talking with fans. I love playing whether it’s in front of 15 people or 20,000 people. I’ve been a band since I was 16 and there’s not a better job in the world.
MNOD: You auditioned for the Jimi Hendrix Experience prior to Mitch Mitchell getting the gig and things definitely worked out for both of you in the aftermath. What do you recall about jamming with Jimi?
Earl: I got word from Jimi’s manager that he was looking to put a band together, so I put my name into the hat. Everyone was raving about him back then and his name was in all of the music papers. Guys like Pete Townshend, Eric Clapton, and Jeff Beck all raved about him. So of course, I said yes when I got the call to come audition. I was fifth or sixth in line and was given 40 minutes to jam with him. He was unlike anything I had heard before and very generous with his time. He was a beautiful person and I often wonder what the world would be like had we not lost him when we did. We lost a legend.
“Sonic Mojo” is out Nov. 10 on Foghat Records.
Foghat – Drivin’ On Video – Official – YouTube
Foghat I Don’t Appreciate You – Official Video #foghat – YouTube
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