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James Hunter


A Conversation with James Hunter (continued)

PM: Just like there was for your last record, there's a really fantastic EPK up on youtube. And most anybody that watches that EPK is going to buy that record. It's really a tribute, I think, to your management team, that they get that together.

JH: Yeah, absolutely.

PM: So let's talk a little bit about them, and give credit where that's due.

JH: Absolutely.

PM: Who is managing you now? Same people as in the beginning?

JH: Kimberly Guise and Steve Erdman, they're married.

PM: Right, the very people that you started out with, because I remember dealing with Kimberly; a very sharp lady.

JH: Oh, she's right on it, you're not getting away with nothing with her.

PM: Right. And so they're the ones that get those EPKs going, right, and get your promo going in the right direction?

JH: Absolutely, yes. They're very helpful in that kind of stuff. They're typical of the people that have been rooting for us ever since we started. They had an uphill struggle to overcome the sort of general apathy of the music business, to get us signed up. Of course, I was in on that from the start, I was privy to all the sort of frustrating meetings they'd have.

PM: It's a new label going on, isn't it?

JH: That's right, yeah. We decided to sort of look around and see if we could get some more scope out of another company. And this looks like the one that might do it.

PM: Who is this label?

JH: Concord.

PM: Oh, Concord, yeah, they're doing a lot of good stuff.

JH: See, the bloody album has got about three different logos on it, I'm on Go Records, I'm on Concord, I'm on Hear Music.

PM: Wow.

JH: Usually it's one label with a bunch of artists. I seem to be one artist with about three labels.

[laughter]

PM: I got the MP3s of the album from your publicist, so forgive my lack of credits. But I see from the EPK that you've teamed up again with the analog mastermind Liam Watson.

JH: Yes, that's right.

PM: I mean, that's a big part of the ticket, right?

JH: If it's fixed don't break it, or whatever they say.

PM: [laughs] So a little more of his and of your analog magic.

JH: We knew him from that last one, and we decided to go with him again.

PM: He really understands where you're coming from?

JH: We couldn't think of anyone else off the top of our heads that would get the same, if not better, results.

PM: Absolutely. Now, because of his association with the group, I wonder if the White Stripes are very aware of your music.

JH: Well, they've gotten a chance to hear it. We were on the same TV program last year.

PM: Wow. And were they nice? Did you rub shoulders with them?

JH: Yeah, we were on at the same time.

PM: And so did you hang out with them? What are they like?

JH: Well, we didn't speak to them. We didn't get a chance--not for any particular reason, it was just we didn't get around to speaking.

PM: Yeah, sometimes when you're on the same bill you don't even get a chance to say hello.

JH: That's right. You know how this fellow's TV program works is, it's a great big studio, and the bands are all arranged in a circle around the room. So we tended to speak to the band that was right next to us--I've forgotten their name.

PM: [laughs] Oh, that's funny.

JH: And they really dug what we were doing, I quite liked them as well. But I did enjoy the White Stripes bit.

CALL HOST: Sorry to interrupt, but this pretty much wraps up the interview time. I think you have enough time for one more question.

PM: Okay. Let's see. Well, tell us a little bit about the Mrs., Jacqueline, how you met up with her, then?

JH: I met her at the 100 Club. I was playing, and this pretty girl comes up to me and offers to buy me a drink. And I thought, well, I'm not turning that down. And we exchanged numbers as well. But one of us was--actually, I got her number, and I think there was one numeral missing or short. So we didn't get in touch again for another two years. But once we did, we got together. The relationship was just starting to sort of kick, and I went to the States, and I had to stay there longer than I originally expected. So she came over to see me, and it kind of really blossomed there, really.

PM: Beautiful.

JH: Yeah, it's been a laugh from the start, really.

PM: Well, I think this is your Grammy year, James. We love the new record, we love what you're doing. I hope to see you backstage in some city soon.

JH: Thanks. Same here.

James Hunter

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