A Conversation with Daniel Tashian (continued)

PM: You play a lot of instruments and sing uncommonly well. Let's put a finger on some of the good recording projects or live tours you've been a part of, for the readership.

DT: Oh, sure. Well, one thing that was really a project that brought me back into music and sort of pulled me away from--I was working in a bookstore--was Patty Griffin's Flaming Red album, for which I only contributed a few songs, but it was such a kick to work with Brad Pemberton and Chris Feinstein, who are now Ryan Adams' rhythm section. And they were also the rhythm section on the Sweetie record.

PM: Oh, that's what happened to Feinstein...

DT: And Jay Joyce. And it was such a kick to work with those guys again. And I realized this is what I really want to be doing. And Patty was really encouraging of me. Jay would tell me, "Patty was really glad you were there at the studio today. She really appreciated you being there, and she liked your ideas." And that kind of made me feel encouraged, like "maybe I'm not totally untalented..."

[laughter]

DT: So that was one of those experiences, that Flaming Red album, that really brought me back into feeling, hey, I want do this, and I can do this, and I do have good ideas. Also, Mindy Smith's record. I've always been a fan of her voice, so that was kind of a thrill to me because I feel like we really got a chance to blend our voices in a great way. I felt really honored to perform with her. We got to sing together on the Tonight Show, which was cool.

PM: Wow, which song did you sing on the Tonight Show?

DT: We did a song first called "Please Stay."

PM: Oh, that's a great song.

DT: Yeah. [Mindy's latest CD is reviewed in this issue.]

And I'm trying to think what else.

PM: There have been less famous ones, too, that I liked a lot, like Carter Wood's amazing record.

DT: Sure, Carter Wood. Oh, I mean, that record is so good. If she made that record now--

PM: I mean, I never shut up about that record. That's a frickin' unbelievable record.

DT: And she's, you know, I mean--

PM: Where is she?

DT: Last I heard she was living in London.

PM: Because I've tried to get a handle on where Carter went.

DT: I keep thinking maybe she'll email me sometime.

PM: Yeah.

DT: But maybe I'll see her at Bread & Company.

[laughter]

PM: Any other projects come to mind before we move on?

DT: Well, Josh Rouse, for sure.

PM: Oh, yeah, right, of course.

DT: I mean, I started out as a fan. And that was one of those things where I was--and I'll never forget this because I will always do this now, but if I'm a fan of somebody, and they're within throwing distance of me, I'll reach out to them and say--like I just called Josh and said, "I love this record. I want to play with you."

PM: [laughs]

DT: And "Call me if you want me to." And he thought about it for a week or two, and he called me back and said, "Hey, I thought about what you said, and would you want to come play?" And so that kind of taught me to not be afraid to reach out to people.

PM: Right.

DT: And so the thing is, man, Josh Rouse is really an amazing songwriter and lyricist, and I learned a lot from him, about really painting a picture with the lyrics, and really letting the vocal come into the front of the mix, and really having a story to tell. And so that was a very important experience for me, the years I spent kind of in his band. And I'm not really doing that anymore, but we're great friends. We went out the other night and drank some wine and talked about old times.

PM: I just love his music to death. [See our 2007 video interview with Josh, and check out our two earlier interviews with him, the longer one from 2006 and the little one from 2002.]

DT: Yeah. I mean, he's just really a special talent. He was sort of--I don't know if you call it an Army brat or whatever, but he was kind of moved around quite a bit when he was a kid. I identify with that, with that aspect of things. And also we were both--I don't know how you would describe this, but I think that we both sort of wanted to be accepted by the preppy kids in our schools, but we were also sort of more misfits.

[laughter]

PM: Right. And so you did some recording with Josh and went on tour, right?

DT: Right.

PM: Did you also open some shows? Have I got that right?

DT: Yeah, that's right. And we've written several songs together. And those songs that we've written together are some of my favorite songs I've been involved with.

PM: Wow. Yeah, I'm crazy about him.

And for years in Nashville you hosted a rock and pop writers night for the hipster scene.

DT: That's right.

PM: Do you still do some version of that?

DT: No, I don't. We did it for five years. I was just thinking the other day--now I wake up quite early, and I'm sort of on this--well, it's sort of a routine, actually, that is really difficult to maintain if you stay up late. [laughs] And I just don't really do that so much anymore. So anyway...

PM: So what do you do early in the morning? You working out? Or are you writing pages like the Artist's Way? Or what do you like to get up early and do?

DT: It's funny you mention that. I would really like to continue that. I was doing it for a little while.

PM: I got to get back to that, yeah.

DT: It's a very great thing to do. But no, I walk my dog. And I read the paper. And I don't know what I do, but it takes me all morning to do it.

PM: Yeah, I get up at 5:30. I just love it. That's just my favorite time of day.

DT: Yeah.

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