HANGIN WITH FRED  (continued)

PM: How about a few words on [his studio producer] Scott Merritt.

FE: Ah yeah, he's my favorite. When I do records with Scott Merritt, it's a whole experience. It takes us a year to make them. We're probably not going to make the next one, because it takes us so long.

PM: It takes a Year?

FE: It takes a year to make a record with Scott. But he's brilliant. And he's got an atittude, and plays outside the box the way I do, and he works very well with me. Some people get a little pissed off, because they think what he does isn't what I should be doing, but that's their deal. But if my schedule allowed, I'd just go on making records strictly with him.

PM: I liked the live record real well, but when I picked up the previous two studio releases, I really got it.

FE: If you don't know me, and you pick up the studio records, you'll love 'em. If you do know me, you may think, "Well, that's not exactly what I'm used to." Not always, sometimes. And you know what? I like the fact that not everybody likes everything I do, even if they may like what I do. That makes me a cutting edge artist. You know?

PM: Thanks, I found that helpful. Are your songs finding second homes in movies and the recordings of others?

FE: Yeah, I probably have 30 or 40 cuts with minor artists or "B" artists, which makes me really happy. And I've probably had between six and ten movie cuts. Plus I'm getting into the movies a little, I was just in a Christmas movie in Canada called The Gift. And I just did a mocumentary of my own self. [laughter] Yeah, it's really funny. People call up and say, "You've ruined your career." They don't get it, which is good.

PM: You drinking, or not drinking?

FE: Well, I always drink a little. I drink really good tequila. I don't drink a lot of it. Well, some days I do, but not very many days of the year. But I can drink a lot of it.

PM: What kind?

FE: Oh, it's beyond that. I'm into the high dollar stuff. There's one I drink called Tres, it's a beautiful tequila. Sauza makes it, but they change it a little bit. It's $60-80 dollars a bottle, consequently it might take me a month to finish one. But once a week, I like to have a couple. I only had a drinking problem maybe once in my life, because I work so hard. I could never do it, get up in the morning and drive this bus all day.

PM: Do you drive much?

FE: I drive mostly.

PM: How many bunks?

FE: Eight. [We do a tour of the bus. Looks kinda like a college apartment or something.]  continue

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