Patrick Kavaney A few words with Patrick Kavaney; singer-songwriter and guitarist with Patrick Kavaney & The Last Drags. The rest of the band is Jerry "Groove" Abelin on bass and vox, Mike Gelardi on keys and Charlie Davis on drums. Local singer-songwriter and Americana legend, John Shipe also plays. Leicester Bangs: Tell us a little about yourself, and your band. Patrick: We're based out of Eugene, Oregon but I’m a displaced Midwesterner.  The band name really came out of a funny set of posters, visuals and Jerry's obsession with cross dressing... I've tried it once or twice but Jerry gets too riled up and so I have to be careful. We used to be Chuckbarrymanilow but the whole "ironic name combo" trend got a little out of control and that name lost its luster. LB: How did you start out making music? Patrick: I have been playing on and off with Jerry since 2004, and Charlie and Mike came into the fold in the last year and a half. I started playing music relatively late in life (18) but was hooked after that. I wanted to write songs and sing, and so emulated folks like Dylan, The Dead, Zep and folkies too. LB: Who did you grow up listening to and how do they influence what you’re doing now? Patrick: I was a teenage Dead Head and went to quite a few shows, but more than that, I was just a huge music fan and listened to anything and everything. Living in Minnesota I was exposed to the whole Minneapolis scene in the 80's; Husker Du, Replacements, Soul Asylum, etc. I was a bit of a closet punker, first show being Black Flag in '85 in Albany NY. In college I was more into the jam scene and got kind of burnt out on that, and started getting more into structured song forms and focused jams if there were any.  I always liked Uncle Tupelo and when they split and became Wilco and Son Volt I got heavily, heavily into those bands.  Those groups probably have had more of an impact on me as of late than any others... although you might not hear it directly in my music. LB: Tell us about your latest release. Patrick: Darning Socks for the Apocalypse is a result of the past year or so of hyperbole and bad news (some of which was definitely not hyperbole). But really the whole idea of how the media effects our lives and "oh my god, the sky is falling.... watch out for those guys they're out to get us... oh wait, maybe things aren't as bad or we changed our minds things are looking up!"  We are so constantly manipulated by the media, press, T.V. it's hard to know what is really going on sometimes. The title is a bit of a rip on the senselessness of trying to prepare for the inevitably of the coming day, whether it's a good one or not... taxpayers throw a ton of money at the recession this year and at major financial institutions to try and save them. We didn't get to make that choice, it was made we'll see if it was the right choice but one thing is for sure, our kids are going to be paying for it, and their kids too. LB: Do you get out and play your music live, and if so, what can an audience expect at one of your shows? Patrick: Yes, we do play live and are always looking to expand our audience and network with new bands.  Mostly we have been playing here in the Northwest.  We are planning a spring tour for Washington, Oregon and Idaho.   Our shows cover a lot of moods and we do have a lot of interplay between the players.  We mostly play original songs but we do like to throw in a nug here and there from some of our hero's, like Steely Dan, Jeff Buckley, Neil Young or Tupelo / Wilco / Son Volt. LB: What aspects of playing and recording music do you most enjoy? Patrick: I have always enjoyed getting into the studio and putting down ideas, and have two albums under my belt at this time (Weather or Not and Darning Socks for the Apocalypse)  It's incredibly satisfying to finish a record project but it can be incredibly frustrating too, when you are in the midst of it. The Last Drags love to rehearse and we do it as much as possible... we also love to play live and the band seems to be gelling more and more, which is very exciting to be a part of. I feel very lucky to play with them. LB: Where can people find (and buy) your music? Patrick: Both Weather or Not and Darning Socks for the Apocalypse are available on CD Baby, iTunes, my website, and soon Amazon. Also, watch for us on Pandora! Links below: www.patrickkavaney.com www.cdbaby.com/cd/patrickkavaney2/ www.myspace.com/patrickkavaney