“We are on the road all of the time now and do a lot of napping. That helps pass the time, in the purest sense of it. I have to get my 18 hours a day. A cat gets 17, so I have to do better than that. I write in my sleep and it is up to the rest of the guys to interpret my dreams and turn them into songs. I am only awake long enough to hum a few bars and ideas and Heidi and Josh transcribe it. We also use Atlas Obscura, a database of the weirdest places on the world. You are close to a museum of action figures and an art gallery called Meow Wolf or a monument to a confederate general’s arm. We have been touring with some great people, Brett Dennan, Kaleo, Leon Bridges and Moon Taxi.”
“Josh is stuck with this band because he made a blood offering in animal blood very early.”
“It is animal blood, so it is non-binding.”
“I don’t think so, we were operating on old world, Biblical contracts. When Heidi came into the band we only required words of affirmation. As long as she is giving me praise constantly, she is allowed to stay.”
“Touring is working on you. You are looking less like an accountant.”
“It is all of the drugs. Mostly Tylenol and Motrin. Actually I don’t put anything in my body but water, food and alcohol. I don’t take any drugs. I don’t need them because I am crazy enough already. I feel no pain. I am emotionally numb.”
“And that is what makes a good songwriter?”
“Exactly. I have no feelings, that makes me qualified to talk about anything. I am a blank canvass and have people project their feelings onto me and then I write about it. Be careful what you say around me. It may end up as a song or an action. It really is time to get home and write for a while and work on new songs. It is hard to write on the road.”
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I interviewed firekid a couple of years ago for The Southern Rambler He is from Muscle Shoals and one of my favorite interviews because he is sharp, unpredictable and makes me laugh. We talked with him last night before his show at Callaghan’s. He ended the show with an encore, dedicating the song “Boomerang” to his ex-wife, Elise. She was killed in a hit and run accident four days ago when she was riding her scooter. They are still close friends and he almost didn’t play last night.
“I told her as I held her hand that I would be seeing her in my dreams. Back to me. Boomerang. We have all lost someone that we love and and all we have to do is trust that our fate will be reuniting us. That our fate will be reuniting us.
I never lose her memory. I close my eye so I can see. I never lose her memory. If only I could stay asleep. In my dreams. Back to me.”
It was a raw, powerful moment during a tough time in Dillon Hodges’ life. I hope playing that song in front of a crowd that loved him gave a little peace and comfort.
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