Alabama 3

The freewheeling, all singing, all preaching musical movement known as Alabama 3 have, over their incredible multi-decade spanning history, successfully carved an important niche in the musical tapestry of both the US and UK consciousness.

Formed from the ashes of a 90s acid house party, Brixton boys Jack Black (a.k.a The Reverend Dr. D. Wayne Love) and Rob Spragg (a.k.a Larry Love) formed with an intention to marry the unlikely bedfellows of country music and acid house. Initially dismissed as a novelty act (they did start life under the name ‘First Presleyterian Church of Elvis the Divine’ to be fair), the group switched names to Alabama 3, releasing their debut album ‘Exile’ on Coldharbour Lane shortly afterwards. A series of albums, adored by critics and fans alike, saw the group grow in prominence, the pinnacle of which saw their track ‘Woke Up This Morning’ chosen as the theme tune to a little known Mafia based drama called ‘The Sopranos.’

Despite the name ‘Alabama 3′, the band consists of no less than seven members, who together imaginatively meld American sensibilities with their Brixton heritage to provide us with a taste of ‘Deep South’ London. Keeping one foot in the absurd and the other firmly planted in originality, their music is dance music brewed in a whisky barrel, and all the better for it.

BBM’s James Stapleton catches up with Larry Love himself to gain a little more insight into the crazy world of Alabama 3.

Would you say that doing the Soprano’s theme tune really put Alabama 3 on the map?
Unless extra terrestrials made up the map that is rock n roll….we’ve never been on the map because we are beyond navigation. Fortunately it allows us to have meaningful conversations with moody lookin’ fellas at 4am.

How did you come up with the name Alabama 3, when you’re from Brixton and there are actually quite a few of you?
We were never very good at maths or geography… as a Welsh man I had no truck with the limited perimeters of Brit Pop. Living in the multicultural community of Brixton, we have never been confined to a genre. We are an homage to the Angola 3, the Birmingham 6 and anyone from the Miscarriages of Justice Organisation (MOJO).

What’s the significance of the number 3?
As De La Soul said…3 is the magic number.

Because there are quite a few of you, would you say you suffer from creative differences on a regular basis?
A band that fights each other is a band that stays together. On our rider is a boxing ring with no referee.

Would you say any particular member of Alabama 3’s ideas shine through as the main sound?
No because we all worship Elvis Presley and are members of the Presleyterian Church of the Divine. We always refer to Elvis for guidance in those matters.

Does anyone in particular clash within the group?
Everyone clashes with each other and we celebrate musical differences. That’s the only way you find harmonies.

So how did you all come together and when did it start?
We originally started as an acid house collective in ’97/’98.

Alabama 3 have been from highs to lows, what would you say is the highest point of your success?
Being blessed with a studio in Brixton in the heart of the London Riots- a safe haven for all those lost and lonely souls who liberated new pairs of trainers.

…and what has been the lowest?
Having a studio in Brixton in the heart of the London riots and not having any brand new trainers for ourselves…we were too busy to riot.

There’s quite a JJ Cale feel to your sound at times, what were some of your influences on your latest stuff?
4am post dubstep clubland and Hank Williams singing gospel songs at 7.35am.

Are you looking forward to heading to New Zealand and Australia soon?
Of course we are!

Do you think you’ll get much time for sightseeing whilst you’re there?
The poet Dylan Thomas once said “You learn more about a city, sitting in the corner of a bar at 3pm than sightseeing”…so we will find some corners of bars!

What’s the craziest thing that’s ever happened whilst you’ve been on the road?
We’re crazy ALL of the time!

Who’s inspiring you at the moment?
Civil wars, Bonnie Prince Billy, Miss Elaineous, IDK Soundsystem and Greg Fleming aka The Wizard (who is the studio recording engineer in Brixton Jamm, our venue in South London).

Do you listen to a lot of new music?
Yes…too fucking much!

Is there anyone you would recommend we should be listening to?
Your grandfather’s record collection.

If you could collaborate with anyone, who would it be and why?
The Mormon Tabernacle Choir, hopefully then we’d be fast tracked to the Promised Land.

By James Stapleton