Todd Snider's Live: The Storyteller (Aimless Records 2/1/11) delivers a double disc dose of folk music that matters.  Todd has the rare ability to share a story in a song  with both a liberal twist and a touch of humor. He disarms the audience with his self-deprecating "Eighteen Minutes Speech" when he declares: "I might share some of my opinions with you over the course of the evening, I'm not gonna share them with you because I think they’re smart or because I think you need to know them. I'm gonna share them with you because they rhyme. I did not come down here  to change your mind about anything. I came down here to ease my own mind about everything."

 And with that qualifier how can you really be offended when Todd sings "Conservative Christian, Right-Wing Republican, Straight, White, American Males" or offers his opinion in "Tension" that  "Gay people getting married. That's what scares people that don't have shit all else to be scared of these days"?   "The Ballad of the Kingsmen" eases his mind with his take on the perceived evils of rock and roll from "Louie Louie" to the present  day when "the next time some  some latch key kid goes wrong it ain't because of some words to some rock and roll song". 

Todd delivers a full band version complete with funky organ of "Is This Thing Working?" from Peace Queer. Is Todd using  bullying as an allegory for  US foreign policy or is he just rhyming a few words? It is not all politics and opinions, Todd covers Rusty Weir's "Don't It Make You Wanna Dance", sings songs celebrating  life on the road ("Rose City"), the only LSD fueled no-hitter ("America's Favorite Pastime") and tells several hilarious stories ("Bill Elliot", "K K Rider" and "Mushroom Story") that I won't say anything more about at the risk of giving something away.

Live: The Storyteller documents a talented intelligent folk singer at the top of his game. His liberal leanings may not be that different from other lefties (I love Steve Earle but has anyone ever accused him of having a sense of humor?) but Todd's delivery is never pedantic or preachy. Todd's homespun and  self-deprecating sense of  humor captivates the listener and maybe just maybe because of that the unconverted will think about what Todd's singing rather than booing if they disagree.  Phil Ochs said  "A protest song is a song that's so specific that you cannot mistake it for bullshit". Todd's songs are bullshit free but I guess he'd probably laugh and reply "Man, that's bullshit". If you've heard Todd's studio recordings you need this disc. If you've somehow never heard of Todd Snider you need this disc. If you've seen Todd live, yeah, you need this disc. 

I was truly flattered when Todd graciously took the time to answer a few questions by email for me:

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HB-Alejandro Escovedo stopped playing “Castanets” for several years. Any truth to the rumor you stopped playing “ Conservative Christian Right-Wing Republican Straight White American Males ” because it was on George W. Bush’s playlist?

TS-i killed a man for alejandro escovedo one afternoon in the late 80s.

over what i thought was almost nothing.

but at the time i was quite fascinated with alejandro

 and just did whatever he said to do 

and you know, to this day he's hasnt even thanked me for that.

he's always all "i never said kill that guy!"

and all you know....  "get away from me!"  and shit.

this isn't over alejandro!! not by a long shot 

we'll see who's crazy

on the other hand, i still do play the conservative christian song

 george bush owes me nothing.

in fact, my relationship with george has never been better

especially now that he's drinking again

and has all this time on his hands,

my only real problem with the guy

was the whole "being president" deal.

 it was just too much. right?  too much.

everyone thinks so.

HB-Todd Snider, Peter Cooper, Eric Brace…….who else should I know about from East Nashville?

TS-elmo buzz and the east side bulldogs , elizabeth cook, tim carroll, kieran cane, bare jr. , gillian welch, dave rawlings, phil lee, kevin gordan, paul burch, sergio webb, ball hog, tristen, tony bennet, turbo fruits, donnie herring (plays with dylan), dave jaques (plays with with prine) django walker, rhonda and jonda, tom mason, les honky more tonky, old crow medicine show, br549, eric mcconell (producer), doug lancio (producer who also plays with patty griffin and john hiatt) george bradfute (producer), dave coleman (of the coleman) thad cockrell, garrison starr, chely wright, last train home, mark horn, chuck mead, audly freed, jen gunderman, hank williams 3 (or tricephus as he's know to his neighbors) and the list goes on and on...

 plus we have a tomato festival and a weenery.

HB-Music fans, especially No Depression readers, never tire of debating the(ir) definition of Americana, alt-country, folk, etc. and who plays what. How would you describe Todd Snider’s music?   

TS-medicinal americana.

HB-Is there an especially weird gig that you haven’t immortalized in a story?

TS-yes, back in the late 80's. i was playing an afternoon show at a festival.

back stage billy white shoes johnson, myself, alejandro escovedo, jerry jeff walker, weird al yankovic and some odd looking friend of his began playing a simple little poker game that, in my opinion,  spun way out of control.

simply put, the stakes got too high.

nothing got weird though,

we're all pretty cool headed gamblers

but when we started  talking about the single elton john had put out with kee kee dee entitled "don't go breaking my heart" .

things did indeed get ugly between alejandro and weird al yankovic's friend. things were said. decisions were made. 

gratitude is owed.

HB-I enjoyed Jason D. Williams’ “Killer Instinct”. What was it like playing with, writing with and producing Jason?

TS-thank you. i thought it was a true blast and a pleasurable challenge for everyone involved.

dan baird and keith christopher and greg morrow really brought everything they had to that record.

we were writing while we were tracking and no two things ever stopped. bare jr. was around a lot too.

there was an outdoor table we all did lyrics at and the studio where we did the music and everybody just wandered back and forth contributing to both.

being around jason's like being on a ride.

HB-My buddy Mark saw your live for the first time at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass in 2009 and wanted to ask you “In addition to your music, people come to hear your stories; how do you keep growing your story collection to satisfy the masses?"

TS-for starters i appreciate your use of the word masses. that'll read well back home. 

as for the stories they just keep showing up both on and off stage.

I've talked about this with ramblin' jack elliott. we think it's travel.

as in "if you wanna keep ramblin at the mouth, keep ramblin at the feet"

HB-Do you go out looking for trouble or does trouble find you?

TS-it finds me.... for sure.... i'm a great bunch of guys

and in no way do i deserve any trouble

if i only had two words to try to describe myself with

they would definitely be

 "innocent bystander"

HB-Do you ever think I'd rather just go home and go to bed, but this just might make a good story?

TS-way way way way too many times. have you seen me lately?

i limp worse than fred sanford

cuz i blew out my party hip.

it's an easy job but somebody's got to do it. 

but remember kids the bill shows up eventually

HB-I know you’ve been a very busy man recently with a new record (The Storyteller), a new label (Aimless Records),a producer (Jason D. Williams), and a soundtrack (Homewrecker). Are there any other upcoming projects?

TS-i've recorded a bunch of jerry jeff walker songs with don was and great american taxi. kix brooks, elizabeth cook, peter cooper and amy lavere sing on it.

we've still got more recording to do for that.  i think it'll come out for his 70th birthday

i've also got some new songs i'll probably get around to recording soon

 plus i have a band called elmo buzz and the east side bulldogs.

we play regional rock.

we even made an ep called shit sandwich...but nobody really likes it.

so i've decided to fire our singer. me. and replace him with our tambourine girl. elizabeth cook and now were actually very good i think. 

we play kick ass, party hardy rock and roll. all below the belt.  no slow shit.

HB-Can you offer an update on “Almost Everything I Say Is True”?

TS-i typed out all my stories and sent them off

monday i leave for new york where i have some kinda meeting about it.

im thinking of wearing an ascot and a beret to the meeting.

but i dont know. what do people who want to write books wear?

anyway, wish me luck.

HB-My wife, our teenage son and I attended a concert of yours at the Cat’s Cradle in Chapel Hill. It’s not often that the three of us can agree on music. That’s not really a question but more of a thank you for all the music and great stories!

TS-very kind of you to say... thank you for doing this for us.

and please thank No Depression for all the years of support

for me and guys and girls like me.