Billy Bacon & the Forbidden Pigs have delivered rockabilly to the masses for more than 20 years – sometimes playing more than 200 shows a year. Here the Sultan of Swine muses on the culture that inspires him.
Music: I have a wide range of favorites, depending upon my mood. I tend to root for the underdog. My biggest musical influence is Sir Doug Sahm, and one of my all-time favorite bands is NRBQ. In both cases they were artists who have been overlooked by the mainstream but revered by music-lovers everywhere.
Louis Jordan and Louis Prima are also big influences. I’ve seen a lot of live music. Performances by Ray Charles, Brian Wilson, Lionel Hampton, Buddy Rich and Los Lobos rank among the most memorable shows. I have also been to several Cheap Trick concerts, and they’re always great!
Traveling throughout the U.S. and Europe for all these years has allowed me to see many live performances, some good, some not so good. I still think live is the best way to enjoy music; the listener gets to feel the energy of the performer and, in a way, be part of the experience.
Books: I’m not a real avid reader, but I mostly read biographies and autobiographies. The one that comes to mind is “Bassline,” by Milt Hinton. It’s a great story about a great career. It is illustrated by Milt’s own photos, which he began taking while touring in Cab Calloway’s band. The last book I read was actually a reread for me. On tour in Europe this summer I read “Huckleberry Finn.”
TV: My favorite show to watch is “The Andy Griffith Show.” (I even recorded the theme song on one of my albums years ago.) I never pass up the chance to watch it, even if I’ve seen the episode dozens of times. I am particular, though; I won’t watch any of the color episodes because the quality of the show took a nose dive when Don Knotts left.
As for the current shows, I guess I watch a lot of the Discovery Channel and the History Channel. I think Dave Chappelle’s show is the funniest thing I’ve seen in a while. And the new Dennis Leary show, “Rescue Me,” is good, as well.
Movies: What comes out of the “Hollywood Regurgitation Factory” today is a pitiful excuse for entertainment. It seems that Hollywood as of late relies on ’60s and ’70s sitcoms for inspiration. If not, then they like to take a stab at rehashing a bad skit from “Saturday Night Live.”
The most original film I’ve seen recently in the theater was “Team America.” But for the most part, I tune into Turner Classic Movies for my movie-watching pleasure. My favorites are: “Miller’s Crossing,” “Angels With Dirty Faces” and, a most recent discovery, “The Thin Man” series of films with William Powell and Myrna Loy. I’m also amazed whenever I see a Buster Keaton flick.
Radio: Mainstream radio does nothing for me, and the technology of satellite has not caught up with me yet, although any medium that lets Mojo Nixon (on the Sirius show “Outlaw Country”) rant his ravings has to have something worthwhile. I spend more time on the AM dial listening to the likes of Art Bell.
Billy Bacon & the Forbidden Pigs, still touring to promote their greatest-hits record “Still Smokin’ After 20 Years,” will bring their rockabilly to Denver Thursday at the Skylark Lounge. Information: skylarklounge.com.
