Willie Nile is the walking example of pure rock ‘n’ roll. Black
clad and cocksure, the man defines cool. But the New York City musician ain’t
cliché: he’s classic. Playing with a fist in the air and a blast of exuberant
rebellion. But Nile knows that even though it’s all about the big beat, rock
‘n’ roll has some stories to tell, some hearts to break, and some wrongs to
right.
Since the early 1980’s, Nile has been churning out greasy
denim and leather anthems that resonate all the way back to the cheap seats in
stadiums as well as assorted gin joints and dives. With a career that spans
nearly four decades, 10 studio and five live albums, Nile has had his share of
music industry ups and downs. But you can’t count Willie Nile out, Jack.
Beneath a coif that looks like it was combed with a grenade, Nile is a man of
humility, determination, and resolve.
Nile has taken a back seat of sorts on his latest album,
“Positively Bob,” in order to pay tribute to his hero, Bob Dylan. It kicks off
with a 4/4 take on “The Times They Are A-Changin”‘ with some serious
acceleration compared to the original, but it’s still no less impactful. “Rainy
Day Women No. 12 & 35″ has the requisite gang vocal over some slippery
slide. “Subterranean Homesick Blues” has a nice boogie feel to it. And it
should be pointed out, Nile sounds a little like Dylan, voice-wise. The album
closer “Abandoned Love” is powerful and arresting, making it just that more
clear why artists like Nile venture into giving Dylan’s music their own twist.
From a corner booth in a noisy New York City diner, Nile gave
CITY a jingle to discuss Shakespeare, rock ‘n’ roll, and how to do Dylan in his
own style. An edited transcript follows.
CITY: Was this record a daunting task?
Willie Nile: Oh my God; what a joy it
was to make.
What gave you the idea?
Last May, in NYC, they were doing a Bob Dylan 75th birthday
event, and they asked me to play four songs to close the show. So I looked for
four songs that I could bring something to.
How did you select songs for the record?
I thought what will be fun to play live and what will work
live. I wanted to play songs I could bring something to — good energy and put
my own feel on. There’s no topping Bob’s versions, and that wasn’t my goal. It
was a labor of love. I wanted to play them respectfully for new generations.
But still you did them Nile-style.
Absolutely.
What is it about Dylan that does it for you?
I’m one of those kids who grew up on early rock ‘n’ roll from
Little Richard, Elvis, Chuck Berry, The Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly. Then it
was the British Invasion with bands like The Kinks and The Who. But it was when
I heard Dylan who raised the bar so high that inspired me to no end. I started
writing not long after that. Making a Bob Dylan record was the last thing on my
mind. Bob’s the Shakespeare of rock ‘n’ roll. He turned the world on.
And the material is still relevant, don’t you
think?
You sit there and listen to these great songs and they’re so
contemporary to today’s world. I mean “Blowin’ in the Wind,” “The Times They
Are A-Changin'” — they’re all so current. They’re as meaningful as they ever
were. The world’s not in great shape.
If Bob Dylan is the Shakespeare of rock ‘n’ roll,
who are you?
I’m a true believer. A true believer that music, whether it’s rock ‘n’ roll or classical or reggae or jazz, if it’s
right, if it comes from a good place, it can be transformative. There can be
salvation in it. Life is tough, just look at the news. All these years and the
human race still doesn’t have it together. Music can make sense of it. So I’m a
true believer in rock ‘n’ roll who thinks a little bit of heart, a little bit
of soul, and a little bit of boogie can get you some place better.
This article appears in May 10-16, 2017.
