INTERVIEW - JESSE JAMES DUPREE
By Todd Jolicouer
Toddstar: Thank you so much for taking the time out for the Rockpit today.
Jesse James Dupree: I’m glad to be here.
Toddstar: I know you’ve got a lot going on but let’s get start with the basics. Let’s talk about your music. It’s been a couple years since you did a solo album, your last one being with Dixie Inc. I know you just did the album with Jackyl last year (“When Moonshine And Dynamite Collide”). Anything we can see coming out from you soon on the music front?
Jesse James Dupree: Um, we’re gonna be trying to get some stuff recorded. We’re gonna be getting some stuff recorded this year. Hopefully here out before the end of the year, if everything goes as planned.
Toddstar: Ok, well “When Moonshine & Dynamite Collided” was interesting; a great album, I loved it myself. You put out that special single that you did of ‘Just Like A Negro.’ How did that come together?
Jesse James Dupree: Um, you mean with DMC? He was recording in my studio in Atlanta, Georgia. We got to be friends there and I sent him a copy of the record and he fell in love with Negro. He said “Man, you got to let me have 16 bars on that.” I said “What?” and he said “Yeah give me 16 bars.” So we cut a version of it with 16 bars and he laid down his piece.
Toddstar: Is that the friendship that developed in the studio as well as that, is that kinda what developed to you guys taking him out on the road with you last year?
Jesse James Dupree: Well, I invited him to come to Sturgis and he came out and we had a blast. He jumped on the bus. I think he may be out with us over the next couple weeks.
Toddstar: Oh, really?
Jesse James Dupree: Yeah, maybe… yeah.
Toddstar: Now, how does the dynamic of that work out? Does that work out pretty cool and does it comes across well? Your fans like it?
Jesse James Dupree: Oh, he’s great man, people love it. I mean it’s really different. Nobody expects anything like that so it’s really cool, you know?
Toddstar: Right, right. Well let’s shift gears a little bit, because I eventually want to hit your newest adventure. Let’s move to TV a little bit. You’ve been in the background with doing some production and executive stuff, but then you jumped into being animated on Squidbillies and appearing on Full Throttle Saloon. How does some of this come to fruition for ya?
Jesse James Dupree: Well, Sturgis is just natural. We found a home here years ago and then whenever the Full Throttle came about 11 years ago, Mike Ballard and I, we struck a friendship that worked and translated into a partnership and we’ve just been doing a whole lot of stuff ever since.
Toddstar: (Laughing) I love the show. Squidbillies, tell me about that. That’s an interesting fit for you guys.
Jesse James Dupree: You know we’re all Squidbillies guys and they were fans of the band in college. You know, it’s an honor to be able to be a part of a big season finale. A lot of cool bands, cool artists that were, you know, on there and we were just one of those segments, it was really cool.
Toddstar: Yeah, it was very cool to see, especially as a fan of the band. It’s good to see you guys still getting some good PR out there.
Jesse James Dupree: Yeah, It don’t ever stop.
Toddstar: (Laughing) Well, on that same note. You guys hold a couple Guinness records now. What do you do to get the next one? I mean, you’re doing just about everything you can do Jesse.
Jesse James Dupree: You know, I don’t think so. I think there’s still a lot you can do. I’m not too taken by the last accomplishment. You wake up every day and attack it.
Toddstar: Oh cool, cool. Well on that same note, you’ve got Mighty Loud, which has quite a diverse group of bands. You also just doing a little bit of research, it looks like you’ve done a little bit with Kiefer Sutherland’s label.
Jesse James Dupree: Yep, Kiefer Sutherlands label & I have my own label Mighty Loud. We have Powerman 5000 & CKY. Both of us got a couple records out. Nobody can’t say you can’t do what you want, you know, you just make it happen.
Toddstar: Exactly, exactly. Well, let’s talk about Jesse James….Americas Outlaw Beer.
Jesse James Dupree: Yeah man, it’s um, its whole wheat non-filtered beer & we brew it in Kearney, Missouri, where the original Jesse James is from. It’s really cool because it’s American made and not a lot of what used to be American beer is still American made anymore, you know, it just seems like everybody out sources. We’ve had fun and it’s a celebration for those people that bust their knuckles 40-50 hours a week; everybody that’s out there that knows what it’s like to put in a hard days work.
Toddstar: And we appreciate that. Now as far as distribution, like I’m up just north of Detroit. How are we gonna get that up in Detroit? Are you working on widening…
Jesse James Dupree: It all a matter of distribution, it’s a matter of being able to brew enough. It is back ordered right now.
Toddstar: Really?
Jesse James Dupree: Yeah.
Toddstar: Oh wow. Ok, so you guys, is it something we’re you’re looking to keep it a little more, I don’t want to say Mom & Pop cuz that’s not want it is. Are you looking to keep it where it’s less of a chain, less of a machine?
Jesse James Dupree: No, I’ll brew as much as I can. I’m not interested in shooting myself in the foot. As of right now, its popping out there, we just got to be on top of it. We can brew more; we just didn’t swing in to try to get caught up. It’s going a little faster than what we can brew, but were starting to get up to speed.
Toddstar: Cool. Well I want to go back to one of my loves and that’s Rocklahoma. I bailed on it the last couple years, but the last year you were there was the last year I was there. You declared just before you left the stage that it was forever known as Jacklahoma.
Jesse James Dupree: Well, I mean well when we were there that’s what it was called. They ended up having another line up this year, we were in Washington D.C. playing a tribute concert for the military, so it was for us the better place to be, being as it was Memorial Day and we were proud to be up there doing that tribute for them. Heard Rocklahoma festival went great, which is good.
Toddstar: Right, but it’s just, again as a guy who grew up with your music, to see you just destroy the stage at Rocklahoma a couple years in a row was just great.
Jesse James Dupree: Well thank you, thank you.
Toddstar: A couple quick questions then I will let you get on with your day. In the history of music - all the music that you’ve been familiar with in your life - is there one piece of music, be a song or an album that you know of, that just moved you to where you wish you had written it or been a part of it but it’s not part of your own.
Jesse James Dupree: Oh God, the Who’s ‘Quadrophenia’ album. The ‘Quadrophenia’ album to me is just the greatest thing ever, yeah it’s awesome.
Toddstar: Really? That’s the first time anybody’s thrown that one at me.
Jesse James Dupree: Yeah.
Toddstar: Ok, well to Jesse James, what is the meaning of life?
Jesse James Dupree: (laughing) The meaning of life? I think the meaning of life is defined by, I think the meaning of life is defined by I guess is how you meet the end of it. Do you gracefully just lay it down and concede or do you slide in like a bat out of hell screaming what a mother fucking ride?
Toddstar: Awesome. A great end to it. Well, on that note Jesse, I’d like to again, I know you’re busy so I’d like to turn you back over to the rest of your day. Thank you for your time for the Rockpit.
Jesse James Dupree: Well thank you so much, have a great day & I appreciate your interest.
