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Teresa: This is KUT the show Femme FM I’m Teresa Ferguson In the studio today, I’m so excited, Susan Cowsill !!
Susan: Yeah, me too.
Teresa: Well first of all, from New Orleans, Susan how are you doing? You’ve been through so much I know with Katrina and the loss of two brothers.
Susan: Yeah
Teresa: How are you?
Susan: I’m doing OK. I’m doing well. I’m doing what I think anybody would be doing under the circumstances, which is just trying to be in the present moment, whatever that means at any given time. And what that means right now is we’re here with you to play some music.
Teresa: Does music help?
Susan: Oh of course. It’s the great healer.
Teresa: I think so too. Play a song.
Susan: OK great This song is called “Crescent City Snow” and it is my Katrina song because we all have to write them, I guess. And it’s available I think for a download on Blue Corn Music, but I’m not really sure.
Song: Crescent City Snow
Teresa: Susan Cowsill with “Crescent City Snow” live on KUT Wonderful The passion you have for your city just shows in that song. And all the little snips, I go “Ah, ah”
Susan: I know
Teresa: Beautiful
Susan: Thanks
Teresa: And it’s available as a download, right?
Susan: Yeah It’s going to become available elsewhere, soon.
Russ(??): It’s also available on a compilation on a CD
Susan: Oh yeah
Russ (??): Hungry For Music
Teresa: And that’s coming out? Or has it
Russ (??): It’s out. It came out in December.
Teresa: Alright. Susan this is a good segway. Can you introduce the folks
Susan: I can. That’s Russ Broussard. I’m pointing to him so everyone in radio land just … I’m pointing left to myself. That’s Russ Broussard, the drummer, co-writer, and my husband, and brain-fog partner. Over here is Chris Knotts. He’s on top of his game. No brain-fog here. He’s a guitar player and also sings with me and is a great writer in his own regard. Want to say hi Chris?
Chris: Hello everybody
Susan: Take a deep breath
Chris: I am
Teresa: You’re here in Austin for SXSW. We’re so glad you’re here. You’re playing in a couple shows coming up – Saturday, tonight.
Susan: Yeah I’m playing some shows. When am I doing that Russ?
Russ: Midnight
Susan: Midnight – Bourbon Rocks – tonight – Bourbon Rocks – right, right
Teresa: Exactly. Plenty of time to get down there.
Susan: Thank goodness cuz …. And then we’re also playing this afternoon, - no no – it’s a private party. Oh we played it – god I had such a good time. My God, they had the best Cheese Pufffs .
Teresa: And then you have to fly out early soon.
Susan: That would be really nice, but actually we’re driving early Sunday morning to attend a peace/war protest rally. What’s the name of the organization?
Russ: United For Peace concert
Susan: Yeah, with Nanci Griffith who’s a friend of mine and she called me and ask if I wanted to join her. There’s going to be a march from Mobile to New Orleans, commencing on the anniversary of the – third year anniversary of the Iraqi War by some of the boys who thought that maybe it’s not such a good idea.
Teresa: Susan Cowsill, here on Femme FM on KUT. She has a new solo CD called Just Believe It We’ve been playing the heck out of it on KUT.
Susan: Have you?
Teresa: Great. On Blue Corn Records. Susan Cowsill, yes the name is familiar I’m sure. The Cowsills from the late ‘60s and then The Continental Drifters.
Susan: Yes
Teresa: That’s another. How many CD’s? Three CD’s?
Susan: I think so, yeah. That was a good run.
Teresa: And has that run ended?
Susan: It has ended for I and it has ended for Russ, but you’d have to ask the other guys. But of course, I don’t know, there could be a reunion of all other bands that ended and reunite. I suppose we could get back together. I couldn’t think of a band, OK. Who like ended and then got back together and everybody was shocked?
Russ: Cream
Susan: If Cream can reunite, then so can The Drifters.
Russ: So says Susan Cowsill
Susan: That’s right
Russ: More appropriately is Fleetwood Mac
Susan: Well very good point. Yeah if Fleetwood Mac can come back together, the Drifters certainly can. In fact, we played with Peter many times. So there you have it.
Russ: Peter Holsapple
Susan: You have to – actually he was here earlier.
Teresa: I know. Was he here with Stamey or was he by himself?
Susan: Stamey – Chris Stamey And that was a good show too.
Teresa: But he was talking about the loss too – of Katrina.
Susan: Yeah, Katrina loses are pretty large. It’s almost so big you don’t even know what to say about it.
Teresa: I know. I can’t even imagine. We’re glad you’re here.
Susan: Thank You
Teresa: Glad you’re going forward.
Susan: Oh yeah Forward is good. OK what did we say we were doing? “Catch The Wind” Very good.
Song: Catch The Wind
Susan: (giggles) Yes Indeed
Teresa: Susan Cowsill live on KUT on Femme FM and that was a beautiful song obviously. Does that have special meaning of course ….
Susan: You know, you would think it would and actually it does retrospectively. We were in Germany last year and pretty bored with ourselves and decided we needed something inspire us and everyone was thinking of a cover they wanted to do. And I chose that one and, this can be disputed and will be, but at one moment it appeared that I was the only one who knew what that song was. Did you – who had never heard that song?
Chris: I knew it
Susan: You knew it. Rob – of the one who wouldn’t dispute. I thought that was cute. I thought that it was interesting that - oh and then someone in the audience with the sound check crew came up and said, “Did you write that? That was the most amazing song that I’ve ever heard.” It’s always one of those great moments when you’re like “Shhhhh” Ah no I’ve always been a big Donovan fan, you know. It’s just a beautiful song. That’s really the significance, although it – everything I sing right now I could just start bawling at any moment. It all means everything all of a sudden, doesn’t it?
Teresa: It all has special meaning.
Susan: Yeah
Teresa: Susan Cowsill tonight on Femme FM on KUT the solo CD, your first?
Susan: Yeah
Teresa: Called Just Believe It
Susan: I’m all grown up
Teresa: And that’s a different role, huh, being the front woman?
Susan: Yeah it is.
Teresa: Are you comfortable with that?
Susan: Ummm, sometimes. I mean, yeah, sometimes. I think not so much that I’m not comfortable with it. I am. I’m not shy by any means. I think what I miss is that beautiful moment in the set where I drift to the back and, you know, think my little butterfly thoughts and not pay any attention. And when you’re the front man you can’t do that and I even do do that and that can unnerve several people often. But it’s fun. It’s all good. It’s just music. Ain’t no big thing.
Teresa: That’s great. And you wrote most of the songs on the CD.
Susan: Yes I wrote a lot of them and Russ and I co-wrote a lot of them. And then Sandy Denny wrote one of them. And, yeah, it’s my little swan song or whatever, you know. Wait that means my last one. No, not that. It’s my
Teresa: It’s the first of many
Susan: It’s your first swan song
Russ: It’s your pelican song
Susan: It’s my bluebird song
Teresa: Susan, play us something from the CD.
Susan: I think that is probably a very good idea. Oh my God. OK this song is a rock song that should not be played acoustically, but we fly in the face of what should and shouldn’t be done. Chris, we fly. Ok, it’s called “I Know You Know” and it should be the next Coca-Cola theme song. Yeah. OK what’s the Femme thing about. Is this a female moment?
Teresa: Actually the show features all women artists.
Susan: Well then we have to ask Russ and Chris to leave?
Teresa: Ah No !!
Susan: OK
Chris: I want to stick around for this
Susan: And rightfully so
Chris: I had no idea it was for ----
Teresa: All humans and they qualify
Susan: OK good and you know they both look really nice in a dress.
Chris: It’s what I’m wearing right now. Listeners are unaware of it.
Song: I Know You Know
Susan: Yeah man
Teresa: Susan Cowsill. I like it! It’s rockin’!
Susan: Acoustic rock
Teresa: And when you were trying to decide what to play tonight I was hoping you’d play that one.
Susan: Really?
Teresa: It’s good. It’s good.
Susan: It’s one version of it for sure.
Teresa: And there are many uses for ----
Susan: Probably the elevator version.
Teresa: And it doesn’t have to be for the Coke commercial
Susan: No, the heck with those folks. I take back my email address. It’s not really my email address anyway. You think I’d tell that on national radio?
Teresa: Susan, what are you working on now?
Susan: Working on standing up, walking on two feet – one in front of the other without falling down. And just trying to get settled back at home. We just recently moved back in January. The kids are back in school. And just kind of regrouping, you know. It’s been – I think I even find it amazingly how hard to believe how disorientating this event – of this hurricane – has been. And you know you kind of get tired of talking about it and kind of get tired of complaining about it or whining about it. And then if you sit back and look at it and you go “Wow, this is really still happening.” You know it’s left a lasting effect on our psychies and our ability – it’s just crazy. I can’t imagine what the people in Germany went through or what. It’s like an event that just picks you life up and blows it away somewhere and you have to try and keep moving on. It’s bizarre. And this is a smaller event than many others. So it’s like a little incite into so many other horrific things that have happen to people over the years. That being said, I must tell you that New Orleans as a community anyway – I don’t know about politically – but as a community is doing very well. The places that are dry, the places that didn’t take on the flood water, are thriving. Its – go ahead.
Teresa: Well here’s a question. So here you are dealing with your own personal circumstances, do you have the time, do you have the thought – the presence of mind, - to think about the bigger picture too? To talk about rebuilding the city? Or are you still concentrating on surviving?
Susan: Absolutely. You know, I think we’re kind of getting to the point of where we can go big picture. I mean big picture for us is seeing the park near our house that’s still trashed from the hurricane and getting the kids over there with some bags and cleaning it up one day. I mean that’s – and the more settled we get our own personal life, then yes and doing whatever. This march actually is also a combination Katrina survivors rally too, because obviously all the money we are spending on the war and all the effort and focus and a lot to do with the non-focus and non-effort and non-money coming our way at our time of need. So, it’s a combination of that. And by participating in that, I’m hoping it makes us feel like we’re in the bigger picture. It’s something that I hope to get more into once we are more settled. I mean really, you have to start at home. That’s just the way it is and it’s just the way it is.
Teresa: How many kids do you have?
Susan: We have two. Boy, girl. A 12-year-old girl and an eight year old son. Yeah, they are with the babysitter these two days. God only knows
Teresa: How is that working when you have to tour to promote the CD and everything? Do the kids come?
Susan: Umm, it’s a little different now. No, they would love that. But I spent my life on the road and my children will not. We used to have a bit of a support system with my ex-husband and Russ’s ex-wife, but they have not moved back to New Orleans. So, we’re using people from our school, you know, and the kids are pretty used to it cuz they’ve been our kids all their lives, which makes good sense, doesn’t it? And we’ve been going out on the road since they were born so it’s not like some trauma event. They are with Miss Lacy however from after-care and they’re being -. If they’re with relatives and we call and say, “How’s it going?” the relative will go “Oh it’s fine.” And when we call and they’re with Miss Lacy it’s like, “They are wonderful.” It’s like “OK Miss Lacy stays.” Cuz we’re not going to give Miss Lacy any troubles. So it’s OK. It’s discerning now more than it used to be just because of everything but you got to keep working. People got to work and what we do is play music and travel. But they’re doing good. They’re glad to be home.
Teresa: Where did you stay when you couldn’t stay in New Orleans?
Susan: Well we – Russ and I stayed in the Keya Sadona van – that’s our car. And we stayed at people’s houses throughout the US. We were Indianapolis, and Kentucky and in Nashville and in – where else were we?
Russ: Up and down the east coast.
Susan: Up and down the east coast and we just kind of played nomad. And it was fun – I think there was three days there where it was a real blast. It’s one of those things you think, “One of these days I’m just going to get in the car and travel.” But it’s better when it’s a plan, I think. You got a budget and a destination or two and maybe even you know. We did go see the caves. Where was that?
Russ: Kentucky
Susan: That was fun. We went to the very largest cave ever in Kentucky and that was one of the fun days.
Teresa: Traveling with Susan Cowsill
Susan: Hello
Teresa: Well we’re glad you’re home in New Orleans.
Susan: Yes, we’re really glad to be home in New Orleans too.
Teresa: And you’re listening to Femme FM on KUT Susan play another song.
Susan: OK What did we say we’re going to do? An’jue (sp??) Is that really what we want to do? We can change our mind at any point cuz we are the navigators of our own ship.
Song: Angel From Montgomery
Teresa: Angel From Montgomery performed by Susan Cowsill on KUT Femme FM tonight. Do you perform that song often? The two of you?
Susan: No, not often.
Teresa: It’s just wonderful. The harmonies.
Susan: It’s a great song.
Teresa: Oh yeah.
Susan: And now see every song you sing – and it’s all about the hurricane and the dead brothers. Every song. I can’t take one song that – It’s crazy.
Russ: How did ________
Susan: No, his speech writer told me he was psychic.
Teresa: That’s OK . That’s life
Susan: Yeah oh yeah. It’s so true. It’s happening right here now on the Femme thing.
Teresa: Music for humans
Susan: Music for humans M F H
Teresa: Susan it’s been - M F you know you put those two letters together
Susan: Wait, this is public radio
Teresa: Susan it’s been a pleasure having you here
Susan: Thank you so much. I had a really good time. Thank you very much. Are you going to come to the show? No pressure. No pressure.
Teresa: After I get off the air.
Susan: OK
Teresa: This show is on 9-11, maybe so. Bourbon Rocks on Sixth Street – midnight.
Susan: Right
Teresa: OK and then you’re taking off tomorrow for the peace rally
Susan: Yes that’s going to be cool.
Teresa: Alright have fun there.
Susan: OK thank you so much
Teresa: Thank you very much. Thanks guys
Want to listen to this interview? KUT has it archived!! Click the word 'listen' next to Susan's name.
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