Speaking With Brian Setzer
Miriam Di Nunzio
Interview from: http://www.suntimes.com
Speaking With Brian Setzer
Miriam Di Nunzio
Interview from: http://www.suntimes.com
Nothing says "Merry Christmas" louder and with more sassy brass than Brian Setzer and his 18-piece big band orchestra.
The energetic rocker-guitarist-swing sensation talked to the Sun-Times about making holiday music the Setzer way
Q. What's your favorite holiday song?
A. You can't do better than the entire Elvis Christmas album. The way he sings "White Christmas." That album was a staple in my house. We had the original one with the book in it that my folks bought in the '50s.
Q. You wrote "Santa Drives a Hot Rod" for your latest Christmas CD. Tell me about that song.
A. Well, they taught us as kids that Santa can get around the world in a sleigh in 24 hours. I don't know how he can do that. Nope. He's gotta drive a hot rod.
Q. "Hey Santa" is also a fun, swingin' tribute to the man in red.
A. It really swings, and we went toward rockabilly in a big way. I was listening to a song on satellite radio where someone just said the words "hey Santa" like 100 times in a row. And I sat down and wrote "Hey Santa" kinda in that "hey batter, batter, batter" style of speak. It just wails. We get into that New Orleans jazz in a big way.
Q. How much Christmas is in your Christmas extravaganza?
A. Well, we deck the halls. We've got 20-foot snowmen, giant nutcrackers, Christmas trees. We're all in Santa hats and those goofy sweaters. I'm just a big kid when it comes to Christmas. The shows are great because I can play the Christmas songs and the big band songs and the Stray Cats songs, so it's got something for everyone.
Q. What's the best Christmas present you ever got?
A. A 3-foot-tall, glow-in-the-dark plastic Frankenstein model kit that I got back in the '60s. You glued it all together and then you'd turn off the lights and it glowed in the dark. I still have the picture of me with it.