Uploaded February 2025 | Updated September 2026, 3 hours ago
This interview took place in a San Francisco motel room in March 1990. At the time, J.J. Cale was touring in support of "Travel-Log," his first album in a half-dozen years. A few days earlier I'd seen his concert at the Catalyst in Santa Cruz, which we reference during the interview. I also played him a section of one of his solos from the Leathercoated Minds' "A Trip Down the Sunset Strip," a rare psychedelic album he'd made circa 1966.
On the afternoon we spoke, J.J. was fighting a wicked cold, as you’ll hear from his sniffling and coughing. Ever the trouper, though, he still delivered an insightful interview about his instruments (including his guitar synth), playing and recording techniques, records, songwriting, and other music-related subjects. I hope you enjoy it!
J.J. Cale promotional photo courtesy MCA Records.
Thanks to engineer/producer Nik Hunt for filming the intro and enhancing the sound of the 35-year-old master tape.
For hundreds of blues-, rock-, and guitar-intensive podcasts, interview transcripts, and articles, visit my online "Talking Guitar" magazine at jasobrecht.substack.com/.
#jjcale #jasobrecht #nikhunt
©2025 Jas Obrecht. All rights reserved.
This interview took place in a San Francisco motel room in March 1990. At the time, J.J. Cale was touring in support of "Travel-Log," his first album in a half-dozen years. A few days earlier I'd seen his concert at the Catalyst in Santa Cruz, which we reference during the interview. I also played him a section of one of his solos from the Leathercoated Minds' "A Trip Down the Sunset Strip," a rare psychedelic album he'd made circa 1966.
On the afternoon we spoke, J.J. was fighting a wicked cold, as you’ll hear from his sniffling and coughing. Ever the trouper, though, he still delivered an insightful interview about his instruments (including his guitar synth), playing and recording techniques, records, songwriting, and other music-related subjects. I hope you enjoy it!
J.J. Cale promotional photo courtesy MCA Records.
Thanks to engineer/producer Nik Hunt for filming the intro and enhancing the sound of the 35-year-old master tape.
For hundreds of blues-, rock-, and guitar-intensive podcasts, interview transcripts, and articles, visit my online "Talking Guitar" magazine at jasobrecht.substack.com/.
#jjcale #jasobrecht #nikhunt
©2025 Jas Obrecht. All rights reserved.
