Drifting with Robert Francis and The Night Tide

Los Angeles based singer-songwriter Robert Francis teamed up with members from The Night Tide to release his fourth album “Heaven” this past June.

Francis’ wanderlust persona has jumped trains into his musical realm.

His music turns listeners into vagabonds hitchhiking across a highway of influences: traditional country styling, lazy blues strumming, surf-rock twang and classic and modern folk integration. The music also has occasional upbeat indie rhythms under a layer of sensual, baritone vocals.

“Heaven” is the 13-track, self-produced return of Francis’ troubled two-year hiatus from music.

One self-destructive relationship and a couple of self-medicated detours later, the old-soul singer returned to the studio, saying that “these songs started coming to me, and I couldn’t ignore them … and that’s when I knew I had to make another record.

Francis is finishing his last string of west coast tour dates. He will be performing this Saturday with musicians like Buzzcocks, Los Lobos and The Avengers at The Observatory’s Make The Music Go BANG! Festival in Santa Ana.

The Daily 49er caught up with Francis to learn more about his travels.

What made you want to become a professional musician?

 Robert Francis: When I was a kid, we had the movie “Paris, Texas” on laserdiscs because my sisters liked it. My sister’s father in law scored the movie so I started watching Harry Dean Stanton walk through the desert in a suit. I was in third grade and became pretty obsessed with the idea of traveling. I never fully understood what was really going on because I was too young to understand the concept of that movie. But eventually I started wondering what is a way that I can do that? How can I get paid and travel and make this my life? It seemed like there was really only one way.

Who are you listening to right now?

I’ve been getting more into the late ‘80s Dylan records like “Oversea” or like “Tunnel of Love” by Springsteen, full production but amazing songs.

 This is your first album with The Night Tide. Who exactly are they?

RF: David Kitts is the drummer and I grew up with him…so we sort of grew up together [at Santa Monica High School]. Then Ben Messelbeck took my place in my sister’s band. When I had dropped out of school I joined my sister’s band, and then when I left to make my first record, he took my spot in that band, so that’s how I know him. Max Ludwig is a guitar player and a solo artist himself. I also grew up with him. I’ve known them all for a really long time.

As far as the album, why [did you] name it “Heaven?”

RF: That becomes full circle too with what we were talking about earlier. Since I was a kid I always dreamed about playing music and making this my life, traveling. It started to become pretty evident that I started checking off all these things that I wanted to do; I was crossing them off the list. And for some reason I wasn’t fulfilled and before you know it, you’re doing this whole life you wanted to do but you don’t necessarily feel any different. I thought it was always interesting [concept] about heaven, and just how we’re born looking and searching for this concept of this idea in mind that there’s something out there that we’re supposed to be striving for, whether it’s an actual place or feeling or whatever one wants to call it. But we’re all basically going through our lives with that carrot being dangled.

 How would you describe your music in your own words?

RF: I’m not sure. I have a really hard time. When I released my first record I called it folk and then I think that genre was bastardized in such a way that now I’m embarrassed to say [so]. Now what folk has become in the same way as what country has become, what modern country radio is doesn’t have any resemblance to what actual country music is and I think it’s the same with folk and a lot of soul. The words don’t have the same meaning anymore, so I’m not even sure. I guess it’s folk influenced, rock ’n’ roll that’s really song driven.

You’re playing this Saturday with the Buzzcocks and Los Lobos. Who are some other people you’ve played with that were particularly exciting?

RF: I’ve played with Neil Young and Willie Nelson. That was awesome. I think that was in 2010. I did my set and then I came out and sang [with Nelson]. Everyone had their arms around each other and having a good time. It was pretty rad.

If you could collaborate with any other musicians, who would you have in mind? Dead or alive.

RF: Alive, I would like to work with Chan Marshall [of Cat power]. Dead; Karen Dalton or Judee Sill.

How is tour life for you?

RF: I’ve had really rough tours and really great ones. The worst bunch of tours is when I’m on my own bus and I’m in Europe— all the things you dream about when you’re a kid and they finally come true, have actually backfired more than being in a van with trash everywhere and having no idea what’s going on. That has been the more precious sort of defining moments of my life. If you can let yourself succumb to [touring] and really get into it as a lifestyle, then it’s incredible. It’s hard to let yourself go.

 Do you have any tour mishaps or adventures that have stuck with you?

RF: Yeah, there’s been a ton. Everything from having our van held up in the deep south because our door fell off to having fans pass out [at shows]. We had this one girl who hit her head on [a footstep] and got knocked unconscious. [Then there’s also the] crazy hotel room after parties, all that classic stuff. Pretty much everyday on tour, [it] can be as crazy as [you] want it to be.

Well yeah, especially with your friends from childhood, it’s going to happen. As far as the future of your career, what are some things you want to do?

RF: Well I’d like to [see] Italy and Spain. I was supposed to play in Rome, Italy with Amy Winehouse but then she passed away so that show was cancelled. I can’t wait to see that part of the world. I feel like this record for me as it came out, it’s getting towards the end of the year and I’m working on new music I think this is like a good book-end. I’ve released four albums and I’ve sort of summed up everything I wanted to say or the sort of sentiment. So musically, I feel like I can do something completely different. So it’s very exciting. I get to take any turn I want.