After a great Dan Baird & Homemade Sin gig in Belgium on 1 October, DanBaird.net got up early to have a short interview with Dan, right before he got on the tour bus to the UK. Here's the questions and answers of our conversation.

Tell us about the new live album. Are you happy with it?

Yes. We recorded it during one show in Glasgow, Scotland. I'm pretty happy with it, except maybe for "All Over But The Cryin'". You will notice that me and Mauro aren't exacly in the same beat. We pick it up later, though. Plus, it's hard to get emotional with that song every time, when you play it so much. The two covers on the album: "Walking the Dog" and "It's All Over Now" are good ones.

I heard that the revenues of the live album will help raise funds for a new studio album?

That's the plan.

Do you have new songs already, then?

We do. You know, last month we had a couple of days off in Finland, during the Scandinavian tour. We wrote two or three new songs.

Did you write them all together?

Yes. We want this to be a band album. The band has stabilised, more than a couple of years ago. It's not a 'pick up band' anymore. Back then, those guys were the best I could get. Now, we are a band. Keith actually was the one that said: 'Why don't we make a band?' That was cool. I didn't want to force anything. Those days, my 'forcing days', are way over. It just grew this way. That's good.

How about the band name: Homemade Sin. What does it mean?

It's really ugly. "That dog's as ugly as homemade sin". It's a very country, no, not country, its'a very rural expression.

How are things with the Yayhoos CD, "Put The Hammer Down"? Is it finished by now?

I'm finished with it. Terry's finished with it. It's up to Roscoe now. He has to do the mixing part. He's got his own studio and all the stuff to make the production.

Will it be at Bloodshot Records again?

No. We are gonna do it ourselves. You know about percentages at record companies? They really do not have a lot to offer to us. Except for more publicity, there are not many advantages of having our record at a record company. With production costs these days, you can really better do it yourself.

Now, you're getting on the tour bus again, for a journey to the UK. You guys are still going strong. You don't see that too often. Do you still have examples or idols?

Well, I saw the movie about Bob Dylan the other day, directed by Martin Scorsese. What he did was so far out and front. And Neil Young also is still a hero of mine.

And back on the bus he is. Collecting some more dust. Which is, what he answered when I asked of he had any collections.
Thanks Dan, and have a great tour!

Gerben Holwerda
03 October 2005