Humble is the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of Colonel Bruce Hampton, so when I sat down with the Colonel he was modest while sharing his feelings about Basically Frightened: The Musical Madness of Col. Bruce Hampton, Ret. during our interview. The film, which comes out at the upcoming Atlanta Film Festival, explores the music of a man who many consider the father of the modern jamband movement.
Before a very busy night with three shows at the Iridium and a visit to the Beacon to sit in with the Allman Brothers, the Colonel was gracious for taking the time to talk to me. I soon understood why other wonderful musicians revere him: he is funny, intelligent, and wise.
AM: How are you?
Col: Over 60 and perfect.
AM: I want to talk a bit about the movie coming out soon, Basically Frightened. It’s been a long time in the process.
Col: Thirteen years. [laughs]
AM: How did it feel to have a movie made about you to begin with?
Col: I’m a very shy accountant on the bottom level, so it was very awkward and I hope there’s more about music than about me. I’m not an egotist seeking publicity, but they’ve asked for twenty years and I said it’s time to do it.
AM: What was it like to have all those musicians praising you?
Col: It’s very humbling to say the least and I pay them a lot of money to say it. [laughs]
AM: Some musicians who respect you very much like Derek Trucks and Jimmy Herring said in the movie that they wouldn’t be in music if it weren’t for you. Do you think that that’s true?
Col: Wow…No, they’re both masters at what they do. They were great very young. Derek has been doing it since he’s eleven and Jimmy since he’s a teenager. Both are very talented…Ridiculously talented. They both have worked harder than anybody I’ve ever seen. It’s ninety-nine percent perspiration and one percent inspiration. I’ve never seen any two people work harder and they were already very talented. They’re just good guys above that.
AM: Does it mean more to you if a musician’s a good guy at heart or more talented?
Col: It means everything. A good person means everything. There’s three main problems in a musical band. The ego is number one. The worst thing you can have is an ego. The second is a relationship with somebody else. The third is drugs, drinking, and the rest of it.
AM: Are those all three things that you’ve tried to avoid in the bands that you’ve been in?
Col: Yeah and I’ve tried to avoid people that have them. I look for people who have sincerity and essence in their daily life, too.
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