Joseph Childress is a drifter-- the kind of artist I had heard about months before actually meeting and seeing him perform, because he had been hitchhiking and rambling around the country. His reputation preceded him, and it was rumored that he was coming to live here in San Francisco; and indeed he has, becoming a solid part of the SF scene within the 2-ish years he has been here in our fair city. His voice is strong, burbling like a stream, and it's one of his greatest assets; and then there are the songs -- melodic stories about landscapes, both inner and outer. Though he has settled down for a while, he is still one to keep an eye on: Joseph will release a highly anticipated first album in the near future. Here, he chats about working on cattle ranches, seasons changing and his upcoming record.


Miss Ess: So, what have you been listening to these days?

Joseph Childress: Well, besides the obvious classics, I have been digging almost everything I've grabbed from Sublime Frequencies and Mississippi Records. Also, Lucky Dragons, White Rainbow, the Yaala Yaala label, Los Increibles, Melodii Tuvi, and the George Mitchell field recordings, mostly country and world stuff. 

ME: What inspires you to write songs? Do you write the lyrics or the music first?

JC: With the exception of maybe three songs, I write the music first. I let the melody tell me the story. I will usually get an image if the part is doing its job. As for inspiration, a whole lot of things inspire me, from nature and women to politics. The weather plays a huge role, also seasonal change. When the air starts to change I get an overwhelming feeling to write.