Frequent visitors will not be surprised in my proclamation that Lucero is one of my favorite bands. Earlier this month, Lucero’s Ben Nichols released The Last Pale Light In The West, a delightful acoustic ode to Cormac McCarthy’s book Blood Meridian. We’re thrilled to once again have Ben stop by for our 5 Questions with Muzzle of Bees feature. Ben also recently joined NPR to perform and discuss the aforementioned record. Highly recommended.

Can you give me a time line of how the songs that appear on The Last Pale Light In The West came about? Did you set out to make an album’s worth of material or did a few songs come out and then the idea of an entire record based on Blood Meridian follow?

I had read Blood Meridian for a second time a couple years ago and remember thinking there was a lot of stuff in there that I could use in songs. There are plenty of great phrases and images and details throughout the book and those are exactly the kinds of elements you want in a good song. Chambers was the first song I wrote. He is a minor character who is only present for a few pages in the book but he has a heartbreaking story. I did a little research outside of Blood Meridian to figure out where this guy came from and where he’d been and who he’d fought with and I thought the song stood on its own fairly well. Then I figured I’d write a couple more and do a three or four song EP. That became seven songs as I decided to base each song on a different character. I wish I could’ve gotten to more of the characters.

A record like this shines a spotlight on authors that unfortunately doesn’t happen enough in my opinion. What other books rank high on your list of ones you’re able to recommend?

I was on a big Steinbeck kick last year and read six of his books. East of Eden and Cannery Row were possibly my favorites. Then after writing The Last Pale Light I went back to McCarthy and read his Border Trilogy. The Crossing is beautiful.

Do you know if Cormac McCarthy has heard the record or even knows about it?

No idea.

Will any of these songs ever appear in a Lucero set? I think “Toadvine” would fit nicely into an encore.

I’ve played The Last Pale Light a time or two at Lucero shows. Toadvine is also one of my favorites to play but I’ve only done that so far at solo shows.

Will there be a new Lucero record in 2009? Can you share any information on the status, name, or release date?

There better be. Right now it’s just demos but we’re trying to get the thing out quick as we can. Right now the solo record will have to tide folks over.

MoB: 5 Questions with Ben Nichols of Lucero
MoB: Review: Lucero at Turner Hall, Milwaukee (11/11/07)
MoB: Lucero/Catfish Haven – Otto’s – DeKalb, IL
MoB: A Look Back @ Lucero/Red 40
MoB: Lucero – Alley Katz – Richmond
MoB: Lucero – Mad Planet Review

Photo: Legal Minded Punk
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Buy: The Last Pale Light In The West

Listen to The Last Pale Light In The West in full below: