Drive-By Truckers

Drive-By Truckers' Mike Cooley prefers riding shotgun.

The co-founding guitarist of the long-running southern rock outfit says he's happy ceding the spotlight to longtime musical partner Patterson Hood.

"I don't mind that at all," drawls the 45-year-old musician from home in Birmingham, Ala. "In fact, I love it. I have no desire to be the centre of attention. Besides, I'm constantly made aware that everybody's looking and listening, so if there's anything I want everybody to know, all I gotta do is say it."

Like a lot of quiet guys, when he does pipe up, it's usually worth hearing. While singer-guitarist Hood remains the Athens-based ensemble's frontman and chief songwriter, Cooley's contributions -- usually two or three darkly witty narratives per album, with titles like Loaded Gun in the Closet, Checkout Time in Vegas and Self-Destructive Zones -- have earned him comparisons to a certain Glimmer Twin (the odd Jack Daniel's bottle on his amp doesn't hurt either).

With the hard-touring Truckers headed north of the border for a run of Ontario dates behind their ninth studio album Go-Go Boots, Cooley filled us in on his bromance with Hood, being alone in a crowd and why we shouldn't hold our breath for a solo album.

You live in Birmingham. The band is based in Athens. That seems like a long commute.

I don't have to commute at all. I go over there when we make a record. But aside from that, we're always on the road. Around '97, we left home for a tour -- and it's still going on! But it's OK.

Compared to Patterson, people don't know a lot about you. You have this rep as the Keith Richards of the band.

Yeah, everybody likes to think every band has one. And well, I kinda play that role. But there's been a guy who plays that role in every band that's ever been created. I guess there are some similarities. But that's everybody else's image, not mine. I've been married for almost 15 years. I have three kids.

You and Patterson seem like different guys. What is it about that relationship that makes it work?

We are different in a lot of ways, and that's just it. I think the reason anything works is that you have to be different in the right ways and alike in the right ways. But if I knew which ways, it wouldn't work. It just does. Hell, we just recently got to where we actually like each other! (Laughs) Nah, we've always liked each other. You know how it is with guys -- the love comes later.

So why don't you two write songs together?

That would wreck everything. They wouldn't be as good. The songwriting thing is something I do by myself. I like it that way and I think he does too. Really, I love being by myself. It's my favourite thing in the world. It's like heroin for me. So to take that part of my life and let somebody else into it would just ruin something I really like doing, you know.

Aren't you in the wrong business for a loner?

Maybe. But there's also no better business to be in, because on a stage in a roomful of people is the greatest way to be alone. Some people can't handle that, but they're codependent pussies.

How does the band function? As a democracy or with you and Patterson calling the shots?

There's not a lot of effort to it. We're all on the same page naturally. Most everybody's genuinely happy with what we're doing. And we're all mature enough to just roll with it and not inject our egos into the decision-making process unless it really does matter. I've found the quickest way to screw something up is to be too hands-on. There are people in this business who are complete control freaks, who can't stand for anything to go on without their presence and seal of approval. But I've never seen any evidence that being that way produces better results. Ever. In anything.

What would it take to get a solo album out of you?

About 14 songs. You got 'em? I don't. But really, it's kind of silly, the whole solo record thing. I mean, there's plenty of interest. I'm sure I could get paid a nice handsome advance. And I would love to do that. But I just don't write that many songs. It's a pretty slow process for me. I'm pretty meticulous. And if I did write more, I would probably end up wanting this band to be on it, so it would just be a DBT record with my songs on it. That's not where I'm at. I don't need to prove anything. Sometimes, solo records are just ego trips anyway.

So you have no desire to be the frontman?

I've never had that. That's another reason not to make a solo record. If I recorded a bunch of songs, that would be as much as I want to do. Because that's pretty much where the fun ends and the bulls--- begins. If I got anybody to put it out, they'd expect me to tour behind it, do press for it, and blah blah blah. That just ruins a good time.

Drive-By Truckers tour dates

June 14 | London | Music Hall

June 15 | Toronto | Phoenix Concert Theatre

June 16 | Waterloo | Starlight Room

June 17 | Ayton | Saugeen Summer Nights

June 18 | Ottawa | Landsdowne Park

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