Interview with singer and painter Crockett Bodelson

The leader of the group Alamo Sun tells us the story of the creation of his band and his pictorial and musical inspirations.

How did your band Alamo Sun get started?

I think it started in 2010. My friend was about to get divorced and he played drums. After the divorce he had nowhere to go, so he came to live with me and my girlfriend, and in my living room with my partner, we played music and that's how it started. We played at a few parties and just kept going, it was the first time something had come together so naturally.

And you used to live in the USA?

Yes, I come from the USA and Luxembourg, but now I've been living in Lisbon for 2 years.

Did you live in the USA most of the time?

I went to Japan, France, Germany and Spain, but I came back to the US in between, probably spending most of my time in the US.

So, what do you like doing in Lisbon?

I like to wander around looking at things that seem interesting to me. In fact, when I arrived in Lisbon, I discovered the narrow streets of Alfama and its unusual places, as well as the flea market (feira da ladra) where we are now. At this market, you can find objects that have a history, or supports for painting or ideas. I realised that I really liked it here. You can also meet a ton of friends. I met Chris, a friend of mine now, and together we sell our creations at the market. When we met, I was looking for a scanner and I had my painting with me. Chris was also at the market, there was an empty space and I just put my painting on the floor next to him, and I've been doing it ever since. 

Do you find inspiration in Lisbon?

Yes, I think so. Given the way the city was built, I think it's quite inspiring, also to see people coming here and taking an interest in the city, it brings movement and is conducive to meetings. Some people come here to party, some people come here to enjoy the atmosphere, the food, the architecture, I think it all stays in the city. I think it's hard to stay in a place like Las Vegas, where people just gamble and party. For me, the lifestyle of the people of Lisbon and the city itself are quite inspiring. 

So some days you paint and other days you play guitar?

I do both every day. I'm not the only one in the band, so I rehearse our repertoire or just do variations to see what comes out.

Did you start out in art or music?

I started with art, then when I was 8 my father got me a guitar and from that day on I've never stopped. I thought maybe I should turn to music because it's more natural for me, but I get more pleasure from making art. I like the physical, like real things or funny objects, I like creating art objects, I like the irregularity of the materials I use to make them. And I like the distracting side of the city, I think it's pretty cool. It inspires me to go to the market and paint, to return to the studio and meet people chatting.

Do you enjoy collaborating with other artists?

It actually surprises me, but I think I really enjoy doing collaborations, especially musical ones. As I'm not the kind of artist who tries to control appearance or purpose too much, I always accept when there's a mistake or a shortcoming. I embrace mistakes and accept approximations, and for collaboration that's generally a good attitude to have.

In painting or music, is there anyone you'd like to collaborate with? 

Recently I was thinking about Damien Hirst, I don't know why I looked at those flower paintings recently. He's a guy I could collaborate with.

In music, I'd like to work with Rick Rubin, he's a producer and a brilliant musician. I think I'd like to work with someone who understands music.

Do you do folk improvisation? 

Exactly, I do a lot of folk improvisation, because I don't have any songs at the moment. The advantage is that I don't have to practise as much, and what's more, audiences find it more intimate.

Is it more spontaneous?

Yes, it feels like the audience is more part of the process. And I really like that, because when I go to a show I get a bit bored. As an audience member, I like it when bands find ways to include the audience in the musical experience. And with improvisation, everyone feels included in some way. I ask the audience what song they'd like to hear, or just a phrase, and with my group, we start improvising. 

Will you be doing any other shows?

In fact, my next exhibition will be in Marvila, here in Lisbon. It's called Alamo Sun and it's going to be all about art and music. We're going to combine both music and art for the exhibition. I have a lot of paintings to show, and there will also be a workshop, so people will be able to make music in this space. That's how I work, so I want it to look good and be friendly. Like this morning, I woke up and played percussion for a while, then I painted and went back to playing drums, then I tried recording songs, then I went back to painting. All with love.