I hope you’re feeling better today already. Too bad that we couldn’t do the
interview in person but I have to say: It was worth cancelling itmin order to keep your erformance up. We had a blast and it was amazing how you pulled through without even complaining once. It was one of the best shows this year!

Thank you and Thanks for your patience with me getting back to you! I appreciate it!


The Revival Tour gig in Hamburg was perfect! Are you enjoying
the tour so far? How do you see the Revival Tour’s future? Do we have a
chance of seeing you every year in such a setting? Which parts of these
nights do you enjoy most?

This tour is truly the most special way of touring that I've ever known in my life I've always been blessed with being around and apart of like minded musicians for the most part but never in this capacity until we did our first tour in 2008. The sheer camaraderie that is the essence of the tour is like nothing else and something that I believe is completely infectious to each other on the road as well as the good people who come out to experience it. I'd love to
say we'll be bringing it back year to year but since this tour, the line-up and the co-ordination is so unique, I can only say that I'll do my absolute best!


Your current album “Covering Ground” has just been released this September. You did play quite a few songs from it at the show. Can we expect that you to come to Europe with a “Chuck Ragan-club tour” any time soon (after touring with Social Distortion in the US?)


I would love to! It's going to be a busy year and we're already looking at the entire year up to 2013 which to me is quite nerve racking but puts me at ease at the same time! I definitely aim to
support and represent "Covering Ground" again down the road and bring some of folks that I call The Camaraderie with me!


For me, “Covering Ground” seems to be a collection of stories from a traveler (Wish on the Moonom/Nomad by Fate/…). Here and there it also seems to be a little sad and reminds me of the German word “heimatlos” (= without a home). You once told me that you have kind of a love/hate relationship with being on tour. Are you getting sick of being on the road all the time?

I still have that love/hate relationship and I can honestly say that I don't know if that will ever go away. I make a lot of sacrifices to do what I love to do but there are also beautiful moments of glory and wonderful interactions with like minded people that I believe is what make community and society so special to me. It's a tough way to live and there's very little security in it but at the end of the day
whether the belly is full or not, I make my own way.


“Get what you give” is a very intense song – musically and lyrically!
What inspired you to write it?

Simply the age old lesson of "what goes around, comes around." In this life, one can easily become self absorbed, absent minded, over-loaded and side tracked. That I admit happens to me and the ones who suffer the most are our friends and family who pick up the pieces that we drop along the way. We can't expect to continue in life
depending on people, relying on people and not working hard to stay connected and continue to show our gratitude and do our part, while at
the same time expecting continuous support. Sooner or later it will all change. I believe that the energy we put out is the energy we
receive. If we surround ourselves with extremely positive loving and caring folks, we will take on that persona, if we surround ourselves with the opposite, it will work the same way.


Can you tell me more about “wish on the moon”? I think it is the most beautiful love letter ever. But how come you drive 6000 miles from
Gainsville to Cali? It’s only about 2500! And more importantly: How did you get the idea for the Elvis reference with the quote “take my hand, take my whole life too”? It gives the song a great twist.


Well when I drive to California from Florida, unlike the rest of the people in the world, I take the long route, traverse back and forth,
north and south in a way of traveling known in our scene as "touring!"
The long scenic route!!! When I wrote that song, we did about 6000 in just over 2 weeks. It was a long brutal haul and I spent a lot of those nights driving overnight with the moon and miles and longing just to make it home to the Yuba river. The Yuba is a beautiful and sacred place for my wife and I and a place that seems to melt away stress from the moment you get in the water. As far as that line, I can say that while writing it, every time I found myself at that bridge, I couldn't think of a better way or words to explain how I felt.


Two years ago, you mentioned that you were considering releasing a book with your poetry but haven’t really had the chance to get it done. Have you dismissed the idea, have I missed the book, or can we expect to read some of your works that have not been turned into songs some time soon? If so, what will it be like?

Still working on it! It's been very hard to co-ordinate that while living out of a bag. It's on the way sooner or later and the writings
are in good hands. There's another book that I've been working on with friends that you may want to be on the look out for in the near future that's called "The Road Most Traveled." It's very inspiring.


After the release of Gold Country with its fireplace sounds, I remember that we were discussing how it might sound to stare at the moon (to include that on the next album). This time, you included highway sounds towards the
end of the album, which totally makes sense to me. How did you get the idea – where was it? What car are you/the recorder in? And who is sneezing right before the end of the recording? :)

All of the sounds have simply documented the time of my life and what was predominant in my life at the moment. For this, the road made sense. We were in the middle of Western Canada on the road and literally recorded with my mobile unit on the way to the next gig when we were out w/Dropkick Murphys. As far as who's sneezing, I haven't a
clue my friend! If it was me, excuse me! If it was Gaunt or Ginsberg, Bless You!