IT'S LIKE WELCOME BACK, KOTTER >>>

In case you haven't received the heads up yet, Portland's Drew Grow and Pastors' Wives are headed back to Tacoma this weekend for a show at the Warehouse on Saturday. With Tacoma ties, and having made plenty of connections in our beloved T-Town, the occasion will be celebrated not just for Grow's amply provided, skuzzy blues, but as the return of a friend.

In preparation for Grow's Saturday show at the Warehouse, I caught up Grow this week to chew the fat about T-Town, singles, Conan and the marrying habits of pastors. Check it.

(Note: This interview will post in two installments. The second installment will post on Friday.)

WEEKLY VOLCANO: First of, talk about any connections you have to Tacoma. How did you end up playing the Warehouse? I could be hugely mistaken (it wouldn't be the first time), but I believe you were up in this neck of the woods recently for a "Round" performance with Goldfinch. What's your relationship with T-Town?

DREW GROW: Well, uh. My girlfriend, with whom I was greatly in love in ‘99, moved to T- town from Denver.  I had worked on her for a year or so.  She ended up living on S Fawcett St., downtown.  Before that I was pretty much nervous to come to Tacoma because I grew up on fear and that relates to Tacoma via Hilltop.  Even up in the 'burbs of Everett we heard of Hilltop.  Turns out Tacoma is pretty cool, even if the girl ended up ditching me for a girl at The Evergreen State College. 

Yes, we played the Round.  Reinvented for the PNW, now a bit cliche in Nashville, I'm not sure they can even get anyone to come out to hear songwriters in Nashville - but the Tacoma Round was lit up. The Goldfinch kids are great people.  Oh, and one time in ‘98 I played Jazzbones, and Hell's Kitchen a couple times in '06. One time opening for Vendetta Red--which was a great reason to drink.

VOLCANO: Talk about Company, which unless you've pulled a fast one on me, was your last A/B side single. I believe it "dropped" in December. Is it still sitting well with you?

GROW: I got that song in a dream.  I was at some broken down train station-ish place with my bandmates, and some elder musician chap (I did not know who he was, but awoke later with the strong impression that he was Rod Stewart-not the present elder jazz standard singing Rod Stewart that we know and love (?), but rather the dirty Londoner who might have been had he continued his dingy early days.)  The fellow was more the too-small leather jacket wearing, worn-out musician type with a few very bad habits.  And he said to me, "You remember that song... la, la la... What was that old song?"  And he strummed a bit on his shit guitar around his neck.  "You remember that old song... I don't mind the pain and trouble....  what was it? ..."

He finally got the first line out and I ripped myself from sleep and wrote it down.  I have nearly captured a Bonnie Raitt song, a Beck song and a Tom Petty song in this manner.  This time it worked.  Thanky, Rod

VOLCANO: The practice of release A/B side singles is something you and Amigo/ Amiga have really gotten behind. What are the advantages? 

Specifically, what are the artistic advantages as a band?

GROW: We started because it was bite-sized enough, in the sense that it was a creatively and financially a size we could take on.  I don't know if anyone besides Mariah Carey is selling full-length records these days, but we certainly aren't. Come to think of it, I don't know if anyone is listening to full-length records made since 2000.  I have a short attention span and I always hated making three songs fit with the other eight.

VOLCANO: On that note, talk about the Pastors' Wives a little. Most of the time, in the press anyway, this project gets boiled down to something thats yours. How does the relationship work within the band?

GROW: Yes, it's me.  That's a start.  But we have unpacked and explored something else completely with the boys and girl.  Jeremiah, Seth and Kris are the Pastors' Wives.  I have to say that what I thought I was doing has taken a rich and fulfilling left turn.  I grew up in the charismatic church and no music I would hear after would be able to touch that kind of transcendence, truth and hysteria.  Fortunately and unfortunately this band has touched that spot in me.  Fortunately, I say, because I don't think I would be satiated with anything less, and unfortunately because now I am so thankfully spoiled that I don't know if I could play with another group again.