While Dave Alvin is regarded as one of the greats of American roots music, his taste in music and his own music from the Blasters onwards has included hints of his musical eclecticism. Evidently, he always had a fascination with the music that Miles Davis recorded in the ‘70s and the freedom that was 
given to the musicians in the studio, and he had a shared fantasy with Victor Krummenacher, of Camper Van Beethoven, of making music in a similar vein. Their fantasy became real in 2020 with the formation of The Third Mind when they found like-minded musicians Jessie Sykes on vocals, guitarist David Immergluck, and Richard Thompson’s longstanding drummer Michael Jerome. Americana UK’s Martin Johnson caught up with Dave Alvin over Zoom to discuss the release of The Third Mind’s Spellbinder, a companion release to 2025’s Alright Now!, due on March 13th, and to look at the musical dynamics of the band and their preference for the psychedelic folk and blues songs of the 1960s and the difference between jazz and rock improvisation.
Dave also talks about his ongoing partnership with Jimmie Dale Gilmore and how he feels he has pushed Jimmie to show more of his blues influences. He also shares the extent to which his friend and onetime Guilty Man, Chris Gaffney meant, and still influences him. While he may be 70 with a rich career behind him, he quotes Dylan, “He not busy being born is busy dying”, as he explains he is recording a new solo album, due next year, that is currently showing some Third Mind influences with a good dose of R&B and blues. While The Third Mind are touring America, and Dave will then play some gigs with Jimmie Dale Gilmore, the impact of the euro and the high costs of touring the UK and Europe mean there are no plans at the moment for him to come to the UK, despite Dave expressing his love for UK and European audiences. Finally, he shares the fact that he uses saxophone licks when playing the guitar.
The Third Mind’s “Spellbinder” is released on March 13th on Yep Roc Records
