With a career spanning more than 30 years in the Atlanta underground and beyond, it’s almost impossible to believe Ray Dafrico is preparing to release his first ever solo record. The guitarist and frontman for local legends the Nightporters and Kathleen Turner Overdrive has been deep in the trenches since the early ’80s when he and his mates in the ‘Porters were headlining the Metroplex, 688, the Strand, and other late haunts that helped define that bygone era of Atlanta music. In those heady, hedonistic days, Dafrico performed with the likes of the Clash, the Ramones, and the Replacements, setting the stage for what has since become a lifetime of chasing — and sometimes catching — the rock and roll dream.

On his seven-song solo debut, Solo Au Go Go, Dafrico taps into his long-held love for the concise, hook-heavy rock of the Kinks and the Who, while also embracing the ardent punk spirit that guided his youth. He calls his sound “bubblegum jive,” a descriptor that may sound a bit facile but in practice is far more brash, upbeat, and soulful. It’s an LP you can throw on anytime of day and find something to rock out to, whether it’s the foot stompin’ lead cut “Twenty Seventh Heaven,” the sunny, laid-back grooves of “Autumn Song,” or the ’60s pop punch of “Everything’s Gonna Be Alright.”

Remarkably, Dafrico plays just about every instrument on the record, although he did manage to enlist the help of the legendary Spooner Oldham on keys and Johnny Hibbert on saxophone. The end result is a breezy, confident record that spans several decades of rock, pop, and soul without sounding dated. We spoke with Dafrico on the eve of his record release show at the Earl about recording his debut and how his many years as an artist and touring musician have colored his perspective on performing and contemporary music. He was also gracious enough to allow us to premiere his solo debut, which you can stream after the interview below.

Immersive Atlanta: Can you talk about the process of putting together Solo Au Go Go? Is this a record that you’ve been working on for quite some time?

Ray Dafrico: I took the studio tour of FAME in Muscle Shoals where a lot of my favorite soul songs were recorded and really liked the room. So I booked a 1/2 day and just threw an acoustic in my back seat and cruised over there. Basically, it was going to be like an early Dylan record, just acoustic and vocals, but once I got that all down, I couldn’t resist adding other tracks. I am a pretty good arranger and had all the parts in my head, so I just laid down bass, drums, keys, and then I took the tracks back to Atlanta and took a few months to mix it.

IA: You describe the songs on the record as “bubblegum jive” and there is definitely a poppy sheen to the music. Was there a specific tone your were trying to set or a feeling you were trying to elicit from this record?

RD: Well, I grew up in the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s, so I was exposed to a lot of power pop growing up and a lot funkier kind of music, plus early punk rock and new wave, so I just thought it was a fun term to use. I like songs with a lot of hooks, and my songs tend to have that quality too, so it just fits. What they call “pop” today is kind of like a negative thing. Pop is not the pop I knew. The Monkees, Beatles, Kinks, Stones, Ramones, Sex Pistols all had great pop songs. So did Sweet, Queen, KC and the Sunshine Band, Ohio Players, etc. I’ve always had a very wide variety of influences, lol.

But the feeling I was going for was more of a ’60s soul record since it was Muscle Shoals. Soul music today is not anything like it used to be either. I prefer Al Green or Rufus Thomas rather than, like, Usher or something they are trying to call soul.

Ray Dafrico

IA: Although you performed most of the instruments on the record, you did get some help from Spooner Oldham on keys and Johnny Hibbert on sax. Were either of them significantly involved in writing this record? What did they add to the record?

RD: No, the whole CD was conceived, written, and mostly played by me. Spooner only came down because I had a mutual friend who gave me his email. I told him I was coming over there and sent him a few demos, and he loved them and said he would come down and play on a few tracks, which he did. He’s a great, humble guy. We drank lots of coffee and bonded over Etta James and Wilson Pickett stories, at least what he can remember of it.

Jonny Hibbert is an old friend I’ve to know since about 1982 just after he put the first R.E.M. single out on his label, Hib-Tone. He’s another really good cat. They both added some nice texture to the recordings. Sasha Vallely of the the Midnight Larks also put some lovely background vocals on it. We sometimes play as an acoustic duo like Sonny and Cher.

IA: Are there any current Atlanta artists that you look towards for inspiration?

RD: I don’t really keep up with any current bands. I tend to go backwards. I am way intro music history. The most inspiring Atlanta guy I think is Eddie Tigner, who is in his 80s and used to play with the Ink Spots, and even played with Elmore James once I believe. He told me Little Richard owes him $50 from a high school gig in Macon in the ’50s!

IA: You’ve been performing and recording since the ’80s. Do you still get a similar sense of elation, fear, anxiety, release, etc. when you take the sage as when you started? How has that feeling evolved over the years?

RD: I don’t really get nervous. I mean you get a little nervous, but for me, it’s a switch I just turn on and it’s all systems go. I know I could be out of tune halfway through the set, but punk rock taught me how to tough it out no matter what happens. I just say to myself, “You’ve played with the Clash!” The only thing I have now is some health issues, so if I’m not feeling great I can get cranky. Like Lou Reed kinda cranky.

And I have no issue with putting a bad sound guy, or heckler, or club owner in their place for this isn’t just some hobby for me. I don’t have an inflated ego, but I also know when I’m getting the runaround, especially when it comes from someone who hasn’t earned the right to say anything. I am very respectful to people are worthy of it. I’ve always known I would be a guitar player since I was 8. I’m a lifer. That being said. I’m one of the nicest and funniest guys around.

My advice to younger bands is: try to make what you’re doing special, and you don’t need to overplay. It’s quality over quantity that matters including it’s not how many likes you get on Facebook or other social media sites, or even how many people you draw at shows. You really got to believe in your music because you can tell when it comes from your heart and soul.

And yes, I still love to play onstage. When everything is going right, there’s not many better feelings than that kind of rush.

Ray Dafrico will celebrate the release of Solo Au Go Go tonight at the Earl. Supporting him will be Anna Kramer and the Lost Cause and The Wild Injuns. Doors open at 8 p.m. Admission is $10.

More Info
Web: raydafrico.com
Facebook: @RayDafrico