Big shout out to Chris Snyder for crushing this interview. Photo from Little Feat

CN: Did your parents have a huge impact on your musical endeavors at a young age? 

Paul: My parents had us all take music lessons at an early age. They really helped shape me musically at an early on. 

What did you grow up listening to?

My folks would play a lot of jazz. All of the legends like Louis Armstrong, Little Richard, Fats Domino. This is how I gained an appreciation for the music.

Are there any songs that you and Fred (Tackett) perform together that have special meaning to you? 

Playing with Fred is great! We get to really improvise on songs. Some of the tunes we get to change the arrangements as well. With some of the folk/blues tunes we get the opportunity to tell the origin of the songs. 

You released a new EP with Roger Cole. How did you guys connect? 

We met years ago. Roger has a great ear for recording. With Roger it is like marrying generations together. It keeps me busy when I’m at home (maybe a little too busy sometimes).

How did Little Feat pick the seven dates that make your live album, “Waiting For Columbus”?

It’s always an honor when you get to play in London. We did four nights at The Rainbow Theatre and the band was joined by our friends, Tower Of Power for the shows. We played in Washington, D.C. a few nights where there is a big “Feat” following. The group felt that these nights really represented our live performances. 

Throughout your career are there any tours that stand out to you?

I really enjoyed the time we spent with our friends Tower Of Power. We would flip flop sets every night. Tour with The Rolling Stones and The Who were great.

Were you honored when Phish performed “Waiting For Columbus” on Halloween in 2010?

Absolutely! I talked to Mike Gordon about the performance. He wanted to know all about the specifics. I was in my back room watching The World Series, while seeing Phish perform “Waiting For Columbus.” It was great!