In the cosmic ends of the universe, the sounds and sights of the Chris Robinson Brotherhood are floating through the airwaves, with outrageously enigmatic riffs and thought-provoking lyrics. On Friday, November 3, The CRB will touch down at The Cap for a voyage of discovery. Before we take our trip, we had the chance to sit down with guitarist Neal Casal and drummer Tony Leone.

Neal Casal

1. Starting out, what drew you to wanting to play the electric guitar? Similarly, when did the music of the Grateful Dead enter your life and sphere of influence??

Listening to FM radio in the late 70s and watching bands on shows like Saturday Night Live and Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert is what made me want to play guitar initially. Then I discovered The Rolling Stones and was further inspired. The Grateful Dead entered my life very early as songs like “Casey Jones”, “Truckin”, and “Dire Wolf” would be played on New York radio stations all the time. I remember when "Shakedown Street" was released and that song was on the radio all summer long. They’ve been a part of my DNA from a very young age.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4ClSKTvxmU

2. One could argue that your guitar tone is the cornerstone of CRB’s sound, floating between the intricacy of Jerry Garcia and the melodic groove of Dickey Betts. Do you find yourself always trying to fiddle with your guitar tone or have you come to a point in playing that you’re comfortable with your styling?

Oh I’m always messing around with it, the search is never over. I just had a new pedalboard built by Kidd Candelario (who worked for the Dead for 30 years) and it’s made a massive difference in my tone and approach. I’m always looking for new pedals, amps, guitars, whatever can help me further my sound and abilities.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTVCJwUS6b8

3. For Barefoot in the Head, the band really shifts the energy emitted from If You Lived Here, You’d Be Home By Now and Any Way You Love, We Know How You Feel into something more stripped back and earnest in approach. Where did the idea of bringing the music back to your roots come from and how has it shaped the current path of the band?

We always want to try new things, and amazingly for us, making a more stripped down album was something we hadn’t done yet. The original plan was for it to be a totally acoustic record, but as we worked on it, more electric instruments found their way into the mix and it became something of a hybrid. In my opinion, it’s our best record yet and contains our strongest songwriting without any doubt.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGixBIZm4K0

4. You have formed a songwriting partnership with Chris Robinson that has become the new staple of jam band songwriting. How have you and Chris grown as songwriters since being in the CRB and how has this helped the two of you in your friendship outside of the music?

I’d always written songs alone before the CRB started, so having this longstanding writing partnership with Chris is one of the nicest surprises of my life. He and I have a great flow when it comes to writing, it’s always worked easily and is really fun. We’ve been friends for years and listen to records constantly and are always talking about our songs and how to make them better and more interesting. It’s a constant process for us, always evolving.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfufeLNrHP0

5. You yourself are a Cap alum, having performed here with CRB as well as a friend in Phil Lesh & Friends. As a musician, what draws you to The Cap and how does it compare to other concert venues you have performed at during your career?

It’s one of the best venues to be found anywhere at this point. It’s just one of those classic rooms that sounds amazing no matter where you stand, it’s the perfect size, and the lights and sound are just perfect and getting better every time i go. There’s a reason why Garcia called it one of the best venues around, because it truly is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyVXq2gD-QE

Tony Leone

1. Your drumming style has a certain “dance” to it that evokes a feel of not only that of a good ol’ rock musician but also that of a tenured jazz musician. How did the world of your teaching under Alexander Lepak and Jackie McLean collide with that of the jam band influence?

Al Lepak was one of the greatest musicians I ever met and a great teacher. He had incredible ears, could play all the orchestral percussion instruments, wrote a definitive tutorial on Tympani technique and was also a really swinging drumset player. He came up in the 40s and played in dance bands on 52nd st. and was the principal percussionist of the Hartford Symphony Orchestra.

Jackie McLean was a protege of Bud Powell, Thelonious Monk and Charlie Parker.. At the Hartt School we got first hand stories about all these great artists as well as Art Blakey,Miles Davis and Sonny Rollins. Jackie sent me to Harlem to take some lessons with the great drummer Arthur Taylor, who played on almost all of John Coltrane's Prestige recordings.

Al's influence opened me up to the idea of the percussionist being a well rounded and open musician. He really impressed upon me the importance of our ears being our most important tool as musicians. Jackie inspired me to get very serious about studying the great lineage of jazz drummers of the 50s and 60s that came out of NYC. For a long time that was all I did, all I pursued.

Rock n Roll is swing music at its essence. All the music of the 40s and 50s and into the 60s swung at its core. Whether it was swing, jump blues, bebop,delta blues, country, rock n roll, rockabilly.. It all had its own version of swing. I think both Al and Jackie really impressed the importance of swing in whatever you're playing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1wJAWdAR1w

2. You’re essentially “the young gun” of CRB, having joined the brotherhood in 2015. Do you feel as though there was a steep adoption curve when getting accustomed to their style and live presence? In turn, what has CRB given to you as a musician?

I joined almost 3 years ago so I feel like we really have a solid unit at this point. We have developed a certain shared language and rapport.

I think the greatest thing I've gotten from the CRB is this collective canvas that we throw musical paint at night after night. A context for each of us in the band to do what we do. To be a part of a living, growing, organic, musical entity.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1D9UrzfEus

3. You’ve worked with phenomenal musicians, from the late great Levon Helm to Dead icon Phil Lesh. Throughout your two decade career, what is the greatest lesson you’ve learned, whether it pertains to drumming or simply being a good, wholesome person?

Levon was someone I admired since I was a kid. Hearing him play week after week at the Midnight Rambles at his barn were some of the greatest musical lessons I ever had. When he sat down to play it was game on every time!

Phil Lesh is the same way. Strap on the bass and go for it. Let's make some music!

Every situation is different. Every band makes you look at yourself and ask, "What can I contribute to this music?" So each situation offers different lessons, musical and otherwise.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqUrAPo078s

4. On Barefoot in the Head, your third studio effort with CRB, you took an unorthodox turn from the psychedelic and blues-rock sounds of the two previous records for something more concentrated in folk-rock. Did you feel as though you were coming back to your drumming roots on this record or did you feel it was more of an experiment with your instrumental proficiency?

Neither really... How I played on the record was determined song by song. Whatever tune Chris would come up with on a certain day determined my approach, either at the drums or adding other instruments.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awD3iwcLwCk

5. Being from Connecticut, is there something you can say that differentiates New England-bred musicians from those in other poles of the globe? Additionally, does playing The Cap almost feel like playing at home? What sort of feelings hit you when you sit behind your kit and look out at the fans at The Cap?

Not really sure if there's a certain New England thing.The Northeast was home to Woodstock though,(the town and the festival), NYC and it's legendary musical history is close by, Newport had the Folk and Jazz festivals and Boston always had a rich musical heritage.. So I'm sure those are all elements that have inspired many Northeast musicians of my generation. The Cap is an incredible place. To play in a room with that much history, to see the pics of Garcia, Derek and the Dominos and everyone who played there is exciting and inspiring. Plus we all LOVE what Peter Shapiro has done to the place!! Simply one of the best places to play in the country.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkvGSm0OA2k

6. We needed a drummer’s opinion on this question: if you have a fever, is the only prescription more cowbell?

Only if you're playing Mississippi Queen!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cg33ms7gcc