Going to see one of the special screenings of Tramp, Tramp, Tramp at NWFF this weekend? Here’s a little extra treat: When I wrote this week’s Border Radio column about Danny Barnes and Robbie Fulks scoring and accompanying the 1926 silent film, only the former got back to me by press time. So, to amuse and delight Fulks fans, and to justify the great man’s time and thought, here—just beyond the cut—are Robbie’s (belated) replies to the same questions. (Sorry Robbie is “yelling,” but he e-mailed his answers back in all-caps.)

Had either of you seen the film before being commissioned for this project? How many times, if any, did you watch it while working on the score?
I HADN'T SEEN IT, NO. I'D SAY I'VE WATCHED EACH SCENE MAYBE 30 TIMES AS OF TODAY. IT'S A LITTLE HARD TO GUESS THOUGH...

Did you compose the score via woodshed-ding somewhere for a few days? If so, when and where? If not, how did you (or how do you plan to) collaborate on the original music?
WE WORKED ON IT ON OUR OWN, MAILED EACH OTHER MP3S AND CDS, COMPARED NOTES BY PHONE AND E-MAIL, THEN WE GOT TOGETHER FOR TWO LONG DAYS AND WROTE/ARRANGED A TON OF STUFF, THEN DANNY WENT OFF AND TRANSCRIBED IT ALL SINCE I DON'T WRITE MUSIC.

Were there particular elements in the film you responded to musically? How did those responses manifest themselves?
I LIKED THE BROAD COMEDY AND THE SOUND-EFFECT IMPLICATIONS - GUNS GOING OFF, SUSPENDERS SLAPPING A GUY IN THE BACK, SLEDGE HAMMERS BANGING HEADS...

Are either or both of you big fans of the tradition of supplying live music to silent film? What is it about that practice that you enjoy? Early exposure to this practice?
I DON'T THINK I'VE EVER SEEN IT DONE EXCEPT WITH THE TRADITIONAL MEANS (PIANO OR PIPE ORGAN). I NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT DOING IT MYSELF, BUT I KNEW I'D ENJOY IT WHEN IT WAS OFFERED TO US.

How the heck do you two know each other in the first place? How did the differences in your aesthetics work in the score's favor as you were working? And how do your styles/working methods complement one another?
DANNY IS VERY, VERY GOOD WITH TECHNOLOGY AND FORMAL TOOLS, SHEET MUSIC TO SOFTWARE. I THINK I'M GOOD AT ORGANIZATION (MAYBE FROM TEACHING MUSIC CLASSES FOR A LOT OF YEARS AND PRODUCING RECORDS, OR JUST BEING AN ANAL GUY). AND THEN WE BOTH LIKE INVENTING GOOFY LITTLE MUSICAL CATCHPHRASES.

DANNY KNOWS SO MUCH ABOUT MUSIC - IDIOMS, TECHNIQUES, PHILOSOPHIES - THAT HE'S THE PERFECT PERSON TO WORK ON A PIECE OF MUSIC LIKE THIS THAT WANTS TO COVER A LOT OF EMOTIONAL RANGE, AND SUSTAIN INTEREST FOR A SOLID HOUR. I DOUBT THERE'S A MUSICIAN ALIVE THAT HAS MORE RANGE AND INTERDISCPLINARY ABILITY THAN HE DOES! I WAS EXCITED TO TAKE THIS JOB JUST TO GET THE CHANCE TO WORK WITH HIM AND IMPROVE MYSELF IF POSSIBLE. I FIRST MET HIM IN HOUSTON AT A STEAK-AND-ALE PLAYING BLUEGRASS IN 1988 OR '98, AND HAVE CROSSED PATHS WITH HIM SPORADICALLY SINCE THEN SINCE WE BOTH ENDED UP ON THE AMERICANA TREADMILL I GUESS YOU COULD CALL IT. WE E-MAIL EACH OTHER A LOT.

What is the score arranged for? Is it all instrumental? Does it draw on any material fans of your individual works (or a particular composer, genre, etc) will recognize?
IT'S WRITTEN FOR VIOLA, PERCUSSION, AND THE TWO OF US, WHICH IS GUITAR AND BANJO AND HARMONICA FOR ME, BANJO AND GUITAR AND ELECTRIC GUITAR AND TUBA FOR DANNY. THERE ARE DEFINITELY SOME FAMILIAR TOUCHSTONES IN THERE...SOME JERRY REEDLIKE FLATPICKING, SOME SAUCY LITTLE RAGS, SOME ELECTRONIC NOISE AND ATONAL JUNK...

Will the score be recorded for posterity? Or is this a once-in-a-lifetime event?
WE'RE THINKING ABOUT RECORDING IT - I HOPE WE CAN DO THAT SOMETIME!