Dave Alvin gets back to his roots

Dave Alvin is a folk musician. That may be news to some roots rock fans, who may be more familiar with his stint with brother Phil in The Blasters, one of the most influential American roots rock bands that emerged from the Los Angeles music scene in the late 1970’s.

“I always considered the music I did to be folk music,” said the Grammy-winning musician, who performs an acoustic show at Shoreline Community College Nov. 1. “But I have a different definition of folk music.”

Alvin proved his prowess as a folk musician with the release of 2000’s “Public Domain,” an eloquent survey of classic blues, country and rhythm &blues songs that in turn earned him a Grammy award for “Best Traditional Folk Album.” The songs on “Public Domain” are a lesson in American music heritage, and a subject close to Alvin’s heart. As a boy growing up in Downey, California, Alvin was fortunate to meet many of the pioneers of blues, country and folk music, both the famous and the obscure. Now “they’re all gone,” Alvin said, and their passings mean that we “lose a link to our musical heritage.” But remembering that legacy through his own music, he said, “you always try to keep a part of that with you, use it in your music. For me the way I look at it is I like to keep their spirit alive.”

With more than 25 years performing and writing music under his belt, Alvin’s affinity for classic American music styles have led him to work with some of music’s most cutting edge artists from often divergent genres. After leaving the Blasters in 1985, Alvin worked with L.A. folk punk band X (he penned their biggest hit, “Fourth of July”) and The Knitters, then turned to a successful solo career. He’s since seen his songs performed by artists such as Dwight Yoakam and Buckwheat Zydeco, and he’s gone on to produce albums for the Derailers, Katy Moffat, Big Sandy &the Fly-rite Boys and Sonny Burgess. Seattle resident and good friend Christy McWilson is also among the musicians he’s produced. The former Picketts front-woman is set to open his Nov. 1 show.

In his latest release, “Out in California,” Alvin returns to his electric roots, reuniting with his band the Guilty Men to unleash a raucous live album of familiar songs.

“I’ve tended to make studio records the last few years that are more acoustic and laid back,” Alvin said. “But most of the touring I do live is with a loud band. The idea of doing live records for me is that I’m acknowledging that what happens at a live show, especially at an electric live show, is totally different than what happens in a recording studio. You just play differently, different energy, different intensity.”

Alvin has no trouble revisiting his past work, because for him it’s a constant process of reinvention and reevaluation.

“I’m always revisiting these songs,” he said. “Every time I walk on to the stage, there they are waiting for me.” Touring seems to be an invigorating process for Alvin, unlike other musicians. “When you’re a touring musician and you have to play certain songs every night, you’re always reinterpreting them, Alvin said. “If you’re not then you’re bored. So you always want to find something new inside of a song.”

Alvin also looks forward to those opportunities to play live acoustic sets, such as the show in Shoreline. As a singer-songwriter he often sees his words get lost in the volume of a live electric show. “Once you crank up it’s hard to get people to listen to lyrics,” he said. “As soon as you crank up the amp, the volume, people go get another beer. Playing acoustic, I can do some of my songs that don’t go into the bars — you know, the ones that don’t go out at night, the shy, reticent songs — ‘oh no, I’ll stay home tonight,’ — those kinds of songs,” Alvin said, laughing.