Little Feat’s latest album, Chinese Work Songs, came out at the end of June, and drummer Richie Hayward says he’s pleased with the outcome. “We had a ball doing this one,” he says. “Each album is a little different; they all have their own identities. They’re kind of like little snapshots of what the band is like at that particular time. I feel like there’s a resurgence of energy in the band. We’re enjoying ourselves more these days. There are a lot fewer demons in the band, and with age there’s more camaraderie.”

In addition to this studio album, Rhino Records has just released a Little Feat box set. “We’ve been together thirty years,” muses Hayward of the monumental anniversary. “There are four discs, the last of which contains out-takes and old recordings, from before our first album. We did some recording before we were even signed – it will give some real insight into where we were coming from.”

Little Feat has been on tour recently, and despite the many years on the road, Hayward says he still loves it. “It’s part of my DNA now,” he says. “It’s what I’ve been doing two thirds of my life. I really love the performances this band just keeps being fun. We’re even jamming more, so there’s a lot more improvisation and stretching out. And we’re pulling out a lot of different songs from our repertoire.” Advertisement