What's On Your Rider?

Arlo Guthrie

What's on your rider?I don't think we have a rider.

What would be on your fantasy rider?Nice weather and something to eat.

What's the best gig you've been to?The best one is somewhere down the road.

What's the worst gig you've ever played?Well, the oddest was a gig I did in the UK about 35 years ago. It may have been in Manchester. I was touring with The Young Tradition, and we got to this huge hall. Thousands of seats, and not one ticket was sold! There were a few people who got to come for free and they were the only ones there, so we brought them all onstage and sat in a circle and swapped songs for the evening.

What are your favourite and least favourite venues?My favourite is probably Carnegie Hall in New York, only because we've done it every year for the last 40-plus years on the same day of the year. There's a few least favourites. One stands out: Rancho Nevada. It was so awful I took a picture outside of the gig, sent it to the agent that booked the show with a note that said "You're fired".

Who is the most famous person to have shown up at one of your gigs?In Ireland, U2.

Most embarrassing on-stage moment?Woodstock 1969. All of it.

What's your crowd-pleasing number?Anything from Woodstock 1969.

Groupies. Would you?At this age it's not a matter of "would" but more a question of "could".

Have you a special stage wardrobe?I usually stick to my vest with pockets to hold picks and capos, etc. Sometimes I just go "as is".

Do you like to meet and greet fans after the gig?I used to. I met everyone for 40 years until I just got too tired to deal with all the stuff. It started taking hours just to sign all the autographs and take all the photos. It was more actual work than the gigs themselves, so I quit. Nowadays, I just get out and go have a quiet drink.

Any useful stage tips?I try to stay on the stage itself.

What's the worst thing ever thrown at you?Compliments for writing songs actually written by others.

• In conversation with Tony Clayton-Lea. Arlo Guthrie plays Donegal tonight Sligo tomorrow, Castlebar on Sunday, Galway on Tuesday, and Limerick on Wednesday