Shuggie Otis Q&A: Talking Hiatus, ‘Wings of Love’ – Billboard

To commemorate 40 years since releasing his last album, Inspiration Information, Shuggie Otis pairs the reissued classic with Wings of Love, a new collection of unreleased recordings made during the decades he searched for a record deal. Otis spoke with Billboard about that constant search, the basement that made him famous, and the catch-22 with his song “Strawberry Letter 23.”

Q: At what point did you realize Wings of Love should see the light of day? When did it feel right?


A: Well, it felt right right after I recorded it. You change as you grow older: your mind changes, your body changes, everything changes. I guess your tastes change, too. And you don’t want to go repeat yourself. I won’t try to write a song until I hear something in my head or I’m practicing and a song comes out of it.

Read more from Shuggie Otis’ interview with Billboard.