Decemberists frontman Colin Meloy will play Boulder’s Fox Theatre on Saturday. Photo from the KEXP blog.

Denver Post pop music critic Ricardo Baca checks in with this Q&A:

There’s no denying the fact that Colin Meloy is a weird dude.

The Decemberists frontman, born and raised in Montana but now a proud Oregonian living in scene-strong Portland, is known and celebrated for his anachronistic verbiage and affinity for tales of sailors, childhood and the working class.

Meloy posted a MySpace blog on Leap Day titled, “A poem for the last day of February,” and it’s short and simple: “There is no/ excuse/ for anyone/ to not/ own/ an electric/ sorbet maker.” It’s accompanied by a Rockwellian faux-watercolor of a family hand-churning a bucket of ice cream. And that’s not all he’s written. Meloy also wrote a short book, part of the 33 1/3 series, on the Replacements seminal album “Let it Be.”

When Meloy is not touring or recording with his band (or writing books or poems), he’s been known to take to the road with his guitar and a collection of oddball covers. In 2005, Meloy toured solo behind a limited edition EP of Morrissey covers. He returned again in 2006, this time with an EP of British folk songs by Shirley Collins.

He skipped solo duties in 2007, as the Decemberists were a busy bunch, but now he’s prepping for a honest-to-goodness, non-limited-edition solo record, “Colin Meloy Sings Live,” released on Kill Rock Stars earlier this month. He’s touring in support of the record, and of course he’s bringing with him a limited-edition covers EP – it’s tradition, by now – that is a tribute to American soul singer Sam Cooke.

We caught up with Meloy in advance of his Saturday set at the Fox Theatre to talk with him about his inexplicable draw to touring, his love of covers, and his affinity for his tourmate and fellow Portland musician, Laura Gibson.

It’s well-documented that you’re not a fan of touring, yet here you are, embarking on another solo tour in your downtime from the Decemberists. What gives?

I don’t like touring that much, but I feel compelled to do it. I love performing. It’s the touring that’s hard. For the time, my love of performing is winning out.

And touring is …

Touring is a job. It’s a living. It’s the constant movement from place to place, and that’s tough. You feel a lack of center, to a certain degree. It’s inexplicable. I’m just somebody who has always loved and needed the comforts of home.

You’re touring with Laurie Gibson, and she’s incredibly talented. How did you two meet, and what drew you to her music?

I met her a couple years ago, I think, through our mutual friend, Chad Crouch, who runs Hush Records, which was the Decemberists’ first label. She’s always been really sweet, and I really liked her music. When I was putting this tour together, I thought it would be fun to have her come out with me.

Speaking of Portland, is seems like Portland and Seattle have a really productive, communal spirit they share. You’re taking Laura on tour, and it seems like everybody up in that Pacific Northwest enjoy working together.

I don’t know that it’s a very good comparison, comparing Portland to Seattle. Seattle had such a distinct aesthetic, at least the stuff that was getting attention. It was also deemed financially lucrative, so it was propped up and destroyed by the major labels.

True, but I’m talking about both of those music scenes right now in 2008. Both are mostly dominated by independent bands.

Yeah, there’s not one single aesthetic or sound keeping Portland musicians together. Everybody’s doing their own thing, and they’re here because they like living here and they like the city. There is a communal spirit, even though people maybe playing a radically different music.

Who are some of your new, favorite Portland artists that we should be keeping an eye out for?

The Shaky Hands, the Builders and the Butchers, Laura Gibson, Nick Jaina — and there are others, too.

Can you talk a little bit about each of the artists who have inspired you to record the tour-only EPs, starting with Morrissey?

I’ve been a fan of his since junior high. My appreciation for him is pretty deep and complex, I’ve had a long-term relationship with him. I’ve always appreciated how smart his lyrics are, how complex they are and the layer upon layer of irony that still creates a voice that you can relate to. Morrissey is a great.

And Shirley Collins?

I love her because, for one thing, she’s a touchstone for the British folk revival. And she’s really spurred a renewed interest in bringing back folk songs. She paved the way for a pretty fertile time in music in the ’60s and ’70s. Her voice is so gorgeous, too.

And Sam Cooke?

Who doesn’t love Sam Cooke. You’d have to be an asshole to not like Sam Cooke. It’s some of the most likeable music out there. The melodies are so gorgeous, and his voice is beautiful. When I was figuring out who to cover this time around, it occurred to me that he last two had been very British and very Anglo, so this was an opportunity to cover somebody American. He’s been a constant in my life. It wasn’t until three years ago that I started to realize that all those great songs were released by the same person.

– Ricardo Baca