Q&A: Foghat Drummer Makes Wine and Still Loves Playing ‘Slow Ride’

Since forming in 1971 out of the ashes of Savoy Brown in England, the lineup for Foghat has changed 21 times — more times than the notoriously evolving Fleetwood Mac could even imagine.

But founding member Roger Earl has been there through it all as the only consistent member of Foghat, laying down the infectious beats that helped make driving blues-rock tunes like “Slow Ride,” “Fool for the City,” and “I Just Want to Make Love to You” instant and timeless classics.

Earl, 65, is British but has lived in East Setauket since 1973. He still tours with Foghat but not nearly as much as he did back in the band’s heyday in the early ‘70s — though with Foghat tunes now being covered on American Idol and featured on the Guitar Hero video game and iPhone apps, Earl says the band is more popular now than it has been in 30 years.

We got to chat with this friendly icon of rock ‘n' roll over the phone before Foghat takes the stage Sunday night at at in Cutchogue.

Q: Ever played the North Fork in all your years on the road?

A: We played there a couple of times, but I’m really looking forward to this one. I think it will be tons of fun at the winery. We’ve been selling wine under the Foghat Cellars label for years.

Q: Really? Foghat makes wine?

A: Yeah, it’s produced in California by Steve Rasmussen, a big name in wine out there. We met about five years ago at a festival and he said, “Foghat … what a great name for a wine.” We’ll be selling our 2010 chardonnay at the show this weekend.

Q: You out of anyone probably in the history of rock ‘n’ roll have had the drive to commit to the same band. What made you stick with Foghat all of these years through 21 different lineups?

A: Foghat is what I do for a living, and I certainly wouldn’t want to start a new band today. We’ve been coined as the hardest working band in show business. I love touring, I love playing, it’s in your blood, you know? I feel very fortunate to be able to do something I love. And the band now, we all get along with each other and like to drink wine. And I have to tell you, I still get a chill when I walk out on stage at a festival and hear the noise of 20,000 people in the crowd.

Q: Did you ever except to be covered on American Idol or to see kids with plastic “Guitar Hero” guitars faking their way through your tunes?

A: Ha, well … I think it’s all fine. I don’t watch American idol. Once a week my wife and I try and get an evening together to watch a movie, and one of those nights recently, every phone in house started ringing off the hook. I thought there was some sort of terrorist thing going on — but no. Friends were letting us know that they were singing “Slow Ride” on American Idol. I thought they did a pretty good job.

Catch Foghat on Sunday at 6 p.m. at the NoFo Rock and Folk Festival.