Reggie Watts, the lead singer of Maktub, has an intensity that speaks loudly in the way he wears his hair and the way he thinks about his music. His afro is big, and so is his ambition. He is an imposing figure that has a lighter charisma. Reggie’s vocals are deep and mellow with flavors of Al Green and Otis Redding, but it wouldn’t do Maktub justice to just call them soul. Instead, Maktub is both a soul act and a rock band. Their sound is often layered with thick rock riffs and at other times, simple folksy threads. Before the Maktub show in San Francisco Memorial Day weekend, I had the chance to talk to Reggie about Maktub’s sound, music and their outlook on the record industry.

From the start of the interview, it becomes apparent that Reggie feels no need to define Maktub’s music into a specific genre. “It’s soul in that we try to give it that spirit, truth, and passion - that deep ‘it’ factor. But, to a certain extent, we do try to create a sound so that we’ll be put in a rock section rather than rhythm and blues or soul. Yet, you know, I guess we don’t really think too deeply on it,” says Reggie. “We mostly just want to get our music and our feeling out there. Record labels that have courted us have had a problem because they haven’t known how to label and sell us. But I think that avoiding definition is okay in the long run; there might be a greater good in keeping people guessing.”

Maktub’s music has been seen as having some political overtones, but Reggie insists that he’s not writing political songs. “Sometimes, I’ll mention concepts that sound political because they’re a product of the times, but I don’t really deliberately put politics in the music. I think our music is about motivations and human tendencies. Music about motivation and humanity could sound political, but we really don’t think directly on it.”

Touring is a major component of Maktub’s existence, and from the looks of their motor home, they enjoy life on the road. Although filled with the usual mess that comes with the territory of traveling, their motor home carries a fridge stocked with soy milk, yogurt, and other assorted artifacts of a healthier living style. They have a strong work ethic that is apparent in their attitude. It is obvious that they’ve developed a good rhythm for living and working together on tour. This summer they’re playing the High Sierra Music Festival, a show that attracts bands that focus on touring. “High Sierra Music Festival is a guilty pleasure,” says Reggie. “We like to play in the midst of the jam band festival scene. It opens us up, and jam band scene people just love music. They travel the country to find it. They write down sets and what you’re wearing and they’re dedicated. We like the structure.”

Reggie emphasizes that he likes being the chameleon and being able to blend in with different scenes. He enjoys feeling comfortable playing outdoor jam festivals, but then turning around to play an upscale cocktail venue like the Doug Fir in Portland. “We’re comfortable in a diverse blend of styles and musical philosophies. Ultimately we like playing places that are cool. I mean really we’ll play pretty much anywhere. We’ve played in bookstores, punk sort of places, and jam band places.”

When asked how Maktub feels about the music industry and how the industry has affected their career of late, Reggie is realistic and optimistic. “Velour is doing more of the marketing that we’re looking for,” says Reggie. “There’s more to be done. But so far it’s pretty good. They’re open-minded.”

He goes on to talk about the virtues of licensing. Licensing, he thinks, is the best way for new bands to really get their songs out and generate interest. “The holy grail is getting a licensing deal,” says Reggie. “Licensing gets you in movies, on XM radio, and things like that. It gets you started up, and it can keep you going.”

When asked about the unlikely chance that a band with heavy soul influences could come from Seattle, Reggie is quick to point out that not all soul and R&B comes from places like Chicago, Detroit or New Orleans. “People like Quincy Jones and Jimi Hendrix come from Seattle. I didn’t even think about it. But you know… Seattle’s had a long tradition of innovation. Lots of great innovative music is coming from Seattle. We are inspired by the community of musicians there. Seattle tends to generate a lot of indie rock and electronic. But, it also has bands like New Soul Tribe that I like a lot. It even has a hip-hop scene. Maktub is kind of an amalgam of all that type of stuff.”

Reggie thinks that the band will continue to evolve and feels like their next moves may take them further from away from a soul sound. “Say What You Mean is more rock. I think the next album will be more indie. It’ll come from the influences around us. There’s a good amount of jazz, modern folk, goth, and punk in Seattle. I love inhabiting those worlds, and they’re all in Seattle and the whole Northwest. It’s only natural that we’ll pick up more from all of those sources.”

There is a seriousness about Reggie that suggested that he is definitely in this for the long haul. He talks about the hard work and the long hours on the road with a Cheshire cat smile. He also emphasizes that the more Maktub gains success, the more they want to give back to the community, either by helping kids learn about music or by producing other bands. With that positive attitude, all indications are that Maktub will continue rising through the ranks and taking their soulful sound further.