Checking In (Again): Kevin Russell Hasn’t Wavered Amidst the Great Wall of Empty Time
By Raoul Hernandez, December 22, 2020, 12:22pm, Earache!
On March 25, I emailed Shinyribs ringmaster Kevin Russell five quickly-conceived COVID queries in order to “check in” with Austin’s real working class: performing musicians. Nine months later, the capital’s Musician of the Year several times over answered five follow-ups to conclude a series generating 100 entries and tens of thousands of words.
Austin Chronicle: You and your family have been sheltering since March. How’s that gone?
Kevin Russell: My family are all laid back, easy going people like me. So, there has been no friction beyond the usual never-ending dish parade, bread tie vs bag tuck, and who will clean up the cat puke. We all understand and remind each other how fortunate we are to be together.
My wife Robin still has her job. Our school kids, one a sophomore in college and the other in high school, have done their best to adapt and succeed. It’s been a big challenge for them. We are proud of their efforts.
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My oldest son has been here through this time as well. He has been a big help to have around. His positive spirit is equalled by his sports acumen. I don’t have to watch ESPN when I can just ask him what’s going on in the world of sport.
We lost our oldest cat of 18 years, Mama Kitty. That was sad, but in the long run a good thing.
AC: How did C-19 pivot operations for you, both personally & professionally?
KR: It is crystal clear now that I am a night owl by choice, not circumstance, although the fall back to standard time adjusted me a bit towards “normal” hours. I’ve also become a believer in bi-modal sleeping. The supposed pre-industrial sleep pattern feels natural. I miss it when I don’t get it.
I would still rather write than read, sing than sulk, create than consume. These tendencies have not wavered amidst the great wall of empty time.
Early on, I clashed with my new job as a livestreaming artist. More than once, I had abysmal livestream failures. The learning curve was difficult. From Wi-Fi stability, running ethernet to my studio, upgrading gear and my computer at times, learning mic placement levels, video set design, lighting... I wanted to just say fuck it and begin anew as a homebound hobo hell bent for HBO, but many advised me and encouraged me.
I remembered what I had often forgotten: I cannot do it alone.
Soon, I relished reaching out to my friends. Many a late night I Zoomed or texted with old and new friends alike. They all helped me in ways I asked for, but also in ways they will never know. I, in turn, tried to pay it back when others asked for my help. It felt, at times, that my community was helping each other survive and thrive as best we could.
This is inspiring stuff. Young musicians helping older ones with technology. Old ones helping the young with a part or a song.
I wrote and recorded a couple album’s worth of material on my own mostly, but with a few messages in a bottle sent out to home-recording proficient musicians with the gumption to send something back. I’ve put some money in the pockets of a few creators this way. I take care of those in my orbit as best I can.
Because of my recording with MIDI and loops, I thought it would be fun to have my old friend, Gourds manager and founding Shinyribs bassist Mike “Stewball” Stewart, take a crack at some remixes of the new stuff. Consequently, I have twice as much material as I did before. My intention is to release the standard mixes and the remixes together. It’s fun to hear the interpretations Stewball does.
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The amount of hours spent in my studio was something of a comfort until it wasn’t. I got an offer in June from a man, Mr. Strom, who lives in the Houston area. He and his family, kids, siblings, cousins, and grandparents had rented a place on the river in Seguin. He asked if I would consider coming and playing a solo show outdoors for them. I was fearful, but I said yes.
The experience was transformational.
I understood that this could work. I could safely play music for people. They needed to experience live music as much as I needed to perform it.
From then on, I have worked with my booking agent to book these outdoor house concerts with my fans. It’s really been a blessing to the fans, my booking agent, my manager, tour manager, and myself. I’ve also done a few reduced-capacity, indoor public venues of late – Kessler Theater in Dallas’ Oak Cliff and the Heights in Houston – just me and my tour manager, Choppy Waters. We are both grateful for the opportunity.
AC: Assess the damage to Austin’s live music culture here at the end of 2020.
KR: The damage to Austin’s music business is heartbreaking to say the least. That we let so many venues go under without a fight is depressing. I won’t go into blaming anyone here.
With the help of Patrick [Buchta] and Nakia [Reynoso] at Austin Texas Musicians, I was able to raise my voice with many others in the music industry to ask the city to help save our venues. It wasn’t easy. And this is far from over.
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Eventually, we were able to get some emergency funds made available to our beloved venues, but not before many were lost. Even before this pandemic, we were all accustomed to the death knell of music venues in this Live Music Capital of the World. Maybe that is why we didn’t do enough in the beginning?
I don't know. I wish we could have saved more of them.
We can still save the ones we have left. I would encourage all local musicians, venue staff, bartenders, door persons, stage production professionals, booking agents, managers, etc. to join our local union ATX Musicians and austintexasmusicians.org. If we stick together and speak as one, we have real power in this city. In turn, we can inspire other city's music communities to do the same.
AC: What’s your prognosis for music in general this coming year, 2021?
KR: On a brighter note, I know this music community is primed to explode with the power and creativity that has been pent up during this down time. I don’t expect we’ll see any major tours until late in ’21 at the earliest. This is an opportunity for smaller venues and local talent to provide the soundtrack to 2021.
The next year or even five years may very well be as legendary as any we’ve seen. I am excited to help nurture it and witness it.
AC: Any musical discoveries this year?
KR: I’ve been listening to a lot of dance music: Bad Bunny, Kelly Lee Owens, EOB, Ase Manual Black Liquid Electronics, Circles by Mac Miller. Old record new to me: Spiritualized’s Ladies and Gentlemen... We Are Floating in Space.
Check out the entire Checking In series.
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