MUSICIANS ADJUST TO ‘NEW NORMAL’
How some Pittsburgh musicians are coping during shutdown
Home is a natural work environment for musicians. While the rest of us were outside playing all those years, they were inside figuring out 1-4-5 chord progressions and trying to think of words that rhyme.
But they’re missing the going out and performing aspect of their trade during this COVID-19 shutdown. Many are alone in a room playing to us via Facebook or Instagram, hoping to see little hearts cascade upward on their screens.
Of course, the money’s gone, too. Whether it was their main gig or a side hustle, that income is missing, and, with the mysteries of this novel coronavirus, there’s no telling when it’s coming back.
As many musicians will tell you, though, this is also an opportunity — to slow things down and find more moments to block out the world and work on their craft.
We checked in with some Pittsburgh musicians on how they are coping and creating during the shelter-in-place order.
Benji.
The rousing rapper-singer from Homewood isn’t at home. In fact, he’s pretty far away.
“It’s actually a pretty interesting situation,” he says. “So, I’m quarantined in a studio house in Atlanta, Ga., currently.”
He’s been there since early March, having been invited by Atlanta rapper J.I.D. and hip-dup Earthgang, who make up part of Spillage Village, and Benji.’s DJ brother, Christo, to work on a collaborative album.
“When I was called to come down here, I really only expected for it to be a few days for me, maybe a week at the most,” Benji. says. “I flew home for my birthday for a day and a half, then flew back to Atlanta, and that’s when they started cracking down with the stay-at-home order.”
In terms of places to be stuck, it beats aircraft carriers and cruise ships.
“What are the odds,” he says, “that I get quarantined with Grammy-nominated multiplatinum artists and producers for two weeks now, getting to know them, working on amazing music every day with them for their album and my own work, right after my 27th birthday and right at the point where my music career really takes off? The circumstances are unfortunate, but when this is all over, I’m gonna be able to look back and point to this as a big reason for my future success.”
Jimmy Hoyson
Right before the shutdown, the Grammywinning producer who’s worked with everyone from Michael Jackson to Green Day was in Vault Recording Studio tracking three new songs with Joe Grushecky and the Houserockers.
“I spent the first part of the quarantine mixing at my home setup,” he says. “Joe and I went back and forth perfecting them, and they’re pretty much finished now. I was very impressed with Joe’s writing and lyrics. Great band!”
Along with turning knobs, Hoyson has been spending hours a day on his own guitar chops.
“I taught myself to play ‘Hideaway’ a la Clapton’s version from ‘The Beano Album.’ As I worked with him years ago, I still feel a special connection to him. I’m also trying to increase my music theory knowledge, so I’ve been spending time reading up on the subject. Helps when you’re producing.”
For his own well-being, he says, “I’ve been taking Zoom yoga classes with my friend Barbara Garcia-Bernardo [of Get Hip Records] to stay in shape and calm my nerves.”
Deborah Levine
Like a zillion other bands, Lady Beast had a spring release planned: “The Vulture’s Amulet.”
The release show would have been last weekend.
Instead, the ferocious frontwoman for the old-school metal band went on Facebook Friday to answer questions and talk about the album and Lady Beast.
“It’s literally nine tracks of everything awesome about heavy metal,” she says of the album.
As for how she’s passing the time, Levine, who just had to shut down her cleaning service, says, “I live with the drummer and lead guitarist, so we can have decent jam sessions still. Feeling very lucky about that! Catching up on reading, cleaning and hanging with the animals.”
Chet Vincent
The Pittsburgh indie/Americana rocker who fronts The Big Bend and Biird-watcher popped up on Facebook Live last week with an extraordinary apocalyptic story song, “First Step,” reminiscent of early Dylan.
“Actually,” Vincent says, “the ‘15 days past the end of the world’ lines were inspired by a line in the new Dylan song [‘A Murder Most Foul’]. He goes ‘36 hours past judgment day.’ ”
Somewhere in those verses, Wren, the now 14-month-old daughter of Vincent and his wife, Molly Gildea (also known as country singer Molly Alphabet), takes her first step.
“My experience has been stay-at-home dad, just taking care of Wren 24/7,” Vincent says. “It’s kind of great to have this time to connect, if the circumstance wasn’t so unsettling.”
He’s taken the quarantine seriously, only stepping out for groceries.
“I’ve been into the livestream concerts,” he says, “both playing them and watching other people’s. I see a ton of creative people adapting, figuring out that technology. It’s tough to get really good sound quality.”
Vincent’s songs can survive a little downgrade in the sonics.
Byron Nash
“I realized,” the guitarist says, “that ‘not having time’ is the typical excuse we use of why we didn’t get things done or accomplished.”
Suddenly, we have all day, and the blazing guitarist isn’t spending it binge-watching Netflix’s “Tiger King.”
“My experience during this strange time has been, well, I hate to say it, but amazing!”
As someone who makes his living in the service industry — two bartending jobs, personal fitness trainer and music gigs — he’s feeling the financial strain. But he’s using the time for a flurry of personal growth.
“I decided that I needed daily structure and discipline to battle depression — but also to make a lot of progress in my
business, career and personal life. I write a to-do list every night for the next day. I don’t allow myself to watch TV until after 8 p.m. — and usually I end up not watching at all.”
He’s been revamping his recording studio, training clients via Zoom, practicing guitar, reading entrepreneur and business books, taking business webinar courses, and working on film-placement music for a deal he signed last year.
“Like many, I was anxious, nervous, freaking out, etc.,” he says. “The first couple days I was down, depressed and wondering what the heck I was gonna do. Then the guilt of not being productive set in. Each day I tackled a project and set goals. If I didn’t hit them all that was OK. I moved them over to the next day. But as I accomplished more, I felt better.
“We can do a lot with this time. We can grow in volumes.”
Clinton Clegg
It goes without saying that The Commonheart, one of the city’s breakout touring bands, would have been on the road in March.
“We would’ve just gotten home from New Orleans,” Clegg says. “It’s shocking to see shows get canceled and have shows hang in the queue, waiting for the country to get past this, not knowing exactly when that will be. The past six years of my life have been dedicated to touring, entertaining and building my band’s name, and this pause has been hard to digest.
“The first couple weeks,” he says, “it’s been really tough to figure out what to do. My instincts are to stay positive and keep in touch with loved ones and friends, and figure out my new normal.”
With that shock wearing off, “I’m taking this as an opportunity to write and grow as an artist. It’s all you can do really,” he says.
Last week, the big soulful frontman started an online series called Cleggs n’ Eggs Revival Brunch, which he’ll do once again at noon Sunday on Facebook Live.
“I’ve mostly been honing in on writing the next Commonheart record and trying my best to be safe for my family and the world around me.”
Morgan Erina
It hasn’t been the most pleasant time for the enchanting singer-songwriter who moved here from New York a decade ago.
While she’s fortunate to be working, she’s also on the front lines, working at a grocery store.
“The tension here is high,” she says, “and some customers are not following the 6-feet rule, so it’s been overwhelming. But my coworkers are amazing, and we really are working together as a team — stocking, ranting, crying, screaming in the ice cooler. I feel really lucky to be surrounded by really good people, and we are all anxious and stressed together.”
Needless to say, songwriting is not at the forefront.
“I’m just exhausted right now,” she says. “Haven’t been able to be creative. Hopefully soon, though.”
Adam Koisor
As a member of the National Guard, the indie-rocker from Coraopolis who fronts The Wire Riots has to be ready to mobilize at any time.
“This may be the oddest time in my military career,” he says, noting that “it almost feels like a ‘Mad Max’ movie.”
Exercise and a normal sleep schedule, he says, “are absolutely paramount for me to keep me sane.”
That, and “I try my best not to look at the news or even look at social media.”
On the creative front, the new Wire Riots album is almost completely recorded, “so that’s always in the back of my mind,” and he’s keeping his “Steel Plaza Podcast” running.
“When I have to do something for the military,” he says, “my co-host, Brad, from Perth, Australia, has been filling in, so you’ll constantly get new episodes.”
Phat Man Dee
There are few artists who love a stage more than Phat Man Dee, the flamboyant jazz chanteuse who fronts her band The Cultural District and also pairs up with Rusted Root’s Liz Berlin in Social Justice Disco.
“Like every musician and service industry worker I know,” she says, “almost all of the ways I have of making money — live shows, teaching — are suddenly gone. I had a pretty awesome spring and summer planned. I lost local shows and also concerts planned for festivals and venues in New York and California. All the places I teach, We Rock Workshop with Liz Berlin and Afro American Music Institute, both closed.”
So she’s refocusing her energy by practicing piano, taking online courses on how to write and market music for TV and film, doing video chats with fans, and launching a nightly “jazz lullaby” web video series called “Music to Comfort a Scared World.”
“Musicians, like everyone else in this world, need to learn how we can be of service to our communities online. When we can gig in public, we will, but until then, we must use our gifts and talents to uplift our world in whatever way we have access to.”
Andre Costello
Andre Costello started 2020 in grand style, doing a laser concert at Buhl Planetarium.
Now the leader of indie-rock band Andre Costello and the Cool Minors is doing what little he can for the planet.
He gives this botanical update: “Well, to start I’ve called my parents more than normal, so that’s not good. I did a livestream with Together Alone, and with Live at 25, too. That was fun! “Day 4, I pulled every weed from my yard. “Day 5, I cut (most of) a tree down. “Day 6, I went into a plot of woods near my house and dug up three saplings and planted them in my yard.
“Day 7, I invaded one of my wife’s Zoom conferences on accident (twice).
“Day 9, I looked at those beautiful leafless saplings. Called my dad. He’s fine.
“Day 10, after revising my somewhat regular reading up on bonsai, I decided to prune my neighbor’s dogwoods without asking.
“Been recording music from home CONSTANTLY this week. We’re officially quarantined until Saturday because we were in contact with someone who was in contact with someone who had ‘it.’ We’re all learning to pass the time, and we’re all being forced to focus on what matters right now. My wife and I are becoming more and more socially distant every day! What a time ….”