Russ started playing in a band when he was in high school. When asked about the scene then he said, "I was sorta forced into it, I mean, I... and not only that but I think that when I started that I just had no idea that there even was a scene..." His first band, Magilicutty and the Flying Fishsticks first played primarily at local churches and at Eureka High events, "'Cause they gave us the sense of community," he said, especially the churches. "And then when things went along we started to find like, oh hey, there's shows locally. Oh, local bands. I didn't know. I thought we were the only one. I didn't know. I thought we were the only one. I know it sounds stupid but like, who knows? When you're just growing up you don't know that there's other local bands." It was almost a revelation to find groups like The Placebo and other all-ages venues in the area, as well as other groups to play with. He quickly found that in the all-ages scene you really have to know someone to get an in, and to get your name out there. Flyering for his first band he learned the hard way that promotion is not an easy task. One time in particular his band put up around a hundred flyers and no new people came out to the show. Russ was specific about how his experiences have been group experiences, "Yeah. I would say 'we' because for me it was always about the bands I was in."
For Russ it's always been about the all-ages scene, even after he became of age, and he believes he's not alone in this, "I mean, you talk to guys that are like, 30, 40, whatever and they're always like 'Oh yeah, all-ages is the way to go!' 'Cause like, 'cause the shows are always so much more fun." Unlike in 21 and over venues, Russ believes that people who go to all-ages shows are really there just for the music and just to have a good time, "Especially like, I played like, lock-ins before, then they really don't have a choice. They're forced to watch your music. Listen. Listen and watch." In 21 and over venues however, "... there's something else going on there and they're trying to make money off of the alcohol or drink... So yeah, definitely all-ages is the way to go. And I think I'll probably say that until either I'm dead or I start playing in a 50s cover band," he joked. Another thing he prefers about all-ages groups is "... nothing is out of the question... any band can just like, do whatever the fuck they want."
But as far as how the scene is perceived by the general outside community? "I would say they're indifferent, and a lot of them probably don't even know that it exists," he answered. He talked a little bit about recent closures of venues, notably The Placebo and Out of the Sun. On Out of the Sun he remembered that the mayor closed the place down last year, "Politics are the same as music, you have to know someone to get shit done." As far as The Placebo goes though, "Those people have been doing it for so long that like, I mean it's been a revolving group of people but it's been going on for so long and like, the name is already so big so it's almost to the point where it can't be stopped... Like, they say 'Hey, you have to retrofit this building, come up with thousands of dollars, and you know, jump through all these hoops,' but like, they'll do it eventually." He remembered playing a lot of Placebo benefit shows even before they got their location at the Manila Community Center in 2003. Although he had some qualms with the amount of time or the general laziness of some of the organizers, he's confident in the group's ability to stay afloat. "'Cause music's never really stopped, you can't stop people from playing music. You can't stop high schoolers from picking up guitars, starting bands, you know," he said in general reference to groups getting shut down.
The topic of conversation changed to The Vista. Russ called The Vista his favorite all-ages experience. The Vista is a bit different from other places because "'Cause it's like 'Yeah, it's all-ages! But we're totally going to endorse everyone get like, fucked up and high here. But not the people that are under 21 though. They're just going to hang-out with everyone that's getting fucked up.' And that's cool! I don't know. I love going to the Vista." He seemed to have somewhat awkward but good memories of being the 16 year old in the midst of a bunch of older people who were "... falling over. Like, literally, falling over drunk, whole floor just covered in alcohol, and it's a fucking all-ages show!" Mostly he liked the vibe and the sense of community that was around The Vista, "The Vista was kick-ass."
More than playing at well established venues like The Vista or The Placebo, though, Russ loves house shows best, "... a lot of times you get a really big house party show, and there are a lot of people there that are like, really tight. and like, they're totally into like, having a really kick-ass time and not only the music but like, hanging out with each other..." One of Russ's favorite experiences in the scene was a house show that he and a couple friends threw together last minute for their favorite band, "... almost of all time," The Volumen of Missoula, Montana. The group had been booked to play a Panache show at the Denny's in Arcata, "... back when they had Denny's in Arcata," but the sports bar was closed to shows by the time the group arrived. Russ and his friend Brendan had been previously conspiring to play a show with The Volumen, so they jumped at the chance to make the show happen. It ended up happening in a friend's basement, "his basement was like, really cool, they had like, a pool table down there, and
like, all the washers and dryers and stuff..." Russ and his friends made special shirts for the show to give to The Volumen and their fans. They called Michele of Panache booking and informed her of the last minute show they had thrown together, and as it was the best available option The Volumen were able to play. "The bands set up over near the washer and dryer and stuff, so we got some like, pictures of just everyone totally playing next to the washer and dryer," Russ recalled. He said it was "almost like a break-through for me because that was the first time I like, really tried to put together a show on my own and like, make it happen. And it worked. So from then I was kinda like, 'Well, if I need a show to happen then maybe I'll just book it myself." And like, I guess that's kinda like, what gets to like, the core of like, do it yourself scene. Wanna make something happen? Just like, just do it yourself. And that's pretty much the way it'll happen."
Russ praised Humboldt for our local media outlets that are great for promotion, "I mean, there's HumboldtMusic.com, which a lot of people check out, there's you know, the Journal, uh, people at the Arcata Eye, the Times-Standard now... and then there's K-Slug, and KHUM... and then of course flyers..." he advises to other people trying to promote shows. In general, he prefers Humboldt to other places for our music scene, "Humboldt really rocks for all-ages music if you do it right. It is a great place to play like, and to be, and to be involved in.... 'cause everyone that's involved in it is really into it..." He cited the college as source of creativity, but believes that most of the true local bands are the ones with members who've been around and stick around throughout the years. "I have been to other places, and most other places suck, is my point." In larger cities, he complained, "It's just like, so cut-throat. Like, I've tried to book shows like, in big cities and stuff for tours, and it's just like, everyone is such a bitch about it, you know? They want guarantees or something or they want like, some sort of proof that you're a decent band other than your music or you know, proof that people are going to show up, you know. It's like, what the fuck, you know, we're just like trying to go on our first tour, you know, and everyone's like 'Oh, you have to be good already, you know, you have to already have people that like you in order to play here.'" He also complained that people in larger cities are less likely to go out and see a band that they've never heard of. And as far as other small towns goes, "there's just like, a lot of towns like, that, like, are centered around the Wal-Mart or whatever." People in smaller cities, he believed, are likely to just go to big cities to see music, "Local music doesn't exist in a lot of like, you know, little towns in America." He ended on a positive note, talking of a few other cities that he likes the scene in and listed Olympia, Washington and Portland, Oregon, although he noted that both are larger than Eureka. But even then, "Humboldt's good for music, I have to conclude."
Perhaps though, Russ's attitude towards other small towns is unfounded, maybe there are other Eurekas out there where all it takes to find a scene is just to dig a little deeper for it.
Russ Spivey, 12-26-06Russ has been involved in local bands like Magilicutty and the Flying Fishsticks, Nobody's Star, The Small Time, Fro the Lazy, Boys Only Club, The Professional Superheroes, and currently The Invasions. He's done local booking and recording for bands like The Ian Fays and The Broken Hearts and recorded and produced "The Acoustic Comp."
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