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Days of Rona: Erik Conn of Tia Carrera

The statistics of COVID-19 change with every news cycle, and with growing numbers, stay-at-home isolation and a near-universal disruption to society on a global scale, it is ever more important to consider the human aspect of this coronavirus. Amid the sad surrealism of living through social distancing, quarantines and bans on gatherings of groups of any size, creative professionals — artists, musicians, promoters, club owners, techs, producers, and more — are seeing an effect like nothing witnessed in the last century, and as humanity as a whole deals with this calamity, some perspective on who, what, where, when and how we’re all getting through is a needed reminder of why we’re doing so in the first place.

Thus, Days of Rona, in some attempt to help document the state of things as they are now, both so help can be asked for and given where needed, and so that when this is over it can be remembered.

Thanks to all who participate. — JJ Koczan

erik conn tia carrera (Photo by Howard Dvorsky)

Days of Rona: Erik Conn of Tia Carrera (Austin, Texas)

How are you dealing with this crisis as a band? Have you had to rework plans at all? How is everyone’s health so far?

Like everyone else, just trying to stay put, stay healthy, stay informed. Go towards the facts and helpful info, vs. hoarding shit tickets and hysteria.

Everything from work to gigs, to booking, to hangin’ out with friends is just put on hold.

Far as I know this second, everyone I know is holding up well, healthy and sound. Albeit a little stir-crazy… suffering from the early signs of cabin fever. I most certainly am.

What are the quarantine/isolation rules where you are?

Here in Austin, Texas, we’re like most folks abroad, under a stay at home ordinance/ practicing social distancing, etc. By law, no gathering of more than a few people, six feet apart, etc. All bars/restaurants are closed. Only supposed to be out and about for necessities.

How have you seen the virus affecting the community around you and in music?

This virus has effectively shut down everything that I’m a part of personally.

As a musician, teacher thereof and technician, (tuning drums, etc.) I’ve lost a sizable chunk of money with canceled gigs both performance-wise and tech work (tuning backline drums, etc.). I’ve also had to finally (after 10 years) give up a lock-out rehearsal studio that I shared with The Well and another local band called The Reeks. Nobody’s able to work, much less pay rent for something we can’t currently access. Fuckin’ major bummer. With SXSW being cancelled, all of those shows alongside all other regular local gigs, and everything in the foreseeable future, the entire music community has been shut down.

For Tia Carrera specifically, we have had several shows cancelled, unfortunately all of which were high-profile with touring bands. Shit can’t be helped though, we understand.

Our current concern is how this will effect our late-summer plans to tour Europe. A long anticipated adventure likely to be postponed. We’ll see.

The flipside to this crazy virus jive is that there’s been lots if creative energy flowing, not just for the music but most any creative outlet. Regarding the tunes, lots of musicians here and abroad have been live-streaming porch jams, or living room shows, etc. That’s all really cool.

As for us? No. I think we’re all of the mind that we need not be in any enclosed space together for a while.

Personally, I miss playing my drums like I’m going through a rough withdrawal. I live in an apartment and have settled for dusting off the rust on the guitar. Relearning lots of tunes I forgot over the years, but yeah no, I’m a fuckin’ drummer. I miss my realm, my happy place behind my cannons, not to mention peeling the paint and carving lines in the cosmos with Jason [Morales, guitar] and Curt [Christenson, bass].

What is the one thing you want people to know about your situation, either as a band, or personally, or anything?

I’d like any interested folks to know that barring any unforeseen circumstances regarding playin’ live, we still have a record coming out regardless!

Our eighth official release, Tried and True, is slated to come out this summer. Both on bitchin’ vinyl and a CD. The CD version will also feature the two tracks from our last record release stateside, Early Purple/Visitors.

I’m biased, so whatever, yet I’ve gotta say these five new tracks are our best public offering to date. As per the past three releases, we recorded at Jason’s home studio with him as our engineer and technical wizard — shit sounds incredible! We managed to capture some really good stuff. As usual, all live and improvised, all of us together in the same room. We nailed a couple of groovy new riffs alongside one of our oldest jams from the beginning (the title-track), plus two really ethereal “no-planners.” We’re just really stoked on it and can’t wait for everyone to hear it.

Folks can pre-order the vinyl now off of the Small Stone site. Also the first track, “The Layback,” is available for folks to peep if they wanna a listen.

Fingers crossed everyone stays healthy and positive. We still hope to tour both stateside and abroad. We have a tour booked for Europe come September, at this point though we’ll just have to wait and see how it goes with the health of the world. Regardless though, the music lives! And will be coming out as scheduled!

Until we can all get together and rage, I’ve been telling all of my tribe that line in “Radar Love” from Golden Earring. “Gotta be cool now gotta take care”…. Duty now for the future so we can all keep on livin’ and doing what we love with the people we love.

https://www.facebook.com/tiacarreraofficial/
http://www.smallstone.com
http://www.facebook.com/smallstonerecords
https://smallstone.bandcamp.com

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