I’m sure it should go without saying, but I love that you used Stevo quotes to tie this all together.
You are one my many working-musician friends, and I can’t truly empathize with the hard hit that you all have taken from this situation. Yes, I may be a “musician” of sorts, but it’s certainly not my day-job or source of income, so admittedly, I can’t relate.
However, I hope you know that I do understand that music is the glue that holds us together. You guys are just as “essential” in my eyes as any other workers. You guys keep us sane.
Don’t ever think for a second, that you are unappreciated. The girls and I listen to your music almost daily and we can’t wait to see you perform again. Hang in there, friend. Thank you for doing what you do. Much love from the Russell family ❤️
So good to hear from you here ‘round this here neck of the woods.@melodyrussell Hey Mel!!
I have such a hard time writing a post like this, because I realize it’s been a total privilege to be able to scrape out a living by playing music over the past few years. Like all privileges, they can be taken away—but I just don’t want to sound like a sad sap who never appreciated what I had in the first place...or like a Bravo TV Housewife complaining about China patterns. But I’m just worried, and my livelihood just feels so threatened right now. Sometimes I feel like I just need to shout it into the abyss. Sometimes it helps—sometimes it doesn’t—but it’s always at least relatively cathartic to get my feelings/thoughts out and try to sort them.
I know I will always have music. That I know for sure. But if things change and I’m not able to do music like this—that’s gonna have an adverse impact on my psyche.
SLC Punk quotes have just been rolling through my head lately. Talks of nothingness, talks of change, talks of rebellion...talks of death. When I wrote the post I was like, “There’s probably not a lot of people who are going to draw these same connections here, but whatever.” Lol, so I’m so glad you get it, and I’m thankful you’ve been a person who for a good portion of my life, have been a friend who gets it—even when you don’t personally relate to the situation, you get it, and that means the world to me. I receive your empathy with total and complete gratitude.
I appreciate you, your family, and your words here. Love ya’ll big. 💚