Bootblogging #18: Four by Russell Hoke (with Guitar Circle intro)

So my old buddy Michael Friedman was in St. Louis recently and we revived The Guitar Circle. Most of the old core came out to The Foxhole at Atomic Cowboy, and somebody suggested we try to keep a Circle unbroken again.

The revived Circle with Michael happened to fall on a 3rd Wednesday, which had a good feel, the third day of the week in the third week of the month.* So Jim at Atomic Cowboy set us up with some more 3rd Wednesdays.

I told Michael we have the 3rd Wednesday of three months set in stone, of April, May and June; he should come back to town for one. If he stayed through the weekend, I suggested, I could host an artist mixer at The Skuntry Museum and feature Michael.

Then I remembered I had started another tradition we could kick into revival. I had hosted Russell Hoke as the inaugural Artist In Residence at The Skuntry Museum. Russell is a songster and poet and bagpipes player from San Antonio, Texas.**

As it happens, since Rusty inaugurated the Artist In Residence position at The Skuntry Museum, he landed a real life distribution deal for his records through Locust Music in Chicago. Since The Skuntry Museum in effect was the artist's connection to the distributor, the suggestion here is that our Artist In Residence gig is a starmaker.

All of this made me want to Bootblog me some Russell Hoke. Here is one song each from what I think are his four most recent records. I have skipped his debut, Magic of My Youth, which I'll insist needs to be heard as a complete experience, no excerpting accepted.

mp3s

"Pay the Bill"

Russell Hoke

From Cosmic Outlaw

"Comet of Despair"

Russell Hoke
From Gettin' Sirius

"Song for Rebecca"

Russell Hoke
From Sandblasted, but Unbowed

"A Good Cup of Tea on Eldon's Patch"
Russell Hoke
From Haunted Brain

All songs (c) Russell Hoke.

All rights reserved.

***

* The St Louis police board also meets the 3rd Wednesday of every month. They give you this little green sticker when they let you into police headquarters for the meeting. I plan to suggest to Jim that the green sticker can be redeemed for some small alcoholic benefit at The Foxhole. Rewarding civic engagement!

** It was the poet Stefene Russell who brought Russell Hoke into our orbit.

***

More in this series

Bootblogging #1: Three by The Lettuce Heads
Bootblogging #2: Three elegies for local musicians
Bootblogging #3: Michael Shannon Friedman
Bootblogging #4: Three more by The Lettuce Heads
Bootblogging #5: Chuck Reinhart's guitar circle hits
Bootblogging #6: The silly side of The Lettuce Heads
Bootblogging #7: Songs for "Divorcing God"
Bootblogging #8: More songs for "Divorcing God
Bootblogging #9: Adam Long presents The Imps!
Bootblogging #10: More Michael Shannon Friedman
Bootblogging #11: The Adversary Workers
Bootblogging #12: The May Day Orchestra
Bootblogging #13: Solo Career live in Santa Monica
Bootblogging #14: Four from The Funhouse (Seattle punk)
Bootblogging #15: Four more from The Funhouse (Seattle punk rock)
Bootblogging #16: I will be your volunteer! (for Bob Slate)
Bootblogging #17: Yet more The Lettuce Heads