Lovers Rock: Band Advice From Austin’s Kissin’ Collaborators

Subpar Snatch 

Austin Chronicle: What came first: love or music? 


Jess Scott & Ceecee Email: Love.

AC: When did you start making music together? 

JS: What was it, four years ago now? I was doing stand-up comedy and [Ceecee was] playing in a band here called Mt. Grey. And [Ceecee] wanted to drum in drag, and [was] like, ‘What if I just made my own thing?’ and asked me if I could sing for it. I said sure. That’s how the music thing got started.

CE: This band was my dream project, because I always wanted to drum in drag, but it’s cool to see how it evolved into our dream project. It’s really cool because I didn’t think that it would ever happen like this. 
I figured I’d find some other musicians, but it’s even cooler that I get to make art with my partner. 

AC: Did you have any hesitation at the beginning about being in a band together? 

JS: Well, I am that person who always is considering not necessarily the exit strategy, but the end of something, before I get into it. I remember we had a conversation and I was like, past how we’ll change while we’re [in a band], we have to imagine it ends for some reason or another, and [make] sure that that doesn’t affect us too much. 

CE: Also, we both have never been the point person in a band. I’ve only drummed in a million bands. I’ve never been the person that had to book and do all that, and Jess does all the other admin. It’s a lot of work and it’s a lot of working together, which has been great – thankfully. 

It has its benefits too, because it’s like if you need to make a decision quickly, it’s like: ‘Oh, Jess, my wife, do we want to do this?’

AC: Any other reflections?

CE:
 In all of my years [of] playing music – I’ve been playing since I was 18, 19; I’m now 33 – this has by far been the most fun and most rewarding project I’ve ever been in. I’ve always had fun, but this is like our baby, outside of our wonderful cats and dog, because we have no plans on having kids. This feels like our baby, and it’s really cool to create that and watch it grow. As corny as that sounds.

Thelonious Love & Sean Maddox

AC: What came first: love or music?

Sean Maddox: Love came first, actually.

AC: Did either of you have any hesitations about mixing creativity and relationship? 

Thelonious Love: Oh, totally. For me, I would say it was music first [because we met through music]. We were clearly infatuated with each other and [had] chemistry out the roof, but music is a sacred space for both of us. We were both scared to [collaborate] because it was so precious to us. So it took three years. It took being secure in our relationship to be willing to share ourselves artistically. 

AC: What advice would you give to couples who want to create together? 

TL: Use that real stuff: that argument, that uncomfortableness, that “fight” – use the authentic growth of your relationship. Honestly, for me, my relationship has grown me as an artist further than I can ever have seen. 

We’re in the studio right now. The things we’re working on and the critiques we have for each other, you could take so personally. But we know that we have a [shared] vision of what we’re going for and so we’re safe to be wrong, we’re safe to be right, we’re safe to be all of those things. I would say find someone you feel safe with. Safety is such a key. If there’s one thing you can give anybody, it’d be that. 

AC: What a gift to be able to give. What has being in a relationship with a creative collaborator taught you about yourself? 

SM: It’s taught me to wrestle with my darkness and have more ownership of the duality between whatever the light side is that I show to the world and then the dark side that I hide, and having a better relationship with those two sides. It’s taught me to be a more authentic artist. 

TL: Every time I’m wrong, I’m learning something, and being in a relationship with an artistic person means that you will have to share that, right and wrong, and still support the function of the relationship. So be OK with being wrong and be more devoted to whatever that goal is, whatever that sound is, whatever that is. Give yourself room to be wrong and trust your partner. 

Riders Against the Storm

AC: What came first? Love or music? 

Qi Dada: Music. Well, love for me. 

AC: Oh, say more. 

QD: I was very obsessed with Chaka. I was probably about 20, Chaka was like 24, 25. And Chaka felt like I was still too young. He was very respectful, in that regard, so he friendzoned me out of deep intelligence. 

AC: Are there any musical or creative couples that you look up to? 

QD: Rita and Bob Marley. We actually share the same wedding anniversary. 

AC: That’s really cool. What is it about their relationship that y’all admire? 

QD: Their music and relationship was also about the community and about shifting things at large. There was a mission attached and it was hard. It could get really, really hard when all of that is involved. 

AC: What advice would you give to other couples working together musically?

Chaka Mahone: You have to work to keep it alive. The conversations have to grow. You have to understand each other better. We have a child together now. We also have our own individual projects. So, the more those things come into play, the more I think we realize that we have to create time to navigate the roles and the things that have to get done for us, for Riders Against the Storm, to remain a thing that’s alive.