Crosstalk: Hi, How Are You Mural Lasts a Long Time Despite Building Demo, and More Music News
Record Store Day and an Ice Cream Factory Studio workshop
By Rachel Rascoe and Doug Freeman, Fri., April 21, 2023
Daniel Johnston's famed Hi, How Are You mural lives on as a freestanding piece of wall following destruction of the surrounding building (formerly the restaurant Thai, How Are You?) last week. The late local songwriter painted the friendly frog in 1993, commissioned by Sound Exchange record store. In 2018, Johnston told the Chronicle: "I always called it the Innocent Frog. He's full of innocence the way I was back then. ... I remember they paid me $70 to do it! And I was happy." In July 2018, Austin-based American Campus Communities purchased the property, including the Goodall Wooten dormitory and Teji's Indian Restaurant. In 2020, ACC Vice President of Brand and MarCom Strategy Gina Cowart told the Chronicle that the company "pledged to preserve the mural in perpetuity" through a restrictive covenant agreement with local nonprofit Austin Creative Alliance, which continues today. Essentially, ACC is in charge of mural upkeep, and ACA oversees preservation of the iconic art piece. ACC, the largest private dormitory manager in the nation, also emerged as a major financial supporter of the nonprofit Hi, How Are You Project, founded by Courtney Blanton and Johnston's longtime manager Tom Gimbel. The student housing giant has sponsored the annual Hi, How Are You Day concerts in Austin, as well as previous HHAY-themed mental health programming at over 200 ACC residencies across the U.S. – Rachel Rascoe
Stepping into the studio for the first time can be as daunting for an artist as it is exciting. Producers Lisa Machac (Omni Sound Project) and Matt Parmenter open the Ice Cream Factory Studio on Tuesday, April 25, for an evening workshop to help artists best prepare for the experience, which requires trust and a shared vision that isn't easily achieved. The hands-on Making Tracks: Preparing to Record Your Music workshop ($25 on Eventbrite) will cover everything from the equipment and mixing techniques used to managing copyrights and credits, entering metadata on tracks, and the advantages of various distribution platforms for after the session's wrapped. – Doug Freeman
Record Store Day lands this Saturday, April 22. Waterloo Records opens at 8am, and confirmed on IG regarding hot ticket folklore: the long pond studio sessions, "Yes, we will have the Taylor Swift release." End of an Ear opens at 10am, with a performance and signing by the John Doe Folk Trio at 5pm to celebrate the release of Six Fables Recorded Live at the Bunker. Breakaway Records kicks off at noon with DJs Kid Monks, Hippie Scum, Will Freed, Butcher Bear, and Ruben MZ spinning until 7pm. Antone's Record Shop welcomes diggers at 10am. See the full list of RSD shops here. – Rachel Rascoe
