Help Me

"I remember at about age five or six buying my first records from the Zayre's in Medford, Massachusetts.  I can't imagine it's there anymore," Charlie Russell recalls from his childhood, now fifty years in the rearview.  "The first was Help, the second The Yellow Submarine and the third, and most importantly, Revolver."  Like so many others of his generation, the Beatles were his first musical love; with many more loves to follow.
"I find it interesting that my first two records were about half instrumentals drawn from each's soundtracks.  I know I bought Help because of the song...and probably Yellow Submarine the same.  The cover was cool too.  Revolver was different and I remember listening to it from a naked perspective and holy shit.  It was like discovering a treasure."  Charlie admits to unloading the vast majority of his vinyl collection, but not those three.
"I think I still have all my Grateful Dead records too."  And though Charlie reflects on a variety of music as we talk, it is apparent that both the Beatles and the Grateful Dead have had the most lasting impacts.  Kiss, not so much.
"My father's and brother's collections were huge influences as well.  And we lived next door to my aunt who was seven years older and listening to her music."  It's also clear that AM and FM radio influenced his musical canopy.  Charlie laughs at himself by acknowledging that, "(he) is still writing for an AM radio audience...the sounds of the seventies."
"We did have a navy-blue Rambler wagon and there are, or were, photos of the pink, shower curtain tablecloth.  On a road trip to Montreal, I think it was," Charlie continues to reminisce, referencing his song St Stephen's Radio, from his second solo record, Fulton Avenue.  "My songs are mostly about unpacking my life, for better or worse.  Of course, some are completely fictional, but most have at least a small grain of my story."
"Songs like Mitchell Butte and Open Up Your Love are directly drawn from my years on the Navajo reservation.  And a bunch more too."  Charlie talks about his eclectic history with fondness as we sip on IPAs in his small backyard in Colorado.  
"My brother played guitar since he was a knee-high so there was always a guitar around.  A steel string, the Penco, and I learned my way around a bit."
"But I was mostly a bass player; I'm not even sure why, but it's still my instrument of choice.  On the res, however, I bought a soft string for fifty bucks.  That's the guitar I think I learned my way around on for real.  I still play it," he smiles and takes a long swallow.  "It's on My Catalina." Charlie refers to a song off of his upcoming record, Down Along The Bottom.
"Really, the record is not very far from my others, but I feel the songwriting is a bit better.  It feels like a more cohesive set of songs.  To me, anyway," he finishes with a laugh.  Without prompt, Charlie launches into the background of the new record.
"My girlfriend and partner for life, Norma, grew up in central Missouri on a large farm that is now mostly at the bottom of Truman Lake.  The river bottom they played, and rode horses along sits fully submerged."  And with a little bitterness, "thanks to the Core of Engineers."  Charlie sits back in thought before continuing.
"Her family still lives there, and it has become a special place to me...with great folks and family.  It's about how through all the roads and changes, there is always a thread that ties us to our past.  Sidhartha shit.  The voices in the river," he slyly holds my eye and sings, "keep on rollin' on," the final refrain to the title song, Down Along The Bottom.  Charlie's enthusiasm for the new record is apparent.
"This is my most patient record.  I've never felt a need to rush it.  Which is kind of why I threw Skywriting out there.  Not a great effort but a couple good songs.  Asylum From Asylum I think is lyrically powerful.  Holy Motion is good.  And extremely meaningful to me.  Rain, Sleet and Snow is silly.  That one was written at work."  Charlie glances around as if for eavesdroppers and, under his breath, "Don't tell the boss."
"I've never pursued music as some kind of finish line; that if I achieve this or that then I can have artistic peace.  Writing songs, or poetry or prose, is a process; an ongoing process of learning, refining and constantly searching for your next muse."  Charlie then hijacks a line from Florence Foster Jenkins, socialite opera singer from the 1930's.  "They may say I couldn't write a song, but they'll never say I didn't write a song."
Listen to his catalogue and it is undeniable that Charlie Russell has written songs, some of which can be found on SoundCloud, "and myspace if you search hard enough."  You can also listen to The Colorado Goatropers Guild on Spotify.  Charlie also has a number of self-made YouTube videos that can be accessed at the Charlie Russell channel.  Look for his new record, Down Along The Bottom, to be released in early 2025.  "Cheers and listen naked."

Help Me

Low Cut Connie