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The Music Insider Tank Velasquez The Music Insider, Correspondent ************************************************************************ Cusack: The Quiet Revolution It wasn�t exactly a gem of eastern philosophy, or even a milestone in my short journalism career, but I distinctly remember three years ago at a promotional function for the magazine, a fellow colleague nearly choking on a piece of celery. After the possibly fatal, but disturbingly comical event, he described the ordeal as, �Shocking, slightly painful, yet retrospectively, altogether uneventful. It�s like getting kicked in the nuts, but being saddened by the fact that it could be the last time.� You might be asking yourself, why I chose this particular article to write about my colleague�s near death experience. The answer is that this is exactly how I would describe my first encounter with Cusack. I met Cusack, oddly enough, in a seemingly normal suburban-esque neighborhood, in the small town of Mercedes, TX. Tucked away in a small 12 x 12 back room of an average middle-class home, sit the members of Cusack: Robert on bass, Mark on drums, Rick on rhythm guitar, PJ on lead guitar, and Hollie on vocals. The band seems unassuming and posed, giving away no hint or foreshadow of the bizarre and anecdotal evening ahead. Robert sits before a computer, listlessly holding two instant message conversations while pouring over the upcoming Weezer tour dates for Texas. �We�re going to all three concerts,� he says with a sheepish grin. Mark looks over Robert�s shoulder, staring blankly at the screen, and occasionally looking toward the floor. Rick is sprawled on the nearby bed, his hands lain across his chest, as he intermittently fidgets with a cap that proudly boosts his alma mater, Baylor University. PJ sits on a chair in the middle of the room, quietly humming a tune while he plays an old acoustic guitar. He fashions a pair of futuristic sun glasses, as he strikes a last chord, and looks to me for approval of his latest musical creation. Hollie sits at the foot of the bed. She holds a sketch pad and a pencil in her hand, and quietly draws a rough, yet surprisingly accurate sketch of me. �So this is Cusack,� I think to myself. Arguably one of the most unique and innovative bands to come out of the Rio Grande Valley, Cusack seems timid and unsure of its place within the local music scene. Their self-deprecating humor is refreshing, yet behind the modest words and claims of insignificance lays a loyal fan-base rivaled only by the underground counter-culture music of the mid-70�s. �They simply don�t do what other people do,� says music producer Michael Reyna. At a time when global conglomerates have pressured the music industry for bigger and bigger album sales, Cusack has avoided much of the conformity that plagues FM radio airwaves, and have opted for a raw, yet harmonious sound. �We just want to make good music, that really means something to people,� says rhythm guitarist Rick C. as we drive to Cusack�s rehearsal studio. In just five minutes we arrive at the home of drummer Mark R. Within the walls of a cramped and stuffy room, Cusack begins to pound out an exhiliharating melody of heartfelt vocals, driving rhythms, and upbeat riffs. Already the band seems tired and winded as the first song ends. A quick break is taken as the theme of �Thundercats� blares from a TV in the corner of the room. �Cartoon Network, it�s grand,� says Robert as he wipes the sweat from his brow. The hours fly by, as this understated and subtle group of personalities quickly transforms to a flurry of passion and creative proficiency. The instruments soon are put down, and the band leads me outside, where they enjoy the fresh air for a few minutes. �I think you�ll find out that Cusack is more than just our music,� says PJ with a suspicious smirk. I would soon find out just how far the truth of this statement extended. Stay tuned for part II of Tank Velasquez�s article,
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