Book review: A Curious Mix of People by Greg Beets and Richard Whymark dissects the 90’s music scene in Austin
A new book, A Curious Mix of People, by Greg Beets and Richard Whymark dissects the music scene in Austin through one of its funkiest eras. The work was released in October of this year.
Published by The University of Texas Press, the book covers the legendarily transitional era that is arguably one of the Live Music Capital’s most significant; when bands like the Dicks and Stretford were a few one might check out on any given night when exploring the Austin DIY scene, and the indie flick, Slacker, the second film from a young indie filmmaker, Richard Linklater, gave Austin a boost in notoriety within the indie-culture scene.
Greg Beets is a Texas native with an extensive history in Austin. He has covered music for The Austin Chronicle since the early 90s, and has also written for Billboard, Blurt and Pop Culture Press.
Richard Whymark brings his experience of documentary filmmaking and interviewing to the project.
The two are also working on a documentary film along with Chepo Peña to follow up the release of the book. Many of the people mentioned and interviewed in the book will be featured in the film.
As with the book, the film will incorporate interviews from a few Austin music legends, including musicians, club owners, even former record store employees of the fabled Sound Exchange from a time when bands like Butthole Surfers were a regular 6th Street attraction, and when an up-and-coming band, Spoon took stage at Hole in the Wall.
A Curious Mix of People incorporates various supplemental recommendations to transport readers into the collective time capsule, such as a chronological, year-by-year, bullet-pointed list of historical, cultural Austin events. Also included is a list of “100 Essential Underground Releases of the 1990s” (also in chronological order).
With chapters dedicated to historical Austin hotspots like Liberty Lunch, Sound Exchange, Blue Flamingo, and Electric Lounge, the collection delves deeply into the lore of the Live Music Capital 90’s underground scene.
The book is certain to pull at the nostalgic strings of those who recall gospel brunch at La Zona Rosa, with a front-row view of the Asylum Street Spankers.
A Curious Mix of People is not just for Austinites, current or former, who enjoy regular outings to check out live bands. It’s not just for those considering a trip to the Live Music Capital of the World. It’s a glimpse into the rich past of a town oozing with music and creative arts history. The book offers readers a chance to romanticize Austin, offering a new light for some, and a nostalgic journey for others.
What may be most valuable about the archive, is the vast parallels one might recognize between then and now. So often, people complain about the change they’ve witnessed in Austin over the years, and it obviously has, but not in the dramatic and drastic fashion of common, popular lament. The Austin painted in A Curious Mix of People is in many ways mirrored by that we all have the pleasure of experiencing today.
The DIY approach and attitude is still very much alive in the Austin of today. The scene depicted in A Curious Mix of People —intentionally or not —draws many parallels to the Austin Music Machine of today. Check it out, and next time you find yourself walking by the new Liberty Lunch VIP room on your way into Stubb’s, or when you check out another up-and-coming band at Hole in the Wall, enjoy the new or refreshed sense of appreciation of the history of that very spot. It lends further appreciation of the performers currently carving their spot. Some day, there may be a book published about the Austin music scene of the 2020’s.
The book is available at book sellers BookPeople. A copy of the tome can be ordered directly from the authors at their website.
The Dicks and La Zona Rosa images via Discogs
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