Five years ago this very month, Gov’t Mule was on the cover of The Marquee with the headline, “Gov’t Mule Carries Rock.” I didn’t have to go back through the archives to remember that. It’s embedded in my brain.
You see, five years ago this very month was the first ever issue of The Marquee in the form you see it now — it was the first month where we went from being 100% newsprint to having that sexy glossy cover that is now such an identifying element of the magazine.
So it’s really fitting to have an interview with Warren Haynes, once again, in this issue because, like Haynes, 2010 is the year I’m going to focus on my baby again. As our writer Hap Fry explains in his story, the Mule is Haynes’ main focus this year, after several years of working on other projects — and it’s a feeling I can relate to.
Like Haynes, I put my life’s passion on hold in recent years, to explore other possibilities, see other perspectives and learn (or at least try to learn) along the way — and I’m happy as can be that I did. Being away from The Marquee full-time made me miss the hell out of it and made me realize how much more could be done with this humble little magazine.
Early in my career, I was a reporter for a community newspaper in a tiny little town. The paper was a true mom and pop shop, with a husband and wife team that ran the show. I always wanted to own that paper, but now many years later, I find myself having an even better reality.
In recent months, The Marquee has become a mom and pop shop itself, with my wife, Jess, officially joining the front lines of the magazine (she’s been a long-term behind-the-scenes supporter, of course). So now, instead of a family-owned business that covers school board meetings and planning commissions, like that other paper I worked for, we get to have that same community feel, while covering our community, the music scene.
With 2010 upon us, here we are: revitalized, rejuvenated and ready to nurture this little beast into the publication that it can become.
Thankful for the lessons learned in our past, and the opportunities we were able to experience along the way, and with great optimism and hope for the future, The Marquee is like the little indie band that has once again found its roots and its voice.
See you at the shows.
2 Comments
Hey Brian!
Congratulations on your 5 years! It’s very exciting to see your success!
Nancy
Your AK fan base is still loud and proud! (PS pls give that lady a baby, wouldja?)