We were lucky to catch up with Christopher Rubano recently and have shared our conversation below.
Christopher, appreciate you joining us today. If you could go back in time do you wish you had started your creative career sooner or later?
Trash Goblin formed in February 2020 — three weeks before the entire world would go into lockdown. It is a reflection of who we are and where we are in our respective journeys — and it could not exist if we had met earlier in life. It has been an island of community in a sea of isolation, and catharsis in a time of madness.
When I met Charlie Davis (percussion), I had only just recently become sober after 15 years of attempting (but failing) to self medicate with alcohol. Charlie had just moved back to Memphis from New York City in November 2019 with his wife and new daughter. They wanted to be closer to family, and to escape the punishingly high cost of living of NYC. During a game of Dungeons & Dragons, I asked my friend Dan Hornsby (of Beauty School – guitar, vocals) if he’d consider sitting in on our sessions. Without any particular plan or direction in mind, we set about experimenting with ideas, and from this emerged a combination of psychedelic, goth, punk, and shoegaze. After only two sessions we all agreed we had something worth pursuing.
Before we could meet up again, the government issued a shelter in place order due to COVID. Some friends we talked to over Zoom decided to “bubble” with other friends, and agreed to only see those people in person as a way to beat back isolation. Charlie, Dan, and I talked… It would be relatively low risk if we continued to have rehearsal for our new project. Besides, the creative outlet would probably be *extremely* necessary in the coming months.
As lockdowns wore on and gave way to the first faltering steps of reopening, we continued to meet weekly. Sometimes we wrote songs, sometimes we just played — with no destination or course. For Dan, it became a ritual and meditation — and escape from the stress of a grinding waitstaff position and endless edits on his debut novel. For Charlie, it was time away from his demanding job and a mental break from the new reality of parenthood. For me, it was self-actualization after years of self-sabotage.
Dan moved with his partner to Minneapolis in 2021 to pursue their respective writing careers. For a while, Charlie and I tried our hand as a bass and drums duo, like Lightning Bolt but less chaotic. It was good, but there was something clearly missing. We recruited Stephen Hutchison-Turner on guitar, after he and I had worked together previously on a project that never quite lifted off. He is a beautifully discordant guitar player for thrash punk outfit Big Clown and jangly-pop band Late Night Cardigan. With Stephen, his wailing, keening riffs and distortions from outer space add an ethereal yet scathing layer on top of our rhythm section.
Christopher, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
Trash Goblin is a Memphis-based acid goth trio consisting of Chicago-to-Memphis transplant Christopher Rubano on bass and vocals, experimental guitarist Stephen Hutchison-Turner (also of Big Clown; Late Night Cardigan), and percussionist Charles Davis (formerly of Chicago/NYC indie-vets Detachment Kit).
We make loud, fast, and colorful music about the end of the world — both internal and external. We use the juxtaposition of mythological figures to explore the dark side of the human psyche. Our songs describe the descent of the mind into madness, its fracture, and its reassembly into something new.
We have been compared to Viagra Boys, Protomartyr, Pixies, and Tones on Tail.
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
Show attendance & merchandise sales are crucial for bands — especially local or up and coming bands. Streaming an infinite array of music has made the experience cheap — figuratively and literally. Going to a show and meeting the members across the table at a merch booth re-centers and reshapes this relationship. You’re showing direct appreciation for the people who benefit the most.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
Personally: I am making up for lost time. I have poured 15 years quite literally down the drain. But that time hasn’t been entirely wasted, if I can share the lessons I’ve learned. I want to share what it is like to be trapped inside a malfunctioning mind. Trash Goblin aims to capture the drudgery and absurdities of life via acid goth doom rock.
Contact Info:
- Website: trashgoblinband.com
- Instagram: @trashgoblinband
- Facebook: @TrashGoblinBand
- Youtube: @trashgoblin492
- Other: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7odszvAY2tB5kCv5iCiMis?si=FaNbPgtJRaOEU2vA774F2A
Image Credits
Polaroid and all live show photos: Liz Lane TG promo photos 1 & 2: David Johnson