Gig - Tom Russell

“God knows what Tom’s going to say when he finds out he’s going to be playing in a tent”, says Barn d’Or promoter Mike Lance. “In fact I know what he’ll say”, he puts on a Southern American drawl. “What the fucking hell’s this?” Mike’s talking about the American country artist Tom Russell who will be playing in the distinctive canvas setting at the Anchor tonight. He’s got good reason to worry about how Tom will react. Last time he was in the area for a gig at Brighton’s Hanbury ballrooms, Mike had to pull him out of a Woodingdean b&b after he’d caused something of a scene. “I booked him in under my name or something and they wouldn’t let him in, so he just kicked off. If he tries something like that again I’ll have to throw him in the river.”

This episode aside, Mike reassures me that Tom is really only ‘playfully grumpy and bullish’ and he’s actually ‘a really nice guy’. He’s also one of Mike’s most high-profile acts - a ‘classy’ musician who has an enormous following and has had his songs covered by the likes of Johnny Cash and Nanci Griffith. “One of his latest albums, Hot Walker, is one of my top favourite records - real Desert Island Discs stuff”. The second part of a planned ‘Americana’ trilogy it is described as a ‘conceptual work’ largely inspired by his correspondence with author Charles Bukowski. “It’s a really risky record”, says Mike. “Some people think it’s unplayable, others think its genius. I definitely think it’s genius." ER