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The dissolution of Bloodkin had all but
been finalized by mid-2006. They'd hired a
pick-up rhythm section of Barbara Cue bass
ist John Mills and Tom Collins drummer Kyle
Spence just to complete their previous record
ing, and Bloodkin's cornerstones—Hutchens
and Carter—were, now, hundreds of miles
apart. Hutchens, had met the woman that was
soon to become his wife and relocated with
her to Keystone, CO. Hutchens remained in
Athens, continuing to sink into alcoholism.
It was the compilation of material for
Hutchens' second solo release Love Songs
for Losers that would bring the two back
together—at least on a creative level—and,
eventually, as bandmates and close friends.
Hutchens had already enlisted the talents of
guitarist Eric Martinez, bassist David Nickel
and drummer Aaron Phillips—all now part
of the current Bloodkin lineup—for the
recordings. The missing element was Carter,
whose two-fisted guitar work and bond with
Hutchens was essential.
Eventually, a cleaned-up Hufthens relo
cated back in Athens with his wife Kristy and
stepdaughter Amberly, and last year the cou-‘
pie welcomed the addition of baby boy Zacary
Sterling. But Carter was still in trouble. He
credits the assistance of Nugi's Space founder
Linda Phillips for urging him to enter a hos
pital detox/rehab program that would, finally,
turn the tide of survival in his favor.
"I spent seven weeks in a treatment center,
and about halfway through is when I finally
realized I'd crossed the line between a heavy,
semi-functioning drinker and a true alcoholic.
There's a certain line you have to cross before
you accept that you won't ever be able do it
again. By that time I'd had my quota," says
Carter. "Linda Phillips basically saved my life.
She said what I thought she'd say: 700 have
to go to a hospital. You can't just sit around
your house, not drink and get over it.' There
were 25 years of saturation to deal with. In
my own world, I was fine and thought I'd go
on my merry way 'til I was 60 or so and either
be old or dead. But, the mental, physical and
spiritual aspects of my life all started to fall
apart at once. With help from friends, from
Linda and from the Music Cares Foundation, I
got out in time. I feel very lucky for that."
What a difference a coupte of years have
made. On the heels of Hutchens' stellar, soul-
cleansing album, comes a new, previously
unthought-of Bloodkin record—the appro
priately titled Baby, They Always Told Us We'd
Rise Again. Released by Sci-Fidelity, it pairs
the group once again with producer Barbe and
features the backing of Martinez, Nickel and
Aaron Phillips, as well as dobro/slide player
William Tonks—who round out the most cohe
sive Bloodkin lineup yet.
The songs are not gloomy and loathsome
this time. Instead, they carry an inherent
appreciation for the second turn at bat the
band is now experiencing. Hutchens is at the
top of his game, while Carter's guitar stings
and growls as fervently as ever. When singing
the country dirge "My Name Is Alice," he gives
a remorseful, characterized warning for anyone
listening to "not die alone." The album has
even received a write-up in Rolling Stone from
rock critic par excellence David Fricke.
On the recording front, a Bloodkin box set
comes next—a six-disc collection of rarities
culled from theif formation in 1988 up to the
present. On the homefront, both are sober and
taking things one step at a time. The moral
of their story does not extol the rock and roll
cliche of a life lived in excess. They've learned
that such bullshit will kill you without warn
ing or regard. Rather, it recommends that if
you're lucky enough to get a second chance
to make the most of it and be thankful for the
handful of close friends made along the way.
"Me and Danny had different ways of get
ting our acts together," says Carter. "For him,
it was getting out of Athens for a while and
starting a family. For me, it took more steps
and more help to get to where I am right now.
I'm glad we're still here making music together
and, more importantly, glad to still be alive."
Michael Andrews
WHO: Bloodkin, Backyard Tire Fire
WHERE: 40 Watt Club
WHEN: Thursday, Mar. 13
HOW MUCH: $5(21+), $7(18+)
T he title of Bloodkin's last release,
Last Night Out, was no joke.
According to Daniel Hutchens,
vocalist for the diehard Athens
rockers, the group was already coming apart
at the seams by the time they got a call from
friend and producer David Barbe in early 2005
to begin work on the album. Anyone familiar
with the parameters of Bloodkin's music—a
gritty, sometimes libidinous mix of Southern
rock, blues and R&B—should've sensed some
thing was awry going on song titles alone.
Not much in the mold of "#1 Good Luck
Charm," "Can't Get High" or "Drive Home
September" was to be found. Instead, dour
inclusions like "Watching the War on TV,"
"Checkout Time" and "Old Musician Ranting
Voodoo from His Deathbed" had taken form.
It looked as though the band's begrudging
finale had arrived, and not an especially grand
or fulfilling one at that. Says Hutchens, the
mental and physical state he was in during the
recording of Last Night Out was his own per
sonal rock bottom.
"Everything in my life at that time was
pretty bleak," Hutchens recalls. "I'd broken up
with a girl that I'd been seeing for years, and
my habits were out of control. The band had,
essentially, already broken up. Bush was in the
process of winning his second presidency, and
the war in Iraq was still going on. Lyrically, all
this was just filtered through my own personal
sorry state. It seemed like everything around
me was just the world going to hell. I think
the whole reason Dave Barbe called us up to
do that record was that he knew me and Eric
were in trouble and he was kindly offering us
some work."
Lead guitarist Eric Carter was not faring
much better at the time. In fact, he admits
his situation may have actually been worse
than that of his fellow Bloodkin founder.
Cocaine use within the band had increased,
leaving the two likeminded brothers from dif
ferent mothers, who had known each other
since their schoolyard days in West Virginia,
ragged, used up and very much worse for wear.
On top of this, Carter's drinking problem—an
old habit he always thought he'd be able'to
outlast—was swiftly catching up to him in a
bad way.
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