"I
am thankful the surgery was successful, but the recovery has been far
more difficult than I expected," Maxwell said in a message. "I am in a great deal of pain, and I have
been told I need extended physical therapy in order to stand, walk and regain my independence.
The
challenge is that these treatments — along with my basic living
expenses — are more than I can manage alone right now. I have always
tried to be strong, but at this moment in my life, I must humbly ask for
your help."
Her friends have created a GoFundMe page to support her recovery. Contributions will go toward additional physical therapy sessions, medical and mobility needs and monthly living expenses during recovery.
As part of double headlining bill, Scott Collins will perform with his band The Sovereignty. Sharing the stage will be his brother's band, Justin and The Cosmics.
Also on the bill is Chicago-based artist Sarah Krohn. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the show starts at 7 p.m.
Lazymoon Design is located at 4642 North Francisco Ave., Chicago. Tickets are $33.85, available at eventbrite.com.
I had the chance to talk to Scott Collins about the upcoming show.
Q – Great talking to you. I guess life
comes full circle because, in 2011 and 2012, I interviewed Coley Kennedy
about his bands The Buddies and Welcome to Ashley.
Of course, you were a
member of The Buddies along with your then wife Kim and your brother, Justin.I know that in
2012, your wife was battling breast cancer and Coley started an online
fundraiser to help with her medical and living expenses.
Hopefully she
is doing well these days.
That's very thoughtful of you to inquire. Yes, Kim has been fully recovered from that situation for over a decade now.
Q – I see Coley was also involved with the album Bravery Is Necessary,
which you and your band The Sovereignty released in January. It is
great that you have had a strong relationship with Coley over the years.
Hopefully you will perform your song “Shittin’ Tears” from that album
at your show in Chicago. Your searing guitar work on that song is
amazing.
Thank you, graciously. "Shittin' Tears" is, in
many ways, the linchpin song for Scott Collins and The Sovereignty; the
song that started it all metaphysically for me as a solo artist and now
most live shows end with it.
Q – And, of course, your latest solo album, Capistrano Beach, was released on Oct. 10. What goals did you have for the album and did the end result exceed your expectations?
I suppose the fact that Capistrano
Beach is out and released as an official album in and of itself has
exceeded any expectations. It was originally recorded as a birthday
gift.
It was originally intended to be heard by only one person other
than myself and the studio engineer (and my best friend), Christopher
Lord Byrd. All the songs were played live, in order, one time, one
take...on the actual birthday which was 1 degree Aries.
It felt
inaccurate, unjust, and illegitimate to call this collection of songs
demos, although the eight songs on Capistrano Beach do also live in
different, fuller-produced versions as part of a 12-song album to be
released in early 2026.
Often people hear acoustic versions of songs
AFTER they hear fully-produced album versions, so I realized this was an
opportunity to flip that antiquated pattern on its head. It is, without
a doubt, the most intimate expression I've ever released.
Chris,
Claira, and I – all three couldn't stop listening to it almost daily
for weeks on end, so as an exercise in vulnerability and authenticity; I
said "fuck it"...[let's] put it out.
Q – The Chicago show will also feature
your brother’s band Justin and The Cosmics. I am sure that will make the
night even more special for you. Will there be any collaborating with
your brother that night?
Affirmative; high probability of a
Collins thunderstorm approaching. It is a rare storm these days.
Although I did play lead guitar in The Cosmics for a few years, and on a
couple of The Cosmics albums (Perf and Cool Dead), so there is a handsome cesspool to draw from.
I know the duo you had with your former wife
– The Smoking Flowers – is on hiatus right now. Do you see the band
doing anything in the near future?
The future of The Smoking Flowers is
not divulged in the crystal ball. I am holding
space for the best scenarios and outcomes possible in the future.
Q – What had been the best part of working with your former wife in not only that band, but also in other bands like The Buddies?
Traveling, seeing and feeling the
world through someone else's eyes in addition to your own can prove to
be revelatory. The ocean of experience to draw upon for creativity is
unrivaled.
The art, the story, the work, the purpose you leave in your
wake – no one can take from you. I think some loved and saw us as a
singular entity, not as two separate sovereign individuals.
Listening to Angus Macaskill songs will quickly put a smile on your face.
Take for example his song "Beautiful," which has an infectious melody that will get stuck in your head.
The Scottish-born singer-songwriter calls Aurora home. The stage keeps getting bigger for Macaskill, who recently opened for well-known Americana artist Samantha Grimes.
I had the chance to talk to him after he played recently at the Arcada Theatre in St. Charles as part of Indie Music Night.
Q – It's great to talk to you. I was impressed with your recent show at the Arcada Theatre and the passion you put into the show.
I was especially impressed with the song "Beautiful." The song's melody stuck in my head.
Oh, thank you. I'm a self-taught musician.
I wrote the song as part of a 35-day writing challenge. It's a fun song.
Q – Is the song about anyone in particular?
It's open to interpretation. I try to draw my inspiration from experience and observation.
I like tongue-in-cheek humor.
Q – You recently performed at Nashville North in Milwaukee with Samantha Grimes. You must feel honored to perform with someone of that caliber.
Oh, yeah. She's definitely next level.
Q – I know you are a self-taught musician. What got you interested in music in the first place?
I think I was born with it. I really do.
Music is what keeps me grounded. There's something about playing a guitar that just soothes and connects me to the world.
Q – I understand the day before your show at the Arcada Theatre, you hyperextended your right thumb.
Yeah, I messed it up bad.
Q – But you pushed through it. You didn't bow out of the show.
I don't back out of things. It still hurts, but it is going to be fine.
Q – You live in the Fox Valley and it seems like the Fox Valley has such a vibrant music scene. Why do you think that is?
There's a lot of small, independently owned bars in the Fox Valley. And I think there's a movement happening where more people are going out and seeing local live music because they need that connection.
I have to juggle playing music with a full-time career and being a dad and a husband. I have a 6-year-old and a 3-year-old.
I play my music as much as I am able to do so.
Q – Wow, you have a lot to juggle. Have you released an album yet? Is that a goal of yours?
It is a goal. I have 25 original songs right now that I've written.
It's going to happen hopefully sooner rather than later.
Q – As far as what you want your music to do for people, do you want to be able to have your listeners relate to what you are singing about?
I want to put a smile on someone's faceand I want to put a tune in somebody's head. You want to be memorable.
Q – Do you think your heritage plays a part in your music or do you try to instill your heritage into your music?
I think my personality is 100 percent Scottish and it comes through when I perform live. I think people find that entertaining, which definitely helps with the delivery at times.
Q – It seems like you have a pretty good bond with other musicians.
I think I have a good bond withpeople in general. I connect with people.
That's part of being an artist. And I think that stems from the way I was brought up.
I'm writing songs now that I would have never written a year ago because I didn't feel confident in opening up memories or emotions.
Being around other musicians, I can be genuinely more supportive and understanding when they are writing. And I think that helps me.
Me being confident helping someone else be confident helps my confidence.
Q – What goals do you have in the near future?
I'm currently focused on recording and releasing an original song – hopefully before the end of the year.
I also want to be an opening act for like a big name band. And really that's a lofty goal.
