Fulton Bryant-Anderson
Guest Writer
“There’ve been so many different iterations, always very loud,” says Col (pronounced Call) Bauer of Tucson band Closet Goth. Bauer and Closet Goth are used to represent the same person.
Bauer writes all the songs, schedules the shows and makes Closet Goth, Closet Goth; somewhat. Their 2018 album Friendship Village is a window into a world entirely different from our woodland campus. I caught up with Bauer over Zoom to learn about what made Friendship Village an everlasting symbol of artistic expression and how it connects music to community.
“I’m the only person who has ever written a Closet Goth song,” said Bauer.
Why? It’s Arizona’s non-committal music scene where everyone wants “eyes on their music” in the hundred mile wide Phoenix and Tucson. Bauer would rehearse one-on-one with a revolving cast of bandmates due to the distance. Thus, Closet Goth evolves with each release. For example, they’re an artpunk with 2018’s Friendship Village and a dance-set all-star with Heat-Oppressed Brain. It all depends upon who is available.
This is not a bad thing even if Bauer wants a collaborative band (and is getting one right now). Closet Goth’s evolution represents a strong sense of artistic unity and connects the music to community whether it be intentional or not. 2018’s Friendship Village captures that.
Closet Goth recorded Friendship Village in two days during Oct. 2017 and mixed in three stages at Audioconfusion with Arizona legend Jalipaz. Bauer didn’t receive a final master until Jan. 20, 2018. Unlike Bauer, they sat on the album for a few months and released it April 6, 2018 on their former label, Warped Your Records.
The recording sessions of Friendship Village show artistic integrity and the non-committal nature of Arizonan music. Three individuals contributed highly: Bauer, Nick Kivi (drummer), and engineer Jalipaz. “It was just me and Nick really just bouncing off ideas” and recreating older Closet Goth songs according to Bauer. Other contributors include Bauer’s long-time best-friend Aaron Ponzo who played one-note on a Casio keyboard, Alexis Molina and a broken Moog synthesizer that only played b flat. Everyone came and went, people performed and didn’t, it was transitive. Bauer maintained their vision throughout.
The album’s process spawned ways to overcome adversity. Bauer reworked various old songs like Anime Club and It’s Lit into their current format making them staples of Closet Goth’s repertoire. They even played a piano part they learned on the spot.
“I don’t think I have slept more in my life after the second day,” said Bauer upon the completion of Friendship Village. Once released, Friendship Village was pushed through a relentless touring schedule and promo campaign designed by Bauer.
Bauer’s big break through a tweet. In it, Bauer replied to a simple mistake. “I quote retweeted we’re from Arizona, that was it” in response to a picture of Closet Goth saying they’re from Texas stated Bauer. Needless to say, Bauer received a hefty royalty check that month and jaded feelings about promo.
I asked Bauer about the 2018 Friendship Village Tour where I first saw Closet Goth at the Machine Shop Arcade in Langley, Washington.
Anything and everything happened on The Friendship Village Tour. Bauer and Co. opened for their punk rock heroes Against Me! Laura Jane Grace of Against Me! complimented a drummer’s gloves. Their radiator blew up 11 minutes from a repair shop at the Canadian Border when questioned about firearms. Personalities were so intense that they were annoying.
On tour Closet Goth roll with the punches and expect the unexpected. “Be true to yourself and just eat fucking food” Bauer told me. It’s about savoring the moment. A skill developed by Bauer’s experiences off the road as a DIY show promoter.
Bauer cut their teeth in the Phoenix and Tucson DIY scenes by booking shows. The guidance from Logan Greene at Groundworks or old punks at the Rat Trap helped Bauer get involved. Bauer booked shows night after night at The Trunk Space for anyone and everyone. In turn, Bauer went on, and made off-tour to make connections, friendships to embody the term “self-expression” and unintentionally learn personal boundaries.
Even if Col Bauer is one-hundred percent Closet Got, they develop communities and symbolize the power of artistic expression. In the last few months, Bauer and a new cast and crew are creating new Closet Goth music. It’s laden with Marshall Full Stacks and politically charged, labor-centered jams. Bauer’s artistic skill also finds them playing bass in Dogbreth or the most Arizona band in the world.
Closet Goth’s city of Tucson realizes that it’s “kind of shitty, it’s a universally agreed upon thing” and makes the most of it. DIY venues and community spaces are in hibernation but gaining strength. Groundworks, headed by Bauer’s mentor Logan Greene, installed art installations all over Tucson for “Creation in Isolation.” Tucson is thriving, artistically. Bauer’s current work with Dogbreth, Closet Goth, and new work with other friends reflects this.
Col Bauer or Closet Goth is a symbol of artistic expression and community. Bauer’s 2018 album Friendship Village is a case-study into their ethos. Supporting local music scenes allow us to grow, foster friendships and learn about ourselves. If it weren’t for the Groundworks or The Machine Shop, Bauer or myself wouldn’t be able to tap into the fountain of community.
To support Closet Goth visit their bandcamp, closetgoth.bandcamp.com. I recommend listening to Friendship Village and the songs 17-Year Old Liar, Heartbreak Kid, and Digital Reference. Supporting local venues can be tough, my favorite nearby all-ages DIY venue is Real Art Tacoma. So, investigate and find your scene, get involved, and give what you can to ensure music is accessible to anyone and everyone regardless of their identity.
