When you write about music for a living, your personal and professional lives often blur, forcing you to draw some difficult lines when it comes to which projects you cover and how. It’s not just a matter of journalistic ethics; it’s also a practical concern. The gig is to be as objective as possible, and you can’t be completely objective about an album made by, say, a close pal with whom you’ve collaborated on musical and media endeavors, who’s charmed the hell out of your mom, and who’s trusted you to babysit his kid.
When people describe indie venues as the heart of a community, it’s because local music champions like Rick help make them that way. And that spirit doesn’t depend on whether there are bands onstage—as long as people are bonding through music in a shared space, the attraction can be a DJ set, a gear swap, a fundraiser, a record sale, or just the good company. Rick definitely understood that. When he started a family in the mid-2010s, he transferred his nightlife skills into his wedding DJ business, Ten Twelve Entertainment, and continued to work with underground bands as cofounder of apparel company First Rodeo.
