Staying creative during lockdown
For most musicians, the shutting down of music venues came as a bit of a shock. But for Sage Gateshead artist-in-residence Ruth Patterson — who's also a leader of the band, Holy Moly and the Crackers — complying with the lockdown meant race back to the north east… from Denmark.
“We were actually on stage when the Danish authorities announced their lockdown,” explains Ruth. “When we got offstage, the tour manager of the support band grabbed us and said, we've all got to go. When we went outside, everything was shut. There wasn't a single person on the street. It was like being in an apocalyptic film. So, we just got back home as quickly as possible, driving all day and all night, just in case the borders closed.”
The lockdown meant cancelling the final four weeks of the band’s European tour. And because Ruth has a health condition that requires regular immunosuppressant injections, she'll have to stay at home for longer than most of us. But she's finding lots of opportunities during this lockdown to stay creative, including building her own studio.
“I have rheumatoid arthritis and also Ehler's Danlos Syndrome so I use a wheelchair all the time to get around. It also means I'm more vulnerable because I have autoimmune disorders,” she says. “So, I've been advised to stay at home for the foreseeable future. No one really knows when the most vulnerable are going to be allowed out. However, as a disabled person, and as a chronically ill person, I'm quite used to this kind of thing — not being able to go out and do the things I want to do. So, I feel quite lucky actually, and I've been able to deal with it quite well.
“The first couple of weeks I spent eating lots of ice cream and watching funny films but then I decided to pull myself together and just get on with it. So my husband and I have turned our spare room into a studio, and in the last couple of weeks, we've started recording in it.”
A fully accessible studio is something Ruth says she’s always dreamed of having. “It means I can put everything that I have into the music and not be having to be carried around like I am usually. I need a lot of rest breaks, so this is ideal for me because I've got my bedroom right next door and after an hour or two of working, I can go and have a lay down.”
On June 26th, Ruth is releasing a new single — Sink or Swim — that she wrote during her residency at Sage Gateshead, with the help of composer and arranger Fiona Bryce. Ruth says the lockdown is making her songwriting “more universal”.
“My fragility is quite obvious and quite visible, but other people's maybe isn't. And I think we are realising that none of us is invincible. Everybody needs help, and I hope we’re learning to look after each other a bit more.”
Sage Gateshead is busy recruiting its next set of artists in residence. It’s looking for four artists across a range of genres who are among the most exciting in the region, artists at a pivotal point in their career where an ambitious project could open up new possibilities and move their work forward.
The residency runs from September to June and the deadline for applications is Friday the 12th of June. Visit here for more information.