Ween’s Claude Coleman, Jr. Bridges Past and Future with SoundSpace Asheville (INTERVIEW)

Asheville, North Carolina is a town with a growing reputation as a mecca for up and coming musicians, as well as a popular stop on the touring circuit for many big name acts. It’s true that you can hardly spit in any direction without hitting a hopeful troubadour with a song and guitar, and on any given night there’s a show for almost any mainstream taste in the many venues scattered across this compact city in the mountains. But despite the abundance of music to be heard, Claude Coleman, Jr. immediately noticed one significant element lacking when he relocated to Asheville a few years ago. The multi-instrumentalist, best known for his long-term gig as the drummer for the bizarrely fabulous alternative rock band Ween, couldn’t find a single dedicated practice space.

At the time, Ween had split up and had no plans to reunite — at least, not as far as anyone knew at that point. That left Coleman with plenty of time on his hands to focus his energy on his various other gigs, along with teaching lessons and doing session work with other artists. He realized right away that there was a gap in the local music industry that desperately needed filled.

An Idea is Sparked

“When I moved to Asheville four years ago, it was immediately apparent to me that I had no available space to practice music, and it was an impedance on my workflow and productivity. I was trying to practice drums, I was trying to teach, so I had to use Anthony [Dorion]’s studio when I first got here, and that was my first introduction to the difficulty of finding spaces to practice and teach. It was instantly an issue as soon as I got here, and that’s when it began. We’ve been trying to develop this for four years, and it’s taken this long because we’ve had to find the right property owner who would support what we’re doing and not charge us an arm and a leg. There’s a real development boom going on and everyone is sitting on a gold mine… so it took a while for us to find a place. And then we just happened on this place.”

“This place” is the old Rabbit’s Motel. It sits on a prime piece of real estate in a neighborhood known as the South Slope, an area that has seen a huge boom in recent years as Asheville’s popularity and tourist industry push its downtown boundaries farther and farther out. At first glance, it’s just a rundown property waiting to be gobbled up by another high-end hotel or hipster brewery, but the history of Rabbit’s Motel is deep and profound, and that’s what turned Coleman’s vision into something even bigger.

Claude Coleman, Jr. and Brett Spivey survey the back of the restaurant at the old Rabbit’s Motel, which will soon be home to SoundSpace Asheville.

A Forgotten Part of Asheville’s History

Coleman and his business partner, Brett Spivey, had been already been thinking about purchasing an old motel to convert into the space they had in mind. “It’s kind of pre-built for that. It’s cool when you can just pull up to your room and load in and out, it’s easy.” He liked the space when he initially saw it, but had no idea about the history of it until after his real estate agent suggested he look it up.

“I went home and looked it up, and this whole world of history just unfolded, it’s still unfolding. It’s like a rabbit hole going on and on and on.”

The motel, it turns out, was also home to a soul food kitchen, where four generations of the Byrd family kept it running. Members of the family “would leave where they lived, leave New York or wherever, and come back just to keep the place going. Rabbit was the original owner, he was apparently very fast, and that was where everyone in the Black community ate before desegregation. This whole area was like a cosmopolitan metropolis; you had a lot of Black businesses here, it was like a hot spot. Rabbit’s was a Black-owned motel, and Asheville was a stop on the Chitlin’ Circuit. That means that every Black entertainer, every musician, every celebrity, every notable figure during that time before desegregation, they all stayed here and were part of this scene. That makes this place a real landmark.” Coleman notes that Count Basie and Duke Ellington are among the many legends who are known to have stayed at Rabbit’s Motel, along with teams from the Negro Baseball League as they passed through town.

After more than half a century in operation, Rabbit’s Motel closed early in the 21st century. In 2017, a fire broke out in the restaurant; fortunately, there wasn’t much structural damage, and you can still see much of the original charm among the charred walls and doors. It’s an eerie feeling, strolling through the property and hearing about some of the history. At the same time, listening to Coleman and Spivey talk about their plans for the space, it’s easy to envision the future there.

Finding History

SoundSpace Asheville closed on the McDowell Street property in early June, and while they wait on the multiple inspections and permits to come through so the remodeling can start, they’ve been clearing out the space and wading through mountains of history. Much of it is old paperwork, receipts dating back to the early 1980s, a paper trail leading back to when Rabbit’s was still thriving. But in the last motel room he cleared, Spivey found a treasure that would link Rabbit’s past to the present.

“A friend of mine told me about the jukebox that used to be in the restaurant,” Spivey said. “In that motel room, I found hundreds of original jukebox 45s — the records that were originally played in there.” He’s been sorting through them, doing whatever he can to preserve the ones that are salvageable, in hopes of using them in the new restaurant. The goal is to find a jukebox as close to the original as they can, and bring back the sounds of Rabbit’s bustling kitchen as it was in its heyday. From Nat King Cole to Diana Ross to ZZ Hill and James Brown, it’s a collection that served as the soundtrack to what was once a thriving and prosperous African-American community in the heart of the segregated South. It’s a scene that Coleman and Spivey hope to bring back into focus, paying homage to an invaluable part of history and embracing a model of diversity in the most authentic way possible: through music, art, community, and great food.

Moving Forward

“It started out as an idea for a practice space, and it’s turned into this sort of larger than life idea for the restoration, paying tribute and honoring the history of this place. It’s a little personal to me, because the history of Blacks in Asheville is kind of rough,” Coleman reflects. Although the city is known in some circles as being a sort of liberal, diverse oasis in the cultural desert of the Bible Belt, it’s still a very geographically segregated city, and there’s a lingering pain among many residents who saw their neighborhoods taken over in the name of progress while their families were relocated to housing projects and undesirable neighborhoods.

In a previous interview, Coleman talked about how music can be the thing that brings people together and keeps us from falling apart in trying times. The reality is that music wouldn’t be what it is today if it weren’t for the many Black musicians who brought their art to the people, even during times of segregation. Rabbit’s Motel was key in bringing exceptional artists to Asheville, and its respectful restoration feels like a step toward fostering community at a time that it’s so urgently needed.

Response to the project has been overwhelmingly positive.  “I adore living here, it’s been great for me. We’ve had a lot of people really supporting us in this,” says Coleman. Still, it hasn’t been an easy process. Coleman and Spivey looked at multiple properties before finding Rabbit’s, but most ended up being sold to business that cater to the tourist and newcomer industry — breweries and spas, surrounded by towering condominium complexes. When they approached the city about the project, they were met with confusion. “They didn’t know how to classify us,” says Spivey. “They wanted to know if the people coming to us were going to leave with a finished product. They can, some of them might end up making a CD, but that’s not what it’s about. We got there, though.”

Beyond the Practice Space

As Coleman and Spivey searched for the right spot for SoundSpace Asheville, they began to realize that the needs of the local music community went well beyond a simple lack of practice space. Acknowledging the fact that many musicians and artists struggle with depression and other mental illness, they started to explore the idea of making SoundSpace Asheville something even bigger. Looking at successful programs like Nuci’s Space in Athens, GA, Spivey and Coleman broadened their plans to include a musicians’ resource center. Although still in the planning stage, they’re envisioning a comprehensive health and human services center, connecting those in the creative community — and other areas, such as those in the service industry — with resources related to everything from medical care to affordable housing.

The team describes phase one of SoundSpace Asheville as a “pop-up shop,” a launching point for the larger project. Once the four practice rooms are complete, they’ll shift focus to the restaurant and lounge at the original site of Rabbit’s Motel. From there, they plan to add a second location, giving them 10 times the number of practice spaces, a central location for their offices and resource center, a second kitchen with a larger lounge, and space for live music performances.

Bridging the Past and the Future

 

While SoundSpace Asheville is a continuous work in progress, the heart of the project remains at Rabbit’s Motel. This is where locals will find their favorite dishes cooked and served up by Clarence Robinson, a member of the Byrd family who grew up behind the motel and happens to be a world-renowned chef. Musicians will hang out in the repurposed motel rooms and at the bar, prepping for that night’s gigs while The Supremes help wash the whiskey down. The walls will be graced with murals by artists like Tommy Lee and Tarah Singh, bringing life and color to a landscape dominated largely by the dull beige of gentrification. The goal is for Rabbit’s beloved kitchen to become a functional museum, showcasing the past while launching a new generation of musicians toward the future.

“We’re breaking the mold here in Asheville,” says Brett Spivey. “We’ve started a fire with this thing, and the embers are going to fly out and spark more and more.” For those Asheville residents who are ready to see more passion and authenticity on the music scene and continued progress toward building a community that embraces creativity and heart no matter what color skin it lives in, it’s a fire that they hope spreads far and fast, burning down any obstacles in the way.

We’ll be following the progress of SoundSpace Asheville and bringing you updates as each phase is complete.

 

 

  • Phase one of SoundSpace Asheville includes turning the existing motel rooms into practice spaces; some will be offered at an hourly rate and others will be offered to bands at a lockout rate, available to them 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This phase also includes the addition of an office and common area with restrooms. Phase one is expected to be open fall 2018.
  • Phase two includes reopening the restaurant as an authentic soul food kitchen, featuring chef Clarence Robinson. This phase includes studio and practice space which will be available for lease upstairs, and should be open by summer 2019.
  • Phase three includes expansion to a larger site, which will serve as the hub of SoundSpace Asheville. This site will include many more rehearsal spaces, a second kitchen and lounge, a venue for live music, and introduction of the human services aspect of SoundSpace.

 

Claude Coleman, Jr. is the drummer for Ween, as well as the guitarist and lead singer for Amandla. Amandla’s latest album, Laughing Hearts, is available now on vinyl.

Brett Spivey can be found under the name Bretts Milk on Psychofon records. He’s currently recording his next album, “Cowboy” (featuring Claude Coleman, Jr. on drums) with his band Inspected by 13.

 

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