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The local music community has come together several times over the past year and a half to support Callum Robbins, the son of local music mainstay J. Robbins and Janet Morgan. Cal was diagnosed with a genetic motor neuron disease called Type 1 SMA, or Spinal Muscular Atrophy. As explained on the DeSoto records page supporting Cal,
The disease affects the brain's ability to communicate with the voluntary muscles that are used for activities such as crawling, walking, head and neck control, breathing, and swallowing. Type 1 SMA is usually fatal; most Type 1 babies will die before their second birthday. Those infants who survive into childhood are in for a long road of occupational therapy, wheelchairs, and assistive devices. Despite years of work on its treatment and "ongoing promising research," it has no cure.In addition to being incredibly difficult to deal with, it's also an incredibly expensive condition to treat and manage. Cal has surpassed the odds and is past the two year mark, which is amazing news. But he still needs some help! Deleted Scenes (former Three Stars subject and Unbuckled band), Caverns, The Bakerton Group and Hammer No More the Fingers are getting together tonight to hold another benefit show at the Black Cat to raise money for Cal's continued care. Here's what Kevin from Caverns had to say about Cal's current condition:
Cal is doing very well for the moment. J., like any proud parent, is always relating stories of amazing things Cal does and how resilient he has been throughout his young life. According to the literature on SMA, a huge milestone for an afflicted child is his or her second birthday. The mortality rate is very high prior to that time, so the fact that Cal has passed that age is a huge deal. However, even during relative "good times" life with SMA is extremely difficult due to the limited mobility it creates, the need for constant assistance supervision for the child, and the amount of physical therapy involved to keep the child's muscle strength and motor skills from declining. This is why doing a benefit show like the one on Friday can actually make a difference, because the day to day cost of care for a child like Cal really piles on top the normal expenses any family must endure. Every little bit friends can do to help offset that expense helps Cal lead a healthier and happier life.Because you all have hearts, you're probably convinced at this point to come to the Black Cat tonight, or at least to make a donation. But if you're not, a lighthearted band-on-band interview between a couple guys from Deleted Scenes and Caverns is after the jump.
Kevin (left) and Ross from Caverns and Fatty from Deleted Scenes
Kevin and Ross from Caverns and Fatty from Deleted Scenes interview each other while watching Lies and Crimes starring Estella Warren on Lifetime and drinking beers - ok, Zimas - at Kevin's place.
Kevin: Ross can you ask Fatty why his name is Fatty?
Ross: Ok, Kevin...Fatty, why are you called Fatty?
Fatty: Ross, tell Kevin that Brian, the drummer for Deleted Scenes, gave me the nickname several years ago and it caught on like a flaming tub of lard.
Ross: Thanks Fatty, that was a graphic description, do you have anything you'd like to ask Kevin?
Fatty: Ask Kevin what he's doing this Friday.
Ross: Kevin, Fatty wants to know what's good this Friday.
Kevin: Well Ross, tell Fatty that's really none of his business but, if he has to know, I, along with you and Fatty and the rest of our respective bands are playing a really rad benefit show for Cal Robbins at The Black Cat. Doors are at 8, music starts at 9.
Ross: Kevin says it's none of your beeswax, but you're both playing a benefit for Cal Robbins.
Kevin: Ask Fatty who Cal Robbins is.
Ross: Fatty, who is Cal Robbins?
Fatty: I'd love to tell you about Cal, he's a pretty amazing little dude...but first could you ask Kevin to grab me a beer?
Ross: Sure...Kevin, could you grab Fatty a beer?
Kevin: I'm out of beer, but I could pour him a glass of shut the hell up and see how that goes down.
Ross: He'd love to...about Cal?
Fatty: Cal Robbins is a rad kid and the son of J. Robbins, one of my favorite musicians and producers of all time. He played in seminal DC bands such as Jawbox, Burning Airlines, Government Issue and Channels, and he's produced countless great records. Cal was diagnosed a couple of years ago with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) type 1. The money from this benefit along with previous benefits put on for Cal is going to the Robbins family, towards research for SMA and to raise awareness about the disease. There are some pretty advanced therapies that need a final push to be available to patients such as Cal. So people who go to this show will actually be helping out the Robbins family and other families that are effected by SMA. If Kevin knows how to use a computer, he can find more information at www.fightsma.org.
Ross: Wow, that's really great Fatty. Did you have something else to ask Kevin?
Fatty: Ask Kevin what's up with these other bands playing the show this friday.
Ross: Kev, the other bands on Friday- who are these people?
Kevin: Well, The Bakerton Group is a band that needs little introduction. They are the alter ego of DC's legendary Clutch and have worked many times with J. in the past. Hammer No More the Fingers are a great band from North Carolina that just finished recording a full length with J. last
month. It is going to be a great bill. Ross, ask Fatty if the Deleted Scenes stupid record is ever gonna come out.
Ross: Fatty, seriously, when is your stupid record coming out?
Fatty: Well, when we set out to make the record we felt stupid was a cool concept to explore. But then we started recording it with J. and our songs starting sounding a lot smarter. Now that we've taken the record for arrangement and mixing with L. Skell (of The Rude Staircase) things are sounding damn near genius. It's sweet to be involved with people that make us look like good musicians. MP3's will be available before out next DC show in July. Ross, ask Kevin when Cavern's monument to stupidity called Silk Scorpion will be unleashed on the unsuspecting public.
Ross: Kevster, what's the deal with Silk Scorpion?
Kevin: Well Ross, tell Fatty Silk Scorpion is being recorded by J. Robbins and will likely be out by the end of the year. We like it cause J. made it sound smarter than he made the Deleted Scenes record sound. Ask Fatty when I can look forward to him being out of town finally.
Ross: Fatty, you guys touring anytime soon?
Fatty: Yes, the majority of August we'll be doing a US tour. Tell Kevin that if I find out he even talked my girlfriend while I'm gone this time I'm gonna do a lot more than just not speak to him anymore. I swear we won't even watch Lifetime together anymore.
Ross: Alright guys.... The commercials are over, let's see if Cindy will find out who murdered her husband and got her hooked on speed. Do you guys think you can keep it together for the rest of the film?
Kevin: If Fatty can do anything, let's pray he can do that.
Ross: Fatty?
Fatty: Fine by me... But I'm surprised he isn't begging for the last word.
Ross: I'll take care of the last word, you guys can duke it out on FRIDAY NIGHT... which is JUNE 13th, when you guys share the stage together at THE BLACK CAT for the CALLUM ROBBINS BENEFIT SHOW we are collectively playing with THE BAKERTON GROUP and HAMMER NO MORE THE FINGERS. Hell, it'll be a great opportunity for anyone to chime in, considering it's only $12, and starts at 9:00pm!!!! And you whiners won't see a dime of it either, as ALL FUNDS WILL BE GOING TO THE CALLUM ROBBINS FUND.
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I think I can speak for most parents when I say that the next worst thing to learning that your child has a degenerative, terminal disease would be learning that it's an expensive, degenerative, terminal disease. AND your insurance (if you're lucky enough to have it) doesn't cover it.
Monkeyrotica & myself are contributors. I challenge y'all DCist-commenters to throw some $$ down for little Cal. May he see three years!