My Page: The Band of Heathens’ Ed Jurdi ‘Life Isn’t Everything’
With the future still incredibly uncertain, The Band of Heathens singer/guitarist looks to his band’s ever-strong fellowship for support.
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Standing in the shadow of December, waiting for the light to come. As I tried to move forward through the minefield that was 2020, it was nearly impossible not to reflect on all that has happened and recognize how the events of the past 12 months have forever refocused my perspective.
It feels like, every day, we are at a collective crossroads, where the yin and the yang are no longer metaphors; they simultaneously pull us down toward the dark and up toward the light.
I believe that I’m an optimistic thinker, but whether that’s true or not, I honestly couldn’t say. I tend to subscribe to the philosophy of the late, great Mike Nichols who often quipped, “Life isn’t everything.”
I know that sounds like a bizarre sentiment, but I think I know what he’s getting at. There’s some incredibly dark shit lurking around every corner, and without an ability to laugh at ourselves in the face of said darkness, life would be an insufferable slog, designed to defeat even the strongest of wills.
You may be asking, “Where the hell is he going with this?”
Thanks for asking; it’s about time that I get down to what I’m trying to say.
My strength has always come from the support and encouragement of those closest to me. I know it’s a complete cliché and even may come across as a bit corny, but my family is the source of all of my strength; they are my raison d’etre.
I wanted to offer a clearer understanding of what the word “family” meant, so I consulted the Merriam-Webster dictionary. Although none of the definitions met all of my criteria, this best summarized my sentiment:
4a: A group of people united by certain convictions or a common affiliation: Fellowship.
Before I wax poetic about the fellowship that I belong to, let me first say that I am incredibly fortunate that I grew up in a home with two loving parents and a wonderful sister. I’ve continued that streak of good luck into adulthood by marrying the love of my life (16 years now) and being the proud father of an amazing girl, who is, all too rapidly, becoming a young woman. I constantly look to them for reassurance and support when I am unsure about myself or uncentered in my world.
OK, now that we’ve covered the bases, let’s dive in.
My band, The Band of Heathens, is a fellowship.
We are united by a set of convictions.
We are believers in the healing and loving power of music. Each member of the band could testify to the idea that music has inexorably enriched their lives and, in many cases, saved them. In return, we have had the privilege of being invited into the hearts and minds of our fans, who, over the past 15 years, have become friends and supporters of our dreams. They have championed us.
It is incredibly humbling and rewarding to have received a gift like music. The idea that we have been empowered to pass it on to others is a dream come true. It’s a full-circle experience.
This hasn’t been an easy ride. We’ve gone through all of the challenges that life can throw at you. There have been fights. There have been friends that have left. There have been times of questioning, of wondering if all the time away from our loved ones at home can be justified.
The ultimate irony is that I’m not sure I could have honestly answered that question until 2020—the year that kept us apart from each other more than ever before. I honestly haven’t been home this much in my entire adult life.
You’ve heard the old trope that absence makes the heart grow fonder? Well, I can tell you, firsthand, there is some truth in that.
We have rallied together as a group and supported each other like never before in our 15-year career. We have pushed ourselves creatively, learned more about what we’re made of as individuals and collectively passed the 2020 shitshow with flying colors.
We’ve always loved working together and making music. I not the way that we made a living each of us—in our own way—would still figure out how to write, create and play music. It’s essential to our being.
That said, our fellowship is so incredibly lucky that we have another common affiliation, outside the bonds of brotherhood that exist within the band—the fans.
It’s not my style, nor that of the band to brag, boast or toot our own horn to be heard above others, but I gotta say, we have the best fans.
They have allowed us into their worlds and, in turn, we have provided a soundtrack to their lives. Remember, our fans are like family. They’ve experienced all of the triumphs and failures with us.
When the pandemic put an immediate end to touring— and, in essence, the lifeblood of our business—we were able to pivot and start livestreaming. As of press time, we have done 35 consecutive weeks of The Good Time Supper Club, a Tuesday night music/variety show.
The fans, or “Heathens,” as they like to call themselves, immediately jumped on board and offered financial and emotional support.
They have become our lifeline and I think, in many ways, we have become theirs. We’ve been there with and for each other as time has passed— as this long, strange, not-so[1]cool trip has gone on.
As we move toward brighter days and start to return to the normal rhythm of life, let’s not forget the people who are always there for us.
There’s always plenty of room under this big-top circus tent. Y’all are welcome anytime as part of our family.
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The Band of Heathens released their seventh album, Stranger, in September. For the sessions, the Austin-bred group decamped to Portland, Ore., to work with producer Tucker Martine, whose credits include The Decemberists, My Morning Jacket and Camera Obscura.
