By Mark Kneubuhl
Special to LIVE!
August 20, 2007

Playing in San Angelo for Austin Collins is as much a homecoming as it is a musical gig for the up-and-coming Austin-based band. Having played here several times, Collins told LIVE! that he “feels comfortable here.” Of course having a local escort helps: Guitarist Dillon McDougall has played with the band since its infant days when he moved to Austin from San Angelo.

To make things even more cozy, McDougall’s previous gig, before making that move to join the band, was bartending at the Steel Penny Pub (2412 College Hills, San Angelo, Texas) where his group played last Saturday night to a healthy and appreciative crowd.

The Angelo connection doesn’t stop there: Local singer/songwriter Daniel Makins used to play drums for the band and has co-written several songs with Collins, one of which “Witching Hour,” (Listen Here) is in contention for their chosen single off their up-coming CD, yet to be titled.

Just last month, Makins himself had released a new CD, Peanut Butter and Other Things I Know, at Fort Concho’s Quartermaster’s Gallery (see this story) .

Collins, who plays a unique kind of country-alt/Americana, is a little bit of a newcomer to the Texas music scene, having spend some years pursuing a degree in business and finance from The University of Texas. But in 2005, his music gained greater heights for the 29-year-old from Houston: first in the release of his debut album Something Better (Fat Caddy Records, 2005) and then, just a few months later, when his band played the 2005 Austin City Limits Music Festival to a standing-room-only crowd.

Since then, getting booked hasn’t been a problem, playing all the Austin, Dallas and Houston hotspots as well as a tour of the eastern United States and Europe.

LIVE! caught up with Collins and the band, as well as Daniel Makins at the Steel Penny last weekend; and minus the turkey, cranberry sauce and pecan pie, it truly did feel like a festive reunion.

LIVE!: How would you describe your music and who are your major influences?

Collins: I like to listen to Whiskeytown, Sunbolt and some of that dirtier country-alternative-punk stuff. In terms of our sound, I get kind of tired of explaining what kind of music we do. People always want to fit things into a neat little box so I just call our music ‘Americana’.

Daniel Makins enters…

Collins (to LIVE!): Do you know Daniel?

LIVE!: Oh yeah!

Makins (surprised): Oh, y’all talking in here? (begins to leave the room)

LIVE!: Come and sit down Daniel, we want to hear about your connection.

Makins: He (Collins) can tell you. (Jokingly) He won’t talk to me!

Collins: Yea, he still owes me one of his new CDs. He’s the best. (Makins leaves the room temporarily.)

LIVE!: Does the degree in finance help or hurt?

Collins: Well, I made terrible grades in school but I did get through it… and yeah, it helps. Right now we’re producing the new album and there are a lot of little things that come into play where my education has helped.

LIVE!: You’ve played Steel Penny several times before. You’re a veteran here and Dillon is a true-blue son of San Angelo. What’s it like playing here with all that history?

Collins: It’s like a family reunion… lots of hugs and kisses. We know everybody here. They’re really nice people.

LIVE!: I would guess that playing the Austin City Limits festival was a highlight in your career, how about the lows?

Collins: In the early days there were lots of low points, all having to do with keeping band members. There were times that I wasn’t even sure if one of our guys would even show up to get into the Suburban when it was time to go on the road. Back then I’d get up to perform with my fingers crossed, hoping that everything will play-out alright. But since Craig (drums) and Troy (bass) joined us about nine months ago, that’s all changed.

(Makins returns)

LIVE!: Daniel, if you were a reporter for San Angelo LIVE! what single question would you like to ask Austin Collins?

Makins: How many Daniel Makins songs are going to be on the new album?

Collins: I saw that coming! We’re actually going to have a couple of Makins’ co-writes on the new disk.

LIVE!: So you and Daniel collaborate fairly often?

Collins: Yeah, his dining room table is a fantastic place to write: Winston cigarettes, Budweiser beer and lots of peanut butter sandwiches. (Dillon enters)

LIVE! (to Dillon): How does it feel coming back to play in your home town?

Dillon: I love coming home but we only get to stay a few hours and off we go again.. on the road. But it’s still good.

And good it was… and more… The Austin Collins band wooed the crowd with two sets of music from their debut CD and their upcoming sophomore release.

The Austin Collins Band has shared the stage with the likes of Bob Schneider, James McMurtry, Brian Keane, the Eli Young Band, Honeybrowne, Mando Saenz, and Macon Greyson.

Collins plans to record his new album in September with a tentative target release date of Feb. 2008.