Like They Were…remembering loved ones in aid of Manchester Mind

This month we caught up with local creative Robin Koob, also known as “Run Remedy”, to discuss her forthcoming single “Like They Were” and music night in aid of Manchester Mind…

Who is Run Remedy and what are your influences?   The name ‘Run Remedy’ is a bit of an inside joke about my need to run away from hard things before looking back to heal. Music has always been part of that process. I only write to tackle the hard stuff and need to ‘think with my mouth open’ as my Mom used to say.  I’m a literal runaway too, as a queer kid raised in evangelical America, and have been running since. I’d lived in over 5 countries before settling in Manchester.  Music wise, I’m a classically trained violinist gone rogue – a gun for hire for anything from black metal to indie pop, complete with a range of guitar pedals to make my fiddle sound like just about anything. I’d always been a happy band mate who wrote my own songs on the side and in the last couple years I finally decided to bring my creations to the surface. I very kindly get compared to artists like Feist, Weyes Blood and Sharon Van Etten, who all dabble in the kind of tongue-in-cheek tragedy of my own indie Americana style. And here, well I’ve always just wanted to be Randy Newman.

 What inspired you to write your new single and host the music night in aid of Manchester Mind?  The song ‘Like They Were’ poured out of me an hour after I got a call about the death of my friend, Ryan by suicide. I guess I knew I was going to get that call someday, but really hoped I never would. When I did, I was so angry with him and missed him so much all at the same time.  Maybe the song was me trying to talk to him again. Another local friend and talented freak, Sean Rogan, helped me record it in London and once I got the OK from Ryan’s family, I proceeded to not release it for a year. How could I? It felt strange to treat it like any other song.  It was only when friends nudged me enough and someone suggested releasing it in association with a charity that I felt I could.  I reached out to the local Manchester Mind team and was met with such a kind and supportive response from Joanna, a total stranger – it threw me – but I knew it was the right charity to work with. Then my friend’s very talented sister, Rosie Humpage, offered to paint the artwork and away we went.

Can you tell us more about the collective of artists working with you for this special event “Like They Were” on 30 May?   Thanks to my ‘string for hire’ ways, I’ve ended up meeting and playing with many wonderful local musicians in Manchester. I even began a local music night (Sunday Best Music) with friends over two years ago, focusing on under-represented groups of local artists. Still, it’s a delicate subject, so I put feelers out first to see who would be interested. The response was incredible, which is both heart-warming and sad. At one point, I had too many people interested to play for one evening, but then I thought of Ryan, and how music is best served – shared. I asked artists to work in duos to create mini sets and everyone immediately got on board. As a result, the collaboration has become so diverse, with artists in genres from electro to pop, ambient folk and spoken word. The lineup includes combined sets from Ellen Beth Abdi + Teleshopping, Lav Rodriguez + kaoti, Jamie Henry + Benjamin Finney, Pippa Crossland + Molly Becker, Bay Bryan + Ryan Buxton…and finally Marnie Glum working with me as Run Remedy. Joanna and Finn at Manchester Mind have been there throughout this journey, as we work together to create a special space on 30 May, where everyone can come together in solidarity to remember loved ones.

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Our heartfelt thanks to Robin Koob and everyone contributing to this unique and important event.

We’ll be supporting Run Remedy and friends at “Like They Were” on Thursday 30 May at LowFour Studio, M3 4NE. Please join us, all proceeds in aid of our local mental services. Book your Skiddle tickets here

Listen to Run Remedy’s new single (from 23 May) and find out more about the artist at runremedy.com