Craig Shindler was a musician’s musician, a bassist, singer, and guitarist who walked the fine line between the accessible and the unconventional, the funky and the edgy. After some years playing bass, singing, and writing songs in the collaborative art-rock power trio K9 Arts (alongside Rich Trosper and Jim Duckworth), he went on to front his own groups to great acclaim. When he died of heart failure in New York in 2000, at the age of 34, all of musical Memphis was shaken by his loss.
This Saturday, October 14th, will witness a celebration of his talents by some fellow players from his band Mash-O-Matic, who will open for Big Ass Truck at Minglewood Hall, beginning at 8 p.m.
Due to Shindler’s untimely death, the popular Memphis rock trio came to an abrupt end just as they were hitting their stride. While there have been occasional concerts in tribute to Shindler in the years since, this will be a focused set by a single band, featuring Mash-O-Matic’s original members Clint Wagner on guitar/vocals (The Scam, Banyan, Devil Train) and Jay Sheffield on drums/vocals (The Scam, Mudflaps, Clanky’s Nub, Noisy Cats Are We), playing Shindler’s distinctive songs.
It’s telling that three people will be required to fill the void left by Shindler’s passing, as the onetime trio expands to include Chris Scott (Son of Slam, Mudflaps) on lead vocals, Jay Fite (The Scam, Noisy Cats Are We) on guitar, and John C. Stubblefield (Lucero) on bass.
Together, they will rekindle Shindler’s wide-ranging vision. That promises to bring some closure to musicians and fans who were caught off guard by his loss. Sheffield told The Commercial Appeal reporter Bill Ellis at the time of Shindler’s death, “I thought he was playing better than ever,” noting that his bass playing “was very percussive [yet] melodic … schooled but also front porch.” Suddenly, that was gone.
Shindler’s musicianship made an impression far beyond Memphis. Ellis reported that shortly after Shindler’s death, Mike Watt, bassist for the Minutemen and fIREHOSE, recalled meeting him after a K9 Arts show: “I dug him much. He was a sweet man and I was proud to be a fellow bassist along with him. I value the fact we shared that machine … He even let me use his for a bit.”
