Wally Williams, co-founder of Tequila Mockingbird, creative director extraordinaire, and one of my very favorite humans ever, answers some questions about the Austin live music scene, work, play, and creativity. Here we go.
Wally Williams
So, what do you do again?
I co-own Tequila Mockingbird, a commercial music company in Austin that has been in business for 20 plus years. My job there is to write and produce music and collaborate with composers, engineers, and clients. I also write and produce commercials through Copywriters Inc., a company I've had for 33 years.
When it comes to companies, I'm like the Rolling Stones--I never break them up.
What inspires you?
Right now, the song Mr. Mudd and Mr. Gold--live version by Townes Van Zandt in Houston. I play it constantly--as my friends and relatives will attest.
Also good songwriters, poets, my kids and grandkids, co-workers, clients, deadlines, young creative people just getting their wings, young creative
people starting their own companies, great producers and account people. Sicilian wine.
How lucky are you and why?
Incredibly. I stumbled into copywriting purely by chance and it turned out to be exactly what I was supposed to be doing. Then I stumbled into the music business a little less by chance and more by design and definitely with a little help from my friends--thank you Danny, Roy, Judy T, Herb & Colleen, Tom, Brian, Bryan, Rich T, Shayna, Janet and hundreds more--and it too was what I was supposed to be doing. I don't think I've ever had a day when I didn't want to go to work. On the personal front, I've even been luckier -- a 39 year marriage to a remarkable woman, 4 amazing kids, 6 brilliant grandkids and more loyal lifetime friends than anyone deserves.
What do you love about Austin?
Mainly the music: SXSW, ACLfest, local bands like Shiny Ribs, Bob Schneider, Wild Child, The Marshall Ford Swing Band. Bands that visit Austin frequently like Shovels & Rope and Houndmouth. Players and singers like Redd Volkaert, Erik Hokkanan, Charlie Sexton, James McMurtry, Cindy Cashdollar, Phoebe Cates, Alice Spencer, Kyle Crusham, Justin Tapp, Andrea Perry and more. The burgeoning film and advertising industry. The downtown real estate explosion with all its big buildings, new joints and beautiful women. (If I miss the old Austin, I just go bar hopping on the the east side.)
What were the major turning points that got you where you are?
1. Meeting Judy Kay Rogers Williams who recognized that although I was a certifiably crazy vet from that little thingy in Viet Nam who could barely string enough words together to make a sentence, I might be salvageable. So she helped me get back up in the saddle and we rode off together into the sunset.
2. Going to my 10-year high school reunion the summer I graduated from College (yeah, I know--lost decade) and running into Steve, a friend who was in my rock band in high school who had been an art director in Dallas for several years. He suggested I get in the business and after putting together a portfolio of sorts and interviewing ad agencies in Dallas for 4 months, he helped me get my foot in the door. And as Kevin Mote says "The only thing harder than getting into advertising is getting out."
3. My first Creative Director--Ben Vergati, who took a chance on me. And my ensuing Creative Directors--Paul Norris at Ogilvy and Guy Bommarito and Roy Spence at GSD&M who gave me the freedom and trust to go crazy with ideas. (Once, when Roy and I were gnashing our teeth over rum and diet Dr. Pepper, after a painful client meeting in which we were being pitted against another agency, I told him I had an idea that might bring the client back into our good graces and and get the other agency sacked. He said, "Don't tell me what it is. Just go do it. How much money do you need?" I said I thought 10K would do it. And it did.)
4. A major pitch I participated in with the Partners at GSD&M to retain the Southwest Airlines account which was successful and ultimately led me into doing so much original music for them, I was able to start Tequila Mockingbird.
5. And finally, starting Tequila Mockingbird with my partner, Danny Levin who introduced me to one of the most amazing music communities in the world.
What helps you access your creativity?
I don't put pressure on myself. I always trust in the process and it's never let me down…yet. Karen Lee taught me that trick. So I might go to bed with a huge unsolved concept and a mean-ass deadline looming over my head but I don't worry about it. I believe that if I've written all the dumb ideas down--which, I'm really good at--only the smart ones remain and somehow, they magically surface before the presentation. It's weird.
What are a couple of your most memorable projects?
1. Writing a radio spot called Blood & Guts for the Texas Department of Transportation which won a gold Radio Mercury Award. It took about 20 minutes to write--but it hovered in the concept stage for about 6 months because it began as a joke with my art director partner, Tom Gilmore, who turned it into a running joke (which he does with a lot of things) and kept it alive long enough for it to find it's rightful place.
2. The Southwest Airlines pitch in 92 which was basically GSD&M vs. The Richards Group. It involved intrigue, sleeplessness, people hellbent on winning, pranks, freebies from our suppliers, great work, drunkenness, more pranks, a hollywood set designer, people hidden in the walls, a vandalized billboard, a miraculous presentation by the partners, a lobby full of ad people singing "Stand By Me," and Roy standing on a table in the middle of a Mexican
Restaurant in Dallas at 10:30 in the morning with a shot of tequila in one hand and the words, "Drink up my friends, for tomorrow we ride at dawn," issuing from his mouth, (I believe for the first time.)
3. Working with Johnny Cash who liked a certain Nashville hot dog and Jack Palance who told stories about shooting spaghetti westerns with Briget Bardot in the 60's in Italy which he followed with one-arm push ups at dinner.
Best Austin experience?
Listening to my youngest son play the amazing songs he writes.
What’s your toughest demon?
My youngest son.
Favorite place to hear live music in Austin?
The parking lot at Tequila Mockingbird. And after that, Threadgill's South--both outdoor venues, you'll notice, because most clubs here have pretty lame sound systems. But I do like the Gallery and the Saxon Pub if I'm sitting in the right place. And BYOC rocks.
What do you wish someone had told you 10 or 20 years ago?
To buy the lighting fixture building on west 5th. Or the Cothron's Keys building on east 4th. Or the building behind Chuy's. Or the building across from Whole Earth on Lamar, or about 10 other places which were all basically around 500K. I guess that's called non-buyer's remorse.