Hollis Knight Coats, the musical genius behind the band Manhole, recently decided to leave Ypsilanti for Portland, Oregon. Before he left, I tried to meet up with him on several occasions to discuss his decision to relocate. While I’d like to think that he wasn’t purposefully avoiding me, things never seemed to work out where we could get together. So, a week or two after he left for Portland, I decided to get on a plane and track him down. I finally caught up with Hollis at a place called Slim’s Cocktail Bar. What you are about to see is a not-so-dramatic reenactment of our actual conversation.
I knew when I started this project that I was going to hear some stuff that I didn’t like. I knew when I started asking Ypsi expatriates about why they’d made the decision to leave, I was get some stuff back in response that was negative. And this was one of those cases. While saying that he loved Ypsi, Hollis, as you’ve already seen, if you watched the video, calls it “a town where good ideas go to die.” He also suggests that those talented individuals who, for whatever reason, have decided to stay, aren’t “living up to their potential.” As I care very much for the small creative community that we have here, it’s with a certain amount of trepidation that I post this here tonight. I’d hate to think that someone might watch this video, agree with Hollis, and start packing their bags. But, as I see it, it’s a risk worth taking. I think if we’re ever going to make any real progress as a community, we’ve got to confront these issues head-on, and discuss them openly and honestly. So, there it is…. There’s the question of the day…. Do people with talent owe it to themselves to try making it in a bigger market? Or, conversely, is it possible to do something here in Ypsi that resonates nationally? I’m curious to know your thoughts.
Oh, and before anyone goes and gets too depressed about this video, I should mention that I’m working on an Ypsi Immigration Interview at the moment with a very cool individual who has just moved to town from San Francisco. So, there is an influx of talent and energy, even though some people, like Hollis, are leaving.
And, yeah, I know that I can’t edit video for shit. I need a production crew for this blog.
44 Comments
I cannot watch the video at the moment, but I would disagree with the idea that it’s a place where ideas go to die. One of the things I love about Ypsi are the number of ideas it has compared to how small it is. There are so many events, the Beer Fest, Elvis Fest, the Jamboree, the Heritage Fest, DIYpsi, and of course Krampus and the Shadow Art Fair….but my new and personal favorite (not that I’m biased) the Whip Stitch Craft Fair. I’m sure I’m missing some.
We’ve got the Riverside Arts Center, pianos in Depot Town, Spur….there was that cool project that Erica Hampton did. Not to mention how passionate people are about the community, through clean up projects. Oh, I forgot Crossroads too.
Not every idea is going to pan out, but there’s still plenty to be grateful for.
I don’t begrudge anyone the desire to leave Michigan. In fact, I’d encourage people to travel and experience life elsewhere (and then return with new ideas and enthusiasm), but I have an issue with the suggestion that people, just by the act of living here, aren’t living up to their potential. I can see how Hollis might have felt that way, but it’s not true for everyone. You can live outside of New York, California, and Portland, and still contribute mightily to American culture.
So, this morning as I was eating breakfast I checked out this video interview. And now I have something of a diatribe to share.
First, I have some questions for you, Mark.
How did you feel during the interview, when he was down on Ypsi? I wish you’d have posted more prior to the video about your feelings regarding this particular interview. Did you find doing the interview frustrating, given Hollis’s attributing his lack of success to having stayed in Ypsilanti? I feel that he’s copping out, not looking fully at himself and instead trying to find external factors for failure to fulfill his dreams.
Not that you didn’t defend Ypsi; you did call him out on his “where dreams go to die” crap.
My reactions are probably, well, hmm…. Okay, I didn’t finish watching the interview. Probably watched about five minutes.So maybe I’n not giving Hollis his due by leaving a comment on the site. Maybe he gets more interesting in the interview. Maybe he just doesn’t interview well. Maybe it’s all your fault? :-)
I stopped watching because I didn’t find Hollis engaging. The most interesting thing to me was that he had a cool beard. “Man,” I thought, “I wish I could grow a beard that thick.” Hollis seemed much more immature than someone who’s 30ish (I don’t know how old he is).
Watching the interview and having these reactions makes me feel like a dick, though. Yeah, I think Hollis is kind of a dick. But since I don’t know him, I feel like a dick for saying that, because all I’m basing my calling him a dick on is this brief interview you did with him. And not even the whole interview at that.
I’m pretty sure I’m grabbing onto too many of my own insecurities and my own way of looking at the past. I always grew weary of artists I knew who blamed shit other than themselves for their lack of being able to gain the recognition they wanted. Blaming where you are? Yeah, sure, you can do that. But that’s easy. Lumping the people you leave behind into this “never live up to their potential” category: you’re really trying to justify your own exodus.
Maybe he gets more introspective later in the piece, but I turned off the interview because Hollis didn’t quickly establish any credibility with me. Maybe those who know him enjoy it? Who is Hollis, other than a guy with a cool name and cool beard? I mean, I don’t know why I should care he’s left Ypsi. I’ve heard a few Manhole songs. Wasn’t impressed (yes, I’m grumpy old man). So what else has he done? He drops out of college after four years as a freshman? Fine. College isn’t for everyone, I know. I don’t begrudge him that. But he’s in Portland now living with some dudes. That’s fine, too. And Portland’s awesome. There are jobs to find when he gets around looking for a job? Really? I mean, he doesn’t need to have a job. I don’t know his circumstances and don’t care how he lives. But none of it impresses me or makes me want to listen to him. His whole ennui with where he’s been schtick was very tiring, overused.
Why did he leave Ypsilanti? I don’t care.
Ugh. Mr. Anonymous Grump, you suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck. Your problem is that you just don’t care. You don’t care! And that’s a crime. You don’t care enough about Mark or Hollis to watch an 11 minute video. That’s lazy. That’s ennui. It’s cynical and annoying. As far as Hollis being a dick — you’re worse. You’re an anonymous, internet dick which is soooooo wimpy.
I don’t expect that anyone will drop what they’re doing and start packing their bags based upon what Hollis says in this interview, but I know it crosses everyone’s mind sooner or later that, if they were in a bigger media market, they might have a better shot of making a name for themselves. And I don’t think you can really criticize him for articulating that. As for him stating that others who don’t share this believe aren’t living up to their potential, well, I think that’s offensive. Maybe he didn’t mean it as such, though. Maybe he’s just saying that we have a lot of talented people in Ypsi who should be making a living doing what the love. And I’d agree with that. We do. But that doesn’t mean that it’s impossible to do it here. It also doesn’t mean that these people don’t have legitimate reasons for staying here. It’s not always fear and laziness that keeps people here. There’s a certain freedom that comes with living in a small, supportive town, where you have easy access to talented contributors.
I didn’t find it depressing. He seems a little confused, but mostly like someone who needs a new experience so he can gain more perspective. And he’s right that Ypsi is a small town. Sometimes that’s just not what you want.
Good luck Hollis.
You’re just jealous, Forest, that your exit interview didn’t elicit such an impassioned response.
I think I was decrying the lack of passion. Dood wrote an awful lot about how he straight-up don’t give a fuck.
Waitaminute! Do I really look like somebody who lives in Portland? Weird.
Am I the only person considering moving somewhere colder with less people?
Winsor McKay left Ypsi and moved to Chicago. Another move took him to Cincinnati, where he’d start to make a name for himself doing “chalk talks” on the vaudeville circuit, and, eventually, drawing cartoons. I’m having fun imagining what he might have said to Mark, had Mark hunted him down in 1889, as he contemplated his move to Chicago. I wonder how much stuff like this really changes. People will always want to leave and seek adventure, fame and fortune. It’s part of our American DNA.
I come at this from maybe a different angle. I’m not from Michigan – I grew up in KC and Tulsa, went to school in central Kansas and then moved to the hip town of that moment – Austin. I gotta tell you guys, this is a fucking paradise on earth.
“I don’t expect that anyone will drop what they’re doing and start packing their bags based upon what Hollis says in this interview, but I know it crosses everyone’s mind sooner or later that, if they were in a bigger media market, they might have a better shot of making a name for themselves.”
When you become a bit older and more grounded—dare I say, “enlightened”—you may just find that the point of life is precisely the opposite of “making a name for oneself.” It’s actually to disappear “anonymously” into community. And this community is pretty excellent; Portland is, too. Everywhere is everywhere else.
Paradoxically (depending, of course, on your political and artistic predilections), whether you’re in Brooklyn, Kalkaska, or Manoa, some of the most compelling works of culture come from those making the least amount of effort towards self-promotion and fame-finding. In other words, follow your bliss, and the rest will follow naturally.
Right on JC.
I like when Jesus Christ steps in sets things straight.
It’s like when Marsellus Wallace is pulled into Pulp Fiction.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMbAANfUJhI
I’m with Edward and kjc — anybody who’s spent their entire adult life to date living in one place should fix that. Either find the place you’d rather be, or bring yourself to the realization that the place you were *is* the place you’d rather be. Some years ago, my siblings and I were all living in other states (in 3 different countries, for a while, if the UP counts), and now we all live within an hour of the house we grew up in. Had to leave to come back.
My congratulations on Hollis on taking that step.
Mark, any plans to investigate in terms of bigger picture on the perceived exodus? I can’t say I’m not dreaming of pacific northwest (though frankly I’m dreaming of Not This Country).
Mr. X, I’m a little surprised you don’t better articulate the value of “making a name for yourself” and “making a life for yourself” (and life for those in your life).
And, while Ypsilanti may not be the best place on earth to ejaculate your name, I have some doubt that the thousands of “talent unequal to their dreams people” who leave small places like Ypsi, suddenly find their dreams alive and pulsing out happy cash filled adoration in places like NYC, LA or Portland.
Ypsi is a small town. It’s pretty cocky to think that our 20 thousand something will be flooding the national airwaves. It’s also a bit insulting and clouded to suggest that people here aren’t meeting their potential. Potential for what? Record sales? Household income? Consumption? Kindness to neighbors? Laughter? Love? Sex? Obesity? Porn? Violence? TV watching? Workplace productivity? I’m sure I’m not meeting my potential on any number of the above. I just wish I knew what my “potential” was. I’ve probably defined it poorly, as I’ve thought of my potential as somehow related to how I interact with others, rather than a name I carefully build for myself.
I made tomatoes this summer and swam in pretty lakes. I loved my family and friends. In short, I didn’t reach my potential. I would do better in Portland!
Oh, and Patrick, no you’re not alone. Grand Marais is my wet dream, and I long for the Hudson Bay. Trouble is, all my friends are here in Ypsi. They are constantly thwarting my potential.
(This shouldn’t be perceived as an attack on Hollis, troubled soul, I wish him well, but on Mark, who should know better.)
Whereas I wish Hollis the best of luck with whatever it is that he endeavors to do, after listening to this I bet that a move anywhere else would have sufficed. Look, I think that regardless of your mindset and chosen way of life there’s probably a nagging voice in the back of your head that starts to get louder when you hit about 26 that tells you to get on with life a bit – especially in a college town. You get to see your friends grow and move on, maybe they have career type jobs, maybe they’re starting families, and you kind of see yourself stuck in the same place you were when you were 21-22. You have two options: Change your reality (i.e. join your friends in the inevitable march towards adult), or change the reality around you where that lifestyle is more accepted (i.e. move to Portland).
As far as Ypsi being a place where dreams go to die, that’s totally wrong – that title belongs to the state of Florida. I left Ypsi back in 2007 to be closer to where I work and I’ve regretted it, and wish Ypsi’s public school system were a bit better so I could in good faith move back. I thought of it as moving on back at the time but what I realize I miss so much is that sense of community that Ypsi fostered – those parkside events with different people and not the vapid, soulless, mass produced doggerel that passes as public entertainment in the burbs.
Having spent a bunch of time in Portland, I think that Hollis is going to miss that about Ypsi as well. Mofos in Portland are really, really mean. Big cities cannot compare with smaller towns when it comes to sense of community. Plenty more dreams have navigated their way to those streets and died. Once again, I wish Hollis the best of luck in what it is that he does, but I hope that he keeps in mind that for every Jack White, hell, every ICP, there’s 25,000 people that wish they were and are now 40 and still doing the house party circuit for a living.
“Mofos in Portland are really, really mean.”
you lost me a bit here. just sayin’.
Maybe he just means their are a lot of talented people in ypsi that aren’t doing shit and that’s what’s depressing and not discrediting the ones who are. If anyone is upset about his opinion maybe you’re the one who is taking it personally because you’re not living up to your own standerds of creativity. Honestly in my own opinion there is enough of that in ypsi and when you are close to people who are very talented and creative and you see them not happy because they aren’t motivated anymore its really sad. Then there are the people who constantly create and produce and make things happen here and it is amazing!
Hollis left a few true brothers here. I wonder how much of his decrying Ypsi simply reveals his complicated emotions re: bandmates and a few others left behind. He is maybe partly summoning them, partly straight up cursing them.
“Maybe he just means their are a lot of talented people in ypsi that aren’t doing shit and that’s what’s depressing and not discrediting the ones who are. If anyone is upset about his opinion maybe you’re the one who is taking it personally because you’re not living up to your own standerds of creativity. Honestly in my own opinion there is enough of that in ypsi and when you are close to people who are very talented and creative and you see them not happy because they aren’t motivated anymore its really sad. Then there are the people who constantly create and produce and make things happen here and it is amazing!”
I think this is a good description of: EVERYWHERE.
I had to turn this interview off a few minutes into it as well — too much sexual tension.
Holy snack crackers! I was positive that this interview wouldn’t even be published due to its utter lack of content, but I guess Mark felt like he had to post something, having spent all that money on a plane ticket. I apologize for wasting 11 minutes of everyone’s valuable net-surfing time–that really wasn’t a very good watch. I really didn’t think that this whole thing was a good idea but Mark asked me nicely. When asked why I moved to Portland I should have said “because I felt like it” and been done with it, but Mark kept asking more and more questions so I felt like I had to tell him something. You can blame Mark, he’s the one who decided it was newsworthy. Not that I didn’t mean most of the things that I said, but a few people seem to be taking some of them out of context. I sure didn’t mean for anyone to take it personally.
I get why people like living in Ypsi. I lived there for 9 years and enjoyed it. I was pretty sure I would miss it when I left and I do. I miss MC Trashpedal! I met most of my all-time favorite people there. I’ve also been to 40+ states and five continents and, if you ask me, the general population of Ypsilanti is comparatively immoral and unfriendly. Of course, working at a liquor store for seven years I was exposed to a dark side of the city that I doubt many people who live their entire lives there will ever come close to experiencing.
As for Idea Death, I’m not so naive as to think this phenomenon is endemic to Ypsi. It just seems to me that, for a place with such a wealth of brilliant and creative minds, there is a disproportionate amount of great ideas that, due to apathy, lack of funding or motivation or whatever, or one’s unwillingness to recognize one’s own potential, or weird or gross reasons, never see the light.
Really I’m just happy to live in a city where I can ride my bike (without anyone trying to kill me–I’ve been intentionally run off the road on more than one occasion and sworn/honked at on countless in Michigan) for five minutes and be in the forest, where I don’t very often have to wear snowpants to check the mail, where beer is cheaper, where fruit grows all over the place, where if I ever decide to leave people won’t need to know why and be upset when I tell them, and where, sorry to say it, people are generally more friendly. If I ever decide to move back to Michigan, it will almost certainly be to Ypsi, but for now, everyone should move to Portland, OR–it’s real nice!
Thanks again for doing the interview, Hollis. My intention wasn’t to make you feel bad. And I’m sorry if you felt coerced into doing it. I just think it’s interesting to know why people come and go. I hope things go well for you in Portland, and that you stay in touch. (Send me a copy of the record once it’s done and I’ll review it or something.)
And, for what it’s worth, I like that you didn’t back down in this comment, and even went one step further by saying that the people of Ypsi are more “immoral and unfriendly” than the people of 5 continents. I don’t agree, but it made me laugh.
I’ve known Hollis for years and I wasn’t anywhere near his life/friends, while he was in Ypsilanti.
He’s just going other places and that’s that.
I understand everything he stated in his short interview.
Hollis was always genuine.
Good Luck Hollis,
Watching Laughing.
Hollis,
you would know who I am, if you saw me, for sure.
Take care, and have fun,
Watching Laughing.
I don’t want to speak for Hollis but I think what he means by, ‘it’s a place where good ideas go to die’ is that there are talented people in Ypsi but not enough opportunity for expression. Maybe it’s just a smaller city. If you have high paying jobs and stuff and are all set up in Ypsi then you don’t really need to move because moving would fuck up your life. If you work at a liquor store and spend your free time fucking around, drinking beers and seeing local music then you can do that in Ypsi or anywhere.
Having said that…
since he moved he hasn’t done shit (in terms of coming up with good ideas) so maybe he didn’t need to move. It’s too late though because I don’t think he has money to travel back to Ypsi anytime too soon. I like your blog Mark for real but I CAN’T believe this entry got 29 and counting comments!!! That interview is s00000 boring!!! Hollis is really funny but not really on this interview!!! I think a lot of people must REALLY LOVE HOLLIS to post so many comments on such a lame interview/blog entry!!!
I think what it comes down to it, the decision to move really can be broken down into these four categories with a totally even split in terms of importance—>
1) Friends/Family
2) Money
3) Food/Drink/Entertainment Options
4) Sports
Okay, let me get this straight.
Hollis, decides to move out of Ypsilanti and start living his life somewhere else.
Everbody has the right to do that, REGARDLESS IF IT’S THE “GREAT” YPSILANTI.
Mark-who I agree with pretty much politcally on his articles, hops on a plane, tracks him down and gets him to give an interview out of the blue.
Hollis, not because he wanted to at ALL, gets cast into the limelight and has to “DEFEND” himself for having the right to move where the Fuck, he or anybody wants to anytime.
Man, this is weird, twisted, fucked up; but typical from,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, “my town” Ypsilanti.
Watching Laughing.
Just to clarify, I happened to be in Portland for other reasons, and Hollis knew that we’d be meeting to discuss this. He and I had been talking about the possibility of an interview for about a month, and he, knowing that I’d be in Portland, chose the location and time of the interview. I’ll admit that it was awkward, but it wasn’t because I’d sprung out at Hollis from the bushes. And I’m sorry the interview wasn’t funnier, more exciting, or whatever, Stephen. I probably should have edited it down. Like I said, though, I don’t really know how to edit video.
And sorry to let you down, Ale. I suck.
I don’t understand his critique, what does this expression; “where good ideas go to die” mean? His ideas? Whose ideas? His band played constantly, to decent amounts of people, he could play all he wanted. It sounds like sour grapes to me. People have successful projects who origionated in this area, people who are famous internationally. From the bigger names like Iggy or the 5 to more obscure but avant garde mainstays like Jad Fair of Half Japanese or the fellows from Wolf Eyes, our area is well-known to produce excellent, sought after, avant garde art.
We also have an utterly thriving folk music scene with groups who tour nationally, people like Chris Bathgate or the Ragbirds, we export a fair amount of jambands metal and punk as well, I just don’t think what he says is true. I know I have good ideas, I know Patrick does, I know plenty of active artists. The cliques in our community are a little irritating perhaps, but we are supportive of art here, the humans are genuinely weird, there are even lots of places for weird people to connect, from our varigated and charming cafes to interesting house venues to weird mecchas like the Dreamland, Ypsilanti is a place where you can flourish artistically if your willing to work and have something interesting.
Not to dis on Mr. Beardy Coat, but after working for a few months serving liquor to the most evil and immoral people on the face of the whole earth, I think I would have started looking for another form of employment. You’ve got to kind of wonder about a man who chooses to work seven years in that kind of environment.
This is Leggz:
“Yeah, you shouldn’t feel like you have to respond to MMaynard’s loaded questions. You shoulden’t feel like you have to respond to the internet. Haven’t had it at my house for a while. Working at it though. Hopefully talk to you soon, though. Meet you at the top of the hill. Ian as courtroom stenographer. We both love you–“
“loaded questions”
What, like, asking Hollis why he left Ypsi?
That’s no more a loaded question than asking Palin what magazines she reads.
Please set your alarm to buzz every 7 years and remind you to re-interview Hollis (like in the “7-Up” series). I foresee lots of interesting twists and turns ahead.
Wish the beast the best out there! If I hadn’t already moved to Portland, the Cinnci, then Myanmar, and back to Ypsi, I’d move there (Portland) again just to get away from the shitty “avant garde” noise scene here, before Hollis turns that whole place into a giant Ypsi, where nobody ain’t takin’ nothing serious.
Why is my name on this? Wtf kinda post is that, MC Trashpedal!?
So, is there a Leggz impostor out there somewhere?
He was recruited to Portland for his beard.
Has Hollis found a job, a black woman who looks like Logan, love? We need an update.
I saw a man in an ascot and a captain’s hat the other day, out of the corner of my eye, and thought that Hollis had returned to us. As it turns out, it was an old lady in a neck brace.
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