molina-tribute

Mark Kozelek, Will Oldham, John Vanderslice, and more contributing to Jason Molina tribute album (stream a track)

Molina Tribute

Weary Engine Blues is the title of a forthcoming benefit album that pays tribute to Jason Molina who died last week. It will be released by Graveface Records and artists contributing Molina covers include Mark Kozelek, Will Oldham, Allo Darlin’, Scout Niblett, John Vanderslice, Jeffrey Lewis, Damien Jurado, Jonathan Meiburg (Sheerwater), Hospital Ships, Wave Pictures, and more. The album will be out April 24 and proceeds will go to help medical and funeral costs for Molina’s family. Preorder it here. It comes with a screen print by William Schaff which you can see below, along with a note from Schaff as well.

You can stream Kozelek’s contribution, “It’s Easier Now,” below.

map

Back in January of this year, I received a message from a friend of Jason’s, Tara Samaha. Like so many of us were, she was concerned. She was concerned for his safety, mental and physical health after receiving an alarming email. She felt he needed a map to help him through these troubled times and then asked that I make him one. I did. Sadly we were never able to land a concrete address for Jason, where we knew he would get the map. I know that he had lost things important to him over the past few years, for various reasons, so I wanted to be sure this got into his hands, and no one else. That said — sadly — the map was never delivered to him.

Upon learning of his death, the map sat in my studio; it felt cold, and now useless. A guide made for a friend who can no longer see it.
Ryan Graveface and I thought of how, thanks to folks like you, we were able to raise a considerable amount of money for Jason’s medical bills through sales of the book, From Black Sheep Boys to Bill Collectors. We thought maybe there is still a way for this map to be useful. Not as it was originally intended, a map for one man, but as tool to commemorate this man, and continue to help his family, especially in such dark times as these. 100% of the profits from this print will be going to Jason Molina’s family. We now have a chance to give back to the family that gave us Jason, who in turn gave us all so much.

Our love goes out to the Molina family, and to the family he built in his dusty road travels.

William Schaff