Disko Cowboy Interview | Austin City Limits 2022
Interview by Wesley Smoot
Disko Cowboy at Tito’s Vodka Stage- ACL 2022
Weslo: This is Wesley Smoot, with Unleashed LGBTQ, I’m here at Austin City Limits in Austin, Texas with Disco Cowboy... How are you today? I heard you crushed it at last year.
Disko Cowboy: Thanks brotha. I’m great, how are you?
Weslo: Not bad at all. How’s your ACL?
Disko Cowboy: Actually, it’s my first day here. But it’s been awesome.
Weslo: So, you’re going on soon.
Disko Cowboy: That’s right, here in about an hour.
Weslo: Yassss… You’re a Texas boy, what’s your thoughts on the scene? You've been here a while.
Disko Cowboy: I grew up outside of Austin, this is my permanent residence now, looking at about 8 months. Austin is great, it’s not what it used to be, but you can say that about most places.
Weslo: I'll agree wholeheartedly. You're not only a musician & producer but a designer and entrepreneur. You’re the founder of Vinyl Ranch, a really hip apparel company, can you tell our readers about the line?
Disko Cowboy: Sure, it’s kind of more of a pop-culture mash-up, obviously rooted in country music and dance music culture— I just kind of pull off kinds of topical references from what I’m doing. I try to keep myself open to always receiving new, creative ideas.
Weslo: I can dig it. I’m seeing so much overlap and synergy between pop music and country, things like Lil Nas X with Ol Town Road, do you see this growing as more of a sub-genre?
Disko Cowboy: Definitely, that’s been a whole conversation lately. I almost feel like with most genres, the lines are blurring in every direction– there doesn’t need to be a singularity of what a music genre is. It’s just gonna be music, kind of like food. Now, we’re all just cooking gumbo, it's actually a great time to be making music.
Weslo: I can see that. I saw Diplo wearing your gear, it seems like Vinyl Ranch is blowing up. Congrats! Can you tell us more?
Disko Cowboy & Diplo wearing Vinyl Ranch
Disko Cowboy: Yes! I did a merch collab with him. I helped design his merch for Stagecoach in April. I’m actually collaborating with him on some other live events– stay tuned. I just DJ'd the Stagecoach launch party in LA. I think everyone is assuming a partnership has developed. But yeah, he’s been a big supporter of Vinyl Ranch. It’s cool to work with people that have brands that are so expansive and universal. He’s obviously one of the most prominent, famous Djs in the galaxy. To have someone like that put you on, it’s a real honor.
Welso: I dig it. So back to music, anywhere specific you pull inspiration from?
Disko Cowboy: Everything. I’m so curious about everything. I love the term country-curious (laughing), but I’m like, curious about everything. Anything that I can experience that will make an impact in my creative statement, I’m always open to living it, learning it, loving it.
Welso: Are there close connections or overlap in the creativity of fashion and music?
Disko Cowboy: Absolutely. I think they're so interdependent on one another. I’ve always been at the intersection of the two, ever since I was a kid. I have polaroids of me dressed as Michael Jackson, sleeves rolled up– my mom said I used to cut my own hair because I had to be in control of my own look, style. I think the two will always go hand-in-hand.
Disko Cowboy at Tito’s Vodka Stage- ACL 2022
Welso: Well as you know, we are Unleashed LGBTQ, we know you do not identify as queer yourself, but you mentioned before the interview started, you have always got lots of inspiration from queer artists.. We can definitely see that in your fabulous outfits. Can you tell us more?
Disko Cowboy: I have lots of LGBTQ+ influences. When I was younger, my mom’s two best friends, Eric and Michael were really influential to me. They were a gay couple in San Antonio, Texas, “roommates” – my grandfather was queer as well, a great man. But, when I first started DJing, I was playing raves and a gay club in San Antonio, called The Saint, this was many, many years ago in the Y2K. But I’ve always had friends in the community, I was always proud to be an ally, it’s thanks to my upbringing that I was open and accepting, we’re all just people, we all need love.
Welso: I love that. As far as gay music, who were your influences?
Disko Cowboy: George Micheal, 100%. The day George Michael died; I’ve been wearing this dangly earring. I’ve been wearing it ever since. When I was a kid, my mom had two cassettes: The Judds and George Michael, Faith. And when I was a young boy, I'd see this cassette every day on the way to school, I’d think to myself, that’s what I want to look like. To this day I rock a five o’clock shadow and my tight jeans. He could have been gay, straight, a fucking martian… I knew I idolized him. To this day, universal sex appeal.
Disko Cowboy & Wesley Smoot ACL 2022
Welso: Well, he’s still one of the most beautiful men to have walked the planet. Not to mention his charitable contributions and influence on the actual music industry/business.
Disko Cowboy: Absolutely, George Michael and Prince both. It takes individuals as talented and bold as them to stand up to the industry giants. What they did for all musicians, songwriters, publishers, should never be forgotten.
Welso: Amen, boo. Thank you for taking the time to chat with us. You’re an ally and a hell of a talent. I look forward to catching you on stage and keeping up with you.
Disko Cowboy: This has been my pleasure. Thank you, Wesley.
Disko Cowboy has been pioneering and redefining urban cowboy culture through Vinyl Ranch and his own DJ prowess since the brand launched in Houston in 2007.
He has become especially known for his country disco music mashup DJ party that's grown in popularity across the country. In fact, Disko Cowboy is one of the only DJ's regularly booked on big festival bills like Bonnarroo (for the last two years), Stagecoach this year where he did a merch collaboration with Diplo, the inaugural FORMAT Fest last weekend in AR, now ACL Fest both weekends for the second year in a row, Lucktoberfest this Halloween in Austin opening for Orville Peck, and partnering in a big way on a brand new fest coming very soon -- more in store to be revealed.
This is all without consistently publishing new music, yet staying relevant with his unique style reinforced through the Vinyl Ranch brand.
