SOBER IN AUSTIN –
April 2, 2026 – “I chased acting because I wanted to be something different,” Rathbone said. “I didn’t really have a lot of self love, and being other people was a way for me to escape that feeling.” He blamed his anxiety, depression and desire to escape for his drinking. “There were nights I found myself so drunk that I would have been useless in a house fire,” he said. “It took me a long time to really realize that, and there was a guilt and shame spiral.”
Now 41, Rathbone said he’s in pursuit of “radical honesty.” His forthcoming album with his new band STARMOTHER explores everything he once felt too afraid to say. “This album is rudely honest about how my brain works,” he said of Disco Punk Is Dead. “There’s songs about my sobriety and how the demon on my shoulder is always chasing me about it. How much easier would it be to give up.”
Although he hopes fans will receive the album well, Rathbone said he’s not seeking outside validation. “This album is legitimately for me to deal with my issues,” he said.
After shuffling around the U.S. for years, the actor said he plans on making a life in Austin and becoming entrenched in the music scene.
“I love this city so much,” he said. “It was that shining beacon in the distance when I was growing up in Midland. It’s a city where weirdness, art, music and culture are celebrated. That’s where I want to be.”
