Tattoo Emcee and FishRmen

Hello! Long time no type to. Well, it's been an ultra-busy time.

The Star of Texas Tattoo Art Revival was this last weekend. I was the official announcer for the event as well as announcer for the tattoo contests and stage manager/announcer/sound guy for all the entertainment. Which I think means I was part of the entertainment as well. Mostly it ran smoothly; nobody wants to be "especially entertaining" when they're only supposed to be crew.

There were burlesque acts--the Jigglewatts and Ruby Rockit--and my wife Michelle Manx performed her special hybrid pin-up bellydance. The LizardMan performed, and he brought a friend, Joel (last name escapes me), to open for him. In between all this, I made regular and irregular announcements to the large tattoo floor (Palmer Auditorium) and kept the stuff in the "entertainment room" running. Meaning the contests and the aforementioned acts. This included setting up and striking lights, tables, PA gear and the like. I was one tired papa by Sunday night.

Announcing the tattoo contests was odd but fun. I keep thinking of things we need to do to make each year better. At least my between-contestants rap is getting better. I wish I had the cojones to try stand-up. Maybe I should just do it with a kick, snare and cymbal in front of me. That might help my confidence. Or at least get some use from the cocktail kit that's sat in the garage since using it with Black Eyed Vermillion.

Well, no rest for this dog. Pocket FishRmen are playing this Friday at the Hole in the Wall. I'm kind of proud of this one, as it's the first show I've set up in a very long time. Haven't been the point guy for awhile as I keep joining bands rather than starting 'em. Whenever Billy Lotion actually begins, I'll get a real taste of it, I suppose.

Speaking of Pocket FishRmen, here's a video for "Big Blue Ball" I created a while back. Not the greatest, but hey, live and learn. At least, it's amusing. And I really like the song.....this is Brant at his most winsome.

"Tales of Tomorrow - Frankenstein"

I just watched something I've heard a lot about over the years but never saw until now. This is the version of "Frankenstein" done by the "Tales of Tomorrow" TV show, broadcast live in 1952. Lon Chaney, Jr. played the monster, and oh, the story.

The way I'd always heard it is that Chaney, a known alcoholic, was blind drunk during the show and thought that they were doing a dress rehearsal, not the real thing. Some of his actions included not smashing things and then miming that he did and generally seeming confused the whole time. It's considered one of the lowlights of television history.

Well, I just watched it, and you know what? Chaney's pretty good as the monster in this. As a matter of fact, it wouldn't surprise me to learn that his make-up and performance here heavily influenced the Kenneth Branagh-directed version from 1994, featuring Robert DeNiro as the monster (a movie which I happen to think is highly underappreciated). Let's compare:

There's really only one time when Chaney grabs a chair, sets it down and then mimes smashing it. Rather than looking like a mistake, I think it looks like his mind is misfiring on all counts, and the actions make perfect sense in the moment. In his last scene, Chaney roughly knocks down a prop electrical transmitter, so if the story about his thinking the broadcast was a dress rehearsal is true, then someone clued him in before the last scene.

Really, the episode is not especially great, but it's okay if you consider these folks had 25 minutes to tell a version of the Frankenstein story in. This episode of "Tales of Tomorrow" is another example of the actuality being far less insane than stories handed down. Or a case of people's "false memories," as my bandmate Jeff Smith often talks of.

Irreligiosity

This guy is great. I wish him well in his work.

http://io9.com/5976112/how-19+year+old-activist-zack-kopplin-is-making-life-hell-for-louisianas-creationists

Cold and Roof

It's cold in the Austin area. And it's been cold for awhile; it's at that point where when you're outside, you can't even remember what warm was.

I'm sure we'll keep it indoors tonight, but barbecue sure sounds good. And Railroad isn't far away.....hmm.

Tomorrow will be an interesting day. An insurance adjustor is coming to look at our roof and determine whether we qualify for a roof replacement or repair. Already had a recommended roofing company come to look at the roof, and he feels there's a fifty-fifty chance that the adjustor will okay a replacement. I'll know more tomorrow. Fingers crossed. This roof situation has gone on too long....so regardless of the outcome of the insurance investigation, we're getting the dang roof replaced. Long story that I'm not going to go into here....although that's what a blog is for.

"Children Shouldn't Play With Dead Things"

Yep, Bob Clark night again. This goes back to the beginning, "Children Shouldn't Play With Dead Things." Although he's credited by his real first name, Benjamin. Fun movie....little slow....even by my admittedly like-'em-slow terms.

History Lesson...to the Present

Music. Where would we be without it? Well, probably even more aggravated by daily life than ever, but that's a moot point.

Lately, and by that I mean in the last ten years or so, I've found myself drifting back to my "roots," as it were. And by those roots, I mean two genres that most folks I play in bands with hate: jazz and prog rock. But I feel like I investigated an awful lot that other forms of music had to offer, and most times, it felt empty to me. Playing music itself is a whole different ball game; I can play almost any type of music and have a good time. And that's a good thing, else I'd be home on Saturday evening a lot.

Let's face it, most times the music you like has a lot to do with your current lifestyle or your formative years. My formative years were almost nothing but jazz, mostly swing but some bebop as well. Thanks to a Charlie Parker record my dad listened to frequently, I discovered Max Roach, who became my guiding light into drumming. He was the first drummer I really noticed on any recording, and his style fascinated me. I HAD to do that. At that time, I was learning saxophone, trumpet and clarinet, but the drums were what I wanted to sit behind. And I would, beginning in 1974.

By then, I had discovered pop and rock music and became more interested in playing those styles. The first song I learned to play on the drums was (believe it or not) Bad Company's "Can't Get Enough." Simon Kirke was a simple-enough drummer to emulate in the beginning. Later, like many rockists, I discovered John Bonham and Ian Paice, and I was off and running. Paice, in particular, appealed to me....he obviously loved jazz, too.

Much later still, I ended up playing in bands that were borne out of the whole punk-DIY ethos. That part of "punk" I liked a lot and still carry that "I wanna do what I wanna do" freedom into what I play now. But punk as a music form always left me pretty cold; although it is charming to hear bands grow from "we can barely play" roots into something formidable. But the whole "three chords and the truth" thing has me snoozing in no time flat.

What's this have to do with anything? Why is he rambling? Believe me, he doesn't know either, except to bring up what I've been listening to lately. Of course, Frank Zappa will always be in the mix. But lately, it's Steven Wilson's stuff released under his own name. He has a new album coming out soon that is the first imminent album release to have me truly excited in a very long while. Wilson is the frontman of Porcupine Tree and several other projects....and a few years ago, he began doing things under his own name. Both "Insurgentes" and "Grace For Drowning" are oft-listens for me. Fantastic drumming as well, for you fellow tub thumpers. This song is going to be on the next album and is featured on Wilson's DVD release "Get All You Deserve." It's simply incredible.

If you would have told me in 1983 that one of my favorite things to witness in 2012 featured the bass player from Kajagoogoo, I would have said......well, I'm not sure.

I'm tired now....am I learning to write yet?

uh....

I'll admit it. "Avatar" is now officially a guilty pleasure.

"Porky's II"

STILL cannot fully shake the crud. "My eyes! My eyes! They burn!" Which means, of course, that I need to sit on the couch watching movies with blurry vision. Perfect.

By the way, after posting about Bob Clark, we made it a double-Clark last night with yes, "Porky's II." I'd never seen it before, and Porky isn't even in this one. Not Clark's finest moment, but further research states that Clark was making this around the same time as "A Christmas Story," and it's not hard to figure out which movie received more of his attention. Nevertheless, "Porky's II" contains a nice cameo from the leg part of the infamous "Christmas Story" leg-lamp. It's the same one, per IMDB.

"Deathdream"

Being what I sometimes call a "someday filmmaker" (music keeps getting in the way), I watch a hell of a lot of movies as the educational process. And ya know, a director I respect as much as Kurosawa or Kubrick or any of the other greats is Bob Clark. Just watched "Deathdream" (or "Dead of Night" or about ten other used titles), and it was great in that wonderful low-budget way. Never seen it before.

Basically, the plot is an extension/twist on the "Monkey's Paw" tale, but the script feels pretty original. And the movie was released in 1972, right at the height of dissension in this country over Vietnam. I couldn't help thinking of "Jacob's Ladder" and the Masters of Horror episode "Homecoming" while watching it, too. The cast is great and sort of odd, too. John Marley has the leading role as the returning-from-Vietnam soldier's father. He's about fifteen years too old for the part but does a splendid job with it, anyway.

Bob Clark, who passed away a few years ago, had one of the most interesting careers of any director ever. I mean, this guy, within ten years, made "Black Christmas," "Porky's" and "A Christmas Story." How's that for running the tables? Talk about genre jumping. Add "Deathdream" to his A-list.

Black Eyed Vermillion Memory

Edited this yesterday from footage shot in Atlanta back in Nov. 2011. I'm whomping the cocktail drum.

Star of Texas Tattoo Art Revival Spot

Or as I like to call this....."not enough time to do a REALLY bang-up job." But maybe it's okay.

Life Update

Been a few days. Time to write a little. Thought I was better after the Hickoids blow-out at the "Filth and the Flautas" show in San Antonio last Saturday, but I had a little relapse today. Took a few hours off of work and decided to sleep a bit and relax more. This weather and sort-of cold have been pretty devastating, really. And then, bittersweetly, the Hickoids cancelled practice tonight. Bittersweetly I say, because getting together with them is always fun.

Speaking of the Hickoids, mixing and mastering of the forthcoming album "Hairy Chafin' Ape Suit" is taking place. I expect good results. And demand them, too.....been doing this too damn long! The artwork is done, so the album should be available fairly soon. We know the label head.

In Pocket FishRmen World, Brant began working night shift for the Texas Legislature, which means very little practice for us for awhile. And it came at a bad time; he's been a song idea machine lately. We've got a show on the 25th at the Hole in the Wall....should be a very good one, and we'll get a good practice in before that.

I've been looking at Facebook a little more lately, but I'm not sure why any more. About all I'm seeing is a lot of "experts" on social and political issues. Sort of tired of these "experts" and certainly all the conspiracy theorists. I wonder how some of these folks sleep at night, really I do. But then I've got a pretty good life, I guess.

Well, off to bed. Michelle started working at the Continental Club tonight....back to cocktailing for my fine young lass while she attends school. Hope it goes well for her.

F & F Report

Recovering today....although last night was a lot of fun, despite achiness and a bit of dizziness. Still, the Hickoids playing the Sex Pistols was something pretty damned wonderful. And this from someone who was sick of playing Sex Pistols songs about the second time we played them; it's one thing to listen to them, and another to play them. One of the best things about the show was watching Tom have so much fun.....and of course, Jeff's uh, wear. Nice. Back to health.

I'll Flu Away

About to head to San Antonio to play the big "Filth and the Flautas" show tonight. I'd like to have fun and hopefully will, but right now I feel like my body's falling apart....not quite the flu, but everything aches just the same. It even hurts to type. So I'll stop.

Cough

Wow.....seems like everybody in Central Texas is at least a little ill with cold-type crap or extreme allergies right now. Includes me. Gotta rest up for the show tomorrow night. Vitamin C. Juice. Snort.

Intro AND Duction

Okay, I'm going to try a blog. Why not? Every now and then I feel like writing something a little more meaningful, maybe even controversial, and I just don't feel like Facebook is the place for it. I like Facebook as a place where I can see silly things my friends post and get a good chuckle off 'em. Of course, there are also those folks who use Facebook as their dirty laundry hamper or political soapbox, and those people entertain me, too. Just don't want to be one of them.

So, what's up? Well, too much, as usual lately. And I'm finally getting hit with my annual winter illness....a cold of some sort. And right before a show (or two.....I'll know more tomorrow). Being under the weather has me thinking about pruning a few responsibilities and activities. Although now, in my fifties, I'm happy to be able to do what I do without pain. And I couldn't be more excited about the Hickoids' European trip in late March-early April. One more thing gone from the ol' "bucket list." Never had the opportunity to play in Europe before, and boom, it falls in my lap. Amazing. I would say I'm thankful, but I've never been a religious man.....so I guess that, as Greg Lake would croon, I'm just a lucky man.

More about the pruning later.....I have ideas, but they're not ready for publication.