Mitch on Speed

2008-09-08T09:38:00.000-07:00

Rock Me.

Speak to me now, while the hour is quiet. Car horns honk from a distance, and a fan blows cool air from the kitchen. Those actors in the movies sure know how to kiss. They make the emotion look real. Must be nice to be good at your job, to convince people of the unbelievable. It's not a moment too soon.

We're in a decline, or so they say. Two men make arguments for power. Don't really know what the difference is between them, except for color and age. Nobody stands as equals, especially not you and me. We're quite different. One is more talented than the other, but I'm not sure which. Our eyes don't meet. And our words quickly fly past one another. Is this the end of the day? Perhaps it's the beginning of a lifetime. Feelings of shame, discomfort and happiness swarm through the open-air arena.

Let your hair grow longer. Wear it with as much pride as you would shame. It's nothing to be afraid of, this thing we call love. You're just as scared as me. Oh, you can deny it all you want, but behind those baby blue eyes I can see your frustration and guilt. Those raw emotions tear you to pieces. It's the strength that bonds us. Pain fuels our motivation, and everyone else is just along for the ride. But I don't know what to say anymore.

The information arrives too quickly in massive amounts. I'm surprised more people aren't having seizures from banner-ads racing across the screen. It's all been shot to hell, you see. It's hard for me to relax in such an environment. I rarely look up anymore. Have almost forgotten that the sky is still there. But I won't stare, because it's rude.

And if the stars feel lonely in the darkest night's sky, you can bet your sweet ass that I won't care. I'm just as lonely down here. We're too far to be friends. The stories they tell of the universe can't be heard from this lengthy distance. Sure, we (the Earth) hear passed along tales from the occasional winds, but the translation is in a natural language that cannot yet be deciphered. So we'll just wait to see what happens. Technology has all of the answers. Just look at "Terminator II."

The warning signs are long gone, friends, and it is now every man from himself. Should have paid closer attention to the words of our mothers. They're the only ones who truly understand this crazy world. Maybe next time we'll say our prayers, kiddo. Indeed, maybe next time.

2007-12-16T18:01:00.000-08:00

Lookin’ Back (On What Was Said).

I'm not sure what to think about rock 'n' roll -- or those who play it. I don't know what inspires such music. And I really couldn't tell you who is infinitely moved by its melodic message, if there is one. It's a creation of strings, metal, wood, plastic, various wires and sometimes electricity. There are some occasions when none of those elements are needed. The music can be made from anything, or so we've been led to believe. It's a sound that can break hearts and give hope; fill arenas and cause riots. The songs bring life, as well as death.

My guess is that nobody really knows what rock 'n' roll is. Perhaps critics can write a creative recollection or give a clever theory, but nobody knows. These words are nothing but truth. Don't let those crazy rock critics fool you. Everyone is just trying to make a buck; gain respect. I commend the writers for trying to give an explanation, but we're light-years away from understanding. The feeling of rock 'n' roll isn't something that can be expressed through words, written or spoken. Rather, it's the chill that runs through your body when a chord is struck; when that first painful note is sung. A lyric that makes you remember the forgotten past. In short, it's the teardrop that falls from your eye to the ground.

I don't need to know what rock 'n' roll is, nor do I want to. It could be a movement that has already passed. Here today, gone tomorrow. Remember the '60s, man? Maybe it never existed in the first place. Could the Beatles have fooled us all? Was Mr. Presley (the King) a figment of our imagination? All these years the Rolling Stones have been living a lie. And Led Zeppelin, the Police and Van Halen are nothing but a laughing stock of decades past. Let us cash in before our moment in the sun has disappeared, friends. The old bluesmen are sitting on the back porch of the South, laughing at us all.

None of this is a concern. Just give me the raw emotion it brings and the words it can inspire. Let the music get you higher than you've ever been. I'd like to think there was a time in my life when I participated in the creation of rock 'n' roll. "Looking back on what was said, money lies and people dead." Words from a song written way back when, first on acoustic and later through distorted amplification. A rocked-up blues riff accompanied the lyrics, which spoke of a criminal act gone wrong. Along the beaches of Mexico.

I've since lost my train of thought, as the church choir that lives across the street has entered through my bathroom window (into my ears) and invaded my focus. If nothing else, dear reader, remember this. There are many rock 'n' roll imposters among us. And you may very well be one of them. On the other hand, you could be the savior we've all been waiting for.

2007-09-27T15:31:00.000-07:00

How Quickly They Forget.

It will be a nice feeling when it's finally flushed from my system. When it has all gone down the drain, this sample platter of foreign emotion. Pause, rewind. The moment has ended, now play.

There is nothing quite like a sunny smog free twilight. Even so, there'll never again be one like her, the one who broke me in two. With eyes of a CocoRosie hue, capable of moving the dusty portrait. Nearby hills. Commanding armies: from the Pacific Northwest to the lower edge of southern comfort. Please, illuminate the snoozing city skyline for me. Breathe life into its charcoal-laced lung. Once more, before I go, allow me to feel the moistness we briefly shared.

She sits alone on the beach, her eyes fixed toward the sea. Too many thoughts crowd this one's mind. The plants, the trees and the crickets - they race at an even pace. Overwhelmed by love, a frown paints her face blue. Yet the wind continues to blow through her natural wave, whispering wisps of secret lies. Not everyone can understand the meaning of the coastal breeze, but her soft smile of loneliness reveals all. Spies in the house of love sit beside our precious handmaiden, their arms wrapped tightly 'round her pearl white shell.

A secret only for you. My dusty eyes blow safety into your dreams. Colorless rainbows, fearful sights.

Shelter needs no home. The safety it provides is priceless. Like the commercial, and split second of happiness that was sold to me. Bought at a fair price. Still paying off the debt. Don't want to make the bet. Investment involves risk, from what I've been told. You win some and then you lose, or so they like to say. Have you heard mention of hollowed heartbreak on Sunday Ave.? Sixth and First? Is there a residency doctor in the house? The emergency room is closed on this moonlit mourn. And another life has been lost, destroyed by the growling engine we've equally created. Its pistons show no mercy. A victim of venom, slowly injected into that heart of echoless beats. Let's meet somewhere in between, you and me. Perhaps a lunch, or dinner beneath the smokey oak tree.

Speak to me in those high phrases, even though it hurts like hell to hear. One more time won't kill me, I suppose. And for the record, my friends, the silence is perfectly golden. Sit still, be patient. The San Francisco panhandlers, bearded and non, would be proud of this moment we've shared. New York City flights. Crying babies and boiled eggs. You're a lovely little lady. In the city of night. The stale shell has broken. Shake it again for me, babe, like you did last summer. Then, when the time is right and the music is soulfully saturated, give a little rattle. Finally, after all is said and done, when this evening nears its intoxicated end, roll through your pleasant dreams. Don't disappoint the gods, they're everywhere.

From daylight to dark, the seamless thoughts blend into one. Read closely to these musical words: luscious locks are here to stay. Indeed, curiously split ends have become close friends. Allies of axis. Evil is blonde. A block of words penetrated by pain. Inject my heart with your love; plant the needle deep. Exit with a cold silver strip. Let us not forget, sweetest one, how much has already been wasted. Go, for now, I'll see you in heaven's lazy morning. Later, in the evening, we'll sip wine. Divine in hell's after-party. Send me a postcard, kid, addressed to no one. I'll close my eyes and think of home. That piece of land, situated somewhere across the Atlantic.

2007-09-18T09:16:00.001-07:00

The Land Is Full Of Shade.

It's quiet on the grassy hill. All of the trees have lost their leaves. No shade to be found in this land of shady people. The blues are sung from the top of the hill. Heavy effects are put over the vocals. It's an endless conversation. A blinding sun hides behind the weeds. And it's the same ol' blues riff I've been playing for ages. Coming straight from the soul. It's been done before, or so they say. The harmonies remind of the Rolling Stones. From the early days. The pause in the song. Just when you think it's over, the splash of the crash reminds you that you're still alive. But not for long. Because it all happens in the blink of a lizard's eye. Like those times when the snake is slithering across the white marble floor. Veins of gray. It's some sort of smooth stone. I sometimes hear the hawk calling me home. Flying in that circular motion, looking for me. Past the pines, among the needles. But I'm not around. So she sends the helicopters at night. Their spotlights beam down, searching for my shadow. It has disappeared, along with the sunlight. I can feel them coming, those dull October days, when the heat is perfectly hidden behind the beautifully miserable sky. I'm hidden under the roof an apartment building from the '20s. Almost as old as my ancestors. But not quite. Oh, here come those harmonies again. "An endless verse; an endless curse; from the kiss that you left me." Like it was yesterday, eh? Here come those salty water tears. Microwave dinners. A living space that is rarely clean. Barely there. "Her voice was soft and cool; her eyes were clear and bright; but she's not there." Some things are better off dead. Not to be resurrected for a few dollars. Even if it brings people joy. Memories aren't meant to be remembered. They die once they're gone. That's why I don't take pictures. No need to remember the past: the living or the dead. Yes, another rambling thought. They tend to come from time to time. When the moment strikes. A second later it's lost, falling through the cracks of my blind mind. "I am an American aquarium drinker." Where's the six-pack when you need it? The scotch is never around. Another night of sleeping sober. They happen too often these days. "What was I thinking when I said it didn't hurt?"

2007-06-05T12:28:00.000-07:00

That Golden, Silver Screen Line.

I enjoy watching movies with characters who have one pointless line: "What kind of fucked up tour is this?" says a black man caged in a tiny jail cell while taking a tour of Alcatraz.

The movie is "The Rock." As the non-important man shouts this line in a most ignorant, sharp tone, I think of the actor's family, sitting in a middle-of-nowhere movie theater watching their son, brother or cousin while screaming with elated joy. It's more than likely that this will be the poor actor's only line in a movie today, tomorrow or ever.

While his family packs the first row of the Silver Screen theater, the actor waits tables in a less-than-stellar New York City restaurant, waiting impatiently for his next audition. No agent; no prospects. He has already taken on a second job to keep his studio apartment in Brooklyn. Every night, after work, he counts his meager tips and catches the subway home. It's at least an hour's journey, give or a take a 10 minutes. He's tired and depressed, but his mother and father are proud. Their one and only son is a true Hollywood star, rubbing elbows with the best of them, strolling down Sunset Blvd. with a woman on each arm. An Oscar will surely come, it's only a matter of time.

His life later passes, with an indie film role -- or two -- in the background. A failed TV pilot, and a few plays around the East Village. Toward the end of his long, storied career, the hard-working actor sits his grandchild on a tired knee. The now-retired actor tells the tiny tot of his glory years.

"Listen here, my boy. You've never made it in show business until you have a line in a movie that goes a little something like this: 'What kind of fucked up tour is this?'"

2007-05-08T07:21:00.000-07:00

A Nightly Walk Home: Tales From Koreatown.

I truly hate the summer heat, when I walk into my messy, bare-walled apartment to find a fiery wave of air rushing toward me, worse than that of the L.A. rush-hour traffic on the mighty 101. It has been bottled in all day, and even the cracked windows don't allow for ventilation against the intoxicating light. My lovely shoebox of a home, with CDs and magazines scattered about, wrinkled clothes strewn here and there, and a neglected acoustic guitar with a missing D string rests against the arm of my uncomfortable couch. We had some good times, my friend, didn't we? Oh, those forgotten songs. My bed comes out from the wall; the baby-blue sheets are dangling halfway to the ground. Click on the "ovulating" fan to provide refreshing relief. It does nothing but tease moist skin with stints of semi-cool, repurposed air.

On this evening I park my car in the gated lot where I pay $60 per month to use, walk down the sidewalk, past the abortion clinic where the ghost of a cold-eyed silent man in a straw hat stands in protest every morning handing out pamphlets in a useless attempt to save the lives of unborn children, and reach the crosswalk that never allows me to cross. I make a diagonal dart to the convenient store where I only spend money on overpriced plastic bottles of Diet Coke. I stand patiently in line as a Korean couple ahead of me buys lottery tickets. I grow impatient waiting for fools who dream of unattainable riches. But I smile politely and quickly pay for my chemicals and caffeine before walking out into the pleasant breeze.

From the opposite side of the road I catch a glimpse of a man and woman standing near my apartment complex entrance. The woman is attractive with wavy hair, and I pay no attention to the man. By now, sadly, I've forgotten the loveliness of her face. I keep my head down, key in hand, and walk toward the locked door. "I love the way you walk," she says with sharp words aimed toward my direction. I give her a questioning look and reply, "You like the way I walk?" From there I remember nothing, other than saying, "thanks," and quickly moving on. She had a sassy way about her, so I receive the comment as sarcasm. I don't know who she is, and I'm not sure I want to. It's likely this mystery mistress lives within the confines of my own building and secretly spies on me as I depart from work every morning, peeking through her blinds or shaded screen door. I doubt I'll ever know.

Now I sit and write, endlessly delaying. Rest has become nothing more than a dream.

This 99 cent candle I bought a week ago is almost finished. I enjoy using matches to light it. And after I watch the thin white smoke gently swirl away from the now-useless matchstick, I set it down on the fake wooden table. Its purpose has been served.

2007-05-06T11:23:00.000-07:00

The Lonely Words Always Stand Alone.

Listening to music in paranoia is never a good thing, but what could be greater than Cat Power performing on Austin City Limits? I'll tell you, if you'd like to know. It's her dance moves. Walk like an Egyptian. And if there's one thing I've learned in this half-century of mine, it's that there's never a bad time for a cup of coffee. One more thing, dear friends -- never trust a blonde boy wearing a black Public Enemy T-shirt with white bolded letters. I'm almost positive that nothing good can come out of a situation like that, especially if he's standing on a street corner alone after midnight wearing a baseball cap. It doesn't matter what day it happens to be, just trust me.

I was at Coachella the other day and guess who I saw? No, you wouldn't believe. I was standing in a sea of people, watching Amy Winehouse perform while holding a little red plastic cup, nervously sipping Tanqueray between songs. She's quite small and annoyingly thin. Well, I looked to my left, past the attractive bohemian girl sitting alone on the grass in the 100-plus degree Indio heat, and saw Ron Jeremy, the porn star with a moustache. Some fucking idiot stopped Mr. Jeremy in his tracks to take a posed, hi-resolution digitalized photo. The show was ruined for me. I hate big audiences. But I'm sad to report this is the second time I've seen Jeremy out and about in the L.A. scene. The first moment I caught a glimpse was while waiting for a bus to take me and a co-worker to the Playboy Mansion. But that's another story altogether. Maybe I will tell it some other time, perhaps.

Those birds never stop chirping, even after dark, when the monstrous helicopters sometimes roar over my rooftop. It's in the middle of the night, and I feel like I'm sleeping in the dewy South American rainforest. Do you ever feel like opening your busted window and yelling at the world in anger? I don't. What right do birds have chirping while I'm trying to get some rest? Silence, it's never enough. I wouldn't go insane without the annoyances. But if I could never listen to music again, I'm not sure what I'd do. Maybe die. There would be no other point to live. The feeling it brings cannot be replaced. I live adjacent to a man who never sleeps. He does nothing but toss and turn in his bed. Endless noise. I can hear every movement of his mattress through my paper thin walls. I can only imagine what peculiar sounds he hears from me, probably nothing. I'm silent like a blue-belly lizard, heavenly roasting on a stucco wall in the dead of the summer sun.

I never used to trust Canadians, but that all changed last weekend. It sometimes happens when trusting eyes hit you. And it doesn't hurt if those eyes belong to curiously smiling lips that have good taste in music. That's all I have to say about that, other than a single moment can sometimes change everything. But if that moment isn't realized, which so often seems to be the case, then there's no point in having placed your trust in those eastern Canadian eyes. I'm still waiting for my gift, and thanks for the free ice cream.

2007-02-28T13:33:00.001-08:00

Say Good bye Before leaving.

My greatest thoughts come at night while I lay in bed. By morning they're gone, unrecorded.

I didn't start biting my fingernails until about six months ago. And the gray hairs that now sprout so freely from my head weren't there six years ago. There could be a specific reason for all this, but I don't know why. Oh, wait, I do seem to remember now: I'm a journalist. I'm 25 years old, almost 26. I feel older than that. But at the same time, I feel strangely underage. Must everything be so complicated? Here's the funny thing -- life isn't so complex. But I would have nothing in this life if it weren't for my ability to complain. As I sit here on my tacky-colored couch at 11:39 p.m., I hear nothing but police helicopters in pursuit of a madman who is surely trying to kill me. It doesn't seem as if the authorities are having any luck finding this escaped lunatic. Let us thank the good Lord above that my rotten door that hardly ever closes properly has three full-proof (or foolproof, if you prefer) locks. Yes, my existence is in good hands, rest assured. I can finally have a good night's rest. I just peeked through the dusty white blinds. It looks as if the rowdy helicopter is circling somewhere in Koreatown, but it could be as far as Downtown. I've never been a good judge of distance. But I hope they catch the fucker soon, be it a man or woman, because this noise is driving me insane. My yellowing teeth have been brushed and I am all ready for sleep: that place I like to go before the morning sweeps me into a zombie-like mode of reading monotonous music blogs and drinking coffee from little white Styrofoam cups. The good life, some might call it, but not I. Living like a hog has never much suited me. I've owned a hog, and while they are without a doubt disgusting creatures, I can't help but pity and envy them at the same time. What other animal can get away with living in such filth and at the same time taste so good? It almost makes me think, but doesn't quite get me there. I have far too many other important thoughts to ponder in this short little window of a day God likes to tease me with. Such foolishness. Hold that thought, but only for only a second. The magician makes himself disappear, with nothing more than a cheap black wand.

2007-02-28T13:30:00.000-08:00

Sitting In The Waiting Room.

I am a patient boy. I wait, I wait, I wait, I wait. My hair is still wet, resting politely on my two shoulders. For warmth is a soft burgundy sweater I wear for Christmas, given to me by my mom and dad. All of my grandparents are dead, resting silently on the clouds. I'm sitting on a hole that grows deeper and deeper with each day. Decomposing foam. I should either get it fixed or cover it with silver duct tape. It's dark outside and I'm driving down Vermont, headed toward Hollywood Boulevard, a street I've learned to hate. At least it's better than Wilshire. Mexican roads. Going to a party that's leading up to one of those big music awards shows. Starts with a "G" and ends with an "s." You know the one of which I speak. My fading Jaguar-Racing-Green truck doesn't have a radio. Well, it does, but music doesn't speak from its dash; only talk radio, which can sometimes be annoying during a Friday evening on the town. As usual, I use my iPod to illegally listen to music while I steer. Peeking up every second or two, I scroll through the backlit-blue screen of my white music box. I arrive at Fugazi, a Washington, D.C., outfit I didn't expect to listen to, but thought would be a nice change of pace from my usual ballads of depression and assaulting electro-punk thrashes. Fugazi: "13 Songs." The one with the red cover; black writing. The rolling muted bass takes me back to the summer of 2003. Writing in the sprial green notebook about those "authentic Armenian eyes." The ones that have since found love and marriage in France, by way of Los Angeles. I'm on Sixth Street in New York City. Manhattan. The wet sidewalks smell of garbage roasting in the sun. East Village monkey bars found in Tompkins Square Park by the basketball courts, across the street from the bakery where by the night's twinkle veggie burgers are cooked and sealed, and by day wedding cakes are manufactured for a little extra cash. That shithole Cherry Tavern down the street. Little India, they call it. Thin fluorescent bulbs highlight the doorway. Only $5 for a shot of Montezuma Gold Tequila and a cool can of Tecate, with a lime. "Waiting Room." Whiskey and Pabst Blue Ribbon. Oh, the memories. But I won't forget that song, or the jukebox from which it came -- ever. And I'll remember forever that evening in the dive of all dives. I seem to recall a cute, petite bartendress with a nice ass. Isn't that right, Herb? But I wouldn't live through it again, man. Not in a million fuckin' years. Can't place a price tag on nostalgia, can you? Function is the key, and that's hard to do after three Red Bull and Vodkas.

2007-02-05T18:27:00.000-08:00

Those Sunny Days.

I look down from that place in the sky and see the ones who are still there, trying to make it through another day. It is a realization of the one most precious treasures that can be possessed: a selfishly beating heart. It works effortlessly in a motion that makes no sense. A generously given gift -- unwrapped then tossed aside. It is nothing to be explained on paper or in thought, but rather a deep lingering feeling. A voice from the silence is but an echo in the cave of doves and wolves. The night sky understands the soft words spoken to the pale clouds, and the Sun turns away in shame as the dry light caresses the yellowing weeds along the empty rows of the Vineyard. The shallow water of the canal flows slower these days, with leaked chemicals poisoning whatever goodness that once flowed through its path. But what does it lead to other than a narrow ending?

The elder Tree brings comfort to those who observe it on those rare days after the rain has stopped and the sky opens to the blinding light. The ground has a sharp silver quality, and the puddles provide a soothing scent reminiscent of how this world used to be. The crispness of the chilled air is enough to make one sit still in silence, and the White Mountains in the painted distance are exposed for a moment or two. A sight of beauty, you say? Indeed, for those who are blessed with this vision will live to a happy end. Now lay yourself down on the moist blades of grass and shed away all love and fear held within. Let the freedom go. Release it from that rusty cage. Eyes closed, the mind drifts and dreams of nothing. Escape those thoughts carried from day to day, week to week, month to month, year to year. They are no longer needed. What a foolish question it would be to ask why. Trust nothing but those mysterious shadows that follow you in moments of weakness. And listen for the cry of the hawk that sits atop the tallest pine in the land. It will surely lead you through this inescapable journey.

2007-01-08T19:57:00.001-08:00

Christmas Tree Dead: Tales From Koreatown.

Along the sidewalk, among the stains and cracks, was a small Christmas Tree. No tinsel or ornaments, just a bare and lonely tree. Laying on its side unable to move, with no water in sight, the once beautiful Christmas Tree didn't have much longer to live. The needles slowly dropped from its branches. It sacrificed itself to give someone -- maybe even a whole family -- aesthetic pleasure during the holiday season. The young tree rose to the occasion and provided decoration during a time of love, joy and happiness. And now, after its purpose was served, the helpless tree was tossed onto the cold January pavement, left for dead, as if it had never existed. By now, small neighborhood dogs had probably used the Christmas Tree to urinate on. And Koreatown dwellers such as myself had rushed by the tree without notice. If one did look upon the tree, it was only a sudden glance of disgust. "Somebody needs to pick up this thing and dump it into the trash," I thought to myself one night while walking to my apartment after work. It was the first time I noticed the tree -- probably a week or so after Christmas Day. "The person who thoughtlessly tossed this tree onto the sidewalk must be cruel and ignorant." As the thought passed through my mind, I began to pity the pathetic tree. But I did nothing, and kept walking. That's life, I suppose. Each morning as I'm driving to work, I look to the streets and see many old Christmas trees left on the curb for dead. Used then abandoned. A sign that another season has passed. Let me fall asleep and awake the day after Thanksgiving. Sign me up, sweetheart. I simply can't wait.

2007-01-02T16:46:00.000-08:00

The Life And Times Of Peni James.

Words & Interview: Mitchell Peters

Peni James truly is a punk-rock poet. He always has been and always will be. The singer-songwriter lives in the quiet town of Fowler, Calif., and makes some of the best rock'n'roll music these ears have ever heard. Peni James (aka James Z) and I are friends. In high school/early college, we played music together in Jaded, a hard-rock-death-grunge-metal band based in Sanger, Calif. Later, we shared the stage during open mic jam sessions and coffee-shop gigs throughout Fresno and Central California. I've observed the evolution of his songwriting and still can't get enough. He is, hands down, my favorite musician in Fresno. But that's not the reason I've decided to post random interview questions with him. To be honest, I don't know why. Maybe I just admire his honest, intelligent responses that sometimes make me laugh or smile. That said, listen to his tunes and read this interview. The questions weren't asked in any sort of order, so let us call it an improvisational interview among musicians and friends. It'll all make sense soon enough.

Do you think you were born to play music?
Nah. I wasn't born to do anything. It was just something I grew up loving and ended up being able to do. Growing up in average environment during the '80s and '90s, I was exposed to a lot of average things -- listening to the radio on the way to the mall, watching MTV between cartoons. There where some variables that got thrown in though. I've had a few really special teachers that kind of pointed me more in that direction.

In fourth grade, I had a teacher who was an Americana nut and just musical. It was like "The Music Man" or "The Sound of Music," or even "Mary Poppins." Someone just came out of nowhere and taught the class about Woody Guthrie and old folk songs -- like "Erie Canal" and even some Peter, Paul & Mary. He even taught us how to recycle and how we could all be driving cars with tires that would never wear out.

There were a few other teachers down the road that were like that, and they sort of cultivated my love for music. And I think out of that love I grew the ability to make and play music. But seriously, I wasn't too good at it until these incredible people helped me out. I had a saxophone teacher when I was 11 who had me struggling with the Peter Gun riff to playing 12 Bar Blues solos overnight. These were just regular community schoolteachers.

I'd love to believe that the ability to play music is natural, but it takes a lot of love and work. Everybody starts from scratch. I bet even Mozart did. But he just had that love and passion for it.

You're a huge fan of Bob Dylan. If you met him, what would you say?
I'd tell him that -- besides all the music he wrote -- the thing that impresses me the most about him is his knowledge of the music he writes. I'd ask him if he'd take me as a student. The stuff he knows is worth more than all the tea in China.

Is there a lot of tea in China?
Not anymore. It's mostly pirated American stuff I hear.

Anything else you'd tell Dylan?
I'd ask him why "Ferdinand the Imposter" is all messed up, fidelity-wise. Then I'd tell him I think it sounds all right anyways. But seriously, I'd ask him to teach me the foundations of what he knows. It would be like... until he started to teach me how to write a song, I had never known how to write a song. I've already learned a lot from him, and where it comes from. But he probably could show me more, mathematically wise.

What music have you been listening to lately?
Nineties indie radio. Stuff, like Sebadoh, Sonic Youth, Broadcast, Cat Power and Guided By Voices. I found an all-Pavement (Internet) radio station. It has been a few years since I've listened to Pavement, so the songs have the same vibe they had the first time I heard them.

And what vibe is that?
Like, "It's only teenage wasteland."

What's the first thing that pops into your head when you think of "rock'n'roll"?
Blue jeans and girls dancing. No, wait. Loud guitars and girls dancing. Honestly, I think of the music. The rhythms and melodies. The different songwriting methods used since people like the Eddie Cochrane or Buddy Holly up through John Spencer Blues Explosion. The mix of blues and country. The echoed vocals, treble guitars, rolling basses and dance beats.

The image thing is sort of an afterthought. And it's sort of different now, too. People really can't rebel with image anymore. All you can do is just be yourself. I guess that's still rebelling against conformity. But it's not like back then where you could really get in trouble for looking weird.

But the music to me is still extensions of 12 Bar Blues with wild stuff going on. It still has the same sort of spirit about it. Rock'n'roll kind of came together from fractions of other styles of music, and it has sort of been re-dissected. But it still has that spirit in its new forms.

You know, if you would have asked me this question a few months back, I would have said rock'n'roll reminds me of a secret weapon. Slip it into a stiff society -- paranoid and on the verge of self-destruction -- and the next thing you know, you've got people stuffing daisies in muskets and world leaders who got there by writing pop tunes. If you ask me, it's the reason the Iron Curtan fell and part of the reason why humanity still has a chance. You can't kill a spirit.

Which artist(s)/band(s) do you think best represent "rock'n'roll"?
I'd go with Bob Dylan and The Band. They know more about what rock'n'roll is than anybody. From pure rock'n'roll music knowledge to stuffing the songs with poetry and ideas. They're real rock'n'roll geniuses. I heard that Marlon Brando once said the two loudest things he ever heard where The band and a freight train going by.

Kind of a morbid question, I guess, but who is your favorite dead musician?
Keith Moon -- he lived and died for rock'n'roll [laughs]. Nah, nobody should abuse themselves like that. But man he was cool. Syd Barrett and Jimi Hendrix are a close second. I was going to say John Lennon, but it wouldn't be fair to George Harrison. Rick Danko is pretty awesome, and dead, too. But I don't know if I really have a favorite. There's this really long list and I really love everybody on it: Kurt Cobain, Janis Joplin, Brian Jones. It's tragic, but they're not without their legacies. They left some powerful music with us. This sucks. Now I feel like listing every dead musician I like. I should have just stuck with Keith Moon.

Which song on your MySpace page would you recommend to a first-time Peni James listener?
Either "Green" or "Le Buss Stop," if they're on there. At this very moment, I'd suggest "Minds Eye Blues."

Why that one?
The lyrics are playful and the music is simple and fun. "Minds Eye Blues" has a cool sounding middle. They also have a pop edge to them.

To Be Continued...

2006-12-28T19:30:00.000-08:00

Interview: Chicks on Speed.

Greetings from Mid-Wilshire. Not sure why I decided to post this, but here's a (previously unpublished) interview I did about a year and a half ago with all three members of Chicks on Speed. It was intended for a female-oriented music Web site, but I didn't go back and make the edits they wanted and the whole thing fell through the cracks. God damn, I'm lazy. It has been sitting on my computer unread. So here it is for all the world to enjoy. If you don't know who/what COS is, visit chicksonspeed-records.com or myspace.com/chicksonspeed.

Words & Interview: Mitchell Peters

Chicks on Speed have this little joke. Before the Euro-based trio -- Melissa Logan, Alex Murray-Leslie and Kiki Morse -- step on stage, their sound technician, Joe, asks, "Should I press the space bar?" Their reply: "Yes." (The space bar is what triggers the playback on the laptop that contains the threesome's trashy pre-recorded electroclash tunes and kicks off the live show.) COS fancied the ongoing joke so much, they named their fourth album "Press the Space Bar." And when COS isn't in the studio recording, they're either signing electro acts to Chicks on Speed Records, designing trendy clothes, erecting obscure gallery exhibitions, producing short films or promoting their book "Chicks on Speed: It's a Project!" The trio's philosophy is to exploit all facets of music and art.

COS chatted with [enter online music publication here] about the group's new album, what their parents think about their chosen lifestyle, and what it means to be a "fashion victim."

Chicks on Speed originated in Munich, where the three of you met at an art school in 1997. You've since moved to Berlin and started your label, Chicks on Speed Records. Why did you choose to settle in Berlin? (Alex has recently moved to Barcelona).
Melissa: When we lived in Munich we realized we had more friends in Berlin. We had also done everything in Munich that there was to do. It was just a move to a bigger town. It's more exciting [in Berlin] with the whole East opening up and these strange things going on. There's all this space.

What's the music scene like in Berlin?
Melissa: There's funny trash-rock -- a lot of weird stuff. Many people here do experimental things. It's OK to do really weird stuff, people don't get mad at you. They'll have a good laugh and be like, "That was pretty crappy, but the direction you took was really interesting." They're really lenient here, instead of these cities where you can't take any risks or do any weird stuff and people won't look at you anymore. That's why there's a lot of really strange experimentation going on here. Sometimes too much.

Alex, has your move to Barcelona made it difficult to communicate with the other girls?
Alex: No, we do a lot of our artwork over the Internet -- uploading things on the FTP site. It just changes the way in which we work. A lot of the projects we do are done in a gallery. It's like going into the studio. We work for months in the gallery space and that's where we make our new work. We don't have a studio in Berlin, we prefer to move around and be quite nomadic and creative. We meet up once a week anyway, it's only an hour away (by plane).

Your record label is home to artists like Kevin Blechdom, DAT Politics, Angie Reed and most recently ex-Raincoats member Ana da Silva. Why did you choose to start your own label?
Melissa: Because we didn't know where we wanted to release. We wanted to go to Mute Records in the beginning, but that didn't work out so we started our own record company.

Is there a particular reason the label's roster is fairly small?
Alex: We don't like to have one-hit-wonders. We're after nurturing a whole career. You can't have too many artists where you end up neglecting a few and they get annoyed, so it's not worth it.
Melissa: We're building it. Our company is not big but we want to keep our artists happy and satisfied.

Let's talk about your new album, "Press the Space Bar." How do you think it differs from COS' previous work?
Kiki: For the first time, we worked with an actual band. All of the songs were developed out of jam sessions. The whole approach was very different. First of all, this was only meant to be an EP, it was actually meant to be a side project. But after working with (musician/producer) Cristian Vogel we decided, "OK, we're going to make this an album."

Melissa: Of course it's very different. "99 Cents" (2004) was a really slick record and the production was a lot slicker. But we've also done rough things like "Re-Releases of the Un-Releases" (2000), but that was more of a collage. ["Re-Releases"] also had a lot of experimental stuff on it.

Alex: We took influence from the Shags, or the Violent Femmes or the Go-Go's. We wanted to just do jam sessions and get away from all that sort of Logic-based music and go back to the natural way of producing a record and creating a record that's influenced by the moment and not from loops and samples. There are loops and samples in there, but we try not to repeat things into loops. It was a lot freer.

How did you met the No Heads (Panoxa, Eric and Tony), the Spanish band that provided the backing music for "Press the Space Bar."
Melissa: They're not really a band. They are, but they're friends of Cristian Vogel, and studio musicians that were put together in Barcelona.

Kiki: I think he looked for a guitarist and then the guitarist happened to know another guy who played drums, and then so on. But [Vogel] didn't know them very well; they were just acquaintances.

Is there a running theme to "Press the Space Bar"?
Melissa: It became more political with what was, or is, happening in the world -- like with "Class War" or some of the political songs on the record. One can't hide from these things that are going on. But they definitely became a theme on the record. We let them happen consciously saying, "Let's make a more political record." If one is a person that things and looks around to see what's happening, one can't help doing that.

I hear the song "Wax My Anus" (from "Press the Space Bar") is about Courtney Love. Can I get an interpretation of the song from each of you?
Alex: I researched a lot on the Internet about Courtney Love and I've always been quite intrigued by all the gossip and stories. All the lyrics are things Courtney Love has said before -- they're quotes. It's not supposed to be against her, it's more of an intriguing analysis.

Kiki: It's about the media it's about the portrayals of rock singers in the media. But it's also got a lot of concrete things about Courtney Love. Alex collected a lot of material from the Internet and it's all quotes. Quotes of stuff she actually said. We didn't invent any of this stuff.

Melissa: It's a song about media trash. All the lyrics were found in the Internet and in bad music magazines. It was really collected gossip junk that was strewn together. That's how it was put together. But it's something about taking media trash and recycling.

If you were to describe COS' music to someone who's never heard, what would say?
Melissa: If a taxi driver asked me what kind of music we make, I'd just say electro-pop. For ["Press the Space Bar"] it's noisy-wave but it's also very song-oriented and not so much track-oriented like what we used to do.

How do you think your music has evolved the group first formed?
Kiki: I think we definitely have become more professional about making music. We've become more of musicians now. But we still don't lose our amateur edge. From doing so many live shows we've become a bit more professional and bit less nervous about being on stage.

We still don't take music that serious, it's still just one aspect of what we do. But of course, we have to promote our albums. And let's be honest, it's how we earn our living: through music. So it takes up a big part of our lives.

What does your family think about what you're doing? Is that where your artistic side come from?
Alex: My dad was a pilot and my mom was a housewife. I think it just came from somewhere else. My grandfather made films. My dad is pretty proud. He saw us in New Zealand the first time we played there. My mom likes it but I don't really think she understands it, which is OK. There's always some frustration with parents. They're on another wavelength. It's not often that you really meet parents that understand what their kids are doing.

Do any of you have past experience with playing music?
Melissa: Kiki and I both went to a kind of weird school where you do a lot of the arts. So when we were children we always had to play a lot of instruments. I learned violin and saxophone. I just recently started playing saxophone again on stage from some of the songs. And basically from going out and dancing, one really knows what one likes and one really develops an ear for what one loves. We used those hours we spent clubbing as a reference.

Kiki: I have a tiny flute, and for the last album I played keyboard and a lot of different stuff. We all play keyboard and we composed different melody lines and bass lines.

Is there anything that inspires the music you write?
Alex: I think it's just general society around us and the newspapers you read -- and just everyday occurrences. It's really just the three of us observing society and the world we live in and putting those feeling together and pushing them out in a song.

Is it true that COS doesn't want to limit itself to just one style?
Kiki: Yes that's true. We were categorized into the "electroclash" genre for a while but this is actually not true. Our music has had elements or rock and pop, and it's not only this one thing of being '80s retro-sounding. We are influenced from all different kinds of genres.

Do you talk to many fans that have been inspired by your music?
Melissa: A lot of times at shows, one can see it. You get some people in the front row with big eyes. People have come up to us and said, "Oh, wow, that was really inspiring. I'm going home now and starting a band." People even say, "Oh, we just started a band right now." Things like that.

Who have you enjoyed touring with the most in your career?
Melissa: It was really fun touring with Le Tigre. We also toured with Peaches but it was a completely different audience, which was really interesting to see. All three of our audiences are very different and it's silly that we're compared to each other because the scenes that we have are different crowds.

How would you describe your fanbase?
Alex: You could call them arty, fashion victims and freaks. A lot of gays as well.

Melissa: I guess you'd call them arty. They're really individualistic. You know, fashionable, but not just fashion victim. It's also mixed. We have more dorky people, just more thinkers. You can tell they're not brainwashed people.

And what is a "fashion victim" exactly?
Alex: It's a really specific breed of person. It's a person who changes their clothes maybe two or three times a day. It doesn't necessarily mean you spend a lot of money on clothes, but it means you spend a lot of time looking for clothes and a lot of time getting ready. And you're very up-to-date with the latest trends or a trendsetter yourself.

What role does music play within all the facets of art (fashion, films, multimedia, etc.) you're involved with?
Kiki: For me personally, music has been really important. I listen to a lot of music at home and my family was very musical. The others swing around because they were trained in fine arts. I think they can imagine -- maybe more than me -- of stopping music. I couldn't imagine stopping because it's so much fun to do a live show. It's very rewarding.

Where do you see the future of COS heading?
Melissa: We'll see with the next record what happens. We come from techno-electro so that will always be part of it.

Alex: Maybe we won't make music anymore. Maybe we'll just makes clothes and shoes, [music] is just one element of the project. I can imagine that we end up just making short films. We want to make a feature film. So maybe we'll just end up making music for that film. I could see that happening. But in the near future, I don't think we'll go back into the studio.

What is your favorite aspect about making music?
Alex: All the facets that belong to it. Like the live show. When we do a live show, we have choreography and films and costumes. It's like a whole piece of art, which means all elements rely on another. This is interesting, because music isolated on its own is completely boring in my eyes and there's no way I'd want to do that. I can't relate to music alone.

It's about challenge and moving on to new ground. [We like to] forge new ways in which to perform and challenge our audience. That's where the new creativity lies.

2006-12-21T12:21:00.000-08:00

August Sixth Through The Eighth.

When we speak, I will look at your eyes and not your mouth. The eyes are more interesting than the mouth. And when I look at your eyes as we speak, I will not be listening to what you are saying, nor will I be paying attention to what I am saying. Instead, I will be off in another place. One of amazement. Instead of listening and actually hearing the words of thought, which I am sure are intelligent and interesting, I will be lost in how those eyes came to be. Forgive my one-word responses, and please excuse my blank stare. It is not that you are boring. As I mentioned before, I am most positive your thoughts are interesting and intelligent beyond belief. But I am more interested in the movement of your eyes, and what they see beyond spoken words. Your vision is priceless, you see. It allows you to view the beauty and horror of what surrounds you. My sight is also priceless. Without it, I would not be able to question beauty.

***

... I love the way light shines on trees. I envy it in more ways than one. Natural light never meant much to me before I had to go a day or two without it. [Deleted words]. The darkness has found me. The light was closed by my five fingers. Well, one, actually. Maybe it burned out. I don't remember. Oh, will you look at how the time flies? It's already seven o'clock. Soon it will be ten. There's no telling where the night will have taken me by then. Maybe a place where thought isn't required, and my biggest fear is tomorrow. Sleeping is one of my favorite things to do, which begs the question of why I don't indulge in it more often. The night passes too quickly when you are asleep. At least if you stay awake until four a.m., the next workday approaches at a seemingly slower pace. The world these days is too fast. Cars rush past me in the hours of the morning before I've had my first cup of coffee. I notice myself gradually moving faster with them. But I don't know why. The faster we live, the faster we die? I don't meet many people who are eager to die. Maybe the people in those cars really love their jobs and can't wait to get crackin' on that big pile of work they save for a Friday afternoon. Yes, that must be it. I have answered my own question: People drive fast in the morning so they can get crackin' on the thing they enjoy most: paperwork that has been piling for weeks. If only every one of life's questions were this easy to answer. But where is the fun in that? We would all be miserable human beings if we knew the mysteries of earth and soul. [Deleted words]. They don't exist anymore, not in this world and not in the next. [Deleted words]. Notice the handwriting on the page, it's sloppier than it was before. You must be getting anxious to read what I write next. Has the writing taken over the man, or is it the other way around? Nobody can tell these days. You must hurry up and get that last thought on the page. Your eyes are half closed. Sleepiness enters, and even the strongest of energy drinks can't save you now. Simple words of beauty. [Deleted words]. I've been curious if the music one listens to while writing has any effect on the finished product. My guess would be "yes." And I'm positive many studies have been conducted. No doubt. [Deleted words]. I'll sit here alone and reflect on these words. I think it will make for an interesting Saturday night.

***

Why is it that every time I step foot into another country I either slice the shit out of my finger or get hassled by the passport people? Maybe it's the beard, or perhaps it's my suspicious eyes. I don't know. Yeah, I tend to make pretty good first impressions. Take tonight, for example. I met some guy and girl from Glendale (Calif.). The guy says something about "Greetings from [enter familiar name here]." Meanwhile, I have about a gallon of blood dripping down my hand. It almost makes you feel like a madman. But enough about that. Oh, shit. I think I was being videotaped. (Not by the government.) I'm not sure what the little arrow to the left is supposed to mean, but it doesn't matter. [Deleted words]. We drove down this street with a bunch of casinos. The guy sitting next to the bus driver called it the "Armenian Las Vegas." It was kind of funny, I guess. Not really, actually. [Deleted words]. I have a feeling these days will be strange. Do you know why? Because life is strange. Here's a thought: Maybe I should retire young and live in Armenia. That's pretty interesting. [Deleted words]. I'm in a hotel room. It's almost 3 a.m. [Deleted words]. I told you life is strange. So strange, in fact, that too many people take it seriously. This includes me. By the way, do you ever have the strange feeling you have cancer? Paranoia.

2006-12-13T22:54:00.000-08:00

The Sun Sets On Vegas.

I don't remember where we were, but I remember talking. It was one of those conversations you don't forget. It made me think differently about things. But I don't like thinking. It hurts my head.
...
The sun sets on Vegas. My stomach feels like shit. Ironic, I guess. I took a nap for almost an hour. After I woke up, I layed (laid) on the bed for another 30 minutes. Just thinking. No lights, no sound. But the thinking finally made me nervous and depressed. I'm in a hotel room. A woman in the room next door is talking on the phone, wishing somebody a "Happy Valentine's Day." I can hear this as I lay on the bed with two pillows stacked behind my head. During the climax of the conversation, she says something heartless. "I love you." I'm not convinced. But then again, I'm not convinced of a lot of things. From the tone of her voice, it sounds like she's from Los Angeles. I'm not all that fond of L.A. I couldn't really tell you why. Just not my type of town, I guess. My mind begins to wander to the half-empty pack of Parliaments that are sitting in the nightstand next to the Bible. Just two nights ago, I asked a friend why hotels always have Bibles in the drawers of their rooms. He gave me a theory, but I've already forgotten. After my 30 minutes of silent contemplation on the bed, I stood up and walked over to the window and opened the curtains a bit. Our view is pretty cool. It overlooks the pool and back patio of the resort. Think palm trees. Many of them. In the distance is the Las Vegas Strip. The sun sets behind it, but it's not quite there. It's 5:42 p.m. The lights are almost out.
...
Armenia is a place for cigarette billboards, beautiful women and suspicious men smoking smokes. It's a place for me to walk around lonely, trying to blend in. Yerevan is not home, which is a good thing. It's a city that takes your mind off working, and deadlines. In this world, concert venues with $25 million additions and fake rap shows don't exist. In a way, Yerevan is pure. It's a place that doesn't allow time for pain. You do what you do, and you don't look back. These people are interesting. Their lives seem meaningful and sound. Yes, I'm sure they have their worries, but not like people in the U.S. They all look the same. And I say that in a good way. The dress is similar and so are their appearances. I like it. The cigarettes don't smell stale. The air isn't as fresh as I thought it would be. Death metal is a sweet sound. The words on the buildings remind me of church. Museums are great.
...
Damn, I burned the popcorn again. There goes another night of sleeping well.
...
Here's one more: "Fuck you all, I haven't had a good night's sleep in a long, long time. If you cared, you'd turn my way but you're fuckin' gone." A lyric from Jaded's "Gone." Could be heard during late Sunday afternoons on the sidewalks of Sanger, Calif., circa '97 and beyond.

2006-08-30T02:53:00.000-07:00

Sleep Well, Love.

Weren't you the one who made me smile?

No, I didn't cry that night. Not for you, the one who walked away, the girl who danced on the beach and jumped into the icy Irish water. You were ridiculous, or so I thought. Later I realized. You're a handmaiden of God. A kindred spirit of sorts. I saw you carve another name into the sand. You sent away the photo. Not to me. I saw it from a distant window. His name wasn't mine. There were too many letters. Whispers in the other room. I'll pretend to sleep on the couch. I should've foreseen it. But you made me laugh. One of three, maybe four. Nightly meditation doesn't work anymore. Who painted your portrait so long ago? Ah yes, our good friend. Leo Da Vinci.

Ecstasy, the drug, not the feeling.

When I walked into the courtyard under the black sky, I should've known you'd be waiting by the empty fountain. Behind the bushes. With tears running down the side of your face. Wasn't it Valentine's Day? And didn't you call him the same night you talked of dreams with me? Vacations on tropical islands. Yes. I won't let you forget it, babe. Not in a million years. Don't be confused, my darling. It'll soon be over. Time always tells. You were the one who taught me something. A lesson I'm still learning. Too many questions.

In the end, it was you I was thinking about while walking through the streets of Rome. Passed by a female motorcyclist. I didn't accept her offer for a ride. Wishing I had a match to light the cigaretten that dangled from my mouth for hours. Lucky Strike. It wasn't hand rolled. An almost full pack inside my jacket pocket. My lighter was taken. I was in a small pie of eighty thousand foreigners. Screaming with excited anger. The air burned my eyes. The cops held me back. I tried to retrace my steps but had no luck. For hours I roamed through the silent night. Alone at Twelve a.m. One a.m. Two a.m. Three a.m. Four a.m. Five a.m. Six a.m. Seven a.m. When I found my way back the hotel at Eight (a.m.) and passed out on the bed, it was you who entered my dreams. That silent film inside my head. Cappuccino in the afternoon, I must be an American. Not Italia's finest.

Those amazing brown eyes are so familiar. They bring back this feeling. No, not childhood. Every time I see them - even now - they take me to that place. Found in the pit of my stomach. We are standing in the doorway of my flat. You're wearing a pink top and carrying a backpack. A feeling runs through me that I don't recall. We walk for five hours through the city. Getting lost and not caring. Not only in the streets, but in each other's words. Unspoken thoughts. I would've walked with you for days. Through Park West; Marble Arch. Stopping for an occasional drink. Hot tea with milk. Did you think I'd forget?

A seven-page letter. You changed me. For a month or two. "Have you ever been kissed in a graveyard?" I asked. With Chopin, Wilde and Jim as my witnesses, I speak with honesty. The petals of the rose bush were moist. The morning mist trickled down. I saw your smiling face. It caught me off guard. Oh la la. Surprise. Shock. And finally, heartbreak.

I begin to write. I pull a silver hair from my head. You're my inspiration. I do it for you. To see that priceless glance. To hear your praise. Hesitation plays a role. Not a big one. It will later, and it causes destruction. Found by the river and the beach. Along the Western Coastline. I spent my summer there. In the mountains, sitting on a log. It's so beautiful out here, which makes it harder. God damn the beauty.

Snapshots in the photo album of my mind. We all have old memories. Walking through the shallow part of the ocean. Laying on my side, staring at you. Past feelings get washed away by the current. Maybe it was the salt in the sea that got to us. We are tangled in its weeds. Perhaps the breeze blew love away. It was sealed with a pastel letter. Goodbye from Seaside, you wrote. If nothing else, remember this: Your heart will always be on my wall.

Sleep well, love. Night passes quickly, and summer's almost gone.

2006-08-21T12:21:00.000-07:00

Edit. Edit. Edit.

1. Dark faces. Lightened eyes. It's kind of weird how the sun beams shine to the ground. Feeling funny from those words I just read. The way they were placed on the page. The choice of phrasing. Fresh tunes. A song that doesn't last very long. Switches up in the middle. Throws you down to the ground and kicks you in the gut. Priceless feelings. Wasted talents. Eyes that could destroy the universe. My ears are begging for more. The talents just dont come fast enough these days. Songs written in minutes that last a lifetime. Often wasted. I couldn't tell you some of the things I've seen. Hopefully, you would do the same. Sour. Unanswered phone calls. I'm thinking about changing the tone of my voice. Those days are completely over.

2. That looped beat. What was the program you used again? Something you downloaded for free, no doubt. Some weird experimental shit, huh? What ever happened to those folk tunes you were once known for? Questions that never get answered are what makes life worth living. Sometimes. That's right, sometimes. Meet me at the bus stop. Classic. So very classic of you. Whatever you write seems perfect. I guess I can say that having known you for a few years. Or having once known you, I should say. Speaking of years, they're starting to pass quicker these days. 21,22,23,24,25, etc. Would you not agree, kid? Man, that one strike of the chord you do is infinite. Do you know that? I didn't think so. It has been a while since I've listened to this song. I can almost remember the first time. Almost. It wasn't that long ago, but it seems like a lifetime. Almost. I can honestly say I've never met anyone better. Maybe I have and didn't realize it at the time. In my heart, you'll always be the best. Don't know why, but it makes me sad. Patch. The lightning didn't strike twice. Too bad. These things pass us by and we dont even know it. Could've done so much more.

3. August 20, 2006. Just an ordinary day of doing nothing. Didn't go outside once. Heat. Heard it was hot. Don't want to upset my heart. Maybe it was a smart move staying in. Then again, maybe it wasn't. Last night's party: looking over a balcony at a dark sky. Lights scattered over the ground. Some orange, some blue. Stars were still in the sky. Tight skirts. What more could one ask for? I'm sure you could think of a few things. Nice eyes. I've discovered something about life. But I'm not going to tell you. You need to figure out on your own. If I were to reveal its secret, what would you have to strive for? Nothing. After all, isn't that why you're here? Lemme know when you find the answer. Here's me, trying to wink.

4. Instead of reading, write a letter. Address it to your mother or father who are living far off somewhere. Don't make it angry. The tone should be light. Handwritten letters are a thing of the past, unfortunately. They still exist in small quantities. Very small. I think the only people who write handwritten letters anymore are soldiers in distant countries and 80-year-old women - and maybe kids in summer camp. But thats about it, folks. There's nothing quite like sitting down with only a pen and pad, and writing down your deepest bullshit thoughts. So comforting. Coffee should probably be somewhere in that equation, too. Not decaf. My eyes are too tired to sleep. A curse of curses.

Ever thought about interviewing yourself? No? I have. It would be boring, and I doubt anyone would read it. They'd probably skim over the questions then move on to something else. I know I would. Why should I care about questions one wants to ask themselves? The thought is ludicrous.

5. "True Lies" is on the television. HBO, my favorite. I've seen it like a million times. Once more won't hurt. Oh, look, it's our Governor. Awesome, kids. I said it twice now, and I won't say it again. Sleep tight in this L.A. night. Damn those crickets.

2006-08-11T11:19:00.000-07:00

Mitch on Famous.

Greetings. I was surprised to find that many of my stories/interviews were re-posted today on Fresno Famous as a "Mitch on Speed Retrospective," in honor of me moving to Los Angeles. Now wasn't that nice?

In other news, I just got back from San Antonio where I was visiting for a conference. Didn't see any music there but I got to visit the Alamo. I didn't get to see where Ozzy pissed, so I'm kinda pissed myself... Oh well. As far as music goes, within the past couple weeks I've seen Al Green at the Hollywood Bowl, Gris Gris at the Echo (I saw Yeah Yeah Yeahs' Karen O at this show -- at least I think it was her...) and the Great Northern at Sea Level Records. Hmmm, something just occured to me: Does anyone really give a shit what music I've seen in LA thus far? Doubtful, but I'm tellin' you anyway.

I'll be in Fresno this weekend (I think) to see family and go to a big Armenian wedding bash. Should be fun, although the drive up and back will suck. Don't know about y'all but I'm looking forward to seeing ADULT. play in LA early October... Some of you should come, Nicola and Adam would be honored.

Later on.

2006-06-07T09:58:00.000-07:00

Madonna In Fresno.

As some of you loyal readers may remember, we here at the Mitch on Speed blog sometimes recruit what we like to call "guest bloggers."

And since Madonna performing two back-to-back concerts (June 5-6) at Fresno's Save Mart Center was like the second coming of Christ to some, I figured a review would be appropriate. Unfortunately, I could not attend. Well, it's not that unfortunate. I didn't want to go.

One thing this review doesn't mention is that Madonna allegedly slept on her private jet following her June 5th performance. I figured she would've just flown to L.A. for the night, and come back to "Fres-yes" the next day. Strangely enough, that wasn't the case. From what I heard, she doesn't stay in hotels that aren't five-star. Please, Madonna...

That said, let the Maddy madness begin...

Guest Blogger: Just Jenn

Ok, so I'm sitting here trying to write my review of last night's (6/5) Madonna concert. This is harder than I thought, but I'm going to give it my best try.

Madonna concert. Loved it! My girlfriend and I sat opposite the stage in the upper level. Madonna looked like a tiny ant from our seats, but her presence was so great, it didn't even matter.

The set list was awesome. I have heard several people complain they wanted to hear more of her hits from the 1980s. Which really makes no sense to me. She has a new album out which she is promoting, so it's pretty safe to assume most of the music is going to come from that.

While it was difficult to see all of the details of her costumes, I did get the gist lots of '70s disco throwbacks and '80s aerobic leotards. The visuals were stunning and larger than life. I could not take my eyes off the black and white horse montage that opened the show. I found my arms covered in goose bumps several times. I began to have those, "Oh, I get it moments." You know, the ones where you think music is all we need. I should stop my SUV gas-guzzling ways. Fifty pairs of black pumps are not necessary when there are hungry children in the world. So yeah, a little deeper conscious can often come in the strangest forms.

For those who were upset about Madonna's use of profanity, I can understand that. I dont make a habit of using such words, but remember: this is Madonna. She is the woman who became famous by singing about virginity. I'm not really sure we should have expected anything less.

And KUDOS to Madonna's people. I'm talking about the people who, as she rushes out on stage as the show is starting, tell her "You're in Fresno now." There have been mentions of Madonna's use of the word "FRES-YES." Ok, well her people obviously have done their homework and research. No one honestly believes that Madonna just came up with that while sitting back stage, right? Crafty people certainly were able to find Fresnos resurgence of self-esteem and frequent use of the term Fres-yes. Michael Jackson should have such people. The ones who tell him, "Hmm, yeah probably not a good idea to say you share your bed with little boys."

Ok, so quick recap. Set list, awesome. Visuals (this also goes for all the props she used) were fantab. Her dancers had more energy and moved so fluidly. It was mind-blowing. Madonna rocked the show for two hours straight (despite coming on stage and not giving an encore). The show was well worth the $120 I paid for my tickets, and I would definitely see her again in Fresno.

More Madonna concert info can be found at Mike Oz's blog (Fresno Bee music writer - duh.)

2006-06-01T10:10:00.000-07:00

Rademacher (L-R): Brad Basmajian, Taruko Asami, Greer McGettrick, and Malcolm Sosa

Rademacher: the Fresno Famous Interview

Rademacher's Malcolm Sosa talks about the new EP, the national tour, and Central Valley music.

by Mitch on Speed.
June 1, 2006

If you live, eat and breathe in Fresno, you've at least heard of Rademacher. They're those indie rock sweethearts who seem to have a permanent residency at Tokyo Garden. The foursome - guitarist/vocalist Malcolm Sosa, guitarist Brad Basmajian, bassist Greer McGettrick and drummer Taruko Asami - have been around, in some form or another, for about two years now. I say "in some form or another" because Rademacher has had a rotating door of members since its summer 2004 inception. I have photos to prove it. But we'll save those for another day.

OK, fine, I'll tell you now. Basically, I got bored one night and decided to drive down to Bakersfield to watch Rademacher play. In the process, I snapped a few photos of them (when Niilo and Brianna Smeds used to be in the band). But if you want the really interesting photos from that night, you'll have to ask Mike Burnett (frontman of Fresno indie rock outfit, The Batteries). He'll gladly show you snapshots of the cheesy face-painted metal bands that played on the bill that same night. It was ridiculous, yet cool. After the show, everybody went back to James Brittain-Gore's (of No Cello) then-apartment in the Tower District and got drunk. No Cello was also on the bill that night.

Anyway. To date, Rademacher has recorded three EPs: Rademacher, Ice Age and its most current, Heart Machine. All three can be purchased on the band's Web site, rademachermusic.com. As many of us know, Rademacher is no stranger to performing at Fresno venues like Starline and Tokyo Garden. They'll even pop in for a live performance at Meatball Magic every now and then. But they don't stop there. The band has also ventured on tour stints up and down the West Coast.

Following Rademacher's June 1st gig at Tokyo Garden (Art Hop night), the four-piece will begin a 15-date trek across the U.S. The jaunt begins June 2nd at Flagstaff, Ariz.'s Hotel Monte Vista and wraps June 17th at Las Vegas' Beauty Bar. Countless gigs have found Rademacher sharing the stage with bands like The Joggers, Earlimart, and Man Man. Hell, maybe someday we'll see 'em headlining Pitchfork's Intonation Music Festival in Chicago, or even Coachella. Actually, Rademacher would probably fit in nicely on the European festival circuit. Stranger things have happened, friends.

I've mentioned Rademacher countless times in my "Mitch on Speed" blog. I could talk about them forever. But I won't. This intro was for the uninitiated. If you've read through this and still don't know who or what Rademacher is, here's a hint: During one of the band's live songs (the tune's name escapes me), everybody in the crowd stops what they're doing and sings along. It's like a drunken pirate ship singalong. It happens at every show. Some of you know what I'm talking about. If not, I suggest you make a trip to Tokyo Garden tonight and see for yourself. Even if you hate indie music, fear not, readers: Rademacher's music will get better and better with each sip of a large Sapporo.

Interviewed by Mitchell Peters

Mitch on Speed: Rademacher... Is that German?
Malcolm Sosa: Yes, it is a German last name. It's also a name shared by a very famous boxer from Yakima, a mathematics genius and a Google programmer. Like all band names, it sounds pretty dumb if you think about it or explain it too much.

Fair enough. Tell us how Rademacher evolved from you playing solo acoustic shows to what it is now.
To be fair, our first two shows were electric as a trio. Then people started getting busy with other things. Shawn Covert was the first bass player in the band, and he was working on a record with his band Bel and the Dragon. Brad Basmajian agreed to play some of the songs with me at a show at Tokyo Garden one night. I was nervous about the idea of playing a whole set by myself. Solo sets are hard.

You and (Fresno Famous Editor) Jarah moved from New York City a few years back. Were you playing in any bands while you lived there?
Yeah. I was in a few different projects. None of them were really rock-type things. I had a band called Los Vinos, which was a weird avante-salsa sort of thing. I found one of the songs on Myspace the other day. I think here. The old bass player from that band has it streaming from his site. It is called Ya Era Tiempo. Which translates to "It was about time". I was also in a classical guitar trio called the "Morgan Stop Guitar Ensemble" with Jason Jones, another Fresno kid who lived in Brooklyn. So it was a little different than the stuff I do now. Basically, I moved back here and I couldn't find anyone to play avante-salsa or classical guitar with me, so I started a rock band. I was inspired by Pinkeye.

Since Rademacher has formed, there have been several members who've come and gone. Being the frontman, how do you manage everyone's schedule and keep the band alive?
It's kind of fun sometimes to have change. Like a breath of fresh air. Especially when you know people aren't leaving 'cause they think the band sucks, but that they are inspired to go out there and do their own thing. If that makes sense. Other times, it is a little inconvenient. The current line-up - me, Brad, Greer and Becky - played our first show together in Los Angeles (or maybe S.F.) with five days of practice under our belts. It was fun. I don't know if it sounded good, but it was exciting.

How do you personally define Rademacher's sound? Does everyone in the band contribute in the songwriting, or is it just you?
I don't think anyone else has written lyrics or brought in whole songs. But there is collaboration for sure. I think of it as a giant coloring project. I bring in some boundaries, an outline, and then everyone goes to work coloring with their own instruments. And then we tell each other what we like or don't like and then we erase everything and do it over and keep working at it until it gets to a point we're all comfortable with.

How has living in the Central Valley influenced your songwriting, if at all?
I was thinking about that today. I don't know if the music from here has really influenced me as much as music from say - New York or the U.K. - but the mythology of bands like Granddaddy and Earlimart sure has. The little things like the fonts on their album covers. Song titles. The pictures of them in magazines. More important than that though has been the musicians in town and the bands that haven't been on MTV - like Gypsy Cab, Pine Marten, Pinkeye, Panty Lions. Other things that I think have influenced me are the way people from Fresno talk. The way people in Fresno feel about themselves and see themselves in relation to the rest of the world. Those things come through more I think. In the lyrics and vocals.

Who came up with the idea to wear jumpsuits and headbands as seen in the Rademacher press photos? It seems like classic indie rock.
Uhm. It was a rad idea. That picture gets used a lot in the press we do. It has been in the SF Guardian, The SF Weekly - people love it. I don't know how that came about. We wanted to sort of dress alike, I think that was the plan, and Brad had a jumpsuit and I had a jumpsuit and Becky brought those waitress type dresses out of her closet. All of a sudden it was a party.

Ha. And what about this "Malcolm Sosa" alias. How did that come about?
Oh God. I guess I just made it up one day. It makes it easier to talk about yourself in interviews if the person you're talking about isn't really you.

I've always admired the drive you have to promote your band inside and outside Fresno. With Rademacher, you've created press kits, demos, press releases - what role has self-promotion played in Rademacher's success thus far?
I like that you use the world "self-promotion." It seemed like the natural thing to do. After I learned to play a few chords on guitar I wanted to write songs. After I wrote a few songs I wanted to make an album. After I recorded a few EPs, I wanted to tour. I wanted people to hear this music that I had been working on. It would seem silly not to take that step after I had done all the rest of it. At the same time, I wanted to be good at it. I try to do it with a level of excellence that is comparable to what I was doing with the writing and the performance. Does that make sense? I don't want to sell myself short. To not do that part of the whole thing would be like making yourself the best cheeseburger in the world and then not eating it.

Your band has also gotten a lot of "ink" in various music blogs around the country. In your opinion, how influential do you think blogs are in today's indie music scene?
I hope very influential. But it is hard to gauge. It can't hurt none. I read them. A lot of them are my friends, so that may play a role in why I read them. I like getting free MP3s. My personal favorites are Sixeyes and My Old Kentucky Blog. And of course Stereogum. Oh and Indie Can't Dance. There are a lot of good ones.

In a couple days, Rademacher will embark on a 15-date nationwide tour. So far, the band has only toured up and down the West Coast. What are you hoping to gain from this tour?
We're hoping to find out how influential music blogs are.

Nobody really cares about a band's BEST SHOW EVER. So tell us what Rademacher's worst show has been.
Worst show ever ... Bakersfield. I think. Or Stork Club in Oakland. At one show the only people in the audience were wearing insane clown posse style makeup. At the other there were only four people watching us. And a dog.

Some would argue that Rademacher plays too often in Fresno. What's your response to that?
If the rest of the bands in Fresno would play more, then we wouldn't have any place to book shows, and we wouldn't play Fresno as much. I would love to just play Tokyo the first Thursday of the month and not play any more than that. But usually, people in town really want us to play with them. Because we have a good draw I guess. Also, bands we meet from out of town want to come to Fresno and it's one of those band courtesy thing - if they host us, we host them. And we play out of town a lot too, so there's a lot of favors we owe people. And between the two, we have a lot of shows. We'll stop doing shows once people stop showing up to them.

Do you ever want to be on a record label, or would you rather do it DIY-style and ship albums out of your apartment?
DIY makes way more sense to me. A label would be great because then we wouldn't have to work that hard at the promotion, the organizing and the planning. Or at least there would be someone there to be like, "That's a good/bad idea." We pretty much shoot in the dark most of the time with the way we do things and hope for the best. We're learning a lot about recording and stuff as we go along, but there are a lot of mistakes that could have been avoided. Plus, it would be nice to have someone else footing the bill. DIY works for us because we just really enjoy writing music. A label isn't necessary for us to do that.

What's your favorite current band and why?
I don't know. I like Mates of State.

Tell us a little about the new Heart Machine EP.
It is the best four songs that we have ever put together on the same disc. We recorded it with Matt Orme and Shawn Covert at (Fresno's) Gardenside over the course of a really long time. It took forever. Not that we worked on it that long, it was just months between recording dates - forever. I'm glad it's done. We're proud. Like parents. We love it, but we're ready for it to move out.

Rademacher's already conquered Fresno pretty much. Where do you see the band in five years or so?
Playing sold out shows in Vegas with Let's Go Bowling.

Rademacher plays tonight at Tokyo Garden. For more information, including tour dates, visit myspace.com/rademacher or rademachermusic.com.

2006-05-22T08:52:00.000-07:00

Review: Anarchist Prom Night.

I know most of you won't read this whole thing. I don't blame you. If I were you, I wouldn't read it, either. To be honest, I'm just in the mood to write. No more, no less. But once you get past the bullshit two-graph intro, I actually talk about music. I promise.

Man, I'm really tired. Maybe it's because I'm on my second glass of red wine. It's sitting on a TV tray to my right. What's funny is that sitting directly in front of the wine is a cup of black coffee. I'm drinking both simultaneously. A few minutes ago I had some cheese from Italy. It was tasty. I'm not lying.

There's some family over. We're all having dinner. Armenian style. The only way. This is the reason why I'm drinking wine and eating cheese from Firenze. The wine, by the way, was a Christmas gift from a co-worker. It's good stuff. While I'm waiting for the lamb chops to cook, I sit at my computer. I'm doing two things: working on an interview for work and checking Myspace. No messages. A sad day, indeed.

Last night (Saturday, May 20, 2006) I went to a weird show. Weird in a good way, I guess. Apparently, it was to raise money for this community center on F Street. 935, to be exact. I paid a five dollar "donation" for several bands. I'd say it was well worth it. I got to see my buddies from Rademacher, They Call Me Greyhound, and Needy Eevy. The theme of the show was "Anarchist Prom Night." I think. If you think I'm fooling you, I still have the "A" with a circle around it (anarchy symbol) on my right hand. I was branded with a Sharpie as I paid and walked in. But if you want to see it, youd better act quick: it's fading by the hour.

The whole atmosphere of the show reminded me of that scene in "American History X." You remember, when that little kid from "Terminator 2" (Ed Furlong, I think) was at that Nazi skinhead party and his brother - a former skinhead - comes and starts some trouble. Sorry if you don't recall. And if you haven't seen the movie, I suggest you stop reading this foolish blog, go to Blockbuster or whatever, and rent it. (For the record, Anarchist Prom night was NOT a skinhead shindig, nor was it affiliated with anything of the sort.)

Anyway.

Last night's show didn't remind of the movie because it was a skinhead shindig. To be honest, I can't explain why it reminded me of that scene. It just did, OK? Now that I think of it, there was this really drunk guy who was being obnoxious. He kinda looked like a skinhead. I don't think he was, though. That's a good thing. Moving on...

As I mentioned above, the theme of the show was "Anarchist Prom Night." Everybody dressed up in weird looking prom gear. I didn't. Why? Because I'm not fun. Plus, the tux shop screwed up on my measurements. Two things I won't forget about last night: most of the guys were wearing dresses (for which I have no explanation), and another guy (Logan, I think) was wearing see-through underwear and suspenders. Nothing else. It was quite the spectacle. I wish I could erase it from my memory, but I can't. Oh well.

It was an all-ages show, which is good. The only thing that sucks for a person of almost 25 years is that all-ages shows usually don't server beer. Instead, Stephanie kindly offered me a Tecate. Too bad there weren't any limes. It was good, nevertheless. Thanks.

You (the reader) don't realize this, but I took a short break from the time I wrote "It was good, nevertheless. Thanks," to what I'm writing at this moment. Approximately 30 to 45 minutes. You see, I went and had dinner with various members of my family. And, Jillian: If you're reading this, my parents and aunt & uncle mentioned their past trip to Argentina during our casual dinner conversation. I had to tell you. You'll make it there someday, I'm quite sure. xo.

It's nice having dinner with family. You (the reader) should try it sometime.

Back to the show. I got there about 10:30, hoping to leave around 12. I left at approximately 2:30 - that's my alibi, at least. I wasn't even going to go, either. I had planned on spending a nice evening at home doing nothing. I came home at about 9 after having playing a few games of chess with former/future guest blogger, Seb (K), who always manages to defeat me. It's quite frustrating. I beat him once or twice back in Armenia, though. The quote of the game came from me: "I wonder if Dostoevsky was a good chess player?" The reason my buddy Fyodor's name came up is because I brought with me to the chess game "The Great Short Works of..." There are some great stories in it: "White Nights," "Notes From (the) Underground," "The Dream of a Ridiculous Man," etc. I suggest you either buy or check it out from the library. Short works my ass.

So yeah. I got back home around 9, checked Myspace bulletins, and saw that They Call Me Greyhound was playing. I hadn't seen them perform in a while, so I called up "Greyhound" Mike - who plays keyboard in the two-man show - and asked what time they were going on. He said about 10:30. I showed up around a quarter till and spotted "Greyhound" Mike, who told me they weren't going on until later. Luckily, I got there right in time for Rademacher, who seems to get better and better each time I see them. Boy, I'll tell you. They had the crowd going good. It was like watching a real band. I think Fresno finally has a group that looks and sounds like a band.

Speaking of Rademacher, I had a good but short conversation with the band's guitarist, Brad. He's the guy who kinda looks like me (not that many of you reading this actually know what I look like). And the reason we look somewhat similar is because we're related in some way or another -cousins, to be exact. If you still dont know who Brad B is, he's the one in Rademacher who's either wearing a headband or flip flops. Long hair, beard, etc. The memorable quote of the conversation came from me, asking: "So, is anyone in your family a farmer?"

Anyway. He talked about Rademacher's upcoming nationwide tour. I was rattling off questions about it like some kind of reporter. Ha. He told me all about how they're renting a mini-van and playing 15 shows in 17 days. I have very much respect for Mike M and the rest of the Rademacher crew. They've put a lot of effort into making this tour happen. And they did it all on their own - no booking agent. I love people who start from scratch. It's the only way to learn.

Unfortunately, the conversation between Brad and myself was cut short because of his allergies. What was it he said? His allergies haven't been this bad since he was in fifth grade? Something like that. Hope you feel better, man. And I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Brad's excellent car-reversal skills. As he was leaving the show, he managed to back his car out of a very tight spot. It was extremely impressive.

Another interesting conversation I had was with Brad's girlfriend, Greer, who also serves as Rademacher's bass player. Greer and I go way back. We met at Fresno State several years ago. She and I shared an MCJ class. Before we get to the aforementioned "interesting conversation," I just remembered something else. As we stood watching Fresno's Hop Skotch Heros perform a cover of Bikini Kill's "Rebel Girl," Greer reminded me of the time I burned her a copy of Bikini Kill's Reject All American. Man, that's a great album. Go buy it. Don't download it - BUY IT! Or I will be forced to tell Kathleen. Hanna, that is.

Since you've all waited so very patiently, I'll reveal this "interesting conversation" Greer and I had. It's not certain or anything, but she's hoping to open some kind of independent record store in Fresno. At first, I didn't know if it was such a good idea. You know, because CDs are slowly going the way of the Dodo and downloading is in full force. But after some thought, I think this could be a really cool thing for our humble city. If it ever does happen, I expect each and every one of you to buy CDs from her. That means no Tower Records, no Best Buy, no Amazon.com and certainly no Soulseek! (that goes for you, too, Cuckoo.) Deal?

What else happened at the Anarchist Prom? Well, this band called Tree Wizard was really pissed because they didn't get to play. Needy Eevy was the last band to go on and, apparently, Tree Wizard was supposed to go on before them. I heard the guys ranting and raving in the parking lot about how unorganized the whole thing was. Eh, shit happens. Sometimes you get screwed. It sucks, yes, but that's the price you pay for being a rock 'n' roller.

This is totally off subject but before I forget I'd like to mention what happened during a visit I made to Starbucks (aka: Satan) today. I went there to work on this interview I'm doing for work. I had my laptop and everything. I went to the counter and ordered a medium-sized black coffee. The reason I say "medium" is because I can't bring myself to say the ridiculous name they use for "medium." I believe it's some Italian word. Another interesting thing. After I ordered, the girl working the counter said: "Wow, nobody really orders straight coffee anymore." To which I replied: "Do they usually all that mochacino crap?" And she answered: "Yeah."

Aside from that, while working on my interview, I had a fantastic listening reunion with my old pals L7. Oh, how I love L7. Remember when they made a cameo in "Serial Mom"? Fabulous, simply fabulous. After seeing L7 in that flick, I went out and bought the cassette soundtrack the very next day. Please tell me: how can one beat songs like "Pretend We're Dead," "Andres," "Drama" and "Shitlist"? One can't. Simple as that.

I'm getting tired of writing, so I think I'll wrap this baby up. On the way home last night, I listened to Tapes 'n Tapes. I like the second song called "The Iliad" on their latest album, The Loon. In no way is this an endorsement for the band. I pretty much only like that one song. And since my car doesn't have a CD player - or FM radio, for that matter - I'm forced to illegally listen through my iPod and/or portable CD player. That means headphones. I've never understood why it's illegal to wear headphones while driving, but it's perfectly legal to talk on a cell phone. One will never know. I won't lose too much sleep over it. Believe me.

2006-04-26T11:03:00.000-07:00

Interview: Mercury Bullet.

Hmmm. Not sure how to start this blog out. I don't want to offend anyone with what I say. I guess I can start off by explaining why I wanted to interview Fresno "rock/metal/pregressive" band Mercury Bullet.

I was browsing through the bulletin posts on Myspace not too long ago, and I saw something from Mercury Bullet saying they wanted their fans to name their upcoming CD.

"Name our upcoming CD!!!!!!!!!" I believe that was what the bulletin's subject line was.

I thought this was really weird. Why would a band want their fans to name their CD??? Isn't the whole point of being in a band to create content that will be interesting for your fans? What's next, letting your fans write your song titles - or even your songs?!?!?! If I were in a band, I sure as hell wouldn't want my fans naming my CD. First off, I wouldn't trust them to come up with a cool title and, second, it just seems wrong.

The bulletin post gave a link to a blog posting on Mercury Bullet's Myspace page. I suggest you read the blog so you can get an understanding of what I'm talking about here.

After reading the blog, my first reaction was to write my own blog, explaining how ridiculous I thought the concept of letting your fans name your CD was. Instead, I thought I'd try to be fair and let Mercury Bullet explain why they were doing this. Hence the whole interview thing.

So I came up with a few questions and asked the band if they'd be interested in doing an e-mail interview. The band's drummer, Jeremiah Dasalla, wrote back saying he'd be the one answering the questions. Upon checking my e-mail box this morning, the answers came from Andrew Beasley, Mercury Bullet's guitarist. So I don't know who the hell answered the questions below.

Maybe I wasn't clear enough in the questions I asked, but the answers I got were very disappointing. I was hoping the band would go a little deeper into why they wanted fans to name their CD. They gave a pretty simple response. You'll see...

Hell, they must be doing something right. The guys have like 50 million "friends" on their Myspace. I just keep wondering what ever happened to the good ol' days when bands came up with their own creative album titles. But maybe Mercury Bullet is on to some kind of fan/band interactive relationship that will raise their awareness. I still think it's pretty lame.

And like I said above: I'm not trying to offend anyone with this blog. I'm just stating my opinion. If Mercury Bullet or any of their fans reads this and gets upset, it's all good. I just think it's something worth pointing out and investigating. To the five-piece's credit, I totally respect the fact that they're playing tons of shows and working hard. More power to 'em.

P.S. Before we move on to the questions, I just wanted to let everyone know that last night I had to pay five freakin' dollars for a large black tea at Tower District's Teazer tea house. I was shocked. I expected to pay $2 or $3 at the most. But when it rang up "$5.13" I thought the guy workin' the register was trying to screw me. Anyway, that is freakin' ridiculous - $5 for a cup of tea!!! What is this world coming to?

Anyway... Ladies and Gentlement, Mercury Bullet...

Mitch on Speed: Whered the name Mercury Bullet come from?
Mercury Bullet: Well, it is something that can't happen. You can't make a Mercury Bullet 'cause when mercury gets too hot it melts.(We're nerds! lol!)

Now let's get to the whole point of why I'm doing this interview. In your band's Myspace blog, you're asking fans to choose a name for your upcoming full-length CD. I find this odd. Explain why you're doing this.
Well, we are playing music for the fans. So we figured this new CD should be all about the fans, so why not have them name it for us.

So far, approximately 60 fans have left comments in your blog, giving title suggestions. Have you picked one yet?
We haven't picked a name yet, but there's been some really good names. And we want to thank everyone who gave us a name. Keep them coming!!!

How will you decide whose suggestion to choose? Will you make them sign a waiver?
Well, we are going to pick the one that we think will refelect the music on this CD the best.

I have a title suggestion: Mercury Bullet (self-titled). What do you think about that one?
LOL. Good one! But that's what the last (CD) one was.

You mention in the blog that the 2004-released Mercury Bullet record didnt have a title. Why didnt you give it a name?
We figured that we would just not name it and let the music speak for itself.

When is the album coming out?
Either late October or early November.

Are you self-releasing it, or will you be on some kind of label?
Yes, we are self-releasing it. We aren't on a label but if anyone is interested in signing us fill free to! LOL!

Is there a tour in the works?
Yup. We are planning one for July. Up through Northern Cali and Washington. In Washington, we are planning on playing a festival called Tomfest.

What is Mercury Bullet's short & long-term goals? Just curious.
We plan to do lots of touring all over the U.S. and continuing to play music. As long as people will listen, we will play.

Closing comments?
Thank you to all our fans. You are the reason why we do this. Thank you Mitch for the interview, and everyone expect a surprise when the new CD comes out!!!

Interviewed by Mitchell Peters

2006-04-24T10:57:00.000-07:00

91 Years.

1915.

Young. Ottoman. Turks. Systematic massacre. One point five million, silently remembered. Denied. Shhh, don't worry, we won't tell anyone.

Yes, it's a good day for a "so-called" Genocide.

2006-04-18T17:19:00.000-07:00

Waylon and Me, Two Geminis.

Howdy.

In honor of the this next blog, I've decided to scroll my iPod all the way down to Waylon Jennings. If my reader isn't familiar with the music of Jennings, the original country outlaw, then I advise the reader to find his/her way to the nearest music retailer and/or file sharing software and buy or steal Waylon's album, Honky Tonk Heroes. Don't think about it, just do it. It's golden. I suggest track numbers 1,8 & 9. God damn.

Most of the songs were written by Billy Joe Shaver, but the songs wouldn't be worth a damn if Waylon weren't singing them. Trust me. I've heard Billy crooning some of the same songs and they don't even come close. One probably wouldn't think I'm a big country music fan, and they'd be right: I'm not. But Waylon Jennings holds a special place in my heart. Not only because he was (hes now dead) fucking awesome, but because he's one of my dad's favorite artists.

My dad doesn't listen to much music. In fact, I almost never see him listening to his music. Most of his record collection consists of old Neil Diamond and Waylon Jennings albums. There's a couple Beach Boys and CCR in the mix, but that's about it. My dad wasn't really into music when he was growing up. Neither was my mother or either of my older sisters. Don't ask me why music is my main passion. I wouldn't be able to tell you. But somewhere along the line it caught my interest.

Anyway. A few years back, I overheard my dad listening to some of his Waylon records. He had always tried to get me to listen to them with him, but I would refuse. The idea of country music didn't appeal to me, so I automatically closed my mind to the idea. But this wasn't country music, it was "Outlaw" music. I guess there's a difference. This ain't the shit you'll find on CMT. It's authentic. Kenny Chesney and Keith Urban got nothin' on Waylon. I doubt Chesney and Urban share a crash pad to get wasted on booze and pills. Waylon and Johnny Cash did. Maybe those two country glammers do have a crash pad they share, but I seriously doubt it. But I'm sure theyre too busy refining their cheesy lyrics and fake accents. (But they do sell a shitload of albums, so I guess they're doing something right. That, or their listeners are ... ).

After I finally got around to listening to Waylon, I understood why my father would say, "He's got the best voice you'll ever hear, son." I don't agree with that completely, but it's pretty damn good. Ask around and many will agree. I know I would. Its good. By the way, I forget to mention that my dad is the nicest person you'll ever meet in your life.

I got excited about a year ago when I had the opportunity to interview Waylons son Shooter Jennings. Shooter is the hot new thing in country music. He's not nearly as good as Waylon, but I think daddy's name has helped him along a bit. There reason I was excited to interview him is because I knew my dad would think it was kinda cool. As I expected, he did think it was cool. I later gave him a copy of the article I wrote about Shooter.

Um, since this whole blog is getting kinda long, I'll get to the point. About a week ago, I was Googling the date of my birth: June 15. At the top of the search results was a Wikipedia link. (Wikipedia is a free online encyclopedia.)

The link gave a bunch of info about past shit that's happened on June 15 (birthdays, historical events, deaths, etc.). As I was looking through people who were born on June 15, guess whose name I saw on the list? Yep, Waylon Jennings. Twin Geminis. I got a chill. It was strange that my father's son was born on the same day as his favorite singer of all time. What's more weird is that the father doesn't really like music, and the one artist he does happen to adore was born on the same day as his only son. Hmmm. Coincidence? I think not.

Now, I don't know what this means but I'm convinced it's something. Maybe a sign. Perhaps God just works in mysterious ways. There's also the possibility that I'm looking more into this than I need to be. I doubt it. I'm sure it'll hit me someday. And when it does, I'll be ready.

At least now when people ask when my birthday is, I won't have to say: "It's the day that falls between Flag Day (6/14) and 2Pac's birthday (6/16)." I will simply say: "It's on the same day as Waylon Jennings'."

2006-04-10T08:52:00.000-07:00

Review: Pinkeye @ Meatball Magic.

It's 2:56 a.m. It still feels like Friday, but technically it's Saturday morning. Shit, I have to take my truck into the shop in a few hours. It's been running kinda weird these days. Figure I better get it checked on. I'm not a fan of breaking down in the middle of the road. It's never actually happened to me, but I imagine its not fun. I've a tire blow on the freeway, and that damn near sucked. I had to wait like 3 hours for AAA to come because my spare was stuck underneath the truck and I didn't have the right tool to remove it.

I was driving to Los Angeles and it blew right outside of Bakersfield. The tow truck guy gave me a ride back home. I had to listen to his ass talk about how he wanted to start a rent-to-own furniture business, and how some of his female customers want to have sex with him. It was interesting. But enough about that. Let's talk about what happened tonight at the Red Lantern. Hmmm, I'm setting it up as if some crazy shiz went down... No worries, it was just Pinkeye.

As some of you know, Fresno's Pinkeye "reunited" for a show at Meatball Magic. (p.s. there wont be any links because my computer is too slow and I don't feel like dealing with it.) I put quotes around reunited because I have a feeling Pinkeye will be "reuniting" many times in the years to come (which probably means every time Pinkeye frontman "Bad" Andy Bunnell comes to visit Fresno). Bad Andy - who recently moved to L.A. - was back in town to play a couple Pinkeye gigs. The first was at Fresno State late Friday (4/7) afternoon. Apparently, it was for a school project (or some shit like that). Do I care? No. The second show was at the aforementioned Meatball Magic (indie/electro dance party at the Red Lantern on Belmont).

In his blog, Fresno Bee music writer Mike Oz said something about the show being a CD release party for Pinkeye's new album, Ravishing. Technically, I dont think it was a CD release party, although it was the first time the band sold the new record. The album has been done for a while now, but for one reason or another, it's never been "officially" released. Whatever. I guess if whoever is reading this really wants a copy of Ravishing, they can find Pinkeyes Myspace page and contact them. I don't know the exact price, but a source in the band says they rang from $6 to $8. Oh yeah, the artwork on the album was done by Fresno native (Ronald) Dzerigian. I think he lives in L.A. now. (Random Ronald fact: his birthday is on 9/11).

Let's back up a second. I knew I'd end up going to Meatball Magic tonight, not only because I like Pinkeye a lot, but because I knew MM's Alan (aka Miss CoCo) would give me shit if I didn't show. He's one of the DJs there. (By the way, in case you didn't catch it earlier Friday evening, Meatball Magic "DJs" - Heinz, Cuddles and Cuckoo - were interviewed on Fresnos 88.1 on your FM dial. Alan said he was gonna try and stream the interview on MM's Myspace page.)

Every time Meatball Magic rolls around (first and third Friday of every month), I'm really tired and don't feel like going out. Tonight was no different, but I forced myself. Prior to leaving my house, I was sleeping. And before that I was watching "The Sopranos." Anyone watching the new season? It's kinda dark. Me like. It's taken a while to get rollin', but I think things are finally starting to pick up. Sunday's new episode should be legit. We'll see.

So... what should I say about the Pinkeye show? I guess I can start off by saying the opening bands were The Batteries, It'll Grow Back and a solo performance from James Brittain-Gore (formerly of No Cello). In between bands, DJ Kumar "Niilo" Santiago provided some tunes. I made up that DJ name because I cant remember the real one. But I'm guessing it's based on some character in a John Waters film.

I felt important tonight because shortly after I arrived at Meatball, James Brittain-Gore came up and handed me a copy of his upcoming self-titled debut release. The cover of the album has a cool drawing of Brittain-Gores face, sketched by Breanna Smeds. (Plug, plug.) Ha. Just kidding. James is on Myspace in case you want to chat with him about his new record. Its got 10 tracks, and it was recorded by Matt Orme at Gardenside Studios in Fresno. There's a bunch of guest performers on there. Should be interesting.

OK, back to Pinkeye. Well, here's the first thing that kinda sucked: Pinkeye didn't even step on stage until after one. Keep in mind the Red Lantern starts kickin' people out about 1:45 (as do most bars in this state). The place was pretty packed with a bunch of Fresno rock stars. I was disappointed to see Rademacher frontman Malcolm Sosa was NOT there. Shame, shame. Fresnofamous.com Editor Jarah Euston said Sosa was home asleep. She would know because she's his girlfriend. In case ya'll didn't know, Fresno Famous is a sponsor of Meatball Magic. FF has a sign and everything to prove it. Just thought I'd toss that fact into the mix.

So by the time Pinkeye stepped on stage, the place was almost ready to close. But that didn't stop them from rockin'. Bad Andy started the off by saying like, "Its been too fuckin' long Fresno." Um, didn't he only move away like two months ago??? Ha. I'm joking. Don't trip Bunnell. It's always interesting watching a Pinkeye gig. It's especially interesting for me to watch since I'm like the only one not dancing. I've said this before and I'll say it again: People can't help but shake their booty's while watching Pinkeye perform. I guess the music is really catchy or something. I haven't come across many people who dont like the band. I think it boils down to Bad Andy being a badass songwriter. That's my opinion, at least. It probably didn't hurt that Meatball Magic is a dance party and people attended the event with bootay-shakin' on their mind's.

Regardless, Pinkeye could play at a funeral and people would still dance. Speaking of which, the guys played their ever-popular KFSR 90.7 hit "Texas Funeral." Well, the song isn't a hit on the Fresno State station anymore, but it was about two years ago when I was a DJ there. Tonight's show also included such favorites at "Library Girl" and "Ravishing." That last song is one of my favorites. Apparently, it used to be an old American Sloth song. Yeah. There were more songs, but I already forgot which ones. The usual.

I got the biggest smile on my face when Niilo stepped on stage to play bass on a few songs. Niilo was Pinkeye;s original bassist until he left to pursue other musical endeavors. Now Niilo fronts the Magic Whores, who are pretty neato. It was nice seeing the old gang back together. Brought back memories of the good ol' days when I had faith that Pinkeye could actually have a presence in the music world beyond Fresno. Oh well.

That's about it. I'll end the blog with these words: The show was fun. And I think everyone else had fun, too. I guess I could write a little more, but I'm too tired. If anyone was at the show and wants to post something I forget to mention, the floor is all yours... Night.

p.s. does anybody know who those two really tall dudes were? One was wearing a K Records T-shirt if that is any help. They looked like there were in an hip band or something.

2006-03-13T10:10:00.000-08:00

Kat Jones on Touring.

I'll make this intro quick. Kat Jones (Myspace) is a singer/songwriter from Fresno, Calif. If you're from around here and you haven't heard of her, you must be living under a rock. She's the closest thing Fresno has to a rock star. Well, her music isn't really rock... but for Fresno standards, she's pretty famous. Kat is also one of the few musicians I personally know who has toured extensively.

And that's one of the reasons I interviewed her: to show musicians in Fresno that it's not impossible to embark on a nationwide tour. Hopefully y'all will get something out of it. It's an interesting interview even if you don't give a damn about touring. Ha! Anyway, Kat is moving to Nashville on March 15th, and her last show is on the 14th at The Revue in Fresno's Tower District. It starts at 7:30. BE THERE EARLY!

Before we start, I'd like to tell everyone how Kat and I first met. It's not the most interesting of stories, but I'm going to tell it anyway.

Hmmm, it was Winter 2002. I was in London for a few months - going to school. It was a transfer program through Fresno State. I shared a flat with three other guys, one of them was Ben McEntee (The Nancys & The Soma Holidays). Ben is friends with Kat. At the time, Kat was doing missionary work in Scotland, and decided to visit Ben in London for a few days. So I came home from class one day, and there was Kat sitting alone waiting for Ben. I think that's what happened. I'm not 100 percent sure, but it sounds good to me. So I chatted with her for a few minutes and that's it. Great story, right? OK, here's the interview.

Interviewed by Mitchell Peters

Before we start, please introduce yourself by telling everyone a little about the type of music you make.

Let's see. I am a singer/songwriter in the vein of Tom Waits, Nick Cave, Emmy Lou Harris, & Neil Young I guess. I began writing in 1997.

Discography:
2000- Burning Ears Unsigned Artist Comp. (Velvet Blue Music)
2001- The Glory Green e.p. (Out Of Print)
2002- Building e.p. (Velvet Blue Music)
2003- Demos For Lenz #'s 1, 2, & 3 (Out of Print)
2004- La Rosa, La Calavera (Full Length)
2004- I'll Be Home For Christmas (Out Of Print)
2004- All I Want For Christmas (Lujo Records Out Of Print)
2006- Demos For Friends #1 (Limited Pressing)

Cool. Tell us how many nationwide tours you've been on.

I think this is the 6th or 7th. I'm not sure.

What first gave you the idea to touring? What'd your family think?

Ever since before I started working with Velvet Blue Music I knew that I wanted to be on that label and use it as a catalyst for touring. The whole idea was that playing live is an art medium in and of itself, and the only way you can become good at it is to tour relentlessly. So it made sense to begin doing it as soon as possible.

My parents are still terrified by it. And I totally understand why. The more I've toured the more friends I've had who've either had members of their bands killed on the road or were in near fatal accidents (all as a result of a drunk driver - not in the band but the other vehicle). I know an alarming amount of people who have come ridiculously close to dying on the road. It's a hazardous job.

How did you go about organizing and setting up your first tour? How many dates was it?

My first tour was with a label mate called MAP. We went on the road for 10 wonderful days. The tour was organized by an amazing friend of mine who believed it was something he needed to do to support me. He did the whole tour for free - which is totally unheard of - and we had a lot of really amazing shows.

What's one of the harshest lessons you've learned on the road?

The single harshest lesson I've learned is to make sure that I don't retreat into myself, but make sure that I am paying attention to the needs of everyone around me. It's very easy to almost naturally get into a selfish mode when you're on the road. You're constantly relying on other people to help out with things because it puts you in often vulnerable and helpless positions. The actual road can be very hypnotizing as well, and I am often lulled into long silences by it which depending on the person touring with me can also be a bad thing.

We were chatting a few weeks ago at The Revue in the Tower District, and
you mentioned that one's body undergoes dramatic changes after a couple weeks on the road. Tell everyone what you're talking about.

Oh my goodness. I have to explain first that both of my parents are therapists and so this kind of thing is really interesting. After about 10 days of being on the road (and producing a lot of adrenaline in order to get by during those 10 days) your body begins to believe that you're in danger because you're using sooo much adrenaline. What happens as a result of this is that one can become irritable, needy, extremely lonely, one's hormones get charged up because you're body thinks you need to procreate in order for you to survive... all sorts of crazy things happen, and I've watched it occur with the people around me on almost every tour I've been on. Then when you get home it can be extremely hard because you begin to go through adrenaline withdrawal. I get paranoid, I can't be around large groups of people, and I can't drink caffeine because it makes me dramatically anxious and nervous. It can be really hard to deal with. I can't be social at all the first few days of being home. But then it goes away and I want to be on the road again.

Describe a day-in-the-life of being on tour.

Wake up, drive to the venue, meet the promoter, plug in, play, sit behind your merch table and meet people, go to sleep, do it the next day. That's the way at first. It's actually a lot easier for me now that I know so many people all over the U.S. and I can book dates that are closer to each other now, which is wonderful so there aren't that many 9-14 hour drives. So now touring often consists of meeting people I really respect or re-connecting with friends I haven't seen in a long time. That part of it makes all the work totally worth it.

What's been your mode of transportation through all these jaunts?

SHANIQUA! She's my wonderful white & pink conversion van. I love her.

What role has networking with other musicians played in your touring career?

I think it's totally invaluable. When I work with the musicians instead of the promoters themselves I have way more confidence in the shows that I'm going to. I know that those musicians are really promoting the crap out of the show and going to bring their audience and when it's the right band it really works wonderfully. When one just contacts the promoters they often don't put that much work into the show and then you show up and there's a cover band or a band that is completely wrong as far as generating a good show is considered. Then you don't have fun, the band doesn't have fun, and it's not as much fun for the audience.

Do you currently have a booking agent? If not, have you ever worked with one?

I do not. I've had three booking agents so far. Booking agents are really interesting. You have to get the right fit. It's really important to find someone that you trust and who trusts you.

How do you go about doing press promotion in the markets you perform?

Ideally, one wants to be playing radio shows and in-stores before every show. This is not always possible. One also wants to be playing on the local college radio station for a few months before you arrive in town and doing interviews the day of a show or a couple days before on the phone. Realistically, it's often not possible w/o a press agent. I don't have one right now, so the bulk of our press consists of people on the street team making posters and passing out flyers before we get to cities. Which is pretty effective also.

Have any of your tours been profitable?

You know, I'm not sure. By the grace of God I've never had one that didn't break even. I have had a lot of friends who've had to come home early from tours before because otherwise they'd be stranded in some city in the middle of the U.S. and I've heard of bands having to move to the cities they were stranded in and get jobs in order to make enough money to leave and get home. I guess I'm an anomaly. Whenever we've been ultra strapped for cash the exact amount that we've always needed has been delivered. I've got weird stories about it. Like strangers walking up to me and giving me $200 because they felt like they were supposed to.

What's been the best thing about touring?

Meeting people and making friends. If that doesn't happen on a tour or if I'm not able to affect people's lives touring feels utterly worthless to me. I've felt like there was no point to it before but then a few months after the tour I get to see everything that came of it.

Why do you think it is that more Fresno musicians don't tour?

Well, I don't usually recommend that bands tour unless they're on a label really. So I think that plays a big role in it. Touring is hard enough without there being a built in audience ready to see you for the first time at a venue. It's always nice to meet fans of the label that I'm on who come out to shows and I'm grateful for their support.

The other thing is that booking a tour is really really hard work. I can't begin to describe the difficulty and I'm sure that gets discouraging. It's totally discouraging for me when I'm doing it because you might not see the fruits of your labor for months.

Got any advice for emerging bands/artists that wish to start touring but don't know how?

Take is SLOW. Work hard on developing yourself in Fresno first. I would say work your way out in concentric circles. Play shows closer to Fresno first and slowly work your way out. If you're supposed to continue out farther, the need will be made apparent. But move carefully. There is no need to rush things. When the train comes and you get on it you might want off. It's a pretty intense and fast ride. DO NOT GET INTO HEAVY DRUGS ON THE ROAD. Bands that do that break up. It causes too much drama. (Case-in-point: Watch the documentary DIG. It's totally true.)

You're moving to Nashville March 15th. What's that all about?

My boyfriend lives there. For personal reasons he can't move here (even though he loves Fresno) and we've been together for two years, so I'm moving there. I think it's the right time too. Represent Fresno on the eastern part of the U.S. for a while.

Any upcoming events you wish to plug?

My last show in town is Tuesday, March 14th @ The Revue in the Tower District. Aspen Hollow (another Fresno songwriter who I'm bringing on tour with me) and Hotel Underground (from Riverside) are also playing. And then I will play my last set in town. I'm going to be using the time to talk a lot about art and the process of making art as well as answering people's questions (you can ask anything) and I will be explaining the meanings behind the songs before I start playing them. I will, of course, be taking requests. It starts at 7:30, but it's going to be PACKED because The Revue is really tiny, so you might want to get there early and mark out your seat.

2006-02-19T21:54:00.000-08:00

Is Fresno Stale?

I'm going to direct you (the reader) to my "Mitch on Speed" MySpace blog. The only reason I'm doing this is because people left comments there that are worth reading. If you don't wanna go there, here's the blog:

I'm not pinpointing any specific bands when I say this, but does the Fresno music scene seem a little stale lately? One could argue that it's been stale for a while. I don't know. Maybe it's just me and my lack of enthusiasm. I just haven't been excited to see any shows lately - at all.

There are a few coming up that I'm looking forward to - one in particular - but nothin' that's knockin' my socks off. It just seems as if we're in a down time right now. The same bands are playing over and over - nothing fresh. No cool outta town bands (in my opinion). I guess it's always been like that. Maybe it's just a cycle and the next phase will be really exciting. But I have my doubts. Too bad I'm not a huge Six Ounce Gloves (they have a really cool quote on their MySpace) fan; maybe that would rile me up. I guess SOG just got signed to a label, or whatever... Woohoo.

I think I've asked this question before, but where the hell are all the young bands hiding??? Are you out there, practicing in your mother's basement, waiting patiently to reveal yourselves to the world? Please let me know, 'cause I need a fix. I'd wager that a lot of other Fresnans do too. I need a band that's going to kick my ass a little. It doesn't matter what the genre is. As long as they're good and show a little enthusiasm. I'll also gladly accept a band that doesn't show enthusiams - as long as they don't suck.

It doesn't even have to be a band. Give me a great singer/songwriter that I can sink my teeth into. (I'm not saying that aren't good ones out there, but I just haven't found any that I'm going gaga over.)

I don't know. Maybe I'm just bitching and whining here. I don't care, though; what I'm saying is the truth. I feel things are very stale right now. I like that word - stale. It's a good one. I'm not sayin' local bands who've been around for a while shouldn't keep on playing, I'm just looking for new talent. And, at this point, it doesn't seem like there is any. I guess there's nothing that can be done about it.

Maybe we just need to try and bring some decent outta town bands, even though we all know that won't happen. Unless you want to see friggin' Bon Jovi perform at the Save Mart Center. I don't even know why I just wrote that - I hate Bon Jovi, expect for that song "Blaze of Glory," or whatever it's called. God, he is annoying. Especially that dumbass smiley face logo the band is using. Anyway, I'm getting off topic.

Actually, I think I'm done. Kind of a pointless blog, but oh well.

2006-02-09T00:41:00.000-08:00

Lost Ring In Armenia.

Words: Mitchell Peters

I don't remember how this story starts. It's not a story, though. It's a tale. Not typical. Actually, I dont even know what a tale is. OK. It takes place in this little country called Armenia. It's tiny; I'm not exaggerating. Have you heard of the place, dear reader? Of course you have. Hey, do me a favor. Go to your nearest map/globe and find the country. It borders Turkey and Russia. And a couple others, too. I know what the other countries are, but I'd rather not tell you. You'll find out if you go and look for yourself. It'll be worth it, trust me. Do you trust me? Yes. Anyway. I was in Armenia with a handful of students from Fresno State. July 2005. Have you heard of Fresno? It's a town in Central California. It's hot. Dry. Desert. Or so they say. Roll down your car windows in the summer. No air conditioning. What do you call that? Armenian air conditioning. That's what someone once told me. Maybe my brother-in-law. Or my cousin. Some people like Fresno; others don't. I like certain aspects of it. My house if one of those aspects. It's peaceful: grapevines and pink sunsets. Quarter-mile driveway. Wild dogs. Rooney. Coyotes screaming at night. Packs of them. Stray cats. Lizards. Soaring hawks. Oh, how I love watching the hawks. Sixty-foot pine trees. My dad's '77 golden El Camino all original. Dirt roads. Shattered windows. Sheds with lime green chemicals inside. Tractors. Many tractors: green and red. A long canal with tadpoles; sometimes small fish. Quiet. A chemical plant down the road. An orange orchard across the street. Acres of plums in my front yard. Almonds. Flames. Raisins. Fowler. Planted with Armenian hands. Yes. Armenian hands. Not mine. Family that came before me. Many years before me. Sounds good, right? It is. But there's something that saddens me. And angers me at the same time. Track homes. But we won't get into that. They won't destroy my property. I'll stop now since you have no idea what I'm talking about. Or do you? It doesn't matter. Let's get back to the story - I mean - tale. Tail. I was about to tell it, remember? Tangents.

The tale is about a ring. The ring is silver. I wear it on my right hand almost every day. On the fourth finger from my thumb. I don't know what that finger is called. I don't care. Now, I don't wear this particular ring on special occasions. I save my Madrid ring for that. I got it in Spain. Madrid. Miriam. Madness. Denmark. Copenhagen. Pilgrimage. Breathtaking. Random art museums. Sol. OK, I'm done now. Tangents, dont you love 'em? The ring (not the Madrid one) has a black line going around the center. The inside has an imprint: "925." That means its silver. That's what they told me. I don't remember who "they" are. But I know "they" told me. My sister gave it to me. A gift. Older sister. Do you know her name? I do. I've had the ring forever. Yes, forever. I'm not sure how long that is. But It's a long time. I think. When I went to Armenia, I simply had to take the ring with me. I'm not sure why. I guess I would feel sort of naked without it. Or maybe it's because I wanted to have a piece of my family there with me. Although, they were already there. My ancestors. Like I said, I'm not sure why. But I took it. I love that ring. Connected. I'm not wearing it as I write this. It's nighttime. I usually take it off at night, then put it back on in the morning. Anyway. Where was I? Oh, yes; the ring. We were about two weeks into the trip. The group was based in Yerevan. Yerevan is the capitol (I spelled that wrong on purpose) of Armenia. You didn't know that. Well, maybe some of you did. The special ones. One night, I was with some friends. We were standing in front of a post office in Yerevan. It was near the city square. Republic Square. Sounds Soviet. It probably was. You know, back in the USSR. Long gone. Or is it? As I was standing on the steps under the dark sky, I used my thumb to reach over and play with the ring, which should have been on the fourth finger over of my right hand. I'm left-handed. It wasn't there. Missing. Panic. Let me repeat that: PANIC. I never take my ring off. Only when I got to bed. Or the bathroom. I'm in the streets of Armenia. Lonely. The name of the street is too difficult to spell. (Mesrop Mashtots.) Armenian alphabet. A. B. C. (Ա. Բ. Գ.) Heart beats faster. It never does. "Where the fuck is my ring?" Over and over, I repeated this. In my head. I'm a little obsessive about it. Can you tell? I try to stay calm. Search my pockets. Not there. Look on the sidewalk below me. Not there. I stay silent. Cigarette smoke everywhere. Could it be at the restaurant where we just ate? Mmmm. That was a great meal. So good; so cheap. No. Confusion, followed by more panic. Ugh! I leave the people I was with. I did. You already know why. I don't remember if I told them my ring was missing. The ring with the black line. "925." My sister. It was 10 p.m. Or something like that. I wouldn't sleep that night until my ring was found. My eyes grew wide as I walked the street retracing my steps. I walked for what seemed like miles. Maybe more; probably less. My eyes focused on the ground, hoping to spot a silver sparkle. It slowly slipped. Hope, that is. So cliche. But that's OK. It was true. I kept telling myself: "There's nothing you can do. It's gone. Just accept it." I began to accept it. I tried to spin the tragedy to my favor. "Hey, at least you lost it in Armenia - the Old Country." It would be like leaving a piece of myself in the birthplace of my ancestors. My people. Bitlis. My family's old stomping grounds. Armenia. Sunflower seeds. Authentic, beautiful women. Mona. Saroyan. Fresno. $8,400. Farming. Ashes scattered over the mountains. That whole bit.

I walked for a couple hours. No ring. Gone. Goodbye. Forever. I went back to my hotel room. 413. I thought it would be there. (The ring; black line) I had little doubt in my mind it wouldn't be. I arrive at our room on the fourth floor. Five beds. One bathroom. Four flights of stairs. I search the room. Nothing. Hope fades, fades, fades. Gone. I've accepted that its gone. My heart breaks silently. Tears. Beats skipped. Whatever. It did something, I know that much. Empty pain. Filled my stomach. Hurt. Bad. I walked back to the outdoor caf where my friends were. I order an espresso. I love coffee at night. They asked if I found the ring. No. No more words. A sad silence. I walk back to my hotel. 413. Who knows what time it is? University Hotel. Alone. Depressed. Miserable. I crawl in bed and sleep. The window is open. The breeze blows the blue curtain. The comfortable night reminds me of Fresno. So does the day. And the people. Of home. On the ranch. My favorite tree, the Canford. It's roots break the brick surrounding it. The next morning in Yerevan. In the hotel. My room. I wake up early. Go downstairs. Get breakfast; the same thing every morning for weeks: bread, butter, ham, Apricots, cucumber, boiled egg, olives, yogurt, tea, water. OK, I'm full. Our group is meeting at 9:30 (a.m.) in the lobby. The blonde one is late. Again. As usual. It's funny. Seb gets upset. While I'm waiting, I walk down the hall. There's a bathroom at the end of it. I need to take a leak. So I do. I finish. Wash my hands. Look at the white sink. Sitting there. So perfectly undisturbed. My ring. Found. Life has new meaning. I had taken it off at some point yesterday. Bar soap. I feel a slight sensation: disappointment. I dont know; why?

2006-02-02T16:38:00.000-08:00

Magical Meatball Memories.

So. Hi. How are you? I'm OK. A little tired. I had a rather heavy lunch. But I followed it with a Diet Pepsi. So that kinda woke me up. I'm back on track now. Thinkin' about having another Diet Pepsi. I haven't decided yet. Not sure if the soda machine in the break room has any left. I drink them too much. We'll see. Anyway, I'm ready to start this blog now.

Let's start with this: Fresno's beloved electro dance party, Meatball Magic, is celebrating its one-year anniversary this Friday, February 3rd. In honor of the FREE extravaganza, "DJs"/founders Heinz, Cuddles and Princess Cuckoo have invited local indie favs It'll Grow Back, The Batteries, and Rademacher to provide live music/chaos. It starts at 10 p.m. at the Red Lantern on Belmont. And this time, 10 means 10. Probably not, but you never know. Stranger things have happened. I think the "DJs" will be playing some music in between or after the bands finish. You'll have to ask. If not, you can just dance to the music the bands are playing.

Now that we have all the facts outta the way, let's get to the fun shit. I was sittin' back the other day trying to figure out a blog I could write to promote this week's Meatball Magic. Then I though to myself, "Hmmmm. Why not e-mail the 'DJs' and the bands and ask what their most memorable Meatball Magic experience has been this past year." So I did. Unfortunately, not every one responded. But I didn't get them much time. So it's partly my fault. Well, not really, but whatever. I do what I can.

p.s. If you're wondering why I'm putting quotes around "DJs," go here. You'll find your answer there.

Mitch on Speed's memory:
I guess we'll start this off. Don't worry, I'll it keep it short. It happened a couple weeks ago. I was at the bar ordering up a Bud Light in the bottle, and some guy at the end of the bar told the bartender, "I got that." I wasn't sure what to do. Do I refuse him and say, "No, thanks, I can pay for it." Did this mean I have to go talk to the guy??? I was baffled. A guy had never bought me a drink before... So I just looked at his and said, "Thanks," and rushed off. Ha. (In case you haven't figured out, this place is a Gay bar. But Meatball Magic nights are all-encompassing). I have more memories, but that is the freshest one in my mind.

Let's move on to other peoples' memories. By the way, feel free to post your own favorite Meatball Magic memory in the comments section. Let's do this interactive style...

Princess Cuckoo (aka Miss CoCo):
It was sometime last fall or maybe late summer, one of those t-shirt nights when everyone wants to sit outside and drink, and that's exactly what we did. It was early-ish in the night, before my set and after Vance's, and probably Sandra was spinning something everyone remembered and loved. I'm standing with Vance on the Red Lantern's outside patio drinking a vodka press and smoking a cigarette and someone calls my name, but when I look over to my left I realize it could have been anyone. Then I look to my right and realize it could have been anyone there too. It takes a few seconds for it to dawn on me, and it seems that Vance comes to the same realization at the same exact moment. "Wow," I say. "Look around, Vance." And he does and he sort of nods and says "It's all our friends." Every single person we've ever called a close friend, it seems like, along with new ones and people we'd just met -- they were all out there on that patio talking and smoking and drinking and bopping their heads to the music wafting out the door. And when I look inside, I notice that there are even more people we love just swarming the dancefloor. It was the perfect culmination of all these elements conspiring to create one perfect night that I'll never forget.

Heinz:
There was this one Friday; it was totally packed. Madonna and I were breakdancing to Neutral Milk Hotel when suddenly Missy Elliott decided to join in. She totally did a backflip off of Annie. She totally stole our thunder. Totally. This really happened. And if you don't remember, well you probably weren't cool (or sober if you're me or Cuddles or Cuckoo) enough back then to have known what was up. There is a moral. Go to Meatball Magic. I love you.

Cuddles:
*"DJ" Cuddles was too busy making a birthday cake. She'll answer shortly.

Guest "DJ" Dexter:
I love Meatball Magic with all my flailing limbs. Fresno has hungered for something both danceable and substantial and the Meat to satisfy has finally been served. It's been a great privilege to witness the growing number of guests reserve their Fridays to enjoy each set... and they always do, whether they like it well-done, medium-rare or raw. And as Meatball Magic continues to attract true body-breakers, great music makers and Fresno socialites, what I'll remember is a moment that proved that the night does not only cater to the indie elite, but welcomes any ol' fool who'll move their meat.

On the eve of my debut performance as DJ Dexter I arrive at the Red Lantern and am met with a flash from the camera of my number one fan: my mom. "Now pose in the DJ booth!" she coaxes. Oh dear lord no. The 61-year-old mother of seven struts to the dance floor in the sparkly clothes purchased at Wet Seal and proceeds to raise her arms, shake her hips, and kick out her boots in a dance fashion she developed from aerobics classes in the '80s. I ask my brother why he brought her as I imagine a guaranteed empty dancefloor (besides the Vic) the rest of our set. Yet I find as the folks begin arriving, they are much more accepting than am I. People either ignore the spectacle and dance and converse without regard, or they meet and greet and hug my old lady. Everyone is extremely friendly to her (although it may have helped that she bought anybody who talked to her a drink) and she continued to dance and sparkle and smile and glow. She kept commenting on how great the beat was and after two glasses of Chardonnay and a taste of somebody's Malibu & pineapple juice she confided to me: I think I should have been gay.

Mom, you are gay.

As for the Magic of the Meatball, I must compliment the chefs and clientele for providing an environment where even the most unlikely guest leaves a satisfied customer.

Crazy It'll Grow Back singer, Josh:
So I don't have an specific favorite Meatball Magic memory. That said: I love to dance. I mean-freak-out, body-thrashing arm-flailing all-out-dance-party dance. And that's Meatball Magic's magic, right? When you're out on the smoke-filled dance floor, packed in with sweaty fools, and time just sort of slips away and suddenly it's last call and someone's yelling 'cause they didn't hear their favoritre song and all you can think is...Damn, I'm sweaty and tired. Or something like that.

Batteries singer/guitarist, Mike B (the "B" stands for Batteries):
A Meatball Magic memory hmm... When someone played the new Madonna song "Hung Up" and I realized for the first time that it was actually a great dance song. I think if it weren't for Meatball Magic, I wouldn't go out dancing let alone to Madonna songs.

Rademacher (Fresno indie-rock gods):
*Members of Rademacher were too busy trying to take over the world to answer my e-mail.

Now it's YOUR turn.... any favorite memories you'd like to share. Come one, I know you have AT LEAST one...

Event info:
Meatball Magic
Friday Feb 03, 2006
10:00 PM
The Red Lantern
4618 E. Belmont Ave.

2006-01-26T14:44:00.000-08:00

As seen on Fresno Famous...

The Dalloways. Photo taken by Esther Sotello.

Interview: The Dalloways.

The Dalloways? California Dreampop at its finest. Think The Smiths meets Belle and Sebastian meets The Doves, and you're halfway to understanding these sometimes moody, often upbeat dreamers.

by Mitch on Speed
January 26, 2006

So, let’s see. Why did I decide to interview Fresno five-piece, The Dalloways? Oh, yes. I saw a bulletin posting on MySpace that said the band had an upcoming show at The Starline on January 28. So I took a look at the quintet’s Web site and decided they were probably worth a couple hours of my time.

As I was reading through The Dalloways’ bio, the word “dreampop” kept showing up as description of its sound. Now, I’m just going to come out and say it: I have no friggin’ clue what “dreampop” is. I mean, I have an idea, but I couldn’t really give you a definition. I guess I’ll have to go to the show and find out. Now that I think about it, I’ve actually seen The Dalloways before. At least I think I have. It was quite a while ago. But I’ve forgotten what they sound like. I do, however, remember the guitarist having a cool guitar. Man, I just used the word “guitar” twice in the same sentence. Oh well. Maybe I’m thinking of a completely different group. Who knows?

Anyway… This interview was done via e-mail with Dalloways singer/guitarist Gerhard Enns. He’s also an English professor. I forgot to ask him where he teaches. I guess it’s not that important. If you really wanna know, just ask him at the show this Saturday. This interview turned out really well. I think it’s because Gerhard answered the questions in a very detailed manner. And I’m not just saying that so you’ll read it! I should interview more musicians/English professors. It’s makes my editing job a lot easier.

I won’t go into too many details about this history of the Dalloways and all that stuff. It’s not important. Well, it is important but I’m too lazy to write a long-ass intro (it’s getting lengthy enough as it is). The band has a great bio on their Web site if you’re interested. For now, let’s just read this interview and make an attempt to see The Dalloways at the Starline January 28. We’ll figure the rest out later.

Interviewed by Mitchell Peters

After I e-mailed The Dalloways MySpace and asked for an interview, somebody named Matt said to interview you. And the first thing that popped into my head was this other guy named Gerhard Potuznik. He’s this electro-techno guy who goes under the moniker GD Luxxe. Have you heard of him?

Gerhard Enns: Never heard of him. I’ll go for a listen on iTunes after this conversation. We Gerhard’s have got to stick together.

OK, moving on… I got this quote from The Dalloways blog (http://dalloways.blogspot.com/):

“Cross a college English lit. professor with a Britpop inspired rhythm section and one platinum synth girl (who happens to be married to the prof.), and you’ll get something like The Dalloways.”

Kindly elaborate on this statement so our readers get a better understanding of what the person who wrote this is talking about. Thanks…

I’ve been into books for a long time – in particular British modernism. The band name is an allusion to a Virginia Woolf novel, and other literary characters pop up from time to time in subtle ways in the songs. For instance, I got the name and character idea for Tiffy from a John Cheever short story that I really loved. I’ve written about marginalized Biblical characters like Lot’s youngest daughter, who’s hometown and fiance got burned up by a wrathful God. I’ve just finished a song called “Ada” based on Lord Byron’s mathematician daughter. So I guess that’s where the English prof. in me comes out in the music.

The Britpop inspired rhythm section? Well, our whole sound is basically British, if you ask me – though we’re all California born. The pop luminaries we admire always seem to be British – The Jam, The Style Council, Prefab Sprout, The Smiths, Gilbert O’Sullivan, Lloyd Cole.

And, as fate, luck, and love would have it, I married a platinum blond synth-playing girl who happened to fit perfectly in the band.

I really like the band’s bio on your Website. It seems well written. Guess that’s ’cause you’re a English professor.

I prefer others to write our press material whenever possible, but that’s not always practical and can get expensive. You’ve either got to hire great writers and pay them well or do the hard work of description and elevator pitch writing yourself. If you’re an introvert or even slightly humble, then telling others how great you are is a difficult task.

Tell us about your latest full-lenth record Penalty Crusade.

Penalty Crusade is pop music. Most of the songs move from slightly understated verses to climactic choruses, like “Lot’s Youngest Daughter.” But other songs do break the pop structure. “Ice Capades” for instance seems to swell into one longer, more rambling chorus rather than the pop structure of a repeating chorus.

Regarding the sound, we’ve been inpspired a little by dreampop/shoegaze. I think you can hear that in the lush delays of the guitars in “Clarissa, Dear” and “Marriage Arranged.” Those are my favorite guitar songs on the album.

Once the new album is out in 2006, I think that PC will stand out as our more melancholic album. It is full of break-ups and splits and losses. It was what I was feeling at the time I wrote those songs. The new material has its share of melancholy, but there’s a little more joy and light shining through, as if those characters on PC have benefitted from the passage of time as I have.

I know The Dalloways have been around the Fresno music scene for a while. Give us a brief history of the band.

The Dalloways started over a mutual love of beautiful post-punk edge. After the punk revolution, the music scene seemed to backlash and get pretty, but it maintained that punk edginess. My high school chum Jonny Wall and I both loved The Smiths and The Ocean Blue. Some of those Smiths tunes are twangy honky tonk punk songs with this strange British guy crooning in a beautiful and sad way about young people feeling tragic. That’s just plain strange, beautiful, and heartbreakingly sad, especially if you’re in high school.

All high schoolers should listen to The Smiths. They need that healthy outlet for their tragic tendancies.

More history? Enlisted Matt Wall (aka Bluff) on bass, and Aaron Wall (40 Watt Hype frontman and producer extraorinaire), then Ricky Gonzales (40 Watt guitarist) to take the place of Jonny, who’s priorities had changed, and then Nico Rhodes on synth to round out the live sound.

We share CDs, we listen to the same stuff in order to maintain a cohesion. For instance, I’ve shared Feist, Stars, The Dears, The Pernice Brothers, etc. with everyone in the band. But everyone has their own taste. In the tour van, the music shells break open. We’ve listened to Tool, Gerry and the Pacemakers, Burt Bacharach, 50 Cent. We’re always listening and enjoying. All of it fuels the songs in ways we don’t even understand.

I tried to Google your label – Bird In Box Records – but the page that came up didn’t load. Where are they based out of and how did you hook up with them?

The URL, www.birdinbox.com is up now. The Dalloways are indie in the purest sense. We do the music making, producing, management, and public relations. Bird is Box our own imprint, our own company. As a band taking on many business roles, it’s useful to create a company to help separate the business aspects from the music. So if Nico is working through Bird in Box, for instance, she can represent The Dalloways in a more detached way than is possible as a band member.

If/when we sign a label deal, the Bird in Box imprint will hopefully follow. You see this precident set on lot’s of indie bands that move on to larger labels.

Where does your band’s fascination with Britpop come from?

Hard to explain. Early in high school I gravitated to the Brit sound. I may have longed form something more exotic than a life in Reedley could offer. There was something that seperated the sound of a band like Ride, for instance, from anything coming out of the states. The cymbals were awash, the vocals were dreamy. New Order was simply amazing to me. The Cure’s Disintegration. It was all Brit.

Do you remember the first real concert you went to?

The Simple Minds at The Selland Arena in Fresno. It was the Once Upon a Time tour. That album was huge. They were up there with U2 at the time – so it seemed, anyway. The album is really over the top, and great in some way. They were beautiful post-punk. Members even started out in a punk band Johnny and the Self-Abusers.

I read that you have a background in fiction writing. Does this play into your music at all? If so, how?

Most of my songs take a narrative thread – they are snapshots of the lives of their characters. “Ice Capades” for instance is about a fictional male figure skater and womanizer who nearly wins a gold in Innsbruck 1976 and carries on with one of many women in the Olympic Village. Flash to present day, and he and the woman meet again at his Ice Capades show. He’s a wash-up, really, skating in a viking costume with his old silver around his neck and his unrealized dreams following him around the ice like ghosts. But here is this living, breathing ghost from his past, and suddendly, there’s a chance at something good growing out of the ashes. It’s my favorite song of mine because I feel so strongly for the characters and want them to connect and finally find love. I wrote that one on Post-it notes stuck to my steering wheel on a long drive back from a gathering at the coast. I wouldn’t recommend this to anyone – it’s very dangerous.

What current bands/artists are The Dalloways listening to these days – Fresno and beyond?

Feist is beautiful. The Pernice Brothers are fantasic. The Sleepover Disaster (Fresno) is a longtime favorite. Bart Davenport – especially Maroon Cocoon. I just bought The Essential Willie Nelson, and that keeps me company to and from work right now. Talk about a great story teller! It’s very creepy when you realize that behind that soft, benign voice of Willie is a menacin first-person fictional character that is promising his ex-lover, “Oh, in time you’re gonna pay.”

Browsing through your Website and blog, I saw quite a few rave revues for Penalty Crusade. Did you guys make press kits and send them our yourself or do you have a publicist?

We sent many out through our label. Some of them were requested by music journals and e-zines, and others we just sent blindly. It’s a good idea to connect with editors before you send out. It helps when they’re expecting the CD.

We send to every reviewer a copy of the CD and a one-page that includes a pic, a bio, credits, and contact info. In general, reviews have been really positive.

Your heart stops when you get a review back. I always have Nico read them first and then tell me about them because I’m really not very tough when it comes to these things.

I see you have California tour dates from February throug April. I’m not sure if you all have day jobs but, if so, how do you manage to juggle working and touring?

Right now, we do have day jobs. I teach, so summers are fantastic for me. We all work hard to make time for the band. Sometimes it necessitates burning up a few vacation days for some of us. More often, it means planning for weekend shows. We frequently play a night show in San Francisco or Los Angeles and then blitz back the same night because one of us has work the next day. If you love music, you make time for it however you can. It, of course, is the dream of us all to retire from our day jobs and enter the world of full time music.

Does your band have a booking agent and/or manager?

Contact booking@dalloways.com for booking information.

Any memorable shows you’ve played in Fresno that you’d like to share?

The Starline is always a highlight in Fresno. The engineers and the sound system are first-rate there, and we’re usually very happy and content on stage. I remember a fine show there in February 2005 with our buddies Cerus Victoria and Winter Wardrobe. The place was packed with happy people and had a great vibe. We felt warm and inspired on stage that night. Not all shows have this feeling. Some, especially on the road, can be real disappointments. Seattle, for instance, was a real dud – a room full of drunk frat boys standing at the bar with their backs turned to us. They didn’t inspire us, and we didn’t inspire them.

Judging from your band photos, you’re all pretty snappy dressers. I hate dressing nice. I guess I’m just lazy. Anyway, do you always dress this nice, or just for photo shoots?

We like to shop and dress up for the night. When we come to perform, we want to stand out, even when we’re just talking before or after the set. We want people to think, “Oh, they must be in the band,” even if they don’t know us. Why do all those old school jazz and soul musicians always look so dapper in their suits and skinny ties? Same theory, I guess. But maybe we’ll change. For the next album, maybe we’ll all be wearing hipster T-shirts and tight jeans. Or maybe we’ll go mod, like The Lilys.

What are your short/long-term goals for The Dalloways? Do you want to take the project pretty far, or is it just for fun?

We have a lot of fun along the way, but if this were just for fun, we wouldn’t be feeling so much of the business pains that come with touring and promoting. We would just play locally and would not be going through the hassle of making retail-ready CDs. This is a lot of work and sometimes demands all your money. We’re recording new material right now and will be shopping it to major indies as soon as we’ve chosen and spruced up the new singles. The new album will be out in 2006. We’ll be playing some of the tunes at The Starline January 28. How’s the new stuff? It rocks in a very pretty way.

The Dalloways will be performing January 28 at The Starline (833 E. Fern Ave., Fresno, CA 93728). The 16 and over show costs $6.

For more info about The Dalloways, visit its Web sites: http://www.dalloways.com & http://www.myspace.com/thedalloways.

2006-01-06T09:52:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas.

Today is January 6th.

Just wanted to wish everyone a very merry Armenian Christmas.

I'm not sure why today is Armenian Christmas, but it is. I guess I'm a bad person for not knowing the reason behind it. I think it may be an Orthodox thing. My family celebrates Christmas on the 25th, but many Armos celebrate it today. Maybe I'll look into it. Maybe I won't. If somebody out there knows, fill me in.

At any rate, as you may have noticed, I haven't written a blog in awhile. Why? Because I'm tired. Physically. These blogs take a lot outta me, ya know? Just kidding. But yeah. Whenever I'm inspired, I'll write another one. Until then, I welcome anyone who has something to say.

Hmmmm, is there anything else I want to say? ... (silence) ... I guess not.

(Moments before I wrote this "blog," I decided to make some coffee. I'm at work. Well, I have a coffee-maker at my desk. It was recently given to me. At least, I think it was given to me. I'm not sure. Anyway, I decided to make some coffee, even though I'm not good at it. I always have trouble putting the filter in and deciding how many beans to grind. Anyway, I was walking yesterday's used filer to the break room, and it dropped outta my hand. Fuck. Old ass coffee grinds spilled everywhere. I was pissed. Oh well. I'm drinink the coffee now and it's good. Damn good, if a may say so myself.)

Oh, wait...

Jen just bought me a ticket to go see Bob Pollard at the Knitting Factory in L.A. That show isn't until late February. It should be cool. I've been to that venue once before to see the Gossip and Stereo Total. I saw Mike M and Jarah at that show. Ashod was there, too. I think he was tour managing for Total. It was a pretty cool show.

What else...

In case anyone hasn't checked out Fresno Famous' new format, do it. I like it. It's good. Very good. Very very good, actually. Yeah.

Seems like there's more... Anything else interesting? Probably, but I can't think of anything else to say.

Oh, wait... A long time ago, I sent a MySpace message to Modesto's Grandaddy asking why their city seems to get better shows than Fresno. Now, I'm not sure Modesto does get better shows than Fresno, but at the time I asked them the question, it seemed like they did. So I won't second guess what I was thinking at the time. Anyway, here's a response from two different peeps involved in the band.

I am only a partial member. Considered by the band a full member, but fan wise i don't play on stage except durring line checks.
Promotion. We here in Modesto have the two Chris' Chris Rikki and Chris (i forget his last name) They both do the Moma award show and also X-fest/ Summer Jam all that stuff. Also Mike, the dude that runs Devil in the Woods. He is based out of here. As a Modesto-ite, there are no good places to play. The Fat Cat downtown may have a nice set up but the security guys they bring in can Fuck Right Off. Bands play once get a taste and don't come back. We used to have cool little bars that hosted bands, but not too many anymore. The Mustang they can pack in only a couple hundred. Grandaddy doesn't have a hometown place to play. The backyard of the Built Like Alaska Boys in Oakdale or the Manzer in Merced. I think the boys are done playing live anways.
Keep on pushing the Fresno scene.
~bon

i'm not much for blogging, and really i don't think modesto gets good shows at all. there's been a couple times that we made the radar brothers play here and the same for earlimart, and we rarely play here at all. eddie money plays here more than we do.
i think fresno is coming up though. i used to think fresno was the only valley city worse than modesto, but i think there was a switcheroo at some point. modesto is hella lame.
ok
later
aaron

I guess that's cool.

2005-12-19T11:17:00.000-08:00

Going To The '80s Well.

Percival Sweetwater is back!

In his dubut guest blog, "Fresno, Then and Now," old man Percival compared Fresno's music scene to that of approximately 20 years ago. His words were enjoyed and digested by many. The blog caused a splash/minor stir in the LiveJournal community f_chip. (You should check out f_chip for local show postings and stuff.)

Anyway, all you musicians out there should pay close attention to what Percival has to say. He may be old, but he knows what he be talkin' about. I'm just kidding... About the old part, not the "he knows what he be talkin' about" part.

p.s. Before we get started here: What's up with this new text messaging show announcement phenomenon? Is this new thing or what? Do people just send out a mass text message to every number they have in their cell?

OK, let's get on with this. Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Sweetwater...

Guest Blogger: Percival Sweetwater

I would like to thank Mitch on Speed for a second guest appearance on his increasingly popular web log. Please take a minute ... what I want to say will be quick so that we can discuss it below.

As Mr. Speed likes to point out at every opportunity, I’m old. In fact, I’m face to face with my 40th birthday, when life truly ends. And lately I’ve been very arrogant, flaunting the fact that I lived in the Eighties (like every other bozo my age did) as some kind of musical superiority when it comes to talking about new music.

I’ll decode that. Where you hear Interpol, I hear Joy Division. When you hear The Futureheads, I hear the first two records of The Jam. Bloc Party? Hmm, probably early Cure. A band from the U.K. called Hard-Fi sounds like a rockin’ Specials. Hell, Rancid sounds like the first Clash album, mi amigos.

Somewhere in the midst of listening to Hard-Fi it hit me in the face like a cold, wet trout: I’m not bitter that you young chumps are mining the intellectual property of Eighties bands. I’m mad that you aren’t ripping off of the right ones!

I can’t speak for all cool, young, hip Eighties kids (mind you, 95 percent of my high school friends were into Night Ranger, not the Violent Femmes). But those who were on the fringe of cool, at least the ones I knew, weren’t listening to Joy Division.

To my age-mates, I apologize immediately for the following list. These are the bands that I recall a lot of us listening to, meaning those people in my little circle of trust. Maybe it’ll inspire some people to check out influences other than the ones the NYC bands are suggesting.

Translator - a San Francisco band that was universally liked.

The Three O’Clock - Los Angeles band that amassed critical kudos. The guitarist dated a Bangle and co-wrote one of their hits, "Walking Down Your Street."

The English Beat. Seriously, I don’t think any modern band has copped them yet. That has to stop.

Public Image Ltd. - John Lydon, mates.

The Alarm. The first EP was awesome before they sold their corporate soul.

I’ll wrap it up quickly. Yes, there was U2 and R.E.M. Beyond that, there were XTC, Kate Bush, King Crimson, The Meat Puppets, Roman Holiday, Midnight Oil, Green On Red, Dream Syndicate, The Untouchables, Wall of Voodoo, Style Council (aka post-Jam crap), and Aztec Camera, to name a few.

Am I missing something, or are most of these bands unknown to today’s generation? I’m assuming yes, and I just wanted to say that I wouldn’t mind hearing them again. In other words, I wouldn’t mind hearing an unimaginative, lazy, thieving young band with an eye on commercial success rip off some of these bands. It’ll do my old heart good.

2005-12-12T11:35:00.000-08:00

Interview: Rachael Olmstead.

Here' an interview I recently did with Fresno photopgrapher Rachael Olmstead. The reason I interviewed Rachael is because she has photographed several local bands here in town. Since the Q&A pretty much speaks for itself, let's get on with it, shall we?

Interviewed by Mitchell Peters.

Mitch on Speed: Before we get started, I want to tell everyone that you and your husband, Jason, are very cool people. I was at your house once, and I saw some Venus magazines laying around. In my book, that makes you cool. Anyway... What first got you interested in photography?

Rachael Olmstead: Funny that you mention coming to my house. I was just thinking the other day – with the holidays coming up and all – how many random people have been in and out of there for get togethers and after parties and what not.

I guess I've always been interested in the creative. I did a lot of drawing and painting growing up, and my dad was a hobbiest photographer. He bought me a Polaroid when I was pretty young. I always loved taking photos, though it wasn't something that was ever focused on until recently. I have always dabbled in different things – art, music, crafts – but never really enjoyed and wanted to pursue something as much as photography.

My current camera came around about six years ago, but it wasn’t until about two years ago when I started to think about taking photography more seriously.

Have you had any formal education in photography, or have you pretty much learned on your own?

Pretty much on my own. I took a beginning photo class at Pasadena City College right out of high school but, like all my other classes that semester, it was dropped half way through. The only thing I even sort of remember from then is dark room stuff, which I don’t even use now.

But there is so much more I want to learn. I like the idea of approaching it like a science. But when it really comes down to it, all I have on my side is the art. I really like the idea of pursuing it in the long run to grow in terms of what can be done technically and artistically.

OK, let's get to the good stuff. I know you're involved with many different photo projects, but let's stick to the music stuff. What was the first Fresno band you photographed?

I would have to say that I think one of the first Fresno bands I photographed was probably (live) Montecore or Gypsy Cab about two years ago. Photographing bands just sort of grew out of the fact that we were going to shows and my friends were playing and I had this camera and was sort of interested in photography and I thought it would be cool to document it for them as well as learn in the process.

In terms of "press" photos my first ones were last summer when Shannon Hunter and myself photographed No Cello for their press kits.

Do you prefer taking live shots of bands or stills? Why?

Tough question. If you would have asked me a year ago, I probably would have said live. But now I would have to say stills.

There are too many variables with live shots – mostly crappy lighting. So there is this fine dance between camera settings and film and positioning, and watching when the best time to shoot the band. Sometimes it just takes all the fun out of a show that I’d rather be watching or dancing! But the nice thing about live photos is the excitement of shooting stuff as it is happening. Catching random stage antics and the swoop of an arm across a guitar can be very rewarding.

Recently, I was very happy with some of the photos taken at the Fresno Famous QUIET! Thanksgiving benefit show. The lighting was perfect, and the music and crowd were both great.

Stills are fun because you get to work one on one with people, rather than just watching from a distance and waiting for a shot. You have much more control over the environment and, in terms of learning, you can see progression. I also like working with people in general. Many people don’t like having their photo taken. To be able to make them feel comfortable and provide something that will hopefully benefit them is also really rewarding.

As a music journalist, I've received many band press kits. Within those packages, there's usually a promo/publicity photo of the band. Many of them are cheesy. Is it a struggle not be totally cliché when photographing a band?

Luckily (or unluckily!) I have little to do with how the actual press kit actually comes out. I always find it interesting to see the photos that are used in press kits and reviews. It is not that hard to avoid cliché because really there are so many different things you can do with a band and a photo.

You had something on your blog a while back about advertising in magazines or something and, maybe I’m from the old school, but I still read music magazines. I read online stuff too, but magazines get you off of the computer, which we all need to do more. I like looking at press photos and ads. If something catches my eye in terms of an image I am more likely to follow up on a band. So I think having a good photo really is important in presenting a band.

I've heard that photographing bands by a railroad track and against a brick wall are a HUGE no no. What's your take on that?

The funny thing about that though is that bands will state that. And while I'm aware of it, you’d be surprised how often things like pop up during a shoot without being aware of it. For some of the Rademacher photos I took this spring in downtown Fresno, we ended up taking a few shots near some old railroad tracks without even really noticing that is what we are doing.

And just the other day, I was taking Sparklejet photos. Towards the end of the shoot, we ended up under these floodlights with this cool cement tile stuff. When I got the photos back, I realized they were in front of a brick wall and a chain link fence. So I think actively not pursuing those types of shots is important, but it is funny when they sort of happen on accident.

When approaching a band photo project, how do you decide where the setting will be? Do you try to match the photo with the style of music the band plays, or does it depend on the members' individual personalities? Does this question make sense?

The question does make sense. But I don’t really have an answer! It’s always hard to decide where to shoot. I usually let the band take the lead on where they’d like to do it because they usually have an idea of how they want to portray themselves. I also keep a mental catalogue of places and scenarios in case we can’t come up with something.

Can you give a couple specific examples of bands you've worked with and how you went about setting up the photo shoot and whatnot? Feel free to throw in a funny story or two, if you'd like.

Shoots really do just happen organically. I get asked, and we decide on a location and time and go from there. I usually try and think beforehand about positioning and lighting and all that. I like to talk with the band and figure out what they want and see if they have any ideas or preferences, and let them know I’m extremely flexible and casual with all of it. I also like to work progressively. You can only take a few shots in one spot, so I like the idea of moving around to give them different options.

No Cello was fun because Shannon Hunter and I shot it together. We just wandered around downtown with them. We started at Storyland, went for ice cream on the Fulton Mall, and ended up at Jimmy’s Emerald thrift.

My first Rademacher shoot was when it was just Mike M. He called me up last minute and asked if I could come over and shoot him and this old piano in the alley behind the Pearl building. Josh and Mehran were painting the mural and had some flood lights out there. I was really worried about the lighting because I wasn’t too comfortable with night shooting. We took a lot to be safe and got some pretty good shots. Brianna Johnson Smeds ended up using them to create the artwork for both the self-titled EP and the Ice Age EP.

With the most recent Rademacher lineup, we started out in Playland and ended at the Astro Lounge. Playland was fun. We got to talk to the train conductor. He even jumped in some of the photos. And it was fun to watch Brad shoot himself with water over and over in the face to get the fountain shot.

And one of my favorites from the recent Sparklejet shoot. It’s not one of the "best" technically or artistically but rather for what it captured. Toward the end of the shoot, we had just got on the elevator. I planned on taking a few photos while we were in there, and a group of office ladies got on complaining about the smell of the cleaning products they were using somewhere. It caught us all so off guard. I like seeing a rock band like them full of unapologetic giggles.

Has photographing a Fresno band led to any other cool projects? You know, through exposure and all that?

Yes and no. I went with Mike M. from Fresno Famous to shoot Built Like Alaska when he was interviewing them in Oakdale. And I think Sparklejet felt comfortable using me since they know me personally and know I have some experience. I volunteered recently to do a photo essay for Fresno Famous on the new hookah bar in Tower. I think you have to put yourself out there and pursue projects, and maybe something will present itself along the way.

So is band photography a hobby, or could you see yourself turning it into a little business?

Photography in general is my hobby. I just enjoy doing it. I was the main photographer at a friend’s wedding. I’d like to do more work like that. I also enjoy shooting life: friends, camping trips, shows, vacations and dance parties. I would like to do more "work," whether it’s shooting for bands or business. There are more things I’d like to learn technically before I’d ever consider offering my services on a more serious level. I take it one day/photo at a time.

Any advice you can give to young Fresno photographers who want to get into band photography?

Like anything, just get out there and try it. If you’re already around bands, then you’re set. Take your camera to shows. Don’t be afraid to think about composition at a show, but don’t be that person who is in the way of the people enjoying the band and shooting like crazy with too much flash.

In terms of doing stills or press shots, start out with people you know. Friends are much more fun to shoot and easier to make mistakes with.

OK, enough of the music stuff. Any future photo projects (music or non-music) we should be on the lookout for? Where can people buy your stuff, if they're interested?

Along with John Flores and Shannon Hunter, I have some photos up through the month of December at Cafe Fulton on the Fulton Mall. I always have prints for sale. I can be contacted via my Web site http://www.rachaelophotography.com or on MySpace.

I have a few ideas brewing in the back of my head for future stuff. Shannon Hunter and I would like to put together a show in the spring of various artists (photographers and not) for a yet-to-be-announced show. I will also be working with Brianna Johnson Smeds on a group project in the summer. And I would like to photograph more bands. In fact, doing this interview with you makes me think I need to look into doing a local bands photo show!

I feel that I still have a long way to go before I get to where I want to be. But I really think that each time I do a shoot or a project, I get better and better. I just want to keep building on that.

2005-12-06T11:33:00.000-08:00

Fresno Record Stores.

I used to work at Fresno's Tower Records. It was only for about eight months or so. This was back in 2001. I remember it was 2001 because I went in and talked to the manager a couple days after September 11th happened. It was kinda awkward trying to pitch myself for a job during that time. I was like, "Yeah, that whole thing was really horrible. So... are you guys hiring???" I was compassionate about the whole thing but, at the same time, my ass needed a job. My mom was buggin' all the time saying, "Mitch, when are you going to get a job?!?!"

So, I took some intiative and got a job. At the time, Tower was the only place I wanted to work in Fresno. And one of the only establishments I was qualified for. (This was back when Tower was actually still cool, to a certain degree.) I'd walk in there once a week and ask the manager if they needed anyone. Textbook. I scored big in my Tower interview. Don't you love it when you do really well in a job interview and walk out with a super high sense of confidence? Of course you do; everyone does.

To this day, working at Tower has been one of my all-time favorite jobs. Mostly because I was surrounded by music. Another reason was because I had an excuse to flirt with cute female customers. It was sweet. But that almost cost me my job a few times. My supervisors would say, "Mitch, you need to stop talking to the customers so much." So I'd lower my head, kick the imaginary dust and say, "OK, so and so."

But it was fun talking to customers. I liked asking them what they listened to and stuff. If they liked stupid bands and whatnot, I'd secretly make fun of them in my head. (As most people know, people who work at Tower are music elitists. I guess I was one of them.) I loved peoples' response to: "So, what kinda music do you listen to?" They'd answer: "Um, everything but country!" I didn't love that answer, actually. In fact, I hated it. I guess they just weren't listening to the right country. Throw on some Waylon or somethin'.

It was also interesting to try and play the guessing game with people who heard a song on the radio and couldn't figure out who it was. I loved that challenge. When I actually figured it out, I'd get a deep sense of satisfaction (I'm serious).

One of the best things about working there was the fact that I met some really cool people. (You guys know who you are.) Through certain people that worked there, I was exposed to many many many new and cool bands. Tower was where I first discovered Ladytron. Every so often I'd hear this song come over the loud speaker. It turned out to be Ladytron's "He Took Her To a Movie" from their album 604. Man, I love that song. That's just one example of many.

There's so much to say about working at Tower. Unfortunately, I can't tell every story. But I have to say this before I forget. Many of you know that Tower has a porn section. I used to HATE when I'd work the register and old crusty ment would come up and purchase gay porn mags. I guess it's their right to do so, but it was just kinda weird, as you can imagine. But I did get a kick out of saying, "Would you like a bag for that?" It was funny. But I felt bad for the girls who had to do that stuff. I'll never forget the image of Shannon pricing porno DVDs. Ha. There was also this time a mentally retarted guy was caught doing something really bad in that section, but that's a whole other story you don't wanna hear about!

But enough about the Tower days. What I really want to know is why Fresno doesn't have a cool independent music store? Tower has a decent indie section, but it still sucks, for the most part. I mean, you can't even order CDs because their ordering system SUCKS. It takes like five years to get anything you want. Besides, now that we have the Web, who needs to order music from a record store?

But, yeah. Does anybody have a clue why Fresno doesn't have a decent record/CD store other than Tower? It's kinda sad. Maybe people tried to start them up in the past and ultimately failed. I don't know. It would be nice to have one, though.

Any theories?

2005-11-29T09:46:00.000-08:00

Why Do YOU Go To Shows?

If you go to local shows around here, ask yourself this question: Why do I go to shows in Fresno?

I was talking with a friend recently about why I (Mitch on Speed) go to local shows. I go to maybe one or two a week – max. There are many reasons, I guess. I’ll list three. 1) because there’s not much else to do in Fresno; 2) I like live music. Well, music period; and 3) I like the social aspect – talking with people and whatnot. I’m guessing these are reasons most people would give.

I’ll be honest. If I went to local shows solely to see the music, then you’d probably only see my face at approximately one show per month. Let’s examine this realistically. How many times a month can an individual watch "band X"* play every other week at Tokyo Garden and/or Starline, without getting bored outta their mind? After a while, that person will get tired of "band X" and stop going to their shows. Don’t get me wrong; I like Fresno bands. I like some of them a lot. But there’s only so much a person can take.

*I don’t wanna name any specific bands. No reason/point in doing that.

There are a few things I’m trying to say here. First, it disappoints me that Fresno doesn’t have a bigger variety of solid live bands. Within the "indie" scene (that I tend to frequent), I can count the amount of bands that regularly perform on one hand – and, interestingly enough, that number is slowly declining. I find that pathetic. With a city of Fresno’s size, there should be a TON of bands playing out. But where are they? Are they in their parents’ basement waiting for the right opportunity to expose themselves to the world? Please, tell me where they are hiding. I’d really like to know. (If you’re thinking to yourself, "Well, if this guy wants more bands, then why doesn’t HE start one up?" then refer to my "Jaded" blog. You will find your answer there.)

Alright, alright. I know some of you are saying that there’s a decent variety of bands playing around town. But I said good bands, remember? Just kidding....just kidding. But seriously... What’s up with that? I guess one could argue that some of the local venues are tight-asses and it’s hard to arrange shows, but I don’t buy that. If a band really wanted to play out, they’d find a way. One suggestion: more house parties.

In a perfect world, mid-sized nationally touring bands would roll through Fresno and local groups could open up for them. But, as we know, it’s very difficult booking decent out-of-town bands in Fresno (I’ve tried, believe it or not). I mean, who was the last semi-popular indie band to come to Fresno? Earlimart? And from what I heard, even they left pissed off because there was hassle in getting their money (guarantee) at the end of the night. I guess you can look at The Belmont’s (formerly Big Game) roster and see a bunch of hardcore/emo/punk bands, but I’m not really into that stuff. It’s cool if you are, though. Not that you need my reassurance or anything.

I may be going off on a tangent here, but it kinda pisses me off when I see cities like Visalia, Modesto and Bakersfield getting WAY better shows than Fresno. I’m not knockin’ those cities; I think that’s fantastic. More power to ‘em. It just confuses me as to how smaller cities can get better shows than us. It boggles the mind! (This is a WHOLE other subject I don’t want to get into right now.)

So here’s my idea: Since we can’t seem to get any cool bands to come to Fresno, I think some local musicians should get together and start an indie cover band. You know, cover songs that people actually know. (Examples: Interpol, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Bright Eyes, Franz Ferdinand, Bloc Party, Decemberists, Cat Power, Arcade Fire, B-52s, the Shins, Elliott Smith, King Cobra, the Gossip – WHOEVER!!!

Sit back a sec and try to think of the last time you heard a local Fresno band play a cover. The last time I remember hearing one was from Pinkeye. They used to cover "Divine Hammer" by the Breeders. They used to play a really cool Beach Boys song, too. I almost forgot about that. Great song. Some of you remember that, I’m sure. I’d bet that an indie cover band would pack the frickin’ house at Tokyo. Am I wrong? I’d venture to say that people would MUCH rather see their friends playing covers of their favorite songs rather than originals (sad but probably true).

This goes back to what I was saying before about seeing the same band play every other week. Even if an indie cover band doesn’t start up, it would be cool if local bands threw in a recognizable cover every now and then. I can TOTALLY see No Cello covering the Black Keys. It would definitely peek my interest a little. You can’t deny that EVERYONE likes to hear a good cover. So, yeah.

Hmmm, what else did I wanna cover in this blog. I can’t really remember. I guess all I ask is that if a Fresno band decides to play out a lot, that they step up their game and do whatever it takes to make the show interesting and fun. Isn’t that why people go out to see band in the first place, to have fun? If a band plays the same exact show over and over and over, then people will get bored. The audience has to be left wanting more. That’s one reason I like Pinkeye so much. No matter how often they play, they keep it light-hearted and fun. Hell, Pinkeye got banned from the Starline because they played past 2 a.m. And the only reason they kept playing is because people couldn’t get enough. Now that’s the kinda shit I like to see.

So let’s brainstorm as to how bands can make their shows more interesting, ‘cause I sure as hell don’t have the answers. Also, if you decide to comment, maybe briefly include why you like going to local shows. And, please, be honest. No bullshit.

p.s. I expect a looong response from James L. on this one... Don’t let me down, kid.

2nd p.s. Sorry if this blog made no sense whatsoever. Ha.

2005-11-22T11:56:00.000-08:00

The Perfect Flyer.

Course: Flyer-making 101
Professor: Mr. Alan DeCoronado
Place: Mitch on Speed blog
Cost: Free!
Time: Whenever

Course Description:
This should be an interesting blog for those of you going into the well-paid career of professional flyer-making. Flyers can come in handy for promoting shows, if done correctly. It may also provide a few well needed tips for those of you who indulge in making crappy show flyers (you know who you are...).

I thought I'd tap one of Fresno' best to give us all a lesson on what goes into making a kick-ass flyer. I can't think of anyone in this town (and probably Valley, for that matter) who can make a better flyer than Alan (aka Princess Cuckoo).

As some of us know, Alan (aka Princess Cuckoo) is a co-creator of Meatball Magic (you know, that DJ thing every other Friday at Fresno's Red Lantern). This guy knows a shitload about music. He also sends me rad mp3s while I'm at work, so he's cool in my book.

Anyway, who knows how the hell Alan (aka Princess Cuckoo) learned how to make such creative looking flyers. I guess that's why I wanted to interview him.

Interview: Alan (aka Princess Cuckoo)

Mitch on Speed: OK. Before I ask the first question, go ahead and tell people why I'm interviewing you in the first place. Tell us about your background and what you're musically involved with right now.
Alan (aka Princess Cuckoo): Well, despite myself, it's a case of Fresno gravity: What goes up must come down, or in this case, you go away, you're bound to come back. Born and raised here, moved to Portland, moved back, then again, then back. Sometime last year, after a lifetime of bitching about "nothing to do in Fresno," a couple of friends and I decided to get off our asses and do something about it, and in February of this year our little idea came to fruition in the form of Meatball Magic. For anyone who hasn't heard about Meatball Magic by now, there’s a great interview with the three of us on Fresno Famous. It’s pretty good, I guess… If you’re into that sort of thing… But I can’t for the life of me remember who wrote it… Hmm…

What's your background in flyer-making?
Newspaper journalism major in school, subsequent Managing Editor of the FCC newspaper The Rampage, subsequent burned-out graphic design major after I decided I wasn’t going to take after my dad (journalism wasn’t for me anyway), and I dropped out after three semesters. I changed majors because I don’t work well with deadlines, and assigning and editing stories wasn’t exactly the best creative outlet one would imagine. Designing things -- whether it be a website or a flyer or a CD cover or whatever -- has always been something I just do for friends and for fun. Lately, though, with super duper fun nights coming more frequently, it’s more necessity than amusement. But I’ve got an innate urge to create and a learned urge to edit, so it’s always fun anyway. What’s the point of doing anything unless it’s fun, right?

Give a step-by-step process into how you make a flyer.
If you’re expecting me to give up all my secrets, you’ve got another think coming. Seriously, though, there’s really not much to it. With enough practice, and with the right impetus, anyone can pull a decent flyer out of their ass. The only difference is that for me, from conception to delivery, it’s very much a labor of love. It’s like that every single time. From the moment I start to think about the feeling I want to try to convey, to the moment I’ve perfected the typography, I’m having the time of my life. If at any point during the process I begin to fall out of love, I scrap the whole thing and start fresh. Unless I’m like, you know, in a hurry or something. Then we get something half-assed and everybody hates everyone else.

In your opinion, Mr. DeCoronado, what constitutes the perfect flyer?
Well, I don’t know if I’m qualified to answer that question, but who is, really? Maybe Vaughan Oliver or Peter Saville or someone like that. In my humble opinion, though, you need three things to create an effective flyer: a good idea of your intended demographic, the right tools (physically as well as motivationally) and every last bit of information to be included on the flyer. There have been so many times when I’ve had something I’d been working on, that’d I’d been so proud of and that I was ready to turn into a vehicle for someone’s event, only to have my creative momentum thwarted when I suddenly realized I didn’t have a date or address. Just be prepared. I can’t stress that enough. In terms of the feeling of the flyer, you really have to put yourself in someone else’s shoes. That seems like a fairly obvious thing, being sensitive, but you'd be surprised. Unless you’ve really got balls (or a gift for spin), you wouldn’t want, say, a flyer based on Catholic imagery for a strip club, or a communist propaganda rip for a “Make Money at Home!” campaign. Use common sense. Finally, and most importantly, if you’re blocked, go out and get inspired. Take some photos. Look through old design magazines. Read up on those crazy Russian Constructivists. Then make sure you’ve got a decent computer, or if you’re going to kick down old school, a decent working space and, you know, a pencil sharpener or something.

What types of programs do you use?
Adobe Photoshop CS, almost exclusively. I’ve used Illustrator in the past, but I find that with Photoshop’s crazy vector stuff as of late, it’s not really necessary. I just got a copy of CS2, though, and even though it barely runs on my computer, I’m totally horny for all the new image manipulation stuff in this version. Maybe I’ll upgrade and switch over to that. You’re weak in the knees, I know.

How long does it usually take to make a flyer?
Depends. If I’m in no real hurry, I’ll spend an hour nudging a text field left to right until it’s perfect. I’ll nitpick for three days if I’ve got the time. Otherwise, I’ll probably crank something out within a few hours. It seems to work out better that way, too. If I’m inspired enough to finish a flyer in one night, I’ve usually got a good enough idea of what I’m going for, so I just go for it.

How do you usually come up with your brilliant ideas?
That’s really sweet, thank you, but I don’t know that it’s brilliance so much as clever execution (toot toot). Someone once said that originality is the art of concealing your source, and I absolutely find that to be true. Anything you’ll ever do has most likely been done before. The delivery is the trick. People tend to like my flyers most when I’ve cannibalized something familiar or incorporated elements of something they recognize. I think that’s why our Mucha Lucha and The Haunting flyers were so well received. People get a kick out of something if they can relate. Incidentally, that’s also why the dance floor is always so packed when we play '80s freestyle or cheesy pop at Meatball Magic.

What's the best flyer you've designed and why?
God, that’s like asking which one of your children you love the most. Having said that, there are always times when I’m disappointed by trying to top myself. I think it all stems from that very first flyer back in February. There was such a sense of accomplishment tied to that flyer. We were finally on our way to doing something promising and cool simply out of sheer love. In love with music, in love with our friends and in love with our hometown, this first flyer represented our swollen hearts and fluttering bellies. That’s a pretty difficult thing to top.

Do you design flyers for bands too, or just Meatball Magic?
I do and I have. Bands, shows, parties… I’d design a flyer for a passed kidney stone if someone asked me to.

On your last Meatball Magic flyer, some dude left a comment saying something like, "It looks like somebody ate your flyer then threw it up." Do you respond well to criticisms like that?
Probably not, because I responded by telling him that someone did throw up… on his face. Obviously, I was being facetious, but I’m totally a mother hen when it comes to things like this. I totally respect people’s input and impressions, but nobody wants their babies to be ugly. It helps if you’ve got a healthy sense of irony. All I can really do is try to provide information and dates in as attractive a form as possible and hope people catch my drift. It’s all very subjective, though, isn’t it?

More Meatball Magic Flyers Can Be Found Here.

2005-11-17T16:48:00.000-08:00

SparkleJet, An All-American Band.

Let’s take a moment of silence to bow our heads and respect Fresno’s SparkleJet (MySpace profile). They’ve been around a while and they deserve it.

Earlier this week I heard SparkleJet (official site) was scheduled to play a show this Friday (11/18) at Fresno club, Zapp’s Park. Former KFSR (90.7-FM) DJ Chris Corners LOVES them! If you ever used to listen to his radio show, that wouldn’t come as much of a surprise. Since I know Chris (aslo the guitarist in Pinkeye) loves/worships SparkleJet, I thought I'd ask him to say a few words about this "tried-and-true, all-American ROCK BAND." Hell, they recorded with Steve Albini (the guy who produced Nirvana’s In Utero, and more…) not too long ago, so they get the thumbs up from me.

Show Info:
SparkleJet/Sleepover Disaster
Date: Friday, November 18thVenue: Zapp’s Park (on Blackstone, just south of Olive in Fresno)
Age: 21 +
Time: 9:30 p.m.
Price: $5

Rumor has it that SparkleJet’s label people from Long Live Crime Records are going to be at the show. Let’s get our asses out there and show them that SparkleJet rules Fresno.

Yours truly,

Mitch on Speed.

(P.S. future guest bloggers can pitch ideas to mitchonspeed@gmail.com)

Guest Blogger: Chris Eckes (aka Chris Corners)

SparkleJet is the tried-and-true, all-American ROCK BAND. That breed of bands/musicians was once a widely embraced staple of our cultural fabric. These days, for reasons I don't completely understand, true rock bands are suddenly being nudged aside in favor of who knows what. Indeed, the music world would be a dull, monotonous wasteland if it were still made up solely of straightforward, guitar-based rock ‘n’ roll combos. Let's make no mistake about that. I also can't deny that excess-driven hacks have given the traditional idea of "rocking" a bad name a few times throughout history.

Putting all that nonsense aside, we all know it would be nothing less than a disgrace for the right-minded "rock band" to somehow lose its important place in the grand scheme, and for people to suddenly forget about the inherent power attached to it (as it’s undoubtedly the foundation from which every other form of popular music is based upon). SparkleJet is here to make sure this doesn't happen. Not in Fresno, at least.

It's such a good thing, really. SparkleJet, that is. Better than most probably even realize. The very best part being that they go about their rock ‘n’ roll business in a completely honest manner that doesn't feel the least bit contrived or pretentious. They aren't trying to be anything but who they are and what they know. SparkleJet simply play the music they were designed to play. I can't speak for anybody else, but for me, that's all I can ask from a band. It's also the common thread among nearly every artist that I enjoy listening to. What a bonus to have a band in town who not only stylistically fill the void of a dying breed, but also do it with genuine purpose and conviction.

Oh yeah, let's not forget that the songs are good. Like, real good. SparkleJet’s Bar Guest is one of my all-time favorite albums by any band, from Fresno or anywhere else. It's a bona fide classic in every sense of the clichéd term. Certain aspects of the record's sound can naturally be compared to other groups like The Who, Pixies, Guided by Voices, etc., but it's void of any copycat shenanigans that so many bands are guilty of. Besides, I can think of worse bands to occasionally give a nod to than those just mentioned, and when the influences make an appearance it feels more like inspiration than any sort of direct duplication. I also appreciate the fact that the album sounds highly calculated and well thought out, but with no sign of the urgency and spontaneity being compromised in the performance itself. In other words, it's chock-full of subtle nuances that make it more and more interesting with every listen, but it still retains the no-nonsense charm of a punk record (i.e. - "Dog Riot").

And, really, everything about SparkleJet is very balanced in that same way. The band even managed the difficult feat of having never made the same record twice whilst rarely ever veering from their distinctive aesthetic base or feeling the need to completely reinvent their sound. They merely change things up a bit each time out to give their winning formula a fresh twist, as will be instantly noticeable on their new record slated for release on Long Live Crime Records in January.

I feel obligated to point out that this forthcoming SparkleJet LP, Beyond the Beyond, was primarily engineered by Steve Albini at his Chicago studio, which obviously rules. (Albini did record a Nirvana album, a Pixies album and a Jimmy Page & Robert Plant album [aka - 1/2 of Led Zeppelin. Eh, um!].) But I suppose it wouldn't be wise to jump to the conclusion that this guy's involvement automatically makes something "cool" or "great" (as badly as I’d like to say). At any rate, because of the way Albini approaches the recording process, the worth of a product ends up mostly in the hands of the artist. The producer has made it a simple priority to faithfully capture the natural sound of a self-contained band in the room that they're playing in, just the way our ears would hear it (no over-doctoring/altering of the sound, except when necessary or requested by the artist).

It's fortunate, then, that our SparkleJet boys happen to be a top-notch unit, entirely capable of taking advantage of such a streamlined approach, which is just what they did. The result is anything but Bar Guest Pt. II, yet none of the basic elements that made the old SparkleJet so alluring have gone missing. Absent is the underlying production polish of Bar Guest, yes. But maybe that's only a superficial curveball where instead we get an equally effective raw, live energy applied to the same great songs, the same great singing, the same great guitar work, the same great drumming, the same great bass playing -- the same great band.

It's a blast to listen to and a welcome addition to their back catalogue of work. They're currently showcasing many of the new songs live, so if you're curious about the new record and want to hear what the tunes sound like, the best way to find out is to go to a show and hear them in person.

Final thoughts. SparkleJet is that rare, tasteful rock band that every city should have and be proud of if they do. It's exciting to me when a group of guys from our own Central Valley locale can bring as much songwriting prowess and live performance value to the table as bands I might otherwise have to travel 4-5 hours to see/hear. They conduct themselves as a real band with a healthy work ethic that is equal parts focused, simple, fun, and meaningful. The same can only be said about maybe a handful of other Valley bands, and SparkleJet are at the forefront of what, to me, is "doing things right".

SparkleJet is a breath of fresh air. That is, in contrast to the fleeting, disposable, Fresno music buddies, who get together to write a quick- batch of songs so they can play a couple Tokyo shows and call it quits after a month without ever recording a thing-type of bands that Fresno is notorious for. And let’s not forget the Triple Rectifier half-stack-playin' kids on the other side who think that cloning the image and sound of the nu-metal flavor of the week is their instant ticket to rock stardom.

Maybe that stuff is all part of the Fresno charm. I happen to like the SparkleJet way better. Besides, any band capable of taking a cornball song like "A Quick One, While He's Away" and miraculously making it seem cool, just the The Who did 40 years ago, is okay by me.

2005-11-14T11:23:00.000-08:00

Interview: Fresno Famous.

Before I get started with this blog, I have a quick announcement to make…

I saw two awesome shows last weekend in San Francisco: Chicks on Speed/Kevin Blechdom (Independent) and My Morning Jacket (Fillmore). If you missed Chicks on Speed in L.A. of S.F., then you screwed up BIG TIME. This was CoS’ first U.S. tour in three years. I doubt they’ll be coming back anytime soon. OK, that’s all. I just had to let everyone know that. We may now continue.

When I got home last night (11/13) from my S.F. excursion, I found an e-mail waiting for me from FresnoFamous.com Editor Jarah Euston (aka Abby Blackstone). I was like, "Hmm, I wonder why she’s e-mailing me…she probably wants me to write something for the site, or something." (As some of you know, I’ve freelanced articles/interviews for Fresno Famous*) Well, I was wrong. The e-mail contained answers to a list of questions I had previously asked her about Fresno Famous.

(*Articles/interviews I've contributed to Fresno Famous include: Earlimart, Mommy and Daddy, Meatball Magic, It'll Grow Back.)

When I first started this blog a couple months ago, I was trying to think of interesting people I could interview. The first idea that popped into my head was doing a Q&A with Fresno Famous. They've been awesome in promoting Fresno's music scene. I was at work when I came up with the idea. I saw Jarah online, so I sent her an instant message asking if she wanted to do an interview for my blog. She was like "Um…sure, OK." I didn’t think she’d actually end up doing it. I gave up hope after the first month of not getting a response. I’m really happy she finally got around to it. I think Fresno Famous deserves a little publicity, even if it’s only a short blog interview.

Let me back up and tell you my first memories of Fresno Famous. I can remember the very first time I gazed upon the site. I was sitting at my job as a "PIB" (person in building) at Mondosphere radio group. (Mondosphere is the company that owns radio stations like 104.1 and 95.7-FM. A PIB is basically someone who sits alone around the studios and makes sure the automated DJ stuff doesn’t screw up — an extremely boring job. Just ask guest blogger Christy A.) So, yeah. I was screwin’ around on the computer at Mondo and came across Fresno Famous. Being the eager young journalist that I was, I contacted Jarah with the intentions of eventually freelancing for the site. I thought it was so cool that people in Fresno were starting a site like this. It was very inspiring. OK, that's the end of the story.

Before I go on, I can’t forget to give props to Mike M (aka Malcolm Sosa) – Jarah’s boyfriend – who also started/maintains Fresno Famous. Mike M and Jarah make an awesome duo. He’s also the singer/songwriter/guitarist for Fresno’s Rademacher (See "Self-promoting Rademacher" blog).

OK, enough of my babbling. I could talk about this shit forever. Let’s get on with the interview. OK, I lied. I have one more thing to say. I think Fresno Famous is one of – if not the most – important things to emerge within Fresno’s cultural arts scene. I’m sure MANY (millions upon millions) will agree with me on that. So let’s give it up to Jarah and Mike M who have give Fresno this amazing weekly-updated Web site. Thanks, guys. By the way, rumor has it that the Fresno Bee is a little intimidated by Fresno Famous. I don’t blame ‘em if they are. A little competition never hurt anyone, right?

Mitch on Speed: When and why did start Fresno Famous?
Jarah Euston: We launched Fresno Famous in April 2004 because we wanted to know what was going on around town. We figured in a town this size there had to be things happening, but we were totally in the dark. We'd look in the Bee and think, there has to be more than this. Looking at handbills in coffee shops wasn't very efficient. Fresno is one of the largest cities in the country without an alt weekly- where you would usually turn to get entertainment info. We also thought Fresno was absurdly disconnected. If you were in one scene you were plugged in to that, but excluded from everything else. We wanted to create a database of events and people so if you knew no one, you'd still have a way of finding cool things to do. And we wanted to support, encourage, and promote local talent. We thought that if musicians and artists living in Fresno got more recognition, they'd be more successful here.

Is it difficult keeping up with your weekly updates?
It can be. We are a community journalism site, which means that anyone can submit stories, photos, or other content. People pitch us story ideas all the time, which is kind of funny because we publish anything that is sent to us, as long as it's about Fresno. At the end of the month we'll be making some big changes to allow people to publish directly to the site.

Between the two of you, how much time do you invest in Fresno Famous?
I do it full time. Mike's focusing more on other projects so it really varies for him, from 2 to 20 hours a week depending. Our awesome programmer Suzi is putting in serious hours for the new site.

How did you come up with your clever pen names?
Inspiration from God.
What type of content do you cover on the site?
Entertainment! Our goal is to get everything happening in Fresno onto our events calendar. Everything, from punk shows to pancake breakfasts. Anything related to Fresno. People most often contribute stuff about local music and art, but we do a lot about downtown development also.

What’s been the most interesting story you’ve covered? Most controversial?
The most controversial was probably the Coconut Club snafu. The restaurant decided to withdraw its sponsorship of the Reel Pride Gay and Lesbian film festival he night before a champagne brunch. To make matters worse, the owner allegedly made a Reel Pride supporter cry when she called to complain, spewing homophobic remarks. What would have previously only been discussed among friends, is now on the internet for all eternity. We really felt like we had an impact that day. There have been lots of interesting stories. The interview with Donnell Alexander was a favorite, and I really enjoyed doing the story on Fresno graffiti. Luke Deniston's piece on the Broadcast Flag is another favorite, because no one else was talking about how a Fresno congressman was one of only a handful of representatives pledging to support that ridiculous legislation. It made a big, national issue very local.

What keeps you motivated to keep the site running?
Money, and the possibility of more money.

Do you encourage people in Fresno to contribute to the site?
Yes. We're very excited about the new site we are launching at the end of November. People will be able to post their own stories, photos, reviews, and editorials, as well as their events. We are inviting everyone to contribute to the online community and keep us posted on what is going on in their neighborhoods. We really want to be the place people go to find out about life in Fresno- local issues, where to get Thai food, what bands are playing, what local artists are showing, what happened at the school board meeting. We're opening it up to everyone to catch the stories and people larger news outlets miss.

Jarah can be contacted at jarah@fresnofamous.com

2005-11-10T14:25:00.000-08:00

Self-promoting Rademacher.

Many of these blogs I write are on a whim. Like, I’ll read something or get an idea in my head and want to write about it immediately. When it comes to certain things, I’m very impulsive.

For example, yesterday I discovered that Pinkeye had a couple new songs up on their Myspace. Without really thinking about it, I posted a blog wanting to tell everyone. I un-posted it about 30 minutes later. I don’t really know why; I just felt like it. I’m weird like that. But now I feel bad for removing it, so here’s what the blog said:

Man. I just discovered that Pinkeye has a few "new" demo songs up on their Myspace that were apparently recorded in Bad Andy's apartment with Chris' "cheap-ass recording toys."
Bad Andy = singer/guitarist; Chris = badass guitarist
They sound really good. The songs are called "Truths Got Yr Throat" and "Language All Our Own."
The only reason I'm informing you all is because I really love Pinkeye. They're still one of my fav Fresno bands. They've fallen out of the 559 limelight, but they've still got a few good shows in them yet.
Listen to the songs and contact them about getting a copy of their new CD. I still haven't got mine!
http://www.myspace.com/pinkeyemusic

Anyway....

Let’s move on, shall we? There’s one rule I like to follow in keeping this blog: I only write when I’m inspired to do so. It keeps things fresh and honest, I think. A few minutes ago, I read something that inspired me. It was a bulletin posting on Myspace by Fresno’s Rademacher.

Basically, the bulletin was self-promotion. It read like this:

Date: Nov. 10, 11:56 a.m.

Subject: yes we rule the internet...

Body: ...and this proves it.

indiedontdance

tmwsiy*

gorilla vs bear

If you click on those links, you’ll see small blogs written about Rademacher. And they all have good things too say about the band, which is great fuckin’ publicity for the group’s new EP, Ice Age. So, let us ask ourselves a question. What made these bloggers from various parts of the country want to write about a small indie band in Fresno, California? Answer: Because Mike M (Rademacher brainchild) probably e-mailed them several times promoting his band and asking if they’d be interested in doing a little write-up. I could be wrong, but I seriously doubt that I am. Mike M is extremely good at promoting his band outside the likes of Fresno.

Just take a look at Rademacher’s Web site. It has a perfect layout: news, press photos, bio, tour dates, press clippings, contact info, etc. – everything a band needs to provide on their site. Speaking as a freelancer/journalist who’s interviewed numerous popular bands, I can honestly say that Rademacher’s site is definitely "journialist-friendly." It’s simple, to the point and effective. When I research a band I need to interview, I’ll usually go to their site for the basic info. If a band can provide all the stuff I previously mentioned, it makes my job as a writer much more simple.

In case you can’t tell, I’m trying to make a point here.

During my time in the Fresno music scene, Rademacher is the first band I’ve seen who seems to have its shit together. Now, I know there are other bands too, so don’t get all pissy just yet. What I’m saying is that they’re the only band I’ve personally known that seem to their shit together. I’m sure 40 Watt Hype has its shit together too, along with a number of other groups. For now, let’s just focus in the "indie" scene.

Let me further elaborate on the aforementioned statement, "Rademacher is the first band I’ve seen who seems to have its shit together." What I mean is that it really seems as if Mike M wants to make this band a success. And if "success" means touring up and down the West Coast, getting press in various publications and putting out a couple releases, then Rademacher has already achieved that aspect of it. And it’s not because Mike M sat on his ass and waited for writers/bloggers to approach him asking for press kits and wanting to write reviews. It’s because he went out there and REALLY promoted his band. It’s because he got on the phone/Internet and booked a small tour out of town. He knows exactly what he’s doing. He’s smart. He pitches his band. Just take a look at the "Press" section on Rademacher’s site. There are tons of reviews. They may not be from Spin, Rolling Stone, Blender or Pitchfork, but that doesn’t matter. Any press is good press.

I haven’t actually sat down with Mike M and asked what his future goals are for Rademacher. Well, maybe I have, but it’s only been a quick conversation here and there. I haven’t really picked his brain.....yet. I’m guessing he wants to take it as far as possible. And that is awesome. So far, he’s doing a great job and I commend him. I think if he keeps up what he’s doing, Rademacher could gain some national exposure.

At this point, I feel Rademacher is the only Fresno indie band who is capable of moving above and beyond Fresno. And the only reason I say that is because of everything I mentioned above. I’m not trying to kiss anyone’s ass here. I’m just giving my own observation/opinion. If any bands are offended by that statement, I apologize. But maybe it’ll cause you to think about where you want your band to go. Do you want to take a shot at making your dreams of playing music come true, or do you want to end up as a 45-year-old musician playing in a Fresno cover band, remembering the good ol’ days? (No offense if that’s what you’re into.)

I think Fresno bands can learn a lesson from Mike M and Rademacher. If you’re a musician out there who is in a band, you need to realize that if music is your chosen path in life, you need to make it happen for yourself. Record albums, put together press kits, write up press releases, book shows out of town, self-promote – don’t just sit there and fantasize about "making it." In my opinion, if you show people you’re serious and passionate about wanting to play music, then other people will follow you. It’s that simple. If writing and playing music is what makes you happy in life, then for Chrissakes, MAKE IT HAPPEN!

2005-11-07T08:34:00.000-08:00

The Fresno Scene: A View From The Outside.

A long ass time ago (maybe two years), I became friends with Dany Sloan (yes, only one “n”). He’s a native of the East Coast. At the time of our meeting, he had moved to Fresno on a whim. He didn’t stay long. To this day, I still have no clue why he did that. Anyway, he’s a cool guy and he likes some really cool music. We hit it off because we both did a little freelance journalism. He went to a lot of local shows.

The last time I saw his was in Oakland when I was dropping him off at the airport to go back to Philly. That same weekend, we hung out and saw Q and Not U/Erase Errata at the Bottom of the Hill in San Fran. It was cool. But I’m still pissed off about something. We crashed at Ben and Eli’s (from now-disbanded Soma Holidays), and I left my favorite long-sleeved Guinness there. I got that shirt at the Guinness factory in Dublin, Ireland. It fit me so perfectly. Damn.

Before Dany flew the Fresno coop, I interviewed him about his take on the Fresno music scene. I pitched the story to Fresno Famous. I thought it’d be interesting to see what an outsider thought about the scene. He had some good things to say. To make a long story short, I got lazy and didn’t do it. But I didn’t give up hope. I asked Dany to write a short blog about his take on the scene, and he kindly accepted.

Guest blogger: Dany Sloan

[Dany Sloan is a former short-term Fresno resident who is currently acollege radio promoter at The Planetary Group in Boston and is a contributor to Prefix Magazine. He has also done time with AAM, Pitchfork, Rockpile and Rocket Fuel.]

I've always been weirded out by the West Coast. I mean, seriously. Thecities are spread out, it's always sunny and things just move so slowly outthere. Now you may wonder why I moved to Fresno for three months last year and the answer I have for you is this: who the hell knows? Did it suck? For the most part, yes, but looking back, it was a great time and I met some awesome people and got to know some really great bands.

Fresno is a sizeable city with the resources of a small town, stranded inthe no man's land between San Francisco and Los Angeles and there really is nothing to do there, but that didn't stop the local indie rock kids fromgetting a tight little scene going. It's the only thing that kept me interested during my time there. I was lucky enough to play bass in Ira for a short time, plus I developed a fairly tight relationship Fresno scene booster [Mitch on Speed].

Living in the Tower District, I saw a ton of bands during my three monthsthere. The ones that stand out were: Pinkeye, Rademacher, Bel and theDragon, Gypsy Cab and The Insects. Additionally, Bianca from Ira was one of the best songwriters I've ever come into contact with. Practices with Ira were amazing because each time we got together, Bianca would have like five new songs, all of which were great, but she just never had the self-confidence or the forum to do what she needed with them.

Being a close knit scene though, Fresno has its share of problems. It's afairly sizeable city that should do more to promote its local scene andbring in more touring acts. I remember people going apeshit over Cursivecoming to town, but seriously, Cursive is an ok band that used to be a lotbetter, and a band of their stature should be coming through Fresno muchmore often. It's situated perfectly between San Fran and LA, and is a greatmidway point to play and crash instead of doing a seven hour drive down the coast.

The local scene is way too exclusive. Small scenes typically start with anenterprising group of friends, but they need to expand outside of that. Fresno could be on the brink of having an exciting local scene akin to Omaha or Minneapolis or Portland by now, but its "friends-only" mindset was holding it back. I am not sure if that's the case now, but if there are kids who have exciting ideas, a wealth of experience and are willing to help, they need to be included. Greytank and Gardenside are good starts, but there is so much more to be done.

I am excited to find out what is going to happen to all of the excitingyoung bands in the Central Valley. Are they going to reach their potentialand put Fresno on the map or are they going collapse under the weight ofmaintaining their clique? Some food for thought: Washington D.C., our nation's capital, had a scene in disarray in the ’70s, but they rose above all of that to become a scene to be reckoned with. Dischord began to welcome exciting new people and thought outside the box.

Here's a link to Dany's blog: http://exitfare.blogspot.com/

2005-11-03T09:21:00.000-08:00

Jaded.

Here’s a little blog about yours truly. Get ready, it’s a long one...

In the many conversations I’ve had with people involved in the local scene, people seem intrigued when I reveal that I used to be in a band. I guess people are so surprised because they’ve never seen me play.

But for those of you who used to frequent the open mic nights at Starline and Club Fred back in the day, you’d know that I used to throw down a little acoustic every now and then. That was back when maybe three or four people would go. Now it’s crazy and overcrowded.

James Z (the best local singer-songwriter I’ve met) and I used to provide a few tunes for the Kern Street Café too. Those were fun; we’d make like $20 bucks. I’ve still got a couple of those sessions on cassette. Not to toot my own horn, but we sounded pretty damn good.

But lets’ back up and start from the beginning.

My first guitar lesson was on the day I turned 13. I’m not ashamed to say that Guns ‘N’ Roses guitarist Slash was my main inspiration. I desperately wanted to learn the opening riff of "Welcome to the Jungle." I eventually got it down.

The first time I picked up a guitar, my natural inclination was to play left-handed (like Paul McCartney, Jimi Hendrix, Kurt Cobain, etc.). My guitar teacher eventually advised me to switch and play as a righty. He said I’d be better off in the future because it’d be easier find/buy right-handed guitars. I ended up switching. I’m still not sure if I made the "right" decision. It was a weird transition at first. Eh, I’m used to it now.

I hated taking guitar lessons and eventually quit. I didn’t practice what I was supposed to, so it was useless. I’d basically go into the lesson and the guy would teach me how to play Nirvana songs (I was a HUGE Nirvana freak). When I started to learn power chords and whatnot, I began writing my own crappy little songs. From there, I bought a karaoke machine and started recording them. I still have those tapes. I must’ve had like 20-30 songs. They all sucked.

In those days, my dream was to be a famous rock ‘n’ roll star. I grew my hair out, wore ripped jeans – the whole bit. That dream eventually faded, but not until the end of high school/beginning college. It was awesome sitting alone in my room, turning up the bitchin’ distortion on my little Crate amp, and just rockin’ out. I’d close my eyes and pretend like I was playing a concert in front a bunch of people. It was fun. Now I know that I could never be a rock star. I go out one night and feel like shit for the rest of the week.

The first time I stepped onto a stage was eight grade during a talent show. A couple friends and I lip synched Green Day’s "When I Come Around." It was so dumb but in a weird way it was cool. Even though we weren’t playing the song – or our instruments for that matter – it was fun. I later ended up playing a few talent shows in high school. I never won. I wasn’t all that bad, though.

Once I entered high school, it was time to start a band. Unfortunately, my school only had about 600 people and not too many of them shared my passion to create rock ‘n’ roll; none that I knew of at least. At the time, a friend of mine had been messing around with the drums, so we decided to try and start something up. It failed miserably. The upper classmen called us "The Momma’s Boys." The other guy in the band wasn’t serious about it, and I was. That caused a problem. I guess it didn’t help that we both sucked, too. I eventually got frustrated and quit.

It wasn’t until my sophomore year that I joined my first "real" band. It was scary. I remember the day James Z (the guy mentioned above) approached me about joining his hard rock/heavy metal/grunge band, Jaded (that was the name of the band). At the time, James Z was in another band. I can’t remember their name, but it was like the only rock band in our small little town. In my mind, James Z was the closest thing to a rock start that I knew. To this day, he probably doesn’t know it but I idolized him.

It was extremely flattering for him to come up to out of nowhere and ask, "Hey, you wanna play bass in my band?" I was like, "Uh, yeah, sure." He was a senior at the time, so it was a little intimidating. Even worse, I only had like two days before he wanted me to practice with them. Luckily, they already had a bass guitar for me to play. It was this purple-blue metallic 4-string Fender.

Our first official band practice was on a Sunday. We ALWAYS practiced on Sunday. I used to love those days. We’d go over to our drummer’s house in Sanger and spend the whole day hanging out. Good memories of smoking cigarettes and walking to 7-11. The reason I remember it was a Sunday is because the night before I had a party at my house. I got pretty wasted. And for some strange reason, I remember exactly what I was wearing at that first practice. Damn, what happened to that shirt?

Jaded’s first "jam session" was fucking loud. I mean LOUD. I eventually started wearing earplugs. I was the youngest one in the band, so everyone kind of treated me like the baby. I was pretty naive back then. My parents hated me hanging out with the "rocker" types. If they had known the kinda stuff we were doing, I honestly couldn’t blame ‘em. Ha. I mean, our drummer’s room (where we practiced) had an upside down American flag on the wall, and one of our guitarists sang like he was possessed by Satan. It was awesome.

As I’m writing this, tons of memories are resurfacing. I experienced a lot of "firsts" during my time in Jaded: chicks, alcohol, drugs – you name it. I wish I could tell all the stories. I met a lot of cool bands and people back then. For the time being, I’ll just stick to the basics.

As I said, I was the bass player. James Z was the guitarist/singer, Travis was the drummer and Rene was the other guitarist/singer. Our sound was a cross between Slayer, Rage Against the Machine, Danzig, Nirvana and Soundgarden. To this day, I still believe we were the best band in Fresno at the time. Not to sound cocky, but I know we were.

I only sang two songs in Jaded, a cover of Nirvana’s "Breed" and an original called "Averse." I still love that song. It was funny because James Z and I would trade instruments in the middle of our set and everyone in the crowd would freak out. They’d say, "Hey, why are they switching? That’s crazy!" I guess it was impressive or something.

After practicing together for a few months we decided it was time to play live shows. Here was the problem: most of us were underage. But that didn’t stop us; we played at bars and stuff anyway. Back then, we would frequent the Red Wave Inn (the dive bar across from Fresno State), this little arcade on Shields and Blackstone, and house parties. We would go crazy onstage; usually because we were under the influence of something.

One time, we played a show at my cousin’s house and these two girls started to fight while we were playing. It was awesome. Instead of stopping our set we only played louder. I was 16-17 at the time, so it was interesting, to say the least. Unfortunately, we never toured. That’s probably a good thing.

Jaded eventually decided to record an EP. That’s about the time things went to hell. One of our guys knew this dude who recorded bands at his house for a cheap price. His name was Tom Delgado. He’s still around Fresno today. He’s that short guy who heads up the Wednesday jams at Starline. At that time, the Tom had REALLY long hair, and some pretty sweet recording equipment. We called me Eddie Munster. I guess I kind of looked like him.

We spent a couple weekends at his house. On one of the days, I remember buying a whole box of donuts for everyone. I ended up eating every single one of them. Can you guess why? Ha. But we ended up recording about four songs, which were never completed. I still have a rough copy of the songs on cassette, but they were never mixed properly. Man, I think Tom still has those reels. We should’ve gotten them back. Those were the days when Pro Tools didn’t exist.

Shortly after that recording session, Jaded broke up. We played for fun, but deep in our hearts I know we all had bigger hopes and aspirations. It was OK though, I was ready for it to be done. Rene (guitarist) and Travis (drummer) were fighting about something and they eventually called it quits. They’re friends now, though. After that, James Z and I still talked and hung. He’d come over my house pretty often and we’d play songs together, which eventually led to the coffee house gigs. I guess we both kind of got bored with it and stopped.

Which brings us to present day. I don’t really play music anymore. I pick up my guitar a few times a week and mess around, but that’s all. I can’t write songs anymore. I’m not sure why. I have this never-ending writer’s block. It’s weird. Maybe someday it’ll come back to me. I have a couple of cool guitars and a nice Fender DeVille amp. I also have drum set, which I haven’t played in a long time. It needs new heads. In the past year or so, I’ve bought several electro devices (drum machine, synth, etc.) but I haven’t really learned how to use them. I still have the desire to learn, though. Fresno needs an electro band.

The last time I played live anywhere was at Starline a couple years ago. James Z, Travis (Jaded’s former drummer) and myself got together and closed for Fresno’s Bev. We went under the name "Skeleton Keys." I still have the flyer in my car. We bombed that night. Afterwards, James Z and I went to Denny’s and talked about how horrible we sounded. We never played again after that.

I’m happy with not performing. I’d rather sit back and watch others. If I had my own band then I would lose my objectivity on the Fresno music scene. But who knows, maybe I’ll get the wild hair again sometime.

I commend anyone who actually read this whole thing... Thanks.

2005-10-31T18:13:00.000-08:00

KFSR.

KFSR 90.7-FM. Need I say more?

Since I started writing these blogs, KFSR’s name has been popping up quite a bit within people’s comments and whatnot. Usually it’s in the context of, "KFSR blowwwwws, man!!!" or "Dude, KFSR doesn't support local bands." You know, stuff like that.

As some of you know, I used DJ at KFSR a couple years back. In fact, that's how I got this ridiculous name, "Mitch on Speed." Bad Andy (from Pinkeye) gave it to me one day during my show. I didn’t have a name for myself, so he just called me "Mitch on Speed."

(Due to legal reasons, I can’t explain in detail what went into me getting this name. And, no, it’s not drug-related.)

Anyway... We all have our own opinions about KFSR and why it does or doesn't suck these days.

Here’s a story written by a former KFSR "employee," DJ Christy. In my opinion, her show was one of the best. (We used to DJ during the same time period.) Christy is a journalism student and Fresno State. I believe she was let go from the station. I don’t know why. Anyway, here’s her story.

Guest Blogger: Christy Arndt

The college radio station, 90.7 KFSR Fresno, has the potential to reach over 500,000 Valley residents, according to the station’s Web site. The equipment has been replaced with up-to-date MP3 players and state-of-the-art microphones, computers, and a new main audio console. Joe Moore, Station Manager since 1999, has worked toward this goal by luring in a specific target audience.

KFSR’s self-proclaimed title, The Valley’s Home for Jazz, does more than attract the older jazz-listening crowd in Fresno. It alienates the college age listeners who are more interested in new progressive music, whether it’s hip-hop, rock, or rap. Although the radio station’s mission statement focuses on musical diversity and variety, a majority of the programming is dedicated to the jazz genre. KFSR plays over 70 hours of jazz each week, although the station’s mission is: "...to provide the Fresno area with unique, innovative and high quality public radio programming, thus enhancing the quality of life in Central California."

The main purpose of CSUF’s college radio station, according to the station’s Web site, is to operate as a profit-free learning tool for students.

[Mitch on Speed], music journalist and a former disc jockey for KFSR, says that soon after he left in spring 2004 new employees sharing Joe’s vision (to imitate corporate radio stations) decided to change the format.

He said in an interview that the station is now forcing DJs to play certain songs on a daily basis, which is cheating college students out of the whole college rock experience.

"I don’t think the station caters to college students. There is some programming that does, but as far as rock music goes, it seems kind of lame. From what I hear, half of the newly released CDs that are considered ‘good’ in the indie rock scene don’t even make it into the studio. I think that’s partly the music director’s fault for not recognizing what music is popular," [Mitch on Speed] said, in regards to the community’s expectations of KFSR, versus the new program director’s agenda.

[Mitch on Speed] agreed that an unusual amount of jazz is played to much at KFSR, and that a majority of the donations come from old people listening to Joe’s jazz programs.

"It would seem that he has many listeners who are older and would be more inclined to give money they had," he said.

Another former disc jockey from last year, Ryan Borba, wrote his strong opinion of jazz programming in a letter to The Collegian. He hypothesized that while people do know about KFSR, it is not serving the community of bored younger people in Fresno as well as it could.

In his letter, Borba said:

"The reason no one knows about KFSR is because KFSR caters to the older, wealthier, donating jazz sponsors who are responsible for a huge portion of the station’s operating funds."

This gives the impression that Joe Moore has the intention of keeping the station afloat with donations, but is forgetting about the college age listeners who proudly named the station, "The Mighty 90.7" when the new console was installed for more power. Money shouldn’t be the focus of an updated, non-profit organization.

"Even though (jazz) is not insanely popular it is certainly a very important style of music," said Moore in a Collegian interview last semester.

His hobby, which is also his lifestyle, has overpowered the station’s focus, losing variety and listeners along the way.

2005-10-27T17:57:00.000-07:00

Interview: It'll Grow Back

Here's a lil' somethin' somethin' Kumar Santiago and I threw together in honor of Fresno's It'll Grow Back releasing their very first full-length album.

The new CD is called Seduce & Destroy. It features songs like "Say What Motherfucker" and "Choke." You can buy it at Tower Records

(and that is SO not a plug for Tower. I used to work there, and only go back when I wanna look at mags. That, and their Black/Death Metal section. *That one's for you Seb (K). BLUT! AUS! NORD!).

OK, sorry. Back to IGB. Warning: Cover your ears kids, 'cause this band your mommys warned you about...

(Source: Fresno Famous)

SEDUCE AND DESTROY

Forget about that pop-punk crap, It'll Grow Back is an old-fashioned punk rock powerhouse. Famous chats with the band about their first full-length record.

BY KUMAR SANTIAGO AND MITCH ON SPEED

Talk about stage presence: JT Rocket gets manic

We're pretty sure It'll Grow Back is the only punk rock band in Fresno that actually still annoys the right people for the right reasons. There's no whining, no makeup and definitely no apologies for any of their antics, no matter how many frumpy, repressed bystanders and club owners they make enemies out of.

The frantic live energy of frontman Josh Tehee is unparalleled, and it's doubtful there's anyone who's seen the band at any point in its career that wasn't affected by his manic performances. Think Minor Threat-era Ian Mackaye meets the Tasmanian Devil.

Over the course of a few lineup changes, the group has evolved into a tightly knit powerhouse. Nowadays, with a rock-solid rhythm section comprising old friends Daren Taylor (drums) and Simon Smeds (bass), co-founders Tehee and Chris Fletcher (guitar) have found themselves leading one of Fresno's most exciting and, yes, professional bands - as long as you can handle a few Jesus jokes.

It'll Grow Back recorded its new self-released, Seduce & Destroy, at Gardenside in Fresno. Do everything you can to check out the band's CD release show, this Friday October 28th at the legendary Zapp's Park. It's a bargain-basement $3 and they'll be joined by SparkleJet, who, for some reason, has apparently never before played Zapp's.

Fresno Famous had the opportunity to communicate electronically with Josh about IGB and its new album.

First question: What will grow back? (I'm sure you get this question all the time.)
Do you really want to know? The story goes like this: I chopped my block off (if you get my drift), and only if we rock hard enough, with enough raw power, will it ever grow back. The question is will you be there when it does?

What's your music all about? Try to give a description of the band's sound and what you're going for with your lyrics.
Musically, we're just an old-fashioned punk-rock band. People say we sound like the Dead Kennedys, and I can see that. We're more punk-rock circa 1980 than punk-rock circa 1990, I guess. Lyrically... Here's an analogy: Motorhead has a song called 'Killed by Death.' And no one ever says, 'Hey Lemmy, what's that song about?' If you're asking the question, you missed the point.

For those who don't know ANYTHING about your band, give 'em a little background info on how you met and formed It'll Grow Back.
Chris Fletcher, who plays guitar, had seen my former band, Dr. Rocket and the Moon Patrol, back in the day, and had booked a few shows for us at Fresno State. This was like 1999, 2000. After that band broke up, I wasn't doing anything musically and Chris approached me about starting a band. We're into the same things. Not just musically. It just seemed to work, straight off. He came over one afternoon and we wrote like three songs.

How have things changed since Daren (drums) and Simon (bass) joined the band?
For the first time in maybe two years, it feels like we're an actual band, instead of just Chris and me and revolving drummers/bass players. It seems cliche to say we've had five drummers and four bass players or whatever, but it's true. For awhile we were totally going to go the electronic route, with a drum machine or whatnot. It just feels like we're on common ground. Plus, having an actual practice schedule pays off at show time.

In one of your songs, you repeat over and over, "Praise Jesus! Praise Jesus!" At least, I think that's what you're saying. So, do you really praise Jesus, or is that just a lie?
The song's kind of a joke, I guess. One of my favorite movies is 'Leap of Faith,' with Steve Martin, and part of me has always wanted to be an evangelist. So the song's a way to have fun with all that. It's like the It'll Grow Back old-time revival.

It seems like you guys play more "indie rock"-type shows than the average local "punk rock" band. Whatupwiddat?
It's funny that we are a 'punk' band that never plays 'punk' shows. We met a lot of 'indie' bands when we used to play weekly shows at the Crossroads, but it's something we just fell into. Partly because our friends were/are in 'indie' bands, and partly because we don't do as good a job of marketing ourselves as we should. Plus, we might have more in common with a band like Gypsy Cab, who plays a cover of 'Ace of Spades,' then a lot of punk bands around. But we'd love to play more punk shows, for sure.

Where can people buy your latest full-length, Seduce & Destroy?
Right now it's consigned at Tower Records. We're going to try to get it in as many local shops as we can--Valentino's, SBI, Retro Rag, maybe Yoshi Now! Eventually it will be on I-Tunes and all that. Best bet is to find one of us to get it all cheap like.

Tell us a little about the album and what went into recording it.
First off, without sounding like an ass, I think it's proof that a 'local' band can pull off a professional product. It's definitely an independent effort, but it doesn't look or sound cheap. We recorded with Matt Orme at Gardenside and Shawn Covert did the mix and Chris did the layout and design work with Jason Olmstead helping on the technical end, and they all did a kick-ass job. We did splurge, if you want to use that word, to have Jeff King at Threshold Sound do a professional master job and we paid to have it duped and printed, which was totally worth it.

Who is Jeff King?
He's an engineer from L.A. He mastered Bel and the Dragon's album, Judah, and was really cool to work with and totally gave us the 'indie' rate on the whole deal. Mentioning him wasn't me name-dropping or anything, just trying to give credit where it's due.

You've said "the band is all about the performance." Would you say the new record gives the listener an idea of what it's like to see It'll Grow Back in a live setting?
Yeah. But it still lacks the visual impact. Though I suppose, if you've seen us before, you could close your eyes and pretend.

Seduce & Destroy is being released on GetFaced Records. Is that your own label? If so, why did you decide to put it out yourself?
Chris and I had this idea for GetFaced pretty much from day one, as a record label or a 'zine or something. We knew we were putting the album out ourselves, so why not give the thing a name or whatever?

Some bands leave Fresno to "make it." Do you think moving to another city would better serve It'll Grow Back?
Probably. But I don't really buy into that whole notion of having to move to another city to do the whole 'band' thing. And there are the people in town -- I'm thinking Rademacher, Kat Jones -- to prove it. I'd rather be a band from Fresno than a band from LA or Portland via Fresno.

How has being banned from several local venues affected the band?
The punk-rock part of me loves it. We're so fucking hard-core we got banned from a State University and all that. But, then I think, 'Oh wait. That's a huge untapped audience. And they actually pay well for you to play.' Essentially we're blocked from playing at two good all-age venues. So that sucks.

What does the future hold for It'll Grow Back?
Right now we're going to get the album in as many hands as possible.

Will you eventually change your name to the Notorious IGB?
That was actually the alternate name for the album.

Visit myspace.com/itllgrowback for more info.

2005-10-26T11:10:00.000-07:00

The Insect Memoirs Pt. I, II & III

As promised, here are Pt. II & III of "The Insect Memoirs." I reposted part I again so this all makes sense. Here we go....

***

It's official. After a long hiatus, The Insects are FINALLY getting back together to play a show... Here's the "official" announcement from the band:

Oct. 31, @ Fresno State. We'll be playing in the pit. Not sure of the whole lineup yet, but so far I know Pinkeye and Needy Eevy are also on the bill. 7:00 p.m. Admission is free..............with costume.

That announcement came today. Anyway, the last time I saw The Insects was in Armona, Calif., at Travis' house last February. At least, I think that was the last time I saw them. Travis is the band's drummer. After that night, I felt compelled to right something about the band. I've liked them for a long time. They're different than most Fresno bands.

I'm posting this in honor of the group's reunion. This "Insect Memoirs" was written over the course of a week. It's in three parts. Unfortunately, I never finished it. But I'll post it anyway. If it doesn't make sense, I'm sorry. I'm not that sorry, actually.

OK, here we go:

February 21, 2005 (that’s a Monday, in case you give a shit, which I’m sure you don’t...)

The Insects: Travis’ Birthday Party. He turned 24! Happy birthday, dude.

A recollection of sorts.

Pt. I

I’ve finally decided: I’m going to listen to Elliott Smith (I’m sitting in a Starbucks and I need something to listen to while I write this masterpiece). You want to know something funny? Any time I type out the word "Smith" I always end up typing "Smitch" by accident. And do you know why this is? Because my name is Mitch. It’s a natural default. But now that I think about it, listening to Elliott Smitch – see, I did it again – might not be the best music to listen to while trying to write a recollection about an Insects performance I saw a couple nights ago. I mean Either/Or isn’t exactly the most uplifting music out there. It doesn’t matter, though; I’m going to listen to his badass anyway – even if he does depress the hell out of me (in a good way).

Now that we have that bit of information out of the way let’s get on with the happenings of Saturday, February 19th: Travis "Wasp" Soward’s – drummer for the Insects – birthday party featuring the motherfuggin’ Insects! Yeah, they’re the best (and probably weirdest) band in Armona, Calif. Hell, they maybe even be the best band in Lemoore. I’d venture to say they could even be the best band in Fresno. Watch out No Cello! You may have the hipsters on your side, but you ain’t got the freaks!

So Fresno’s littlest Insect is growing up. Travis turned 24 on February 14th aka Valentine’s Day. To celebrate, he threw a party at his house in Armona (about 35 minutes south of Fresno). Now, this was the third time I had been to Travis’ house, and trust me, the drive doesn’t get any more exciting. You basically have a couple of cemeteries to gaze at while driving through the snaky country roads. There is one positive aspect, however – you get to drive through Laton. That was a joke. No offense Laton, it’s all good.

After buying a small bottle of Crown Royal (Travis’ b-day gift) at one of the town’s charming little mini marts (this one dude was bitching about a phone card he was trying do buy... I don’t know, don’t ask me), I headed to his cozy homestead and found myself amid a crowd of unfamiliar South Valley faces. It was pretty refreshing, actually – definitely an Insects crowd. Once I saw the 3-foot tall doll of the Jolly Green Giant sitting in the corner of the room, I knew the night would be a memorable one. (Side note: The self-titled Yeah Yeah Yeahs EP is fucking amazing. You know you can’t deny it).

Pt. II

OK, it’s been a few days since I sat down to write this. Yes, I’m extremely lame. Now I’m sitting in the ‘new edition’ back room of the Revue in Fresno’s Tower District (for all the uncool people who don’t know where it is). Anyway, I decided to throw on some Sonic Youth – Dirty, to be exact. Don’t think I’m super cool just yet; it’s actually one of the first Sonic Youth CDs I’ve ever listened to. And I’m 23. How pathetic is that? I just got it through Amazon.com’s used section, you should check it out. At least I’m honest about never having listened to them, right? The only reason I’ve ever been curious about them is because I’m a HUGE Nirvana fan (or at least I was age 14-17). And Kurt used to always rant and rave about Sonic Youth. Naturally, it got me curious. But enough about fuckin’ Sonic Youth already, this is about the Insects. Actually, I should be transcribing an interview I recently did with Detroit electro duo ADULT. – look out for it in Rockrgrl magazine next month!!! Ha, that was dumb – but that can wait. This shit is more important. Sorry for the profanity.

So where was I? Damn, that party was almost a week ago. This is why you should write the story the night you come home, or at least take some friggin’ notes. But after a 30-minute drive coming home from Armona at 4 a.m., you’re a little exhausted. You feel me? Anyway, my friend Terrance (probably the biggest Insects fan I know) just e-mailed me this photo he took of Guido (Mantis) – the crazy guy at all the Insects shows you hear yelling "More, Moooooorrrrrreeeee, More." You know the one. He’s tall, big, wears a big black leather hat, and can sometimes be caught prancing around in a really crazy looking wolf costume while the Insects rock out. He’s also one of the nicest guys you could know too. At a Tokyo Garden (small venue/sushi joint in Fresno) show, he bought me one of those big ass Sapporo. That’s sounding a lot better than this coffee I’m drinking right now. I’ll use a quote that I got from Travis that Guido pretty well.

"He’s a power too great to harness. He has this crazy, unpredictable, obnoxious energy that creates the force and the spirit of the band."

Couldn’t have said it any better myself. Good job, Wasp.

Anyway, the photo Terrance – aka T-Bone, tRance, or whatever – took displays a silver-masked Guido singing a song. As I recall, Guido came out while the Insects were playing a song, set up a black light in the living room of Travis’ house, and started dancing around with this glimmering wrestling mask. With that, he was wearing this weird white jumpsuit that looks like those things guys wear while they’re spraying deadly chemicals on plants. The black light brought out some interesting looking stains that would have otherwise gone unnoticed. The site of Guido dancing was both disturbing and hilarious. But that’s what adds to the greatness of every Insects show.

An outside chat with Mark Stacey (Weevil aka brainchild/singer/guitarist of the Insects) revealed that Guido was in fact the backbone of the whole band. I don’t want to quote Mark because I can’t remember exactly what he said, so I’ll try and paraphrase (that’s what we call it in the journalism field...). Basically, the band doesn’t make any move unless Guido OKs it first. The funny thing is, Guido isn’t even in the band. He may sing a few raunchy-sounding rock ‘n’ roll blues songs at the end of every show, but he is by no means a musician; just a really good friend of the band. But I found Mark’s words interesting. They just added to the whole weirdness of the band as a whole. I mean why would Guido, a guy who doesn’t really say much, dresses up in crazy costumes, and always has a wicked smile on his face, be calling all the shots in the band? But like I said, that just adds to the weirdness and greatness of this enigmatic band. And before I forget, Mark wears these really cool black-framed glasses that look like those kind Buddy Holly wore. Hopefully Mark doesn’t have the same misfortune. Damn, I shouldn’t have said that...

Let me say one more thing about Mark: Being the total Nirvana freak that I am, or once was I should say, Mark totally reminds me of Kurdt (I meant to spell it like that. Those who know a thing or two about the best grunge band to come out of Aberdeen, Wash., will know what I’m talking about). One specific thing that is similar between Mark and Kurt is that they’re (or were, in Kurt’s case... damn Courtney) both great songwriters. And for all you Nirvana skeptics out there, just stop OK. They were a fucking good band, period. Don’t make me say it again, please. Another similarity between the two is that they both are (or were in Kurt’s case) left-handed guitar players. I used to be a left guitarist but was forced to switch early on. If you want, you can ask me about that story later. Very traumatic, but I’m glad I did it. In any event, they both kinda look the same too. Skinny, blonde, coy, weird, etcetera, etcetera. I didn’t know Kurt personally, but we frequently exchanged e-mails. Yeah, right. So that’s what I have to say about that.

Let’s get back the actual party itself. I’m not sure if I mentioned it above (I ain’t gonna scroll all the way up to check) but I arrived late and missed the opening band Love Pollution. At least, I think that’s what their name was. I was kind of bummed but not really. Somebody said they sounded like the Beatles or something. If Love Pollution doesn’t sound like the "Fab Four" please forgive me for spreading lies. Ah, screw it – spread the lies if you want, I don’t care. Just kidding. On a totally different topic, I’m not listening to Le Tigre’s self-titled release now. It’s pretty damn good. I’m on the song "What’s Yr Take On Cassavetes," which isn’t my favorite, but It’ll have to do I suppose. OK, so I got to the party just in time to see the Insects go on. I was greeted by a drunk girl, who will remain unnamed -- MARI. She was happy to see me, but then again, I think she gets really happy when she sees anyone. That’s what is so great about Mari. But I was really happy that I arrived just in time. As I looked around the room, I saw Terrance wearing his furry beige Kangol Fred Durst-looking fisherman’s hat. He had this history-in-the-making grin on his face while he held a borrowed camcorder. Before the party, he vowed to get the whole thing on tape for the Central Valley rock ‘n’ roll archives. Good job, my friend.

It’s always interesting watching the Insects play. Between Christy’s giggles and hardcore concentration on playing the futuristic-sounding keys, Mark’s dirty looks to band mates who fuck up during a song, Travis’ amazingly minimalist beats, and Bean’s tobacco-chewing bass licks, the band is simply put, tight. I remember writing an article for Fresno State’s newspaper The Collegian about the Insects. Mark mentioned these crazy influences of his, Captain Beefheart being one of them. Granted, I’ve never listened to Beefheart’s music, I deeply thank him for contributing to Mark’s song-writing. You can’t quite pinpoint the music of the Insects. Each song is very different. I may be a "music writer," but I must admit that I’m actually horrible at describing music. A lot of music journalists use all of these bullshit adjectives to describe bands but I really hate to do that. That’s the challenge about writing about music. It ain’t no sailboat ride, I’ll tell you that much. I guess you could call it alternative rock, or indie rock, but I just call it crazy. Maybe you could call it weirdo pop rock. Although, Travis’ song – which, to my dismay I have forgotten the name of (shame on me) – does have a very indie sound to it. But what do you expect, the guy love’s Pavement and has a Pedro the Lion poster on his wall. I think he really likes Modest Mouse, too. Oh well.

All of the songs are sung by Mark – with the exception to a few that are sung by Guido. I believe one of Guido’s songs has the lyric, "I wanna get some Mantis ass" or something like that. Basically playing up the whole ‘Insect’ theme. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that each of the band members has an Insect alias. But the whole ‘getting laid by a praying mantis’ thing is just one of the darkly humorous aspects of the band. Not only do they sing about taboo Insect sex, but they also tend to make random rainforest animal noises, dance around the idea of killing Ronald McDonald, and have a song called "Big Fat Bean." Need I say more? But trust me, their music is good. And this is coming from a guy who likes the best music that is out there. That ain’t no lie. Ha. Actually, the Insects are one of those bands that you either love or you hate. The first time I heard their CD, I loved them.

But before I talk about that, let me just tell you that I’m now listening to the new Bright Eyes (iPods can be great when they don’t break on you). It’s not bad, actually. Anyway, I’ll briefly explain my first interaction with the first self-made Insects CD, which I still have to this day. It was about a year and a half ago and my friend Christy (who was dating Travis at the time) kept raving about this band her boyfriend was in. Now Christy has some excellent taste in music, but I was a bit skeptical. I wasn’t sure whether the music was actually good or if she just liked the music because her boyfriend was playing drums. I was a DJ at Fresno State’s radio station at the time, so after I listened to the CD I immediately had to start playing it on my show. I got good feedback from my listener’s. And you know why I got good feedback? Because it was good.

(Let me take a few steps back to one of the first times I met Travis. This doesn’t really have anything to do with anything but I’ll share it anyway. My friend Ben (formerly of The Soma Holidays) was playing in this basement at somebody’s house. So I went there and saw Travis with the girl Lisa, who later turned out to be Mark’s (from the Insects) sister. I think I had met Travis once before that and he told me he played bass. Who the fuck knows? Anyway, that’s kind of how I met Travis. Great story, right?)

Pt. III

March 1, 2005 – A week before I started writing this thing.

It’s starting to feel like a journal entry for God’s sake. But it’s not a journal entry; It’s a recollection of sorts. Actually, I’ve decided that it’s more a stream of conscious kind of thing. That’s the best kind of writing my friends. Honest, unedited, writing – you can’t really beat that. I dare you to try. But I could be lying and you’d never know. So I guess I left off talking about the first time I met Travis. Now that we’ve got that story out of the way, let’s jump forward a little. The other night I was talking to the stylish Terrance (who, in the past, said that I have no style and curses my Kill Rock Stars hoodie for being "record label propaganda). He actually told me the other day that people is his hometown of North Fork tell him he looks like a drug dealer. Maybe it’s the cow-skinned cowboy boots, man??? Just a thought.

(I didn't finish these memoirs because I got lazy. Enough said.)

2005-10-24T08:47:00.000-07:00

Fresno, Then and Now.

As some of you may already know, I've recruited a few guest bloggers. Now, when I say "recruited," what I mean is that I've specifically asked these people to write something because I know they have something inciteful to say about the Fresno music scene. But don't wait for an invitation from me; If you want to write a guest blog, e-mail your idea to: mitchonspeed@gmail.com.

Now, back to business. This next guest blog is from a guy who (for the time being) wants to call himself Percival Sweetwater. Of course, that's not his real name. But if one so desires, I will respect their anonymity. I've known Percival for a little more than a year now. He's become a respected friend.

I wanted a blog that compared Fresno's current music scene to that of approximately 20 years ago. Percival thrived in the "scene" back in those days. Here's what he has to say.

Guest blogger: Percival Sweetwater

[Mitch on Speed] asked an old man to write about the local music scene, then and now. I’m the old man. I’m 39.

I doubt you’ve met me. I normally don’t go to live shows. It’s like six bucks a lot of times, which is more than a beer. Other bars you start drinking right away.

I’ve stood outside a lot of places over the years. I stood outside the Olympic Tavern and the Wild Blue in 1983. I was in the parking lot of the Knights of Columbus in 1986. I walked by Club Fred, and stood in the little entranceway of the Starline two years ago. And I’ve spent many a night chatting it up with Chip out in front of Tokyo Garden.

Comparing then and now is like comparing a Fiero to an Aries. Don’t get me wrong. There’s been moments where Fresno’s music scene was so popular and vibrant that it elevated to Bakersfield level.

Yet, both eras have good bands. There was Capitol Punishment (never saw ‘em), The Mockers (ditto), The Clams (see note for "The Mockers"), BEDS, Trojan Country Club, Similar Animals and the amazing Let’s Go Bowling, which played ska just about the same time as ska was a movement. It was probably the best band in Fresno. Maybe the Mockers; others swear they were awesome. Oh, and my former roomies in Neanderthals and Circus Bogus had really good bands.

But then again, some things never change. Man, you should have seen the crap that got Saturday nights back then.

Anyway, this is my point: Back then, if you wanted to see a good band, your best bet was the all-ages show. The kids were ushering authentic stuff, pushing aside Fresno’s usual fare of carbon copy by the numbers bands. It’s the same story right now.

Recently I saw a great little band called No Cello, which charmed me with its originality. And there was a band called Riverwood (I think) that opened up for a band called Ben & The Dolphins or something at Club Fred. And I’ve been noticing more stuff online that references new music. There’s this website called Fresno Famous that mentioned Sufjan Stevens, and the reference to something current made me fill my drawers with joy. And a lot of people in Fresno go online and look at that Pitchfork magazine. There’s something comforting in knowing I’m officially a dork and you guys are cool.

Of course there is the occasional* show that doesn’t draw, but that’s to be expected around here.

But here’s the real reason why I don’t go to shows and it’s not because of the money: Just like back then, many bands in Fresno are not professional. And I don’t mean suit & tie stuff. I mean they play far too loud for the tiny room, or they start an hour late or play past their allotted time. Sometimes they’ll tell everyone they’re playing early and then at the last second negotiate for a later slot, compromising their friends’ evenings. Screw you.

I’ve walked out on at least four shows before they started because the bands waited for the "crowd" to show up. As a farmer once said, "Just because only a few cows showed up at milkin’ time, you think I’m not gonna milk ‘em?"

Maybe these new folks will be better than Bakersfield, start on time, end on time, play at the right volume and create spirited, inspired music that can be embraced by those as far away as Vacaville and Calwa.

(*each Friday)

2005-10-20T16:13:00.000-07:00

Interview: El Olio Wolof

Interviewed by Mitchell Peters

So here’s what happened. Earlier this week, a friend told me that El Olio Wolof (Merced) was playing a show this Saturday (10/22) at downtown Fresno’s Gardenside Studios. Apparently, the whole thing was supposed to be hush hush. Whatever. A couple days rolled by, and I saw a Myspace posting about it somewhere. So I figured since the cat was out of the bag, I’d take it upon myself to interview a member of El Olio (since I know nobody else is gonna do it.)

Hopefully, this interview will draw more people to the show. That is my intention in doing this. In all honesty, I haven’t listened to El Olio’s music. However, I’ve heard they rock (from credible sources). I’ll take their word for it.

If you want a bio on the band and all that good stuff, visit their official Web site: El Olio Wolof. Until there, here’s a few questions I whipped up in about 10 minutes. I talked to the band's RADIOACTIVE CAULIFLOWER, who sings and plays guitar. Go to their show at Gardenside this Saturday, damn you! It’s ALL AGES.

Gardenside Studios (746 Broadway Fresno, CA)
El Olio Wolof The Harpeth Trace Birdmonster No Cello
All Ages, 9 p.m., $5

Damn, I should be getting paid for this... Hey, now there's an idea!

Mitch on Speed: I won't ask what your music sounds like because people can go to your Myspace profile and listen to samples. But if you wanna tell us anyway, feel free.
Radioactive Cauliflower: Our Music is loud and fast and then gets really slow or the bottom will fall out all together. Since we write the music to the story it tends to grow well, I feel anyhow. Lots of different parts. We like to focus on the story and not worry about going back and forth from verse to chorus so much.

Everyone I've talked to in the Fresno "indie" scene tells me El Olio Wolof is badass live. The closest I've come to seeing your band was during a show at Tokyo Garden (in Fresno) where Radioactive Cauliflower (RC) was playing solo acoustic. He was pretty good. His songs reminded me of tall tales. What's your response to that?
The solo stuff is usually a lot shorter and straight to the point of the tale. It's like Radioactive Cauliflower solo songs are a synopsis on the back of an El Olio Wolof book.

By the way, where the hell did you come up with the name Radioactive Cauliflower? Your parents didn't fancy names like Robert, Jim, Andy, Harold, etc.???
Actually I was born Ronald Regan Calhoon. When I was 2 months old my name was changed to RC so that I could one day become the poster child for the cola, as my father always wanted. God rest his soul.

Compare and contrast what you know of the Fresno music scene with the Merced music scene.
One great town, and one great city. I feel that Fresno needs to become the the Central Ca hub. Merced will always have that tight knit community at the shows, but like all city's it is such a task just keeping a place open and be able to offer a decent cover and stay all ages. Both towns have enormous potential, but I know both "scenes" need to step it up. Fresno just seems like is is more on the ball right now.

Wasn't El Olio Wolof nominated for some Merced music award? Fill us in on the details and results.
We were actually nominated for a Modesto Area Music Award. We wont win though. It is an honor to be nominated, but I feel that people cheat in the voting and the awards are based on popularity. All the voting is done online by the fans. So if your listeners are lazy and not on the computer all the time. You don't stand a chance.

In doing my "research" for this interview, I Googled "El Olio Wolof." The search engine returned with 814 results. Your Myspace profile has 2,512 views and 351 friends. Don't really know where I'm going with this question... Um, never mind.
And 2,000 of those Myspace hits were done by the fans of El Olio Woloof, a John Tesh polka band from New York.

How long has it taken you to grow your beard? I like it. (This is a serious question, by the way.)
I shaved clean the day my son Osiah was born that was almost 2 years ago. The next time I cut it off will be the day I teach him to shave.

Ah, here's a question. Tell us your affiliation with Fresno's Greytank Records. What's the backstory on all that/current situation?
Greytank Records are going to release our next full length in February. Those guys and the whole Greytank family are very supportive. I met Greyson from Bel & The Dragon at a Calvin Johnson show in Merced. He told me to get ahold of Brad. I sent him a CD that I accidentally lost $20 in. We had a show a couple of months later.

Any upcoming tours we should know about? That, or exciting news/plans your band has?
We are playing alot right now. In December we are doing a 7 day in the north west, in Spring with are doing a 9 day south west and in June we are doing a five week US thing. Our goal right now is to play our songs for as many people as possible while simultaneously exploring the world of vegan cuisine

I see in your bio that you've played on the same bill with SF's Deerhoof (who are frickin' awesome!) How did that show go?
The show went really well. It was a great trip at the end of the night the venue went to pay Deerhoof their larger cut, then Greg (Deerhoof’s drummer) gave them back the money and had them split it even ways, there was no rock star attitude. I just talked to Greg the other day and I am trying to set up a show with them in Fresno. Funny you asked about that.

In El Olio Wolof's opinion, what goes into putting on a good local show – be it Merced, Fresno, etc.? What's your strategy in promoting and getting kids to come out?
Fliers, phone calls, emails. If a band wants to be heard they need to promote all of their shows and play to their fullest. And it doesn't hurt to have naked humans on your flier...sex sells you know, I mean look at Britney, she is someone we should all strive to be like. I got fake tits yesterday.

E-mail: mitchonspeed@gmail.com
AIM: mitchonspeed

2005-10-19T09:22:00.000-07:00

Why The Hell Am I Keeping This Blog?

This Is My Motivation:

I've been getting good responses on this Fresno Music Scene Blog. When I'm at a show, people will say, "Hey, Mitch. I've been reading your blog. I like it. It's funny." And I'll say, "Cool. Thanks." It's nice to know people are enjoying it.

Basically, the reason I'm keeping this blog is because it's fun. I've been going to local "indie" shows around here for about two years now. So I figured, hey why not keep a blog about them? It feels so good to be able to say WHATEVER THE HELL I WANT about the music around here. It's very liberating.

But just because I say something doesn't mean it's right. Remember that. All this is just my observation and opinion (which I think is pretty damn good.)

Here's the plan: to keep writing about shows and different people involved with the Fresno music scene. I may also throw in random things here and there. But I'll try to keep it Fresno-related. I'm also planning to conduct short Question & Answer (Q&A) interviews various local bands. (If you're in a band and interested in this, contact me*)

*If you'd like to contact me but don't have a MySpace account, e-mail me at mitchonspeed@gmail.com

From time to time, I may ask people to write "guest blogs" for me. It's nice to have a well-rounded view of what other people think too. Not just me. That would get boring, right? (If you think you have something worthwhile to say about the Fresno music scene, contact me.)

More importantly, I want this blog to reach people in Fresno who may not know too much about what's happening in the local music scene. It would be cool to bring people together. I mean, I don't know EVERYTHING that's going on here, but I know a little. If you or one of your friends has a cool band, let me know about it. I'm anxious to hear. When possible, I'd also like to help promote upcoming shows.

Most of the local shows I go to have pretty small crowds, which disappoints me. I'm hoping people will read this blog and (hopefully) be inspired to go out more often. I will not use the expression "support your local music scene" because I don't like it. You can use it if you want, though. I just don't see the point in that statement. A person should go to a concert because they like music, not just to support the scene. It just sounds weird to me.

So yeah, that's about it. We'll see what happens. Hopefully I don't get bored and quit after a month. Ha! Oh yeah, subscribe to this blog so you can receive updates automatically.

Background Info On Me: I used to be a DJ at Fresno State's KFSR 90.7-FM. They called me "Mitch on Speed." I finished school. Now I write for a living about music biz-related stuff. I've also been known to dabble in freelance music writing for various magazines and Web sites. But forget about all of that. Here's the biggest thing you need to know about me: I love music. It's my life. Well, a big part of it, at least.

2005-10-18T16:45:00.000-07:00

Loud is the New Quiet

This first part is off-topic. Don't worry, we'll get to the good stuff...

While driving to work today, I heard an ad on the radio announcing that Andrea Bocelli was coming to Fresno. He’s the blind opera singer dude. I’m not sure why, but as the radio guy said Bocelli’s name I started to think about other blind musicians like Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, etc., etc. (the reason I put “etc., etc.” is because I can’t think of any other blind musicians off the top of my head). So then, I thought to myself, “Wow, there’s been quiet a few REALLY GOOD musicians who are blind.” Then another thought occurred to me: How come you don’t see many of REALLY GOOD musicians with disabilities? In my lifetime, I don’t recall seeing any awesome opera singers/pop stars/county artists/whatever who are stuck in a wheelchair. I mean, how many one-legged jazz musicians have you heard of? None, I’m sure. I know they’re out there, but they’re just not in the mainstream. I’m not writing this as a joke; it was a serious thought. Maybe I just can’t think of any right now, but when was the last time you saw an emo rocker with cerebral palsy? Think about it.

New subject. Last night I was with my friend, Gen, at Barnes & Noble. Let me stress the fact that the bookstore’s name is Barnes & Noble, not Barnes & Noble(s). Understand? I used to work there for a time, and I would HATE when people added an “s” to Noble. So, when you’re around me, please don’t EVER make that mistake. Thanks.

So, yeah. I was at Barnes & Noble with my friend. She was looking for some books on cactus or cacti – whatever the hell you want to call them. While she was looking through cactus/cati books, I decided to browse through the crappy selection of music magazines they have there. I picked up the new Magnet, which is like a cross between Pitchforkmedia.com and Rolling Stone. It’s basically a magazine with a bunch of indie-esque bands featured in it. For example, the latest issue had the guy from The New Pornographers on the cover. It also featured stories with Bright Eyes, My Morning Jacket and some other bands that I’ve already forgotten.

As I flipped through the pages, I eventually came to the end, which usually happens. On one of the very last pages, there were a few black and white ads. I recognized on the pictures; it was latest Sleepover Disaster full-length, Loud is the New Quiet. (The band has since released an EP titled The Oceanographer.) After seeing it, I remembered Vince, the band’s drummer, saying something about them placing an ad in there. But I was still kind of dumbfounded to see a Fresno band advertising in a major music publication. It was just weird. I wondered to myself, “Does placing an ad like this really do anything? I mean, are people [in anytown U.S.A.] actually going to look at this ad, go to Sleepover’s Myspace page, listen to their music, then buy their CD?” In my natural negative thought process, I answered the question: no. But who knows? Maybe it has made a difference. I’m not sure. Maybe someone in the band can comment on this blog and answer the question for me.

I definitely think it’s good that the guys from Sleepover Disaster are doing things to promote their band. I’m just not sure that placing an ad like that will further whatever goal they’re trying to accomplish. May I just an idiot and don't know a damn thing about marketing/promotion. I just want to know what motived the band to do that. What was their underlying stratedy? I doubt placing that ad was cheap. I'll tell you that much. Shit, I don’t know. It’s kind of frustrating just thinking about it. Anyway, I wasn’t trying to make a point there; I just felt like sharing that story.

Vince's (Sleepover drummer) response:

the ad in Magnet magazine (and ads in The Big Takeover, Dagger, and a few others) resulted in a few thousand hits on our website (www.thesleepoverdisaster.com)- even though it's still in the works- and on our myspace page. the intention of running the ads was simply to raise awareness of the band name and the music, but we've made many great contacts, not to mention that CD sales though CDBaby.com and downloads from itunes (and several other sites) that have resulted have more than paid for the ads. we're not getting rich here, just trying to be self-sufficient, and running zine ads has given us a better ability to do that.

that said, the best publicity you can ask for in a magazine is an interview or an album review. why? because it's free, for one thing, not to mention that you'll probably get more space in-print. magazines aren't necessarily forthcoming with that kind of coverage, though, without name recognition, or some major accomplishment or exposure. bands at our level have to work day by day to get people to listen. running ads can "put a bug" in the ear of someone at a magazine so that next time you send that promo package, they might take a minute to listen. don't be so cynical as to call it payola at this level; we sent packages out for our first two releases to magazines that we had run ads in and got no attention whatsoever. it wasn't until "loud is the new quiet" that we began to get attention (a bunch of great reviews over the last few months), and i think every package we sent, every zine ad we ran contributed to that.

-vince from the sleepover disaster

In other “news,” Fresno’s Hop Skotch Heros are playing a show at Fresno State Wednesday, October 19th. I might go. Here’s the info:

Hosted By: Fresno State Women's Resource Center
When: Wednesday Oct 19, 2005 @ 5:00 PM
Where: Fresno State (in the peace garden)