San Diego Music Encyclopedia & Database Online Now

NEW COMPREHENSIVE LOCAL MUSIC DATABASE IS LAUNCHED

IT'S DONE!!!! And growing every hour....

If you wanna see a list of over 1,5000 San Diego bands, with links to full profiles, photos, discographies, articles, MP3s, etc, checkout http://www.sandiegoreader.com/bands/search/

Believe it or not, you can click on ANY LOCAL MUSICIAN'S NAME (around 4,500 musicos listed!) and bring up bios of every notable band they've ever been in!

AND, if that wasn't cool 'nuff, click on an instrument, say like "drums" - BAM, a list of EVERY DRUMMER IN SAN DIEGO!!!

We've been working on this massively cross-linked Local Music Database for over two years now, covering a century of San Diego history --- if you're a local performer who wants to add or edit a page, go to http://www.sandiegoreader.com/band/edit/

More anon!!!! JAS

HERE'S THIS WEEK'S NEW Overheard in San Diego

AND THE NEW Famous Former Neighbors

  TAKES IT FROM THE STREETS TO THE INTERNET

“We’re looking for local bands to play the Bondi Bar every other Wednesday night, where Shindy.TV will shoot its internet TV show,” says production manager Brad Hurvitz. Though performers aren’t paid, “We provide them with professional video footage in exchange for their performance,” according to Hurvitz. “The price that bands normally get paid to perform is significantly less than the cost of making these videos.”

Launched in 2007, Shindy.TV hired Hurvitz around 8 months ago. “Running this event is the extent of my local music background,” he says, “though I’ve had some excellent guidance from a few friends, and I feel very much a part of the local music scene.”

How will Hurvitz find locals willing to swap sets for footage? “I find the majority of bands on MySpace. I start off at a random band’s page, give them a listen, decide whether they would be the right type of band to play…and either contact them or move on. I find the next band through their friends [list].”

As for “the right type of band,” that’s apparently not punk. “San Diego has been known as a punk-style city. Granted, we do have a lot of punk here, but we should not be labeled as a punk-only city.”

Performers are also being sought for last minute fill-ins. “If a band backs out last minute, on the off chance that the guitarist breaks his hand by tripping over a box of Cheez-its on the way to get a midnight snack, [we’ll need] a couple bands that would be interested in a last minute switcheroo.”

 The next Shindy.TV taping happens May 6 at the Bondi Bar.

LOCALS ON YOUTUBE - RARE AND AWESOME FOOTAGE, courtesy Bart Mendoza

1)     The Penetrators on News 8 –TV with Jesse Macias, interviews and “clips of Nervous Fingers” and recording  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRmqKdlTt2o

2)     A cool new clip from Echo Revolution awesome song! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYo9_2Ddzd8

3)     Umm, “Groovy” is the only description that can be applied to this great clip of Gary Puckett and Nancy Sinatra performing “Beggar/Spinnin Wheel” on a late sixties TV show http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jIyXV7i8EE

4)     A great live video of Anya Marina performing “Move You” at SXSW http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCf2_rxr2yo

5)     The Kingston Trio – two commercials for 7-up – Great Nick Reynolds part!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysC80N9WEzc

6)     The Rice Brothers and their terrific country gospel group Brush Arbor on CBS-TV’s Johnny Cash Show http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrqsvZLiSkU

7)     Steve Poltz & Gregory Page singing the National Anthem before a Padres game – terrific! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSb_05EbHC8

8)     Not sure why Tristan Prettyman’s “Madly” was ignored (except in Japan) but she made a nice video for it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANFZpOMUXFE

9)     Switchfoot performing Tom Petty’s “I Won’t Back Down” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8Rw4jNCSDE

10) Ratt’s Warren DiMartini trading licks with Micheal Shenker. A little goes a long way, but that’s some pretty good speed… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U__vtSWMGvk

11) Anyone wondering exactly how popular As I Lay Dying is should check out this really cool video of a “Meet & Greet” autograph signing with fans in Bangkok http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euuAMa5qi-E

12) She’s an opera singer of note, an occasional singer-songwriter and Miss U.S.O – here’s one of Victoria Robertson’s PSA’s for Selective Service: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZ6RT_EdRSA

MORE NEW MUSIC STORIES THIS WEEK

	Flower Punk by Barnaby Monk The Atlanta-based quartet Black Lips bring their 200 Million Thousand tour to town. The new Vice disc may not match Good, Bad, Not Evil's immediacy, but it shows the boys've got chops outside ... More
	The Musician's Musician by Jay Allen Sanford One question that's often posed in the Reader musician interview is "Favorite local performer?" The most frequently cited is Manuok (pronounced "man-you-okay"), aka Scottish-born Scott Mercado, who's been name-checked over a dozen times -- by ... More
	Calexico by Dave Good You gain a sense of the desert rat in the lyrics of Calexico, a Tucson-based alt-rock band: "Four in the morning the sidewalk's asleep/ Dogs on the porch, spiders on the leaf/ Shipwrecked by night, ... More
	Wavves by William Crain In a lot of ways, it's never been easier to be a musician. These days, with a handful of equipment and a smidgen of talent, you can create something on your laptop that sounds nearly ... More
	Retail Therapy by Jennifer White One would hope that the susceptibility to peer pressure dies off somewhere around 11th grade, and maybe it does for those a little more evolved than myself. But every once in a while, I'm so ... More
	Long Hair Can't Cover My Red Neck by Ken Leighton Outlaw country legend David Allan Coe could sell between 1000 and 2000 tickets if he were to play in San Diego. But, he won't, says Sulo King, talent buyer for Brick by Brick. Two years ... More
	Fooled Around and Felt Surreal by Bart Mendoza On May 14, 1976, Bay Area blues group the Elvin Bishop Band, with 25-year-old Johnny Vernazza on guitar, recorded their concert at downtown's Civic Theatre. Two tracks recorded at the show were included on the ... More
	Here Comes a Face Melter by Jay Allen Sanford Ever since the Kadan on 30th Street in University Heights started hosting Guitar Hero competitions in January 2007, the video game has been bringing out inner rockers in clubs and music shops all around town. ... More
	We're Not From L.A. We Just Live There by Dorian Hargrove A few days after playing Austin's SXSW festival, members of the Soft Pack (formerly the Muslims) were driving to a gig in Philadelphia when a reporter from Rolling Stone magazine called and told them that ... More

 LOST LOCAL SUPERGROUPS Part 1

 If ever a group was destined to have a volatile line-up, it was Mission: To Mars. The concept was to bring together front-men of several different local groups to see what the musical collaboration might yield. In the end the group lasted less than a year, but still recorded an album and a handful of outtakes, as well as several rehearsal tapes and films.

 Though the band had many line-up changes, only the core trio of Mike Kamoo(The Stereotypes, The Loons, The Melanies), Dylan Martinez (Static Halo, Rookie Card, Broken Dial Radio) and Bart Mendoza (Manual Scan, The Shambles, True Stories) made it to the recording stage.

The first line-up consisted of that trio, plus bassist Billy Lovcki (The Cables), though other commitments saw him exit after only a few weeks.

 Troubadour Gregory Page soon took his place (switching to guitar for his own tunes) and the group spent several evenings in December 2000 rehearsing for their live debut: opening for Superdrag on January 1, 2001, at Brick by Brick.

Page left  a few weeks after the show to concentrate on The Hatchet Brothers, with Hector Penalosa (The Zeros, Flying Colour) taking his place and Robert Boynton (If Tomorrow) joining on keyboards. This line up performed at the 2001 Adams Avenue Street Fair, but the group soon split.

Mission: to Mars was always planned to be a side project, which almost surely proved the main reason behind its speedy demise.

 The Rarities were a project that grew out of acoustic collaborations between Derek Duplessie (Desert Poets), Bart Mendoza (Manual Scan, The Shambles, True Stories) and Dylan Martinez (Static Halo, Rookie Card, Broken Dial Radio).Though still a high school student, Duplessie was a music veteran with several albums to his credit, as well as a 2000 appearance on television’s To Tell The Truth. His 12-string guitar was the key element to the bands sound, a mix of rock and folk influences.

With the addition of Danny Cress (The Coyote Problem, Citizen Band, True Stories), the group played numerous shows, both electric and unplugged and recorded an unreleased album, Year of Ashes, produced by Gregory Page.  Notable guests on the album include violinist Ray Suen (The Exfriends, Louis XIV) and keyboardist Martin Greaves (Mad Dogs & Englishmen).

The Rarities can be briefly seen rehearsing outside of San Diego nightclub, Dizzy’s, in the documentary, Why We Listen. A full concert set was filmed at Lestat's  for a proposed KPBS-TV program. The band split when Duplessie left for college.

LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN, CBS

Mo 4/20: Jeff Goldblum, Jeff Dunham
Tu 4/21: Nathan Lane, Tinted Windows
We 4/22: Beyonce Knowles, Jim Parsons, Paul Weller
Th 4/23: Jamie Foxx, Paula Abdul, the Dead
Fr 4/24: Michael Keaton, Lily Allen

Mo 4/27: Matthew Fox, the All-American Rejects
Tu 4/28: Dolly Parton, Zachary Quinto
We 4/29: Jennifer Garner, Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk, Manchester Orchestra
Th 4/30: Regis Philbin, a performance by the Broadway cast of "Hair"

THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO, NBC

Mo 4/20: Martha Stewart, Tracy Ullman, the Killers
Tu 4/21: Hugh Jackman, Abigail Breslin, Ida Maria
We 4/22: Robert Downey Jr., Alexandra Wentworth, George Wallace
Th 4/23: Jules Sylvester, Ryan Reynolds, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
Fr 4/24: Anderson Cooper, Kathleen Madigan, Brad Paisley

Mo 4/27: Eric Bana
Tu 4/28: Michael Douglas, Chelsea Handler, Country Bones
We 4/29: Jimmy Fallon, Chris Matthews
Th 4/30: Matthew McConaughey, Earvin "Magic" Johnson, Starsailor
Fr 5/1: Arsenio Hall, Ziggy Marley

LATE LATE SHOW WITH CRAIG FERGUSON, CBS

Mo 4/20: Simon Cowell, Jean Smart, Erin McCarley
Tu 4/21: Rob Morrow, Jean-Michel Cousteau
We 4/22: Kristin Chenoweth, Kunal Nayyar
Th 4/23: Breckin Meyer, Martina McBride
Fr 4/24: Bob Barker, P.W. Singer

Mo 4/27: Cheryl Hines
Tu 4/28: John McEnroe, Peter Travers
We 4/29: Kenneth Branagh, Antony and the Johnsons
Th 4/30: Michael Douglas, Carrie Ann Inaba

LATE NIGHT WITH JIMMY FALLON, NBC

Mo 4/20: Terrence Howard, Rashida Jones, Rick Ross
Tu 4/21: Jerry O'Connell, Thomas Lennon, Chester French
We 4/22: Seth Meyers, Janeane Garofalo, Mike Spinner
Th 4/23: Ali Larter, Tinted Windows
Fr 4/24: Neil Patrick Harris, Emily Deschanel

LAST CALL WITH CARSON DALY, NBC

Mo 4/20: Dr. Drew Pinsky, Yvonne Strahovski, Nico Stai (R 4/2/09)
Tu 4/21: TBA
We 4/22: Tom Lennon
Th 4/23: Brett Dennen
Fr 4/24: TBA

Mo 4/27: Sprague Grayden, the Pains of Being Pure at Heart (R 4/3/09)
Tu 4/28: Masi Oka, the Duke Spirit (R 3/20/09)
We 4/29: Jack & Kelly Osbourne, Ben Harper & Relentless7 (R 3/27/09)
Th 4/30: Cameron Richardson, Eric Price, Adele (R 4/14/09)
Fr 5/1: Mr. Brainwash, the Duke Spirit (R 4/15/09)

Mo 5/4: Liz Hatch, Kevin Hart, Lykke Li (R 4/16/09)
Tu 5/5: Lily Allen

THE DAILY SHOW WITH JON STEWART, Comedy Central

Mo 4/20: Reza Aslan
Tu 4/21: Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
We 4/22: Philip Alcabes

THE COLBERT REPORT, Comedy Central

Mo 4/20: Ken Quinn, Sheriff Joe Arpaio
Tu 4/21: Coach Mike Kryzewski
We 4/22: Ira Glass
Th 4/23: Elizabeth Bintliff

JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE, ABC

Mo 4/20: Vin Diesel, Anna Faris, Eli Young Band (R 4/2/09)
Tu 4/21: Billy Bob Thornton, the latest "Dancing with the Stars" castoff
We 4/22: Justin Timberlake, Eliza Coupe, the Whip
Th 4/23: Channing Tatum, Elisha Cuthbert, Depeche Mode
Fr 4/24: Jamie Foxx, Elizabeth Mitchell

Mo 4/27: Rerun TBA
Tu 4/28: Michael J. Fox, the latest castoff from "Dancing With the Stars", Asher Roth
We 4/29: Dominic Monaghan, J.J. Abrams, Bang Camaro
Th 4/30: Brooke Shields, Balthazar Getty, Kumail Nanjiani
Fr 5/1: Matthew McConaughey, Kara DioGuardi, Jason Aldean

 CATHRYN BEEKS’ WEEKLY LISTEN LOCAL HOTSHEET

 Speaking of great shows, The Christopher Dale Trio plays a house concert you will not want to miss on May 9th.  Contact Carol for info or reservations. 

 CHECKOUT SIX NEW SARA WATKINS TRACKS

NEW INTERVIEW - WENDY BAILEY

Pop Rocks: Wendy Bailey is an old-fashioned pop songstress with a big splashy sound akin to, say, Carole King or Sheryl Crow. “Most of my songs are short, sweet, and full of jangly pop hooks,” says Bailey... ( More Pop Rocks )

ANOTHER LOCAL COMPANY HOOKS UP WITH KISS, THIS TIME TO BOOK TOUR 

  First, Hillcrest-based Rock ‘N’ Roll Comics worked with Kiss in 1992, to produce a biographical comic book series. (to read the inside story, click here for Komplete Kiss Komix Kronicles )

 Thirteen years later, Kiss' bassist signed up with local publisher IDW, for a Gene Simmons House of Horror comic. (click for Blurt God of Thunder and Copyrights )

Now, San Diego's own Eventful has announced Kiss will book their upcoming tour using the company’s “City On Demand” fan polling.

 On April 6, Kiss announced their upcoming U.S. and Canadian tour will be the world’s first to put fans in charge of where their favorite artist plays. By partnering with Eventful, the leading social media company for events, fans will “Demand” where KISS will perform on their latest trek across the top-voted North American markets beginning this September.

"No matter where the fans say," according to the announcement, "from stadiums to cornfields, if there are enough votes, KISS will be there! And in order to keep the competition fair for smaller cities, final site selection will weigh population size versus total votes."

The way it works is that fans across the U.S. and Canada can cast their votes at www.eventful.com/KISS to have their town included on the KISS 2009 North American tour. Fans will be able to vote, and check the tally of what cities are in the lead, 24/7 across the Web at the previous sites; as well as on KISS’ MySpace and Facebook, Ticketmaster’s KISS page, VH1Classic.com, and many more. 

 “KISS has never listened to critics,” announced Gene Simmons in a press release (failing to mention that critics never listened to Kiss, either!).

“We have always listened only to the fans…it's time to give back to the fans with bigger shows and longer set lists. And for the first time anywhere, we want our fans to tell us where they want us, and when.”

So if you've always wanted to tell Gene Simmons where he can go...... 

 Anyone who votes a Kiss locale will have the opportunity to purchase pre-sale tickets prior to the general on-sale. In addition to joining in on the major campaigns launched by rock radio in each city, fans are also "incentivized" to create their own viral videos online, motivating their fellow residents to participate in casting votes for a KISS show in their city. City-specific “best-of” compilation reels of these videos will be shown on jumbo screens at venues before each concert.

Said Paul Stanley, “No band has ever given their fans the power to decide what cities they play, and no fans deserve it more than ours. We're leaving the next U.S. and Canadian tour up to the Army. When they stand up, they will be counted!" Just like dollar bills....

Unreported is what the deal is between Eventful and Kiss – will the local company be getting a cut of the proceeds, or a fee for each city it helps to book? Even though venue bookers in each city will presumably continue charging their own customary fees?

 It’s not like Kiss is famous for giving away cash, but – since Gene Simmons has been known to “mentor” startup companies, in return for a future piece of the action, perhaps just the act of choosing a small firm like Eventful will put the local firm on the fast track to the bigtime concert biz (the company has so far only done its “on demand” thang with obscure acts).

So who’s IN Kiss nowadays, and will they again have imposters wearing Ace and Peter makeup on tour? Apparently, the current lineup is Paul Stanley, Eric Singer, Tommy Thayer and Gene Simmons (according to www.KISSonline.com). Kiss is currently recording its first new studio album in 11 years, to be produced by Paul Stanley. ‘Natch.

 

For more.......

 

ROCK 'N' ROLL COMICS: THE INSIDE STORY - In 1989, local Revolutionary Comics ("Unauthorized And Proud Of It") launched Rock 'N' Roll Comics, featuring unlicensed biographies of rock stars, most of which I wrote. Some performers, like Frank Zappa and Kiss, were supportive, while others like New Kids On The Block considered our comics akin to bootlegs and sued. In June 1992, publisher Todd Loren was found dead in his San Diego condo, brutally murdered...

http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2007/sep/12/rock-n-roll-comics-the-inside-story

---

THE KOMPLETE KISS KOMIX KRONICLES - Comprehensive collection of stuff I’ve done about working with Kiss on a comic book series, along with a bunch of never-before-seen artifacts from the Kiss Komix archives AND an article by Kiss comic author Spike Steffenhagen, offering his own very-different take, ala Rashomon, on the same events I describe in my essay...

http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2007/sep/12/komplete-kiss-komix-kronicles

---

 

************************************************

LUCE LOFT VIDEOS

Sezio emails "We've finally recovered from our five-day bender at Luce Loft, and have started to sort through the massive amount of footage we captured. We are releasing one review a week, starting with Writer & Black Mamba - click here to watch the videos."



"In a battle between the future and the pre-historic, Knorphus squared off against Triceratron last week at Kava Lounge. The beats were on point and the lyrics were tight. A wizard even showed up - click here for full coverage."

 

*********************************************** *************************************************

  http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2008/dec/29/15-years-ago-today---nirvana-at-sports-arena-plus-/

---

 THE DAY NIRVANA PLAYED OFF THE RECORD: 10-24-91 - Detailed feature on Nirvana playing a tiny local record store, just as their first album was hitting the charts, featuring interviews with OTR staffers, rare video footage of the event, and more... http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2007/sep/03/the-day-nirvana-played-at-off-the-record

---

THE DAY JIMI HENDRIX CAME TO TOWN - 5-24-69: From my extensive interviews with Hendrix bassist Noel Redding, here's the inside scoop on a legendary (and highly bootlegeed) local concert... http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2007/sep/03/the-day-jimi-hendrix-came-to-town

---

THE DAY BEACH BOY BRIAN WILSON GOT BUSTED IN BALBOA PARK: In June 1978, Brian Wilson - without telling his wife or fellow bandmembers - decided (inexplicably) to escape his life entirely and hitchhike to Mexico. He wound up in San Diego a few days later, mentally fogged, barefoot, and unwashed. “He was on a binge," according to Stephen Love, brother of Beach Boy Mike Love and sometime-band manager..... http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2007/sep/18/the-day-beach-boy-brian-wilson-got-busted

---

THE DAY THE MONKEES TURNED DEL MAR INTO CLARKSVILLE: 9-11-66 - Del Mar was renamed “Clarksville” for the day, as part of a promotion for the Monkees TV show, which would debut the following night. The Sunday event marked the first time the foursome ever performed music in public.... http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2007/sep/16/day-the-monkees-turned-del-mar-into-clarksville

---

WHY MEXICANS HATED ELVIS: May 1959: While Elvis Presley’s popularity in the U.S. was arguably at its all-time peak, Mexico was in the midst of a huge anti-Elvis backlash. Tijuana tabloids called him a racist and homosexual, after the singer reportedly told gossip columnist Federico de León "I'd rather kiss three black girls than a Mexican." A Mexican woman in the same column was quoted saying "I'd rather kiss three dogs than one Elvis Presley”..... http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2007/sep/13/why-mexicans-hated-elvis-plus-celeb-sighting/

---

****************************************************

Gary Wilson Interview  -  Exclusive chat with a mysterious local legend, who's in the midst of the most unexpected and unlikely comeback ever... http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2007/dec/22/return-of-a-local-cult-hero-gary-wilson

******************************************************

   50 Best Band Names of 2008  - and the stories behind them! 50 locals reveal the story of how they chose their band's name... http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2007/dec/22/birth-of-a-bandname-50-locals-reveal

*******************************************************

 

 

"Lennon or McCartney?"  --We asked 25 local performers about their fave Beatle (and why), and got some surprising (and frequently revealing) answers... http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2007/dec/13/we-asked-25-local-musicos-lennon-or-mccartney

***************************************************

 

Local Musicos Talking Twilight Zone  - just in time for the annual TV Twilight Zone Marathon on the Sci-Fi Network, we asked 50 locals about their favorite all-time Zone episodes, plus "The Deepest Dimension Terror Anthology," the inside story of a locally-produced Twilight Zone-inspired comic book series by original Zone writer George Clayton Johnson... http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2007/dec/18/whats-your-favorite-twilight-zone-25-local-musicos

*****************************************************

Undercover Chronicles 1 - I Was an Undercover Ticket Scalper - How I found out all about the local underground ticket resale market... http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2007/nov/19/undercover-chronicles-1-i-was-an-undercover-ticket

*****************************************************

---

Undercover Chronicles 2 – I Was An Undercover Bouncer - How I found out what really goes on behind the concert barricades.....

http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2007/nov/29/undeercover-shronicles-2-i-was-an-undercover-bounc

*****************************************************

---

Undercover Chronicles 3 – I Was An Undercover Concert Crasher - Not that we advocate lawbreaking, mind you, but it was a long time ago, and most of the places are long gone, so here's what I did and how I did it....

http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2007/oct/30/how-i-snuck-into-around-100-local-concerts

******************************************************

 

"...And San Diego Doesn't Think Much of Britney, Either" - Britney's history with our fine city is as troubled as it is funny.... http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2007/dec/10/why-britney-spears-hates-san-diego

*******************************************************

 

"30 Celebs Reveal 'What I Like (or Hate) About San Diego" When interviewing celebs, I almost always ask what they know about San Diego. Here are a bunch of excerpted replies.... http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2007/dec/06/30-celebrities-reveal-what-i-like-or-hate/

*******************************************************

           Secrets Behind Famous Former Neighbors And Overheard in San Diego  - Cartoonist confessions... http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2007/dec/07/cartoonist-confessions-secrets-behind-overheard

*****************************************************

 

"Boy Shakira Is All My Fault"  - Didja know this famed America's Got Talent contestant was discovered by the Reader, and that we even named him Boy Shakira? You're welcome.... http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2007/dec/07/cartoonist-confessions-secrets-behind-overheard

******************************************************

 The Midnight Rambler - Life Between Deadlines  - Nearly every single night, at around 2AM, someone skateboards slowly past my house, always to the tune of an external music player (IE no ‘phones).... http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2007/dec/07/cartoonist-confessions-secrets-behind-overheard

*********************************************************

   That Old House - Reflections on a Childhood Home  - This place still kind of haunts me... http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2007/dec/07/cartoonist-confessions-secrets-behind-overheard

***************************************************

"Before It Was The Gaslamp: Balboa's Last Stand" - Cover story 6-21-07: In the late 70s/early 80s, I worked at downtown San Diego's grindhouse all-night movie theaters, for the owner of the Pussycat Theatre chain, Vince Miranda - this detailed feature recalls those dayz, the death of the Balboa Theatre, etc.

More Before It Was the Gaslamp

 

"Battle Of The Peeps" - feature article about a weird gig I had in the mid-'80s, running a strip club called Jolar, for the nation's second biggest pornographer, Harry Mohney (Deja Vu Showgirls founder).

More Battle of the Peeps - An Insider History of San Diego Porn Shops

"Field Of Screens" - Cover story 7-6-06: Complete theater-by-theater history of San Diego drive-ins thru the years, including a few which screened X-rated fare for awhile.

More Drive-In Theaters in San Diego: Complete Illustrated History 1947 thru 2008

  

"Pussycat Theaters - When 'Cathouses Ruled California" -- for the first time, the detailed inside story of the west coast Pussycat Theater chain of adult moviehouses, which peaked in the '70s but later died out. Told by those who actually ran the theaters!

More Pussycat Theater History: When Cathouses Ruled CA

**************************************************** ***************************************************

Like this blog? Here are some related links:

OVERHEARD IN SAN DIEGO - Several years' worth of this comic strip, which debuted in the Reader in 1996: http://www.sandiegoreader.com/photos/galleries/overheard-san-diego/

FAMOUS FORMER NEIGHBORS - Over 100 comic strips online, with mini-bios of famous San Diegans: http://www.sandiegoreader.com/photos/galleries/famous-former-neighbors/

SAN DIEGO READER MUSIC MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/sandiegoreadermusic

JAY ALLEN SANFORD MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/jayallensanford