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 1,800 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 4,800 musicos listed!) and bring up bios of every notable band they've ever been in! Try it here with Rob Crow ---
AND, if that wasn't cool 'nuff, click on an instrument, say like this here link to "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 THE NEW Overheard in San Diego
ARCHIVE OF Famous Former Neighbors
NEW MUSICIAN INTERVIEW THIS WEEK:
|
Glam Updated by Jay Allen Sanford
Formed in 2003, Roxy Monoxide launch their album Another Day, Another Episode on Friday, October 9, with a release party at Tio Leo's in Linda Vista. "We'll definitely be throwing a few surprises in there ... |
ROCK AROUND THE TOWN TODAY/WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30
Classical Music
-
Peter Gach, Palomar’s artist-in-residence, plans lecture-recital about life, times, music of Franz Joseph Haydn for ...
12:30 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 1
Palomar College Performance Lab (room D-10)
-
Pianist Pavlos Antoniadis performs compositions by Ferneyhough, Liszt, Boulez. 858-534-3229.
8:00 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 1
Conrad Prebys Music Center at UCSD
-
Jacobs' Masterworks concert series offered by San Diego Symphony gets underway with Handel's "Arrival of ...
8:00 p.m., Friday, Oct. 2
Copley Symphony Hall
View all Classical Music Events
Submit a Classical Listing
Music Newsletter
Sign Up for our music newsletter to get stories and shows delivered right to your inbox.
(You could win weekly prizes!)
************************************************
************************************************
************************************************
WHO GETS ALL THAT MONEY FROM THE BEATLES ROCK BAND AND DIGITAL ALBUM SALES????
$$$$: So Michael Jackson once bought most of the Beatles song publishing - does that mean his estate is now raking in the bucks from the newest round of Fab Four marketing, including the Rock Band game and digital album releases?
| |
 |
The question was posed to Bullseye Records President Jaimie Vernon, whose label represents Beatlesque progrock icons KLAATU, on the Klaatu mailing list. His reply:
SONY/ATV & Michael Jackson's music company would each share the publishing royalty -- which, as stated, is only paid on units SOLD (any CDs that are returned to Capitol-EMI for refund by retailers are discounted). And that amount is believed to be 50% of $0.0825 for every ORIGINAL song on every album except those written by George Harrison and Ringo Starr or the four songs held back by Dick James when he originally sold the song catalog to Northern Songs in 1968 ("From Me To You", "Love Me Do", "P.S. I Love You" and "Ask Me Why"). Those songs required separate publishing deals and revenue shares that do NOT involve Michael Jackson or his estate.
Lennon and McCartney each receive 1/2 of 50% of the $0.0825 songwriting royalty for every ORIGINAL song they wrote for any of the 13 Beatles CD remasters. McCartney has indicated that his unresolved rift between him and Michael Jackson dealt with his request, on behalf of him and Lennon -- to get a bigger songwriting royalty. This indicates to those outside the Beatle camp that the deal Jackson original purchased may have been pulling MORE than the industry standard 50% leaving Lennon & McCartney less than their 50%. McCartney asked for a raise and Jackson refused. They never spoke to each other again after that.
Regardless, BOTH royalties are called the "mechanical" royalty -- one is the publishing share, one is the songwriting share. These royalty shares are also in place for any radio airplay that occurs around the world giving Jackson a piece of the Beatles everytime their songs get played -- or someone does a cover version.
To complicate matters, there are VIDEOS on each of these CD remasters which requires a synchronization royalty because the music is being married to visuals (i.e. film). So, the splits are nearly identical for that, though it's hard to say what the original publishing deal was that the songwriters signed in the 1960's.
THEN...there is the sales royalty based on the recordings themselves which has been a source of speculation for years. Epstein signed the Beatles to an absolutely criminal royalty rate with Parlophone in 1962 -- which included an equal share of the sale of every album to all four members of the band. The Beatles received a slightly larger pay increase upon renewing with Parlophone via Capitol Records in early 1967 -- and the term of the contract was extended from 5 years to 9 years...keeping the band tied to the label even after they'd split up -- finally elapsing in 1976. Lennon, Harrison and Starr all left Capitol at that time even after renewing the terms of their deal for BEATLES ONLY product for another 9 years [it is assumed the Beatles got another raise as Capitol was then allowed to release "Rock And Roll Music", "Hollywood Bowl" and "Rarities" as a concession].
That deal was renewed again every 5 years [giving us "Reel Music" and "20 Greatest Hits"] and by 1992/1993 The Beatles and their revived corporate representatives, Apple Records, laid out a business plan that would have Beatles product re-launched, like Disney movies, intermittently over the next 45-50 years. The "Anthologies" were the first salvo, followed by "1", The White Album Anniversary Remaster [not actually remastered, just reissued], "Yellow Submarine Songtrack", and "Let It Be: Naked" plus the most recent "Love" re-creation of classic tracks remixed.
There is no way of knowing how much money each of the Beatles is receiving for the CDs they sell. An EMI-Canada promotions manager for The Beatles "1" album told me years ago, he thinks it's 40% on the wholesale rate -- and that the Beatles do NOT allow any discounts of their product or promotional copies to be charged back to their account (which is standard practice...and why so many artists never make a dime from sales of their records).
The Beatles also renegotiated their "controlled composition" clauses in their deal. Standard practice in the music industry since RCA Records invented the Long Play album in 1948 is that a label would not pay a royalty for any song exceeding 10 compositions on a record. If you notice, many of the Beatles early albums have 12 or 14 tracks. The Beatles would only get paid for 10 of those songs on each album. As smart business men, even at the beginning, they realized that the more original compositions they had on each record, the more money they'd make. But Parlophone insisted on cover tunes -- so the Beatles fought to have 2 to 4 cover tunes on each of the early albums as 'throw aways' that were not counted against their 10 controlled compositions. [Robert Palmer changed the industry standard in 1990 when he insisted on getting paid for every song because of the extended play time of CD releases. His album featured 18 songs]
And make no mistake, the band makes money from EVERY single piece of merchandise that features their faces or the Beatles logo. This may look crass and greedy on the surface, but few people know that The Beatles never made a penny off Beatlemania between 1963 and 1966 because Brian Epstein gave the rights away for the band's merchandising during that 4 year period. All the money from Beatle wallpaper, curtains, lamps, mini-record players, combs, Beatle wigs, clothing accessories, et al went straight into the pockets of official licensees around the world. When Epstein died, the Beatles vowed to control all aspects of the group's intellectual and physical properties (where they could).
And this is why there is now a Beatles empire controlled by their representatives at Apple Records.
| |
 |
SEE ALSO: KLAATU on MySpace
Related links
************************************************
Many of the artists from Revolutionary Comics, Rock 'N' Roll Comics, and Carnal Comics have joined forces once again to work on a new & unusual comic and reality based project – The Obama Nation Card Game!
Obama Nation makes good-natured fun of politics, republicans and democrats, government spending and the US economic meltdown. It’s a bit like playing Old Maid or Go fish, but half the fun is looking at and reading the hilarious card art – all very tongue in cheek. Though it’s called Obama Nation, the game makes fun of consumers, banks, environmentalists, the elite, congress in general and both political parties, all in a fairly good natured way. The goal of the game is to see if you can spend Billions of tax dollars faster than your opponents,
Former Rev Com artist (and Obama Game art director) Steve Crompton described how it all came together; ”It’s a bit like a cross between wacky packages, Old Maid and some of the stuff Revolutionary Comics might have done if they made card games. I thought it would be fun to get the old gang together for something like this, and I needed all the help I could get, so I contacted everyone I could find and I’m really happy with the response and great art I got from my Rev Com & Carnal pals.”
A quick look at the 54 card deck shows reveals an impressive list of RevCom & Carnal alums, including Lyndal Ferguson, Scott Jackson, Steve Crompton, Brad Foster, Gus Norman, Randy Vogel and Philo. There may even be a few others hiding in the set as a complete list of all the RevCom artists is hard to come by.
The full-color 54 card deck comes in a resealable box for a only $7.99.
http://shop.twistedrules.com/
You can also get it at Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/shops/carnalcomics
http://www.obamanationcardgame.com/
************************************************
Dandy Warhols Star Releasing Graphic Novel about '70s German Band
One Model Nation, the first cinematic, action packed, graphic novel of its kind, will be released by Image Comics on October 28, 2009, in book-stores nationwide.
Donovan Leitch, C. Allbritton Taylor of the Dandy Warhols and Street Angel illustrator Jim Rugg piece together the complete story of the political art-noise band One Model Nation, revealing just how they kick started the revolution that revitalized a country, the final dark days of the Baader-Meinhof Gang and the band's mysterious disappearance a few months later.
The story is set in Germany in 1977, when the country is still shattered from the devastation of war and the harsh realities of communism. The country's youth are fighting back against a repressed nation with their only figurehead for this violent, well dressed revolution, a band, later to be forever lost in time, One Model Nation.
With stunning graphics and Scorsese-esque electricity, One Model Nation captures the arts and politics of an era whose influence can not be measured.
"This is a life's work for me," says C. Allbritton Taylor. "From the Munich Olympics to the heyday of raves, hip hop to state-of-the-art handguns, this era has informed modern culture, fashion, politics, technology, you name it. But this dark time has been a relative German secret which only recently has begun to be revealed, mostly due to the birth of the internet. On a personal level I needed to see this time and place fleshed out into people and events that make sense yet maintain heroic proportions. Donovan spent years researching the multitude of bizarre and overwhelming events in which these people lived their lives and made their noble, everyman decisions. This story needed to be told."
"I have always been fascinated by post-war Germany, the counter-culture revolutionaries and their violent upheaval against the rise of capitalism in a Communist country. The fact that One Model Nation, four musicians who helped to create electronica, was unwittingly pulled into the battle being waged between these two forces makes their story all the more compelling. This is the equivalent to a Syd Barrett German epic," says Donovan Leitch.
Life of Agony Frontman Has His Own Comic Book Series
Life of Agony bassist/Spoiler NYC front man, Alan Robert, joins forces with IDW Publishing to release a new horror/conspiracy miniseries titled Wire Hangers. Created, written and illustrated by Robert, with covers by comic fan-favorite Nelson DeCastro (Marvel Masterpieces), Wire Hangers makes its worldwide debut in March 2010.
Robert is no stranger to comics. He studied cartooning under Walter Simonson (The Mighty Thor) at the School of Visual Arts in New York City, where he attended on scholarship and graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts. Best known for being the primary songwriter behind Life of Agony's critically acclaimed River Runs Red concept album, Robert is also an accomplished artist. His illustrations and designs have appeared on merchandise, ad campaigns and websites for multi-platinum rock acts such as 3 Doors Down, Puddle of Mudd and Shinedown.
In Wire Hangers, which will debut with a 32-page, ad-free first issue, a series of abductions are plaguing New York, leaving no one safe. When Anna Davis, a feisty young female reporter, goes undercover to try and snag the big exclusive, she stumbles upon clues that give us a glimpse into what could be the most disturbing government conspiracy of our time. Pill-popping detectives, corrupt secret agents and a mysterious, disfigured homeless man are all inter-connected in this horrific tale of revenge and redemption.
Robert states, "I've wanted to tell this story for as long as I can remember. I came up with the Wire Hangers concept a few years back, when Life of Agony was on the road supporting Ozzy Osbourne It has haunted me ever since! Whenever we were touring or in the recording studio, I would find myself sketching out characters on the back of lyric sheets and leaving myself voicemail messages with scene dialogue. By the time I presented the idea to IDW earlier this year, the story was completely fleshed out. Visually, it's dark and gritty with tons of textures and atmosphere. The artwork really sets a tone for the series and plays an equal part in telling the story.
"I really can't express how excited I am to finally see this idea come to life. I've been a huge comic book fan since I was just a kid and went to art college in the hopes of becoming a penciler one day. During my graduation year, LOA landed the record contract with Roadrunner to record River Runs Red and, once it came out, I found myself touring full-time and focusing on my music career. So, for me, all these years later - to finally create my own original comic series is a dream come true. Releasing it through IDW is the icing on the cake. They've put out some of my favorite books, like 30 Days of Night and Welcome to Hoxford. It's a real honor to have Wire Hangers appear alongside those titles."
"Wire Hangers is going to hold its own up against the IDW titles that Alan has long admired," said Chris Ryall, IDW's Publisher/Editor-in-Chief. "When he brought me the story, both his storytelling sense and artistic skills were fully formed and ready to roll on a comic series. In much the same way Alan went from playing bass for one band to fronting another, his talents will be front and center on his comic, too."
Wire Hangers will make its debut with a 4-issue miniseries in March 2010.
************************************************
BACKSTAGE WITH BROOKS AND DUNN
When Brooks and Dunn boot scootin’ boogie Viejas on Saturday, October 3, “Purchaser shall provide, at no expense to artist, 75 top priced tickets” in rows 15 through 20. Also, “Purchaser shall not report the box office receipts, ticket sales, or otherwise disclose any information with regard to this engagement without the express written consent of the artist.”
The dressing room “must have direct access to the stage without passage through any audience or public access area.” Backstage requirements include a six-pack each of Coors, Coors Light, Dr. Pepper, Diet Coke, and Sprite, as well as a 19 inch color TV.
Signs must be posted at the entrances which read “Official merchandising is only available within the venue.” Viejas reps must “use its best efforts to prevent and stop the sale or distribution of items of merchandising by any persons other than the artist’s designee, whether inside or outside the venue.”
Finally, “Absolutely no roses or glow lights will be sold by outside vendors.”
MORE - Backstage Rider Collection: 50 Rock Star ...
************************************************
MOWER GUITARIST QUITS, SKINLAB TOUR CANCELLED
The just-announced SkinLab/Mower tour is already minus a Mower. Here's what the band said today on their MySpace page:
"A decision made by a departing member yesterday has forced the band to relinquish our spot on the bill. We are beyond disappointed. Sometime between sound check and set time last night in Denver, CO, our guitarist Greg Russell decided to book a flight and leave the tour without alerting anyone in the band of his intentions."
"The fact that he decided that his issues were more important than the fans, friends, band, crew, agents, club owners, promoters, record labels, sponsors, press, Skinlab, and all the local support acts is something that we can't even begin to understand or condone. The four remaining members of Mower looked into every possible replacement option to continue on the tour, but none of those options would have been viable in time." - more on this story
Free Mower MP3 downloads
************************************************
TODAY'S "WHAT THE F-CK" ALBUM COVER
So an axe-wielding Sumo wrestler with a baby seal head takes a dump on Holocaust victims, while a bomber plane flies up his ass...another brown acid casualty, or what??
Okay - so you're saying bongo players only date hookers?? Or that hookers prefer bongo players? And what's with the no-panties look (is that Britney's mom)? The whole thing seems geared for people who HATE beatniks.
Some "party" - I'd swear I saw a Hieronymus Bosch painting of Hell that looked just like below...
Oh yeah, these two kids TOTALLY rock. What parent would ever buy this for their kids, when the music contained therein apparently makes their sons do the Riverdance and float away, while their daughters' shoes vanish and their dresses fly up? BTW, WTF is "FULL COLOR" high fidelity (unless yer on LSD)??
If you think about it, that's pretty impressive, to be able to hula-hoop with no hands AND no neck!!
Not sher why, but these two may be the scariest people I've ever seen...
'Kay, I'm down with rockabilly blasters 'bout sex, lust, fightin', Martians, more sex........but FROGS?!?!
First of all, being a "turntable slave" sounds more like a deviant sexual practice than something to brag about. Also, shouldn't "ZIP" appear in the spot where "ZAP" is placed?? Finally, if the best COVER rhymes this guy can come up with is "Zip Zap Rap" and "Devastatin' Dave/turntable slave," how good can his actual rapping be??
"I'm dreeeeeeeming of a piiiiiimp Christmas...." Man, back in the '70s they let anybody on TV make a music record! Scott Baio, John Travolta, Kristy McNichol, the Brady Bunch, Laverne and Shirley, Shatner, Spock..."Huggy Bear" was the colorful pimp on the Starskey & Hutch TV show. Seems a sure bet this one came out AFTER co-star David Soul had an actual hit record with "Don't Give Up On Us, Baby."
TV show themes were big in the '70s too, and many compilations came and went, but this one below has to be the worst cover of the lot. Nobody resembles the actual performers, except Farrah's hair - bionic Steve Austin looks like porn star John Holmes, Lamont Sanford has morphed into Jesse Jackson, and what the hell is Special Agent Dale Cooper from Twin Peaks doing on Hawaii 5-O?!
PREVIOUS WTFs - http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2009/jul/24/wtf-album-covers---strange-bizarre-and-butt-clench/
************************************************
************************************************
CATHRYN BEEKS’ WEEKLY LISTEN LOCAL HOTSHEET
Wednesday 9/30 - Backstage At The Bitter End - 8:00 Ephraim Sommers, 8:30 Broni, 9:00 Terrence Brian Band, 10:00 Kissing Cousins, 11:00 Long Live Logos
Link of the Week: New Acoustic Showcase. Beginning October 1st I'll be hanging out with the finest mixologist in town every Thursday at Winston's in OB for Happy Hour from 5pm to 8pm. Solo and acoustic ensembles, find a spot on the calendar and email me to reserve it. No cover, 1 drink for performing.
Thursday 10/1 - HAPPY HOUR at Winstons in OB! Email me to reserve a showcase spot! 5:00 tba, 5:30 tba, 6:00 tba, 6:30 Ernesto Garcia, 7:00 Laura Kuebel, 7:30 Ephraim Sommers - no cover!
Artist of the Week: All-girl rock band Kissing Cousins will appear Backstage at The Bitter End this Wednesday at 10pm, NO COVER!
Link of the Week: Ramona Music Center is inland North County's resource for instruments, accessories, and all sorts of musical support. Great repair techs and inspirational teachers are very important to their growing town and they're certainly doing their part. HUGE thanks to the gang at Ramona Music Center for sponsoring The Cathryn Beeks Ordeal's CD Release party at Swedenborg Hall on November 8th at 4pm, NO COVER, thanks to them! Drop in and say hello, tell them we sent you.
Speaking of the release party on November 8th, MOOD SWING will be available for $15 (15 songs) but you can pre order THIS WEEK ONLY and get two for $20.00. Additionally, if you'd like to be a sponsor, a $50 donation receives 2 copies of Mood Swing, 1 copy of Desert Music, your name listed on the website and 2 tickets to the Private VIP Party at 2pm on November 8th featuring the music of schmooze, Lisa Sanders and other surprises... Get more info about sponsoring here, or email me for info. Thank you so much for your support, I can't wait for you to hear this record! :)
Homegrown Live at Anthology begins October 9th. Beginning in January, every Friday night from 10 to Midnight local bands will be performing on Anthology's swanky stage and their set will be heard on KPRI. The October 9th show features Tori Roze, Nova and Endoxi so come out and support! Go here for tickets and info!
Heroes Against Hunger is a once-a-month concert series at Claire de Lune Coffeehouse that benefits The San Diego Food Bank and they are looking for acts for the remaining shows for this year: October 4th and December 6th. If you are an artist—musician, poet, comedian, painter, photographer, author, whatever!—and want to play or exhibit at one of these shows, contact Eben Brooks and let him know.
Fri., Oct. 2nd, 8 to Midnight Skies Lounge @ Sheraton 4 Points Hotel hosts a "70's party like a rock star" event featuring Breez'n to benefit the Musician Relief Fund. Musicians get in FREE!
Randi Driscoll releases her new CD "365 Days" on Wednesday, October 14th at 7:30pm with Grammy Award Winner, Larry Mitchell, and other surprise guests at Anthology! For tickets and info visit Anthology's site.
The Homegrown Hour is going LIVE on Fridays at Anthology beginning October 9th with Nova, Tori Roze and Endoxi. $10 cover for a swanky night of local music love, or listen on the radio at 102.1 KPRI from 10 to midnight. More info coming soon...
************************************************
LOCALS IN THE NEWS
Nightlife Agenda - Washington Post: Somehow Nathan Williams -- a San Diego kid whose main hobbies include skateboarding, getting stoned and writing fuzzy, lo-fi pop songs in his basement ...
*****************************************
Cowboy Mike left Motor City to spin in So Cal
Arizona Daily Star -The trance music aficionado moved to San Diego from Detroit about six years ago, and he's become a fixture in the local club scene, as well as a rising star ...
*****************************************
'New Moon' Soundtrack: A Quick Guide To Its Lesser-Known Artists - MTV.com: Anya Marina ("Satellite Heart"): The San Diego-based singer/songwriter, sometime actress ("100 Girls") and radio DJ released her second album of playfully ...
*****************************************
Mustache Mayhem with the Silent Comedy
PopMatters - Walking into the Silent Comedy show at San Diego’s Casbah on September 11th, you might have felt you’d stumbled onto the craft services table on set of a remake of Paper Moon. Every other guy in attendance looked like a particularly roguish Depression-era hobo or the piano player at a Chaplin film festival. ...
*****************************************
Switchfoot gets intimate with 'Hello Hurricane'
LiveDaily.com - The San Diego-based quintet will begin the intimate "An Evening with Switchfoot" outing with a Nov. 11 performance in West Hollywood before heading east ...
*****************************************
HuffPost Reviews: Madonna, Barbra Streisand, Genesis, and Chris ... Huffington Post - In the few short years following the release of Jason Mraz's 2002 debut album Waiting For My Rocket To Come, the young San Diego artist has had the longest ...
*****************************************
Concert review: Blink-182 caps night of raunchy rock fun
Dallas Morning News: The San Diego three-piece band's reunion (after a band breakup five years ago and drummer Travis Barker's near-death experience in a plane crash last year) ...
*****************************************
'Horrorcore' rap drew together suspect, victims
The Associated Press - Sarah McCroskey says her brother met Emma about a year ago, at a concert near San Diego. They were on the phone so much after that, Sarah had to buy herself ...
*****************************************
antiMusic reports: Stone Temple Pilots are getting back on the road this fall. The outing kicks off on October 2nd in Alabama and right now dates are announce through November 21st in Kingston, ON.
They have also announced two additional dates for the end of the year. December 29th Biloxi, MS and January 1st in Thackerville, OK. Perhaps they will fill in the blanks.
No word yet if they band will be playing any new tunes on the tour. They have been working on their first album together since reuniting in 2008. Word of the street is that the band expects to release the new effort next year. But for now we do know the announced dates. - get em here
*****************************************
Grace Digital Remote Control App Approved for iPhone®
Based in San Diego, California, Grace Digital sells its products through select distributors and retailers throughout North America ...
*****************************************
Review: Blink-182 is a joke at Shoreline
San Jose Mercury News ... It's not like the San Diego pop-punk trio, which also features bassist-vocalist Mark Hoppus and drummer Travis Barker, was that important a band even before ...
*****************************************
Blabbermouth reports: Stone Temple Pilots/ex-Velvet Revolver singer Scott Weiland experienced a mild seizure during an American Airlines flight on Friday.
Sources close to Scott tell TMZ.com he suffered the seizure while flying from Los Angeles to Miami. The plane was forced to make an emergency landing at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport.
UPDATE: A rep traveling with Weiland tells Rolling Stone that the airplane staff called for medical assistance over the loud speaker and had to administer oxygen to Weiland. Shortly after, Weiland had come to and was "in good spirits" as was taken off the plane for the hospital.
- more on this story
*****************************************
Interview: Making Wavves
Decider Denver ... AVC: What is San Diego's music scene like? NW: Generally speaking, it's wretched playing shows in San Diego. The people think they're too cool to move ...
*****************************************
Veoh Claims Win Over Universal Music
socalTech.com ... Los Angeles- and San Diego-based video sharing site Veoh is claiming a major win today over Universal Music group, saying that a federal judge has thrown ...
*****************************************
Rock 'n' Roll Comics Gets an Encore - Headlines - Broken Frontier
Throughout the 90's, “Rock 'N' Roll Comics”, was a popular staple on the newsstands. Now the title will be receiving an encore as newly-packaged graphic ...
*****************************************
The Outhouse - Comic Book Forum and Fanboy Haven - Bluewater ...
The Beatles Experience comic book will run over 200 pages, dramatizing one of the most compelling tales in pop culture history, drawn from thousands of photos and interviews, meticulously researched and featuring stunning art by Mike Sagara (Rock 'N' Roll Comics)
*****************************************
Sam Hinton, singer and naturalist, dies at 92
San Francisco Chronicle ... Sam Hinton, folk singer, songwriter, naturalist and San Diego civic treasure who delighted school children and folk-festival audiences for decades ...
************************************************
LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN, CBS
Mo 9/28: Felicity Huffman, Dr. Mehmet Oz, the Avett Brothers, a Top Ten List presented by Brody Jenner
Tu 9/29: Kelsey Grammer, Alyson Hannigan, Miranda Lambert
We 9/30: Madonna, Harry Connick Jr.
Th 10/1: Woody Harrelson, Kim Kardashian, Tom Russell
Fr 10/2: Larry David
Mo 10/5: Steve Martin
THE JAY LENO SHOW, NBC
Mo 9/28: Bill Maher, Brad Paisley & Sheryl Crow
Tu 9/29: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Billy Crystal
We 9/30: Adam Carolla, Steve Carell, Vince Gill & Emmylou Harris
Th 10/1: Chris Rock
Fr 10/2: Jenna Fischer
Mo 10/5: Jamie Foxx
Tu 10/6: Abigail Breslin, Joe Torre, Cindy McCain
We 10/7: Wanda Sykes
Th 10/8: Gerard Butler, Ben Harper & Jack Black
Fr 10/9: Terry Bradshaw
THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH CONAN O'BRIEN, NBC
Mo 9/28: Drew Barrymore, jockey Joe Talamo, Paramore
Tu 9/29: Patton Oswalt, John Krasinski, Quinn Dahle
We 9/30: Kate Walsh, Brad Paisley
Th 10/1: Michael Moore
Fr 10/2: Joshua Bell with Tiempo Libre
Mo 10/5: Ellen Page, Dierks Bentley
Tu 10/6: Kristen Bell, Anvil
We 10/7: Jason Bateman, Selena Gomez, Toby Keith
Th 10/8: Jimmie Johnson, the Backstreet Boys
Fr 10/9: Lady Antebellum
LATE LATE SHOW WITH CRAIG FERGUSON, CBS
Mo 9/28: Chris O'Donnell, Paula Poundstone
Tu 9/29: James Spader, Cobie Smulders, Laura Isobar
We 9/30: Jenna Elfman, Dom Irrera
Th 10/1: Patricia Arquette, Dominic Cooper
Fr 10/2: Tim Gunn, Cathy Ladman, Lynyrd Skynyrd
Mo 10/5: Michael Sheen, Viola Davis, Jack Ingram
Tu 10/6: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, the Avett Brothers
We 10/7: Rachel Bilson, Jeff Dunham
Th 10/8: Jean Reno, Sophia Bush
Fr 10/9: Gerard Butler, Phoenix
LATE NIGHT WITH JIMMY FALLON, NBC
Mo 9/28: David Duchovny, Kimbo Slice, Dirty Projectors
Tu 9/29: Jude Law, Felicia Day, Sunny Day Real Estate
We 9/30: Dennis Hopper, Amy Brenneman, Owen Benjamin
Th 10/1: Ryan Reynolds, Emma Stone, Miranda Lambert
Fr 10/2: Drew Barrymore, Tim Schafer
LAST CALL WITH CARSON DALY, NBC
Mo 9/28: Jesse Metcalfe, Caleb Aero, Metric (R 9/15/09)
Tu 9/29: Tucker Max, Naked Girls, Wild Light
We 9/30: Chris Pratt, Ted Ligety, the Like
Th 10/1: Jennifer Morrison, Zane Lamprey, Arctic Monkeys
Fr 10/2: Emmanuelle Chriqui
Mo 10/5: Seth Green, Kevin Lyman, Pete Yorn (R 9/16/09)
Tu 10/6: Thomas Jane
We 10/7: Juliette Lewis
Th 10/8: Joss Stone
Fr 10/9: Glenn Howerton
Mo 10/12: Frank Caliendo, Casey Currie, Emily Wells (R 9/17/09)
THE DAILY SHOW WITH JON STEWART, Comedy Central
Mo 9/28: Bruce Bueno De Mesquita
Tu 9/29: Ron Paul
We 9/30: Jon Krakauer
Th 10/1: Joy Behar
THE COLBERT REPORT, Comedy Central
Mo 9/28: Sheryl WuDunn
Tu 9/29: Matt Latimer
We 9/30: Richard Dawkins
Th 10/1: Dr. Francis Collins
JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE, ABC
Mo 9/28: Courteney Cox, Jessica Capshaw, "Dancing with The Stars" castoff Ashley Hamilton (R 9/23/09)
Tu 9/29: Ricky Gervais, the latest "Dancing with the Stars" castoff, Alice in Chains
We 9/30: Rebecca Romijn, Joseph Fiennes, Alice in Chains
Th 10/1: Hayden Panettiere, Matthew Rhys, Joss Stone
Fr 10/2: Woody Harrelson, Shinedown
Mo 10/5: David Alan Grier, 10-year-old vacuum cleaner expert Gregory Evans, Pink (R 9/16/09)
Tu 10/6: Patricia Heaton, the latest "Dancing with the Stars" castoff, Gossip
We 10/7: Joel McHale, Richard Belzer, KISS
Th 10/8: Kelsey Grammer, Stana Katic, Motorhead
Fr 10/9: Michael Moore, Malin Ackerman, the Backstreet Boys
THE VIEW, ABC
Mo 9/28: Arianna Huffington
Tu 9/29: Harry Connick Jr., Farnoosh Torabi, guest co-host Gloria Estefan
We 9/30: Yoko Ono, Sean Lennon, Lea Michele, Cory Monteith
Th 10/1: Amy Brenneman, Carrie Fisher, guest co-host Heidi Montag
Fr 10/2: Mariah Carey, A.O. Scott, Michael Phillips
Mo 10/5: Brian Ross, guest co-host Lisa Ling
Tu 10/6: Steve Martin, David Alan Grier, guest co-host Lisa Ling
We 10/7: Chris Rock, Shakira
Th 10/8: Kelly Clarkson, Paul Shaffer, guest co-host Ana Ortiz
LIVE WITH REGIS AND KELLY, syndicated
Mo 9/28: David Boreanaz, Eli Manning, Relly Awards Week begins
Tu 9/29: Patricia Heaton
We 9/30: Kelsey Grammer
Th 10/1: Woody Harrelson
Fr 10/2: John Krasinski, Selena Gomez, guest co-host Mark Consuelos
Mo 10/5: Eddie Cibrian, Chris Byrne
Tu 10/6: Larry David, John Stamos
We 10/7: Chevy Chase, Julie Andrews
Th 10/8: Vince Vaughn, Michael Kors
Fr 10/9: Anderson Cooper, Daniel Craig, Mark Knopfler
THE ELLEN DEGENERES SHOW, syndicated
Mo 9/28: Rebecca Romijn
Tu 9/29: Drew Barrymore
We 9/30: Heidi Klum, Brad Paisley
Th 10/1: Kate Walsh
Fr 10/2: Felicity Huffman, Roger Daltrey
Mo 10/5: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Miranda Lambert
Tu 10/6: Orlando Bloom, Juliette Lewis, Michael Franti & Spearhead
We 10/7: Ellen Page
Th 10/8: Clive Owen, the Backstreet Boys
Fr 10/9: Jason Bateman, Judy Shepard
TAVIS SMILEY, PBS
Mo 9/28: Ken Burns
Tu 9/29: Michael Moore
We 9/30: Tom Ridge, Adam Arkin
Th 10/1: Rodrigo y Gabriela, James Brown
Fr 10/2: BeBe & CeCe Winans, Max Blumenthal
CHELSEA LATELY, E!
Mo 9/28: Lisa Lampanelli, Jeffrey Ross, Ross Mathews, Christian Finnegan
Tu 9/29: Alan Cumming, Matt Braunger, Whitney Cummings, Jo Koy
We 9/30: Nia Long, Josh Wolf, Chris Hardwick, Michael Yo
Th 10/1: Mekhi Phifer, John Caparulo, Sarah Colonna, Michael Kosta (R 9/23/09)
Fr 10/2: Sofia Vergara, T.J. Miller, Jen Kirkman, John Caparulo
Mo 10/5: Heather McDonald, Johnny Sanchez, Jason Sklar
Tu 10/6: Karissa & Kristina Shannon, Crystal Harris, Dan Levy, Chris Franjola, Loni Love
We 10/7: Brad Wollack, Brody Stevens, Guy Branum
Th 10/8: Nia Long, Josh Wolf, Chris Hardwick, Michael Yo (R 9/30/09)
Fr 10/9: Juliette Lewis, Sarah Colonna, Bryan Callen, Ben Gleib
THAT MORNING SHOW, E!
Mo 9/28: Jesse Tyler Ferguson
Tu 9/29: Josie Bissett, Kelly Slater
We 9/30: Rose McGowan, Linda Ramone, Chef John Schenk
Th 10/1: Paul McGill, Kate Walsh, Taye Diggs
Fr 10/2: Laura Leighton
Mo 10/5: Spencer Grammer
THE BONNIE HUNT SHOW, syndicated
Mo 9/28: Jenna Elfman, Chris Kattan, Estelle Harris
Tu 9/29: Betty White, Alex O'Loughlin, six-year-old farmer Beau Preston
We 9/30: Julie Bowen, Dr. Drew Pinsky, Roxy Olin
Th 10/1: Tim Gunn, Laura Leighton, dog expert Dina Zaphiris
Fr 10/2: Michael Strahan, Brody Jenner, 95-year-old bartender Angelo Cammarata
************************************************
MORE NEW MUSIC STORIES THIS WEEK
|
Record Release Roundup by Jay Allen Sanford
Honest Iago's album-release party for Straight on 'Til Morning happens Thursday, September 24, at Dream Street. "People can expect a lot of instrument switching with horns and electronics and such," says singer-guitarist Nick Norton, who ... |
|
Om by William Crain
Om is a metal band -- sort of. I should just get that out of the way first, because otherwise the following is going to seem misleading. Okay, here goes: Om's new album is called ...
|
|
More Pig-Head Press by Ken Leighton
Burning of Rome used five impaled pig heads as props during their set at the 2009 San Diego Music Awards. "It's pretty creepy," says a fellow performer and one of the night's award-winners. "I don't ... |
|
Dodos by Dave Good
Too bad for San Francisco's Dodos -- some critics were not happy with the changes that producer Phil Ek brought to their sound on Time to Die. They whined that Ek cleaned up the rough ... |
|
People Who Died by David Stampone
"San Diego will always have a special place in my heart as the place I began my career in rock 'n' roll," expressed the late author Jim Carroll 20 years ago. It was in an ... |
|
Wages of Art by Michael Hemmingson
Zack Wentz, primarily a drummer and vocalist, is somewhat of a minimalist with regard to band lineups -- Kill Me Tomorrow is a three-man act, and the offshoot, Tender Buttons, was one person on keyboards ... |
|
Wacky Music Market by Dorian Hargrove
The guys in new-wave band Lights On are working hard to turn fans on to their retro British synth-pop sound. Lucky for them, the licensing company they hired last year is just as diligent. In ... |
************************************************
************************************************
HELL BENT FOR SANTA - HALFORD'S CHRISTMAS ALBUM?!?
antiMusic reports: Hell Bent for Santa? You will be this year as Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford drops his version of a Christmas album on fans (Oops, in these politically correct times we are supposed to refer to it as a "holiday" album like his publicist did... but we'll go with Rob on this one). Here is the official announcement:
"Well, I've always said I wanted to produce a Christmas CD," comments Rob Halford. "The Halford band has assembled a fantastic release, and we're excited to have produced a collection of holiday tracks which all of us have enjoyed from a very early age."
Just in time for the 2009 holiday season comes a release that is sure to grab the attention of heavy metal fans worldwide, as legendary singer Rob Halford debuts his first holiday CD Halford III – Winter Songs on his new label Metal God Records distributed globally by ADA Global / Warner Music Group, Fontana / Universal Music Group, Conveyor / Universal Music Canada and Sony Music Japan. - more on this story
************************************************
PATHOLOGY SEEKS NEW COOKIE MONSTER
Blabbermouth.net reports: Cookie Monster-sound-a-like vocalist Matti Way has quit the death metal/grindcore band Pathology. The group states, "We are extremely disappointed and bummed over this. Matti has other stuff going on right now and we wish him the best. Because of this we are canceling a few upcoming shows."
The band continues, "We are once again looking for a new singer. We need someone that will put their heart and soul into this band. And you must be able to play shows/tours, and lives in the San Diego area or be willing to relocate.
"To try out: Try singing any of our songs and e-mail us through MySpace or email: [email protected]."
Pathology's latest album Age of Onset was released in May via Comatose Music. The CD was recorded at Double Time Studio in El Cajon, California. The cover artwork was created by Pär Olofsson.
Pathology was formed in the beginning of 2006 by Dave Astor (The Locust, Cattle Decapitation) and Levi Fuselier (Disgorge). They were later joined by vocalist Matti Way (Disgorge, Liturgy, Cinerary). The band's debut album Surgically Hacked was released in September 2006 on Amputated Vein Records (Japan).
In July 2007, the band signed with Grindhead Records (Australia) to release Incisions Of Perverse Debauchery in 2008.
In July 2008, Pathology announced the addition of singer/second guitarist Mason Gregory (Element) to the group's ranks. The band says, "We have been working hard perfecting our sound and preparing for shows and tours. . . Levi Fuselier (Disgorge) will no longer be doing the vocals for Pathology. We appreciate his time and effort and wish him the best of luck in the future."
In December 2008, Pathology signed to Comatose Music, who released Age of Onset in May, 2009. The CD was recorded at Double Time Studio in El Cajon, California. The cover artwork was created by Pär Olofsson.
In 2009, secondary singer Mason Gregory left the band, followed by this month's departure of lead singer Matti Way.
************************************************
WAVVES SAYS "IT'S WRETCHED PLAYING SHOWS IN SAN DIEGO"
Wavves frontguy Nathan Williams is quoted in the new Denver Decider saying "Generally speaking, it's wretched playing shows in San Diego. The people think they're too cool to move around, they don't come out if it's not a party, and there aren't enough places to play besiedes bars, which is a real bummer...but Wavves happened, and I think it sort of shed a light on San Diego."
Asked if he's planning to stick around SD, he says "I'm moving to LA next month. I've had plans to leave San Diego for longer than I can remember, so it's about time that I finally do it." Complete interview: http://denver.decider.com/articles/making-wavves,32777/
Wavves started out as a one-man-band brainstormed by Nathan Williams, a former Music Trader manager who became a record label signee in early 2009 at the age of 22. In concert, Williams is usually accompanied by drummer Ryan Ulsh. Posting songs for free on his blog Ghost Ramp earned him much internet buzz, as well as multiple slots at the 2009 SXSW music festival in Austin, Texas.
MTV.com listed Wavves’ March 8 SXSW performance at Red 7 among their Top 10 South By Southwest 2009 Moments. His album Wavvves on Fat Possum Records earned an 8.1 rating at hipness arbitrator Pitchfork.com. In late April '09, despite having played his first gig less than six months ago, Williams was booked to open for mainstream darlings 311 at the West Palm Beach SunFest.
A subsequent European festival was cancelled, after Williams had a very public meltdown onstage in Barcelona, Spain, seemingly covered on just about every music blog and entertainment 'zine on the planet. Williams blamed the freakout on "Too much drink and drugs."
Yeah, Nathan, thanks for shining THAT bit of light on San Diego.
Don't let the city limits sign slam your ass on the way out ---------
************************************************
2009 SAN DIEGO MUSIC AWARDS – IT’S A (FISH)WRAP
Some comments about this year’s SDMAs –
Jason Mraz’s album We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things entered Billboard’s< Top 200 chart at #3 on May 20, 2008,. Fourteen months later, the record wins Album of the Year?! Isn’t there some kind of time limit that an album should be eligible each year – like, say, a YEAR??????
The same thing happened at the 2008, when Slightly Stoopid’s Cronchitis won Album of the Year, and the track "2am" from that album won Song Of the Year – the album had been released since early 2007.
Anya Marina hasn’t lived in San Diego for over a year, but she wins Song of the Year for “Move You”???
The New Archaic have been around for almost two years, but they win Best New Artist???
The Album Leaf wins Best Electronic two years in a row??? Having added violin, more guitars, live drums, and vocal harmonies to their previously sparse sound, hasn’t it been years since they even qualified for a thus-named award?
Psychedelic electric-soul glam rockers Children of Nova play the city’s Best Hard Rock?!?! Maybe if your idea of Hard Rock is Stryper -----
Well, let's hope videos show up online of The Zeros getting their Lifetime Achievement Award - they were joined onstage by Wayne Kramer of MC5 for a rendition of "Ramblin' Rose," and video testimonials to them included good words from Joan Jett and John Doe of X.
Jimmy Powers (half of the Clasy Pigeons duo) says of his Best Hip-Hop nomination “I don’t feel I should have been nominated for the award. I have only released a limited press EP [200 copies]…I think local artists like Blame One, who hit the top 40 on iTunes this year, should be the ones getting a nomination.”
“[Blame One] charted on college radio at #2, was a featured artist on Myspace Music, was pick by the Editor of XXL magazine as Chairman's Choice for album on the month. Has been making music for 2 decades, [with] 4 critically acclaimed solo albums.”
Another mostly unreleased hip-hop album, a compilation of local artists called Young Mass Presents: The Best Of Daygo City, was nominated for Best Hip-Hop Album, even though a distribution and promotion deal with Jake Records wasn’t in place until AFTER the 2009 nominations were announced.
In fact, only 100 homemade CDR copies of Best of Daygo City existed when it got the SDMA nod!! The album won't actually be released until November 12!
“I would like to think the Jake Records distribution and promotion deal was scored at least in part on the strength of our SDMA nomination,” says 40oz Chris of Massterpiece Entertainment.
“We started our independent grind by printing 100 CD-R versions of the Daygo City album, sending the majority of them out as promo copy's to Jake Records, and other various media outlets. We then began selling the remainder in the streets to build up money for an official pressing, which requires a minimum order of at least 1000. About that time we got the call from Jake Records CEO Scott Thomas (We have got to know Scott through Mass' connection with Shock G & Digital Underground) and arranged a meeting at there Las Vegas office to discus the disks possibilities. During the conference we let him know about the SDMA nomination, listened to a few of the albums heaters, and broke down some info on the compilations artist... the album is solid knock yall... done deal!”
“Through our partnership with Jake, we are getting the album professionally mastered, and pressed...”
One has to wonder if anyone at SDMA had ever actually seen or heard the Best of Daygo before adding it to the ballot. Did they just happen to dig the (excellent) cover art, with a glittering San Diego skyline?
Is THAT all it takes to get an SDMA nod - cover art and a press release?
Blame One says “I got nominated twice [in the past]. Second time, I didn’t even bother to show up…those cats don’t intend on helping out, because they have no desire to understand hip hop culture. Only way it would change is if the board consisted of non-biased real hip hop heads.”
Another past nominee Miki Vale says “I never went to the award ceremony any time I was nominated, because I've always believed it to be bozack [ballsack] worthy and that didn't change just because I was nominated…just do what you do and let the music be your trophy.”
“I think the real issue is ... the awards are a popularity contest amongst who? Should I, a person who admittedly knows absolutely nothing about Rock music, be in charge of selecting nominees for a Rock music award? What sense does that make?”
2009 SDMA hip-hop nominees are ridiculed in posts on websites like Yelp.com, accesshiphop.com, and on the Reader site. “MC Flow nominated again,” complains Jen of the lesbian Jewish rapper’s award nod. “Geez. When will people learn? She's terrible. Lame act. Lame weird-ass dancer dressed in American Apparel crap.”
Dotquan says “MC Flow is the reason California voted Yes on Prop 8…I noticed three of the eight nominees were hip-hop BANDS. Deep Rooted, a straight-up hip-hop act, probably got nominated on strength of their crazy live show more than anything else. Of course, I also think SDMA are probably some f-ckazz b-tches who don't even like hip-hop in the first place.”
Change: “That whole f-ckin’ thing is a joke. We don't need to take sh-t back because they never had it in the first place. F-ck SDMA…it’s a non-profit organization that gives themselves salaries and throws a big awards event at the end of the year.”
Adamnt: “From the outsiders, it looks like one big f-cking circle jerk. The groups that have the media backing win the awards, and thus validating all the articles written about them.”
Alowishious1: “How come Mitchy Slick wasn’t nominated? That right there is proof that it’s all bullsh-t…I’m sick and tired of these same lame ass n-ggas getting’ nominated each year. Getting a SD Music Award is like makin’ a shot after the buzzer. It don’t count, b-tch.”
SubBass49: “SDMAs aren't about who has the best music, or even who is most talented...it's a POPULARITY CONTEST. BECOME POPULAR and you'll win.
MarkMyWords: “If the DMV was run by the SDMAs, 12 year-olds without arms and legs would have drivers licenses sent to their house.”
***********************************************
The San Diego Roots Sustainable Food Project Presents a concert to
benefit La Milpa Organica Farm Well digging fund featuring Steve Poltz and the Cynics Wednesday, October 7th at 8pm
At the Belly Up in Solana Beach.
The San Diego Roots Sustainable Food Project Presents a concert to benefit La Milpa Organica Farm Well digging fund featuring Steve Poltz and the Cynics.
The concert will be proceeded by a dinner at the Wild Note Cafe highlighting produce from La Milpa Organica Farm.
San Diego singer song writer Steve Poltz is best known for co-writing the #2 Jewel song "You Were Meant for Me". He appeared in the video, and has worked with Jewel on many occasions, such as tours, her platinum and diamond albums, and singles. As a solo artist, he often performs acoustic-only "good old-fashioned sing-along" shows. His songs feature simple, poignant melodies and quirky, satirical lyrics.
Steve has been awarded the title of “San Diego’s Most Influential Artist of the Decade” at the San Diego Music Awards. What you end up with is one of the most engaging, twisted, and prolific songwriters of our time - Steve Poltz.
There will be a special appearance by La Milpa's own The Wild Turnips farm band as well as special guests to be announced.
La Milpa Organica Farm is an organic haven of vegetables, greens and herbs that provides food to farmers markets, CSA members and local restaurants in San Diego. Located just north of Escondido, the farm provides year-round fresh produce to farmers markets, fine restaurants and community members.
San Diego Roots Sustainable Food Project -- a 501(c)3 charitable organization that is working to strengthen the local food system in San Diego -- is hosting “a Concert to Build a Well” to raise funds for La Milpa Organica Farm’s new well. Proceeds from the concert will go toward helping diminish the farm's dependency on piped-in water and continue feeding San Diegans the freshest, ripest, healthiest and best-tasting produce possible.
San Diego Roots Sustainable Food Project has been honored to work with the La Milpa farmers over many years. Indeed, the historical roots of La Milpa Organica Farm are the very same roots that begat San Diego Roots: the Good Faith Farm in Jamul, which San Diego Roots tried to save from development. Though that feat was not accomplished, the need to educate the public about the loss of valuable farmland to development, and the need to rebuild a lost local food network was
understood. Roots has been doing this now for almost nine years.
In many ways, San Diego Roots’ mission is closely aligned with La Milpa's: growing high-quality, organic produce, teaching others how to do this, and marketing it exclusively to local eaters. La Milpa Farm's embrace of the community they feed is clearly demonstrated in how their community embraces the farm at monthly open houses and potlucks. La Milpa models the very practices that San Diego Roots advocates and wishes to emulate at the future San Diego Roots farm and education center.
La Milpa Farm offers the farm free of charge for use as a classroom for Roots' Organic Farming Workshops that began last spring and are ongoing. These classes have been met with far greater success than expected. Clearly there is great demand for learning the innovative sustainable agricultural technologies that the La Milpa farmers practice.
San Diego Roots also understands that La Milpa's ability to offer an environment for these classes and grow enough food to meet the demand is threatened by the water rationing that many farmers are currently suffering under. By tapping a well into the underground aquifer, the farm will be able to grow more food and feed more people.
Wednesday, October 7 “Concert to Build a Well”
STEVE POLTZ & THE CYNICS w/The Farm Band & guests 8pm $15 ga
143 S. Cedros Avenue, Solana Beach
Ages 21+ Welcome into the Belly Up.
For more information please visit www.bellyup.com or call 858.481.8140
www.bellyup.com
http://www.poltz.com/
http://milpaorganica.com/
************************************************
WHAT I'M WATCHING:
LIFE ON MARS season 1
Wikipedia synopsis: Life on Mars is an American science fiction crime drama television series which originally aired on ABC from October 9, 2008 to April 1, 2009. Co-produced by Kudos Film & Television, 20th Century Fox Television and ABC Studios, it is about a New York City homicide detective who suddenly finds himself inexplicably transported from 2008 to 1973. The series was adapted from the BAFTA-winning British series of the same name, shown by the BBC. The series tells the story of New York City police detective Sam Tyler (played by Jason O'Mara), who, after being struck by a car in 2008, regains consciousness in 1973. Fringing between multiple genres, including thriller, science fiction and police procedural, the series remained ambiguous regarding its central plot, with the character himself unsure about his situation.[1] The series also starred Harvey Keitel, Jonathan Murphy, Michael Imperioli, and Gretchen Mol. Life on Mars garnered critical praise for its premise, acting, and depiction of the 1970s, but suffered from a declining viewership after its premiere.[2][3] ABC announced on March 2, 2009 that it would not be ordering a second season.
I remember not being that impressed with the first Life on Mars episode - seemed like no more than a "reverse" Dirty Harry, ie instead of a rogue cop operating amidst PC bureaucracy, the show had a PC future cop in pre-PC 1973. The premise seemed to have possibilities, but that first ep was all stereotypes and occasional inexplicable sci-fi flashes explaining less than nothing about what the hell was going on ----
However, I stuck with it, and I'm absolutely astounded at how it paid off!!
I don't want to spoil by revealing specifics, but the show became, as I said, astounding. Nothing is as it seemed in the first ep, and there's actually a reason for that - in particular, Harvey Keitel as the precinct chief, his character is, well, you really should see it. I nearly applauded out loud after a couple of his feature eps, especially over Keitel's story arc - if anyone was actually watching this show, he should be up for an Emmy. Just ---- astounding.
Over subsequent eps, the story began coming together, the sci-fi "explanations" becoming more clear, and - the thing you may like best - they're really conjuring up a VERY authentic 1973! UNlike the first ep, which was painfully obvious about dropping and/or showing cultural touchstones every few minutes ---- as I mention, there's actually a REASON for how simplistic his first day in 1973 seemed, and it wasn't lazy scripting. It's actually an important - and innovative - story element. As each episode progresses, we get more and more of the real world of 1973.
And everything from the clothes to the cars, dialogue, and especially the music, is becoming more "real '73" than just about any actual '70s movie I can think of. Especially when contrasted with the lead character's hindsight and inside knowledge about future events.
The music is particularly inspired - not at all the predictable radio hits of the early 70s, but really thoughtful choices of songs that perfectly illustrate the scenes they accompany, in surprising and enjoyable ways...like, Lou Reed, Mott the Hoople, Blood Sweat and Tears, the Sweet "Little Willy," 5 Man Electrical Band "Signs" ---- to give you an idea of how off the beaten path I'm talking about, the one Rolling Stones song to turn up was "Out of Time."
Even the show title "Life on Mars" now has some context, again UNlike the pilot, where its only relativity SEEMED to be the David Bowie song by that name playing in the car when it crashed (one of my fave Bowie tunes, BTW, and one I used to do when I was in bands and which I STILL sometimes sing and play here on my old Yamaha keyboard and PA system).
That's the great music that brings back the era for me, and those are the kind of tracks that keep turning up on Mars - the effect is that you suddenly recover a memory when a song starts that you haven't heard in 30 years, at the same moment as you see the guy on Mars undergo a similar 8-track flashback.
That would never work if the show soundtrack had been, say "Brown Sugar" by the Stones, instead of "Out of Time" - we've heard Brown Sugar a billion times since it first came out, so it's no longer fixed to a specific time and place.
Taken as a whole, the show is an engrossing and fairly brilliant musical love letter to 70s rock, films, and TV, with a finite (and very satisfying) final ep that wraps up pretty much all the mysteries and loose ends (and with quite a different ending than the original UK series, too!) ---
Life On Mars: Season One (the complete series) was released in a DVD box set at the end of August.
MORE "WHAT I'M WATCHING" DVD AND MOVIE REVIEWS, 1970 THRU 2009 - Including S Darko, Futurama: Bender's Game, the Sentinel, Andy Warhol's Bad, Night Gallery: Brenda, Star Trek 2009, Stranger Than Fiction, Cloverfield, Black Ceasar, Forbidden Zone, Cover Me Babe, Final Destination, Wicked Wicked, Watchmen, Coraline, Land of the Lost TV show, more
http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2009/sep/02/what-im-watching-dvd-and-movie-reviews-1970s-thru-/
************************************************
THE RETURN OF ROCK 'N' ROLL COMICS!
Here's a sneak peek at the first promo art for Rock 'N' Roll Comics: Hard Rock Heroes, a 400 page graphic novel shipping from Bluewater Productions in November, as well as the cover of the 240 page Beatles Experience comic shipping around the same time -
JAS
(colors: Christie Maconnell)
Hard Rock Heroes: What goes together better than comics and rock music? With almost 300 pages of Rock ‘N’ Roll Comics, Hard Rock Heroes goes WAY beyond Behind the Music, to tell the real life, behind-the-scenes stories of rock’s most heavy hitters. Creators include Stuart Immonen (Superman: End of the Century), Ken Landgraf (Wolverine), Jay Allen Sanford (Overheard in San Diego..), Todd Loren (Beatles Experience), Scott Pentzer (Razor), Mike Sagara (Ninja High School), and many others.
Hard Rock Heroes is a book-length pictorial history, covering bands like Guns N’ Roses, Metallica, AC/DC, Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne, Van Halen, Motley Crue, Poison, Megadeth, Pantera, Anthrax, Motorhead, Sammy Hagar, and more. The cinematic stories are realistically drawn, researched from countless photo and video archives, with an encyclopedic eye toward visual accuracy, dramatic flair, and journalistic depth.
.. ..
Also includes the never-before published “missing” Rock ‘N’ Roll Comics #8 from 1990, on Skid Row. The lack of an eighth issue has vexed collectors and catalogers for years – exactly 20 years later, the story can finally be told, and collectors can finally own ALL the Rock ‘N’ Roll Comics!
.. ..
As a bonus treat, Hard Rock Heroes also features the Motley Crue comic story from their official box CD set Music To Crash Your Car To II, released in 2004 and written and drawn by original Rock ‘N’ Roll Comics creators Lyndal Ferguson and Larry Nadolsky.
"Great ideas, like the marriage of rock 'n' roll and comics, have the half-life of Uranium and will always be popular," says series co-creator Jay Allen Sanford, who has worked on over 200 reality-based comic books and thousands of similar cartoon strips for the San Diego Reader, as well as for magazines like Rip, Spin, and Oui. "The folks at Bluewater clearly have their fingers on the same pop culture pulse that enabled the original Rock 'N' Roll Comics to become one of the top-selling indie comics of the '90s. Truth is often stranger than fiction...and certainly much more interesting!"
The Beatles are bigger than ever, now available online for the first time digitally, on the Vegas stage in “Love,” and in the new Beatles: Rock Band video game. Now comes the most comprehensive and encyclopedic illustrated Beatles story ever, the Beatles Experience! Over 200 pages, dramatizing one of the most compelling tales in pop culture history, drawn from thousands of photos and interviews, meticulously researched and featuring stunning art by Mike Sagara (Rock ‘N’ Roll Comics) and Stuart Immonen (Legion of Super Heroes, Ultimate X-Men).
Covering the Beatles’ lives from birth and beyond their breakup, dramatized in dialogue and scene recreations more akin to a film bio than a mere documentary, the Beatles Experience also includes a Chronolog timeline going down each page, with encyclopedia background and footnotes detailing related events happening at the same time in the world, in music, and in the Beatles’ own tumultuous and extraordinary lives.
www.rocknrollcomics.com --- www.myspace.com/rocknrollcomics
************************************************
DOG TALKER
“I haven’t done too much playing in concert as of late,” says singer/guitarist Dave Gilbert, “so I started the OB Happy Dog Walking Service.”
He says the doggie duty requires walking from six to twelve miles each day, making the job more consistent than musician work, despite playing in three local bands at the moment. “Club owners don’t pay their acts much, if anything at all. You can make decent cash playing casinos, but it can also destroy your musical soul if you play strictly for pay.”
Gilbert launched his canine sideline by posting tear-off flyers around O.B. and Point Loma and, more recently, commissioning promo T-shirts from local poster artist George Davis. “Working with dogs is my Zen,” says the longtime animal lover. “I was born in the Year of the Dog, so I think that gave me a leg up, so to speak. The past few of years of dog walking have taught me a lot about patience and understanding.”
He says Happy Dog rarely conflicts with his show schedule. “It was a lot harder juggling music gigs back when my day job was working in the automotive industry. Not to mention few gigs are as lucrative and steady [as dog walking]…I really wouldn’t want to be in another tribute act.”
Some of Gilbert’s dog friends have shown their own musical aspirations. “I recorded my Rottweiler barking on an improvisational piece I was working on called ‘Rockweiler.’ And then I had a dog that didn’t like it when I would jam on my axe. But, when I sat the guitar down, she did a mean Jimi Hendrix-style solo, playing it with her teeth.”
“Hahaha, even my dog plays guitar!”
************************************************
FIRST SAN DIEGO BAND INVITED TO CMJ 2009?
September 2009: Lady Dottie & the Diamonds applied to CMJ 2009 using its Sonicbids account and was invited to showcase. (Note: I didn’t say “confirmed.” What is confirmed is that they’ve been invited!) www.sonicbids.com/LadyDottieandtheDiamonds
Lady Dottie & the Diamonds -- including former members of GoGoGo Airheart -- perform covers of songs by Etta James, Muddy Waters, BB King, Buddy Holly, the Everly Brothers, the Staple Singers, Sam and Dave, Ray Charles, Howling Wolf, Danzig, the Rolling Stones, Leadbelly, Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels, the Sonics, Chuck Berry, Nazareth, Ike & Tina Turner, Billie Holiday, Little Richard, Guitar Slim, Otis Redding, T-Bone Walker, Skip James, Stevie Wonder, AC/DC, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, Foghat, Sam Cooke, Robert Johnson, Bessie Smith, Huey Piano Smith, and the Clowns,.
Originally a gospel singer, Dorothy Mae "Lady Dottie" Whitsett's early career included performing with Kool and the Gang and Clarence Carter, among others. Back then, she called herself Miss Dynamite, moving around from residences in Alabama, New Jersey, Portland, Seattle, and Atlanta.
After moving from Atlanta to San Diego in 1984, she eventually formed a jazz duo after meeting keyboardist Joey Guevara in a local piano bar. They were joined by Guevara's bandmates from Operator X, Stephen Rey (bass) and Brian "Nucci" Cantrell (drums). Rounding out the band are two guitarists, Isaiah Mitchell and Nathan Beale (of Dirty Sweet), as well as Joey's brother Dan Guevara on horns.
The band won two 2007 San Diego Music Awards, for Best Blues and Best Blues Album, as well as landing Best Blues again in 2008. They're signed with Hi-Speed Soul Records, a label launched by local music store M-Theory Records.
Upcoming Shows
Related links
************************************************
************************************************
GUITAR WHIZ WAYNE RIKER TURNS HIS BACK ON PRIVATE TEACHING, TO HEAD UP WORKSHOPS INSTEAD
"The final curtain has come down for me as a private guitar teacher, after thirty seven years of lessons," says local guitarist Wayne Riker. "However, I'll be starting an exciting series of on going four hour workshops,every fifth to sixth Sunday,at Old Time Music in North Park. It'll be an excellent social network to meet other guitarists,both electric and acoustic, focused on playing strategies over ten tunes,all various styles,with handouts for each on chord positions, scales and licks for improving your overall fretboard knowledge."
"Although I'm excited about this new project, I'll very much miss one on one teaching for now. Other than musical rehearsals, road gigs and funerals, I never took a day off or called in sick - here's the link for the full details to the upcoming Fretbook Workshop(s), beginning on September 27th." http://waynerikerguitar.com/teach_sched.htm
Since 1967, Riker has played just about every musical style, and in an array of musical settings — house parties, coffeehouses, nightclubs, musical theater, cruise ships, arena rock concerts, and stadium festivals.
As a member of the Guitar Institute of Technology, Riker cohosted workshops around the world with A-list jazz and blues cats such as Larry Carlton, Robben Ford, Marty Friedman, Dave Grissom, and Duke Robillard.
Related links
************************************************
Recent Blog now only found in the "archive" section: Comic-Con 2009 - Final Wrapup, with more costumes, costumes, costumes!
************************************************
THE RETURN OF RIP MAGAZINE (or "Why I Got Fired By Larry Flynt")
Rock writer Lonn Friend, former MTV host and publisher of the terrific '90s music mag Rip, is announcing an online archive of the magazine! Rip is where I first launched the Rock Tales comic strip before it ended up at Spin Magazine.
After around a year of the two-page Rock Tales strips, I turned one in mocking Courtney Love called "12 Steps to Stardom" - little did I know that Rip publisher Larry Flynt had just arranged for Love to play his wife in the movie The People VS Larry Flynt.
Flynt took one look at my Love strip and fired me on the spot (it finally saw print years later in Real Deal) - Rip continued for several years before finally falling victim to the same low circualtion killing most newsstand mags.
So here's a message from Lonn Friend and the RIPpers -----
Dear Friends and Fans of RIP Magazine & Lonn Friend: We are excited to announce that the long-awaited on-line home and 'resting place' for the archives of the iconic RIP Magazine has been officially launched at theripfiles.com/
We are launching this great site with just a small fraction of the archival photos, videos and audio files from back in the day with a great deal more content to follow!
We are also building a bibliography of all of the issues, scanning them and getting them up on the site. As requested, we are bringing back the vaunted 'RIP Girls'! We have begun our search for our 2010 'RIP Calendar Girls' with a contest that is now under way. Please Send us a current picture and enter now ladies! You could win $1,000! www.theripfiles.com/rip_girls
We also invite you to JOIN the site as a 'member'. This will enable you to access the exclusive content that is being added daily. Come back often to browse or leave us a note. Our objective of the site is to build an active on-line RIP community of the true fans, past and present. Also, we are interested in seeing the next generation of hard rock/heavy metal fans step forward, grab the torch and shout it out loud.
The RIP Store is now OPEN! Time to step up and wear the RIP shirt and headgear again! www.theripfiles.com/store
Published between 1986 and 1996, RIP magazine was heralded as the finest hard rock/heavy metal publication of its day. RIP's coverage of the bands that ruled, tooled and fueled the decade of decadence earned it the nickname "Bible of the Bang" and was hailed by fans and artists alike.
My own favorite RIP memory involves a concert they threw in L.A., featuring Stuttering John's metal band, Entombed, members of Metallica and Gn'R, and headliners Pantera. The company I ran, Rock 'N' Roll Comics, had bought a piece of the sponsorship package, and we were there giving out free schwag to attendees and hanging out backstage with the bands.
My mom in Georgia - who passed away in 2004 after a long bedridden illness - took her last real vacation then, around 1993, where she finally got all the way to CA and to Hollywood for the first time ever. A longtime theater actress on the east coast, it was a journey she'd been planning and dreaming of all her life
It was nighttime when we drove her around Hollywood, before the concert, and she wanted to stop at the Ripley's Believe it Or Not Museum (she was into Fortean Times mag and strange phenomenon) - on the sidewalk, a very colorful "bum" tried to hustle money out of us with some fast crazy meth rap none of us could understand.
She laughed about it, but later on she told people back in GA her favorite part of the trip had been the VIP lounge of the heavy metal concert and watching the mosh pit from an upstairs lounge, comparing it to an Indian tribal ritual --- (She did enjoy Grauman's/Mann's Chinese Theatre and the footprints) ---
Tho Pantera was the headline band, she could never recall their name after the concert - I'd get several calls a year from her asking "Who was that Panther band I saw?" -
Usually when she'd call, I could hear nieces and grandkids and other youngsters in the background, oooing and awwing to find out this almost-70 year old lady had actually hung out at a Hollywood party with Pantera! The band dubbed her "Hard Rock Grandma" that night, as later emblazoned on a custom T-shirt for her.
So thanks for that, RIP Magazine! Even if I did almost get beat up by roadies for whipping out a mid-eighties glam-era Pantera photo and getting Dimebag and the boys to sign it for my mom --------
Here's the comic strip that got me fired by Larry Flynt --------------
************************************************
HANDS FREE - TROPHY WIFE WILL MARKET ANYTHING FOR A BUCK!
From producing Viewmaster reels to scratch-N-sniff flyers and custom Wheaties boxes, the self-marketing requirements of today’s music biz can result in some offbeat promo endeavors.
“We sell what we call a ‘hands-free cell phone device’ on eBay,” says Trophy Wife singer/guitarist Joe MacAskill, “which are really just headbands to hold the phone against your ear, with our band logo hand-drawn onto it.” The “devices” sell for $5 to $8.
“We’re just trying to market different, goofy things. We’ll sell them at our shows, maybe throw one in as an incentive to purchase a CD. It would be great to see someone driving around town with one on their head. I’m assuming the cops can’t give you a ticket, but I’m not brave enough to try it myself.”
Among the band’s other promotional ideas, “We bought a bunch of candles and put a picture of our album on them. We’re shooting a video soon, and we’re auctioning off guest spots in the video, and we also have Christmas cards we’re working on for this year.”
“At shows, we occasionally sell other bands’ old T-shirts or CDs.”
To help finance recording, MacAskill says “We have a program where people can invest. $25 gets you a CD before its release date and a pass to get into shows. For $100, you get to sing backup vocals on a song, and you get a mention in the credits. Let’s just hope those people can sing in key, or that they don’t make us look bad by singing better than we do.”
“We did try to auction off a date with Trophy Wife, but nobody bid! If CD sales don’t pick up, you may see us standing on the corner with Trophy Wife Car Wash signs.”
Formed in 2002, Trophy Wife have released an EP and two full-length albums, Kissing Hands and Shaking Babies (2005) and Rose-Scented Cuddle Moments(2008). They've opened for performers like White Denim, the National, Steve Poltz, the Farmers, and Flogging Molly.
Trophy Wife appears Saturday, September 26 at Java Joe's at Café Libertalia . Subscribe to this band's/performer's events: iCalendar | RSS
Related links
************************************************
HAPPY RON'S HAREM - LOVING SAN DIEGO'S MUSICAL LADIES
“Most of the women were involved with someone else, so I had to behave appropriately,” says Happy Ron Hill of the video shoot for his song “Pitter Patter,” which featured nine different San Diego women singers playing potential love interests. “Sometimes, I hate behaving appropriately.”
Dressed in a pimp-like purple suit and porkpie hat, Hill is seen in the video professing his love to all nine women, including Marcia Claire (as MC Bassalicious), Cathryn Beeks (Catastic Beats), Laura Kuebel (Laura Fab), Brooke Mackintosh (Brooklyn), Marie Haddad (The Marrying Type), Elizabeth Abbott (Tipsi Holiday), Alyssa Jacey (Alyssa Jacey Blue), Nancy McCartney Mestyanek (Sister Linkun), and Jenene Lambert (Neener). “All the women were at the shoot at the same time,” says Hill, “though many were late.”
“At one point, the cops drove up, saw the purple outfit and the women, and said ‘What are you doing?’ I felt awkward for a second, and then I realized we weren’t actually doing anything wrong.”
Happy Ron Hill debuted the video August 20 set at Lestat’s. The album it sprang from, Terribly Happy, has been nominated Best Local Recording at the 2009 San Diego Music Awards, to be held September 10 at Viejas.
"The announcements were made on Tim Pyle’s radio show live at The Casbah," says Hill. "I happened to be there and was shocked when they said they were going to announce the winners. I spent the next two hours being a nervous wreck and made so much noise when I got nominated that Tim interviewed me right there on the spot. Wish I got that on tape."
As for how he rounded up so many prominent local musicos, Hill says “As a native San Diegan I know lots of local women, and I know the most beautiful women in the world are here...the hard part is it they had to be beautiful AND SINGING women. Lots of women are beautiful, but singing - not so much.”
Asked about women who declined his invitation to appear, Hill doesn’t name names, but he does provide the top six excuses for NOT showing up:
“My car got stolen the day before.”
“The dolly to carry my harp broke.”
"I was too sad that day to be in a Happy video".
"I forgot"
"I had to work."
And finally ----- “I’m gay, not happy.”
(PHOTO L to R: Cathryn Beeks, Laura Kuebel, Elizabeth Abbott, Marcia Claire, Marie Haddad, Alyssa Jacey, Brooke Mackintosh, Nancy McCartney Mestyanek, Jenene Lambert - photo by Richard Pollard)
*********************************************
Cathryn Beeks AKA "Catastic Beats" www.cathrynbeeks.com
Laura Kuebel AKA Laura Fab www.laurakuebel.com
Elizabeth Abbott AKA Tipsi Holiday http://www.sandiegotroubadour.com/
Marcia Claire AKA MC Bassalicious www.myspace.com/marciaclaire
Marie Haddad AKA “The Marrying Type” www.myspace.com/mariehaddad
Alyssa Jacey AKA Alyssa Jacey Blue www.alyssajacey.com
Brooke Mackintosh AKA Brooklyn www.reverbnation.com/brooklynmack
Nancy McCartney Mestyanek AKA Sister Linkun www.myspace.com/foldingmisterlincoln
Jenene Lambert AKA Neener www.myspace.com/neenersplace2
***********************************************
THE ROCKETEER AND OTHER FAMOUS '80S COMICS BEGAN RIGHT HERE IN SAN DIEGO - Here's a detailed history of local Pacific Comics, who recruited comic superstars like Jack Kirby to create one of the first successful indie comic book lines. Pioneers in the fight for comic creators' rights and royalties, former employees and operators reveal how they did it, and what went so terribly wrong...
http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2007/sep/08/pacific-comics-the-inside-story-jay-allen-sanford
THE KOMPLETE KISS KOMIX KRONICLES - Comprehensive collection of stuff I’ve done about working with Kiss on a comic book series in San Diego, 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
ROCK 'N' ROLL COMICS: THE INSIDE STORY - In 1989, San Diego's 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
NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK VS REVOLUTIONARY COMICS - The inside story of how a hugely successful boy band tried to sue local-based Rock 'N' Roll Comics over an unauthorized biography of the group, sparking a court case that established, for the very first time, first amendment rights for comic books. Illustrated by comic superstar Stuart Immonen (Superman, etc.)...
http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2007/sep/13/new-kids-on-the-block-versus-revolutionary-comics
OVER A MILLION CARNAL COMICS ARE IN PRINT - Here's how and why we made some of the top-selling erotic comics of all time, right here in San Diego, including what Gene Simmons has to do with it all, backstage tales of porn stars, and more confessions of a comic pornographer...
http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2007/sep/08/carnal-comics-the-inside-story-jay-allen-sanfor
COMICS AND CENSORSHIP - DON'T BE AFRAID, IT'S ONLY A COMIC BOOK - A local-centric history of comic book censorship, and the fight for the rights of comic creators...
http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2007/sep/06/comics-and-censorship-a-local-centric-illustrated
TWILIGHT ZONE AND STAR TREK WRITER GEORGE CLAYTON JOHNSON PRESENTS - The inside story of a local horror comic book series featuring Robert Bloch, author of Psycho, plus sci-fi king Larry Niven, Zap Comix co-founder Spain Rodriguez, Matthew Alice artist Rick Geary, Vampire Lestat painter Daerick Gross, yours truly JAS, and many more...
http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2007/sep/05/deepest-dimension-terror-anthology-twilight-zone
THE BIRTH OF IMAGE COMICS: INSIDE STORY OF A LOCAL PUBLISHING POWERHOUSE - Illustrated tale revealing how Spawn creator Todd McFarlane and local comic artist Jim Lee (the Punisher, etc.) conspired to create the ultimate creator-owned comic books...
http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2007/sep/03/the-birth-of-image-comics-an-illustrated-history
Down the Slippery Slope - Arrested For the Crime of Viewing Manga
On March 30, 2004, when Dwight Whorley found the Japanese website of Fractal Underground Studio via Yahoo and clicked on a couple of the thumbnail images... ( http://comipress.com/special/miscellaneous/down-the-slippery-slope-the-crime-of-viewing-manga )
**********************************************
"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.
"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).
"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.
"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 Music on the Reader Website:
Find a Band
****************************************************
***************************************************
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
Happy anniversary to Hart and Carole Beeks, the coolest couple ever. We'll celebrate 50 years of them loving each other this weekend, 
