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! 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 RECENT Overheard in San Diegos

And a working draft of the background –

And a detail shot of the Elvises (Elvi?) ---

AND THE NEW Famous Former Neighbors

DAYGO BEST HIP-HOP COMPILATION

Hoping to combat the notion that hip-hop competition breeds violence, several local performers are banding together for a Best of Daygo City compilation album. “We’re shooting for 99 percent exclusives, stuff that’s never been out before,” says Chris at On Fyre Entertainment. “This will not be a mixtape. A fully-pressed and professionally packaged CD will be distributed through retailers, iTunes, Amazon, and CD Baby.”

So what’s the performer incentive to donate fresh tracks? “We’re not charging these artists $50 to $2,000, like mixtape DJs do. We also provide free promotional material, and the ability to purchase CDs in bulk, so they can resell on their own.”

Chris estimates pressing and promotion costs at around $2,000, which he’ll cover with partners Kayo and Young Mass. “The money will be raised through tax refunds, sales of Mass and Kayo albums in the streets, pimpin’, recycling, blood, sweat, and tears…just playing about that pimpin’ thing.”

 (Kayo)

So who gets Daygo’s Best proceeds? “The money will be invested into promoting musicians from San Diego, and to the production of the next compilation album.”

Confirmed contributors include Vokab Kompany, O.C.T./Outta-Control, James T. Powers (Clay Pigeons), Play B, Kitty, Shock G, Kayo, Young Mass, Parker and the Numberman (Pac 10), female rapper Vision, and Bucky Adams (who at this writing claims “40,904 CDs sold in the streets of SD”).

 (Young Mass)

“I represent all of San Diego, but I’m from Southeast,” says Kitty. “Everyone is out for self, because the biz is so tough to crack. So people feel that, if they help someone out, they’ll be outshined.”

Pacific Beach-based Vokab Kompany say they don’t mind donating a track. “We don’t really see it as a problem, nobody owes us anything,” according to an email from Burkey Baybe and Rob Hurt. “Complaining just attracts a temporary ear. Opportunity is there to be created…maybe when this is all said and done, we can be looked at as the ones to thank.”

“There aren’t too many people in San Diego I wouldn’t work with,” says Powers (who last month held most-downloaded slot on the Reader website).  “Though there are some people I’ve reached out to on numerous occasions who won’t give me the time of day. DJ Fingaz, get at me, haha!”

CATHRYN BEEKS MOOD SWINGS

 "My new cd MOOD SWING is almost done," reports Cathryn Beeks. "We started recording in late January at Berkley Sound, Jeff Berkley producing.  Matt and I laid down rough versions of around 20 "Game" songs I'd written over the past 3 years and we decided on 12 of those plus a Paul Simon cover and a few others."  

Since The Ordeal had never heard most of the songs, Beeks hired studio guys to expedite the process.  "I was pretty excited to work with Brian "Nucci" Cantrell and Rick Nash, they helped bring these songs to life.  I was also blessed to have guests such as Dennis Caplinger, John McBride, Wes Wilkes, Ben Moore, Earl Schreyer, The Grass Gypsys, Barbara Nesbitt, Steph Johnson, Lisa Sanders and Brown Sugar, Matt Hannifin, Becky Fleming, Bill Coomes and of course Jeff Berkley, The Reverend Stickman, Matt Silvia and Marcia Claire." 

According to Beeks, "These songs are the first I've recorded where words and music are mine so it's a deeply personal collection and really scary this time.  Despite the fear, this is my proudest work and I can't wait for you to hear it.  We're a week away from being ready for the next step which is mastering and duplicating and I find myself in the position many artists do around this time... I'm outa dough.   This last process can cost around 3 grand, especially with 15 songs.  I've been discussing this with other artists who have been in my predicatement and I'm totally inspired by their ideas of how they asked their fans for help." 

"I know things are tight for us all so please don't feel bad if you can't, but if you can help a little I would be incredibly appreciative.  Below are some ideas I borrowed from friends let me know if anything interests you." 

$20 - 2 copies of MOOD SWING when released in November ($30 value), name listed on website

$50 - 2 copies of MOOD SWING, name listed on website, 1 copy of Desert Music, Invitation for 2 to PRIVATE cd release event in November

$100 - 4 copies of MOOD SWING, name listed on website, 2 copies of Desert Music, Invitation for 4 to PRIVATE cd release event in November, name listed in CD liner notes

$500 - 10 copies of MOOD SWING, name listed on website, 5 copies of Desert Music, Invitation for 10 to PRIVATE cd release event in November, name listed in CD liner notes, life-time guest list pass to any Ordeal shows, option to "sponsor a song" on the cd for an additional $100 per song, gives you a percentage when we go big 

$1,000 - 20 copies of MOOD SWING, cd dedication, name listed on website, 10 copies of Desert Music, special guest (unlimited guest list) at our PRIVATE cd release event in November, life-time guest list pass to any Ordeal shows, "sponsor a song" of your choice, The Ordeal will play at your event, I'll pick you up from the airport, do your laundry and help you move.

"Thanks to Steph, Randi and Christopher Dallman for the ideas, inspiration and courage to ask for help.  Thanks to those who have donated their time and talent, like Art by Shano who donated her beautiful art for the cover.  Please let me know if you have any questions, suggestions or additional ideas.  If you can help, you can use www.PayPal.com to donate any amount to [email protected] and I'll post a thanks to you on the website.  Those interested in "sponsoring a song" will be able to review lyrics and preview parts of songs, for additional info on that and sponsorships of $100 or more, please contact me."

"Thanks for reading this and for your continued support.  Have a great week, hope to see you at a show." Cathryn

 CATHRYN BEEKS’ WEEKLY LISTEN LOCAL HOTSHEET  

 Don't forget Kristen Cusato's going away bash at The Waterfront this Sunday, July 19th!

That's it for this week, see you at a show!
Cathryn
ListenLocalsd.com

HOSTILE COMB-OVER SPLITTING - MEET RATS EYES

Hostile Comb-Over has announced it is playing its final show August 11 at the Radio Room. According to Hostile singer/guitarist John Cota, "I've started something new called Rats Eyes with Jason Blackmore from Sirhan Sirhan, Jimmy Armbrust from Louis XIV, and Gabe Serbian from The Locust."

FML SHOOTS FIRST VIDEO

 Folding Mr. Lincoln filmed their 1st music video to "Lay It All Down." They partnered with young filmmaker Geeta Malik of Shetani Films.  You can check her stuff here.

A MESSAGE FROM VANJA JAMES - "HELP SOME TALENTED KIDS MAKE A MUSIC VIDEO!"

"Trying to raise funds to help my 'kids' shoot a music video. They are ages 13, 13 and 17 and very talented. If we get 50 people to donate 10 bucks we will have reached our goal. Feel free to pass it on to anybody who you think would be interested in supporting a little girl who will (hopefully) be opening for Taylor Swift in a couple years. If we don't reach our goal of $500.00 - everybody gets their money back, its an honest deal!"

Fundable.com lets groups of people pool money to make purchases or raise funds.  Similar to online auctions, Fundable's collection pages are created by people who use the web site. Each page contains a description of how much money needs to be collected and what it will do.  Once enough pledges for a collection have been secured, Fundable turns them into real payments and sends the total to the collection's organizer.

FUNDRAISING - Aja Alycean's Music Video

http://www.fundable.com/groupactions/groupaction.2009-07-10.3820925936/groupaction_view

LAST CALL FOR LOCAL BANDS TO GET IN ON CMJ

This is the final week San Diego bands can apply to showcase at this year’s CMJ Music Marathon in NYC.

Here are the San Diego bands who applied using their Sonicbids accounts last year and were selected by CMJ to perform an official showcase: Crocodiles and Lady Dottie and the Diamonds - (http://www.sonicbids.com/LadyDottieandtheDiamonds)

Going back farther, here’s all the Sonicbids bands CMJ selected going back to 2005: http://www.sonicbids.com/Profile/PromoterProfile.aspx?account_id=12435 

Bands can apply here until midnight on Wed. 7/15: http://www.sonicbids.com/cmj

HIP-HOP BAND BACK FROM THE DEAD

A local “retired” hip-hop act, Kastle Vania, is back in the game, having called it quits after winning Best Hip-Hop at the 2002 SDMAs. Now calling themselves Kastle Creeps, their new album is slated to debut with a July 31 CD release party at Portugalia.

BANDS YOU SHOULD KNOW - SWINGIN' WITH THE APES

Apes of Wrath

• Where: The Casbah
• When: 7/11 - 2:00 p.m.

THESE MAY BE THE BEST MUSICAL COMMERCIALS YOU'LL SEE THIS YEAR!!!! Believe me, you've gotta checkemout ---- you'll thank me later! First, an amazing Budweiser commercial bringing to life a beloved Beatles cut, with the help of an entire city...

And here's the Pen Story, a commercial for Olympus, who says "We shot 60.000 pictures, developed 9,600 prints and shot over 1,800 pictures again. No post production! Thanks to all the stop motion artists who inspired us."

WOW, huh!!!!!!!

Now, here's local boy Scott Wilson doing the same photo animation thang one step better (IMO), with a stop motion wolf and pig, set to his rockin' tune "Too Tired" - "At first I photographed stop motion animation," says videographer Takeuchi Taijin. "And I displayed the photographs in my room and photographed it again. I used 1,300 printed pictures." The final 20 seconds of the vid will have you laughing out loud, I can almost guarantee -- Wilson earlier set the bar for local music videos with "Coffeehouse 101," featuring no less than 50 local luminaries ---

Related links

TODAY'S "WHAT THE F-CK" ALBUM COVER

This lil' '70s gem is actually a pretty good album, fulla witty power-pop akin to Alex Chilton or Loudon Wainwright, but the cover - and the poor guy's name, Pinkiny Canandy - is a homemade dimestore disaster. Most album browsers probably thought it was a promo for some Sid & Marty Krofft Saturday morning TV show like Kaptain Kool and the Kongs - the enclosed comic book actually illustrates the songs in short comic strips, but who could get past the cover enough to FIND it?? BTW, take away the paper "P" logo, and Prince wore a remarkably similar outfit in his early dayz opening for the Stones, albeit with a plantain banana stuck down his own Bedazzled shorties ---

PREVIOUS WTFs

Alright, who the f-ck requested Ken?!? Like Cher and Bono, he only needs one name - and one really bad suit. BTW, is that hair actually sculpted from wax?!

The scariest thing about this one is that there actually IS a limited edition iPod with a confederate flag design....that, and the fact that Johnny Rebel has sold around a half million records.

This one below is a triple-WTF ---- first, why call your band the Unicorns, unless you're only going for the 10 year-old girl market? (Yeah, I know about the Dave Gilmor-produced band Unicorn - they sucked, too). Second, shouldn't there be an effin unicorn somewhere in this colored-pencil "artwork"? (Which looks like something a 10 year-old girl drew on her school notebook, so maybe my first guess is correct). Finally, the album title itself - Who will cut our hair when we're gone? The members of this band now have their answer, and it's the same reply to the query "Who will buy our album?" ------ NOBODY!

That kid from Children of the Corn is 55 now and STILL trying to raise the devil, but people keep beating the crap outta his face...BTW, can anybody read what the logo actually says???

"Waiter, I want what he's having..."

So just how and why and did gospel singers the Louvin Brothers end up in Hell, and are we supposed to be scared of a cardboard cutout of Satan that looks drawn by Chuck Jones?

Eden Ahbez, Nature Boy -- is he wearing a sweater, or is that his chest hair? Oh, it's a sweater made OUT OF his chest hair...

Since when does Superman need a hairpiece and a dune buggy driven by a '70s porn star? Please tell me DC Comics sued this album outta existence...

And, in honor of the late, great Michael Jackson, here’s artwork from a comic book biography I did about him (which will be released soon by Bluewater Productions, the company behind the recent Oprah and Obama comic books) ---------------------

 THE SONY WALKMAN TURNS 30 THIS MONTH – a History of Portable Music Players

As children, we're warned not to talk to strangers. However, this doesn't seem to apply to adults. Take a plane, ride the bus, hop any trolley, and someone in the adjoining seat is likely to chat you up, on any number of subjects, up to and often including their entire life story-so-far.

You can bury your face in a book, put on sunglasses, put out anti-social attitude, even put off bathing and oral hygiene if you will. But the only universally recognized "Do Not Disturb" sign almost guaranteed to repel human interaction is a set of headphones attached to a visible or unseen "personal audio" device.

The grandaddy of portable stereos is the Sony Walkman, introduced 30 years ago, on July 1, 1979.

The machine was originally called the Soundabout Model TPS-L2 cassette player. Sony co-founder Akio Morita, in his autobiography, Made In Japan (E.P. Dutton, 1986), mentions bringing the prototype unit home. "I noticed my experiment was annoying my wife, who felt shut out," he says. This made him worry that his product would encourage selfishness or anti-social attitudes. "[I] thought it would be considered rude for one person to be listening to his music in isolation."

To downplay this isolation, the first Soundabout came with an orange button and two earphone jacks. Pushing the button fed sound into two headsets, so the wearers could talk to each other using optional microphones. Morita intended this feature as a "share" option, so that customers wouldn't feel cut-off from others around them.

However, this isolation proved to be the machine's most marketable feature. Surveys revealed that few customers utilized the orange button, so it was removed from subsequent models. The name was changed to Walkman and, immediately upon its release, users began retreating into their own private, solitary soundscapes.

"Individual Lifestyle enhancement" is a marketing key phrase at Sony. They and other manufacturers offer their portable players in hundreds of colors and designs, to reflect customers' personal taste and style in the same manner as fashion or jewelry accessories.

Sports models were colored bright yellow, to resemble scuba diving air tanks. The Outback Walkman was sandy colored with ribbed body texture.

In Europe, the Yppy came with a metallic finish signifying techno music's mechanical sheen, Japan had glow in the dark models, and players for the techie crowd were designed to resemble I-Mac computers.

Sony has produced more than 350 different Walkman models to date, topping the combined sales of all competing brands. Tho iPod sales are catching up….

Few dispute the convenience and appeal of portable players, but the headphones are another matter. "With regular speakers, sound goes through the air before it hits the ears, but open air lightweight headphones send the high frequencies directly into the ear canal without attenuation," notes audiologist David Perry.

"There was a study done at UCSD showing that people play their Walkmans at high volume,” according to Perry, “to drown out traffic or nearby conversation, and this increases the potential for hearing damage. When someone can't hear anything outside their headsets, they may be exposed to sound levels over 100 decibels...playing music that loud for as little as fifteen minutes can cause irreversible hearing damage."

With the rise of the Walkman, most local schools began including provisions in their student handbook forbidding students from tuning in their portable stereos and thus tuning out their academic environments.

Hector Gonzales, a substitute teacher in San Diego public schools, never hesitates to confiscate Walkmans or iPods (which he returns to students at the end of the school day). "When you wear them in public, headphones are anti-social devices [which] foster self-centered, elitist attitudes and prevent the kindling of conversation among fellow human beings. Especially with teenagers, who need as much social interaction as possible in order to be well adjusted adults. And they play [music] at such a high volume...anyone standing nearby can discern specific lyrics."

Shortly after talking to Gonzales, I come across a teenager - "Sammy" - seated at a bus stop on El Cajon Boulevard, though I hear him before I see him due to the volume of the music he's playing through his iPod headset. Once I coax him out from under the speaker pads, I ask whether he feels cut off from his surroundings when his "private" music is loud enough to drown out all outside noise.

"Some people give me dirty looks, but kids my age are into it. Like, if I see another guy [with a Walkman or iPod], we might start talking about what bands we're playing. So it's just the opposite as anti-social. It was a dude with a Walkman who turned me on to his Suicidal [Tendencies] CD, 'cause we swapped headsets to check out each others' tunes. That's a complete stranger, dude. The music's what got us talking."

Of course, some wear their personal music players not to tune in music but to tune out the rest of the world. "When I'm at the gym, I put on [this] headset but there's nothing playing," says Deborah Macey, whom I spot wearing headphones at a Family Fitness Center. This admission comes only after I prove my credentials as an inquiring reporter.

"I thought you were hitting on me. See, I put [the headset] on to keep away all the guys who come here just to use pickup lines. It actually backfires if I take them off too soon because some guys will take that as an opening to say 'hey, whatcha listening to?' Most of the time, there's not even a tape in the tapedeck. I call it my portable panty shield...it keeps guys from trying to get into my panties."

David Perry believes that Macey should always leave the music home while working out at the gym. "Exercise, especially aerobics and weight training, draws the blood flow to the limbs and away from the ears, and that takes away some of the inner ear's protection from vibration. Even with music played at half volume, the risk of hearing loss is much higher during exercise. If you must listen to something during these activities, spoken voice recordings or talk radio is your best bet, as long as you can still hear normal conversation going on outside the headsets as well."

Techno Sweat CEO Rick L. Frimmer has a different opinion about personal player workout music. His Carlsbad company sells music downloads and CDs remixed at various BPMs (Beats Per Minute), designed to assist athletes in training. “This isn’t Sweatin’ To The Oldies,” he says.

“Most of our songs are available at five different speeds, geared for different types of workouts, like aerobic, cardio, [and] treadmill training.” Continuous play music programmed at speeds from 128 BPM to 155 BPM average $5.99 to $8.99, with a 30-minute sample download running $5.99.

The BPM-sculpted music comes from four sources: Techno Sweat originals by Israeli composer/performer Silicon Monk, licensed music from established artists (Metallica, Tears For Fears, Gnarls Barkley, others), songs submitted by the performers themselves for remixing, and prerecorded music submitted by athletes wanting to reprogram BPMs in their favorite workout songs.

Performers who submit music get a licensing fee and a credit on downloads and CDs; a submission form is available at technosweat.com. As for prerecorded music submitted by athletes who want their favorite songs speeded up or slowed down, Frimmer says no licensing in necessary. “Those [CDs and downloads] are custom recorded for the customer…we don’t run multiple copies of their workout setlist and sell them to other people, so we don’t need [to arrange licensing with] the original performers.”

Providing music for athletes is a growing industry. Nike sells running shoes with a music transmitter and are working with Apple on a workout chart designed for iPods. Oakley designer sunglasses offer a sports model with a built-in MP3 player. Swim goggles by Finis can be purchased with an underwater MP3 player.

The jury is still out as to whether wearing HEADPHONES while working out to music is more damaging to your hearing.

On the premise that headphones isolate wearers and prevent them from hearing important sirens, threatening engine noise and car horn warnings, California's Vehicle Code section 27400 states that "No person operating any motor vehicle or bicycle shall wear any headset covering, or any earplugs in, both ears."

The prohibition doesn't apply to hearing aids or "molds that are designed to attenuate injurious noise levels," such as those worn by construction and highway workers and refuse collectors regularly exposed to excessive noise.

The code is rarely enforced, although bicyclists sometimes find themselves cited. "It's not very fair, because there's no law against deaf people riding bikes," argues Jeremy Porter of Senior Spokes, a North County cycling club. "Earmuffs, the kind you use to keep your ears warm, aren't illegal to wear on a bike or in a car, but they 'cover both ears' and drown out a lot more sound [than headphones]. There is one good reason not to wear headphones [while bicycling]. If someone else hits you, it's a lot harder to collect from the other guy's insurance company if you get into an accident with headphones on! They'll say it was your fault because you couldn't hear what was going on around you!"

Porter points out that car manufacturers brag about how soundproof it is inside their vehicles. "By comparison, wearing headphones doesn't block out nearly as much sound as the closed windows and soundproofing in a new Lexus. Walkman headphones are optimized for frequency bandwidths from around 600 hz to 3000 hz. That's about the same as the average speaking voice. Noise at frequencies outside this range can be heard easily through the speaker pads, as long as the headphones aren't played to loud. Lightweight open-air mini-headphones aren't going to block out the sound of a siren or a car horn or even a barking dog."

Porter says he listens to rock music with his Walkman while bicycling to and from his job five days a week, logging nearly fifty hours a week on the road. "I find that the foam pads [on headset speakers] actually block out the noise of wind whistling past my ears, and that makes it easier for me to hear cars coming up behind me, not harder."

Porter was cited for bicycling while wearing headphones, and he says the policeman who pulled him over suggested removing one speaker from his headset. "Now if you wear headphones so the speaker pads cover only one ear...that's technically legal but dangerous. The covered ear gets desensitized and sound reaching the uncovered ear gets priority delivery to the brain. When a noise originates from out of your vision range, from behind you for instance, your perception of the sound's source location is altered. It's a lot easier to tell where a sound is coming from with both ears covered than with just one ear listening to music."

"Walkman headphones don't impair hearing any more than eyeglass rims impair sight, or scarves impair the ability to smell."

Porter chose not to argue these points in a courtroom and instead paid a $200.00 fine for his traffic infraction. "Now I wear my headphones under a pullover wool hat when I bicycle. Ironically, the wool cap isn't illegal, but it blocks outside sound a lot more than my headphones."

As for wearing headsets while listening to private music on the job, some studies indicate that allowing employees to do so increases productivity and boosts workplace morale - and eliminates arguments over what music should be played aloud.

In one study of organizational behavior, 75 out of 256 workers of a retail sales company listed to personal stereos on the job for four weeks. They showed a 10-percent increase in productivity compared to co-workers. "They do seem to be more comfortable and relaxed," said Paul Wilson, a safety specialist for the U.S. Postal Service. "They can wear headsets as long as they're not around moving equipment. And we tell them not to turn them up too loud. We don't want them to go deaf."

(1998 Model WM-EX170)

As iPods become the norm for portable music players, the Walkman and related devices are seen less and less. Today, cassette machines similar to the original $200.00 Soundabout sell for as little as $20.00, some with radio tuners or recording functions, and models now play DAT (Digital Audo Tape), CDs (the Discman), minidiscs and MP3 files (Sony's Memory Stick Walkman and IBM's Diamond Rio).

Sony still ships around 10 million Walkmans annually, taking about 25% of the total portable music player market. The Walkman's 30th anniversary is being celebrated by the release of all-in-one limited-edition chrome-finished and gold-plated versions, with remote controls, digital displays, and designed to be only slightly larger than the CDs and cassettes they will play along with MP3 files.

In 2001, Sony released the Walkman SRF-S84 transistor radio and began producing portable music players capable of supporting electronic files. The NW-A series Walkman is a digital music player available in 6, 8, and 20 gigabyte versions, all working (as of 2008) from a Windows media format.

(Sony NM-A1000 SixGB MP3 player)

Sony also has video MP3 players available, like the Walkman A 800/A810 series. In 2008, the company unveiled its A720 and A820 series in the U.S. There’s also a series of music-centred mobile phones, marketed under the Sony Ericsson brand.

 However, in the new digital age, iPods are now the best-selling choice for portable music, with countless peripheries available or in production, including home stereo ports, iPod hookups in planes and hotel rooms, etc etc etc.

There’s even a new iPod designed for senior citizens, with enlarged display fields and pre-loaded with up to 500 songs from the era of 78 RPM vinyl records (kids, look ‘em up on Wikipedia….)

Me, I still haven’t even replaced my favorite vinyl with CDs yet….and now it looks as though CDs are yet another dying technology.

Betcha I can find a used Walkman pretty cheap, tho -------------

"He's a statue with a Walkman.

Actually he's lying down.

Statue with a Walkman,

butterflies upon his crown.

Pretty boy, pretty rooster, pretty sound."

(Statue with a Walkman, by Robyn Hitchcock - Sequel Records, 1995)

WHY THE PORN INDUSTRY DESERVES TO DIE - A BRIEF ESSAY 

Modern day porn movies are notorious for their ridiculous and idiotic titles. Looking at a porn star's list of film names would have been funny to me a few years ago - now, it's just sad and disturbing to realize that such low common-denominator basement-level trashiness serves as some lovely young lady's "resume." Looking at such a list makes me think the porn industry deserves the virtual death it's experiencing circa 2009 -

(4th Avenue Pussycat Theater downtown, circa 1979)

There's nothing sexy or "outlaw" about today's porno movies - it's such a far cry from the early days of so-called porno chic, when patronizing a porn theater (let alone working in the porn industry) was a radical, brave, and even socio-political act.

Perhaps '70s porn only achieved "a PATINA of mainstream Hollywood respectability," as porno cheerleader Bill Margold said in Carnal Comics' Triple-X Cinema Cartoon History. But at least many of those filmmakers and performers ASPIRED for something more, for something elevated and outlaw and unseen in our then-repressive society. Some of them even succeeded. Now that the leash has been off all these years, all the pornsters aim for is pissing down the basement steps.

 The reason porn has become unprofitable isn't necessarily because of its free proliferation on the internet. The reason is because 99 percent of this hideous stuff really IS worthless, in every sense of the word. I pity the people still churning out this crap, and I fear for the dispositions of their souls if they don't knock it off, whether by choice, inspiration, circumstance, luck, or by being forced to quit by the continuing collapse of the porn industry and an ability to make money at it -

 I still have fond memories of the original wave of porn theaters and films, and I marvel at photos and recollections of the Times Square Pussycat era - entire city blocks full of flesh palaces, with giant marquees touting sex, sex, and more sex.

It was a necessary and utterly exciting time and manner in which to throw off so many societal shackles. But we have (hopefully) moved on and far past all that - the porn wars were won way back when Nixon failed to federalize a national obliteration of porn.

Now, the porn industry SHOULD be relegated to the relevance of ancient Rome's vomitoriums, or blacksmith shops, or milkmen, Fuller brush door-to-door salesmen, and so many other once worthy and necessary endeavors that are now useless (or even dangerous) in our modern society.

 Since everybody has a camera in their phones now, and anyone can upload to the net, let them film themselves having sex and load up YouPorn or Pornhub or Pornotube or any of the other half million free porn sites, and we can all watch each other screwing if we want to. For free. No "industry," no "porn stars."

If you think about it, that should have been the aim of porn all along - giving sexual freedom (and the freedom to watch sex) back to the people. To everyone. Not just to 60s hipsters with film projectors in their basements, or 70s adventurers lucky enough like me to stumble thru ShowWorld in Time Square, or to the first early 80s VCR fans whose demand launched the video age (driven, of course, by porn). The internet has achieved this leveling of the playing field.

Now it's time to retire everyone's number - Damiano, Chambers, Lovelace, and my old boss/Pussycat Theatre founder Vince Miranda are dead. The porn industry is almost dead. But sex will always be #1 on the hit parade, as it was long before porno films and as it will be long after people finally refuse to pay salaries to dimwits and lowlifes and creatively bankrupt misogynists doing what all people do anyway - have sex. The sexual revolution has been won, or at least nearly so (the final battle probably being over gay marriage).

Sex can finally go back to being just that - sex. Not porn. Film it if you want, watch the film if you prefer, but building an industry or a career around just cinematic/videographic sex? Give mercenary sex-for-cash back to the prostitutes and pimps who can no longer delude themselves into adopting alterna-titles like "porn stars" and "movie directors."

Sex will always sell, but porn - which is at best a mere funhouse reflection of sex - deserves to go the way of the vomitorium (and don't even get me started about the many similarities between those two outdated, useless, and ultimately unhealthy institutions) ----

6-27-09 - JAS

Freeworld Rockin' by Jay Allen Sanford Phil Bellante comes from a long line of politically aware, socially relevant, musically adroit, and vocally unpredictable singer-songwriters like Neil Young, Harry Nilsson, Perry Farrell, Bruce Springsteen, and their ... (more Freeworld Rockin' )

AS I LAY DYING JOINS THE "LIMITED EDITION COLLECTOR'S SHIRT" CLUB

 Blabbermouth reports: Specialty clothing line Malus Clothing has released a collaboration t-shirt with San Diego metallers AS I LAY DYING based on the band's last album, An Ocean Between Us. The shirt is available currently for a one-time-only run on Malus' web site and can be ordered at this location.

AS I LAY DYING's first-ever DVD This Is Who We Are sold 4,200 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 2 on the Top Videos chart. It also debuted at No. 3 in Canada, where the DVD has already shipped platinum.

AS I LAY DYING has appeared on Taste Of Chaos, Ozzfest, headlined the 2006 Sounds Of The Underground Tour, Cornerstone, Bamboozle 2006 and just about every significant hard music festival around the globe. With "This Is Who We Are", AS I LAY DYING steps into new territory by releasing its first-ever DVD consisting of three discs produced and directed by Denise Korycki (CANNIBAL CORPSE's "Centuries of Torment" DVD) that provide viewers with live performances and a complete AS I LAY DYING audio and visual history.

"It's hard to believe that we've been a band for as long as we have yet have never released an official DVD documenting our first seven years," said vocalist Tim Lambesis. "As a result, we've included so much content that you hardly have to like our music to be entertained. With that said, it feels good knowing how many diehard fans over the years have supported our band and their simple enjoyment of our music has given us the chance to see the world!"

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=122331

NEWS SHORTS

July 3: Stone Temple Pilots kicked off their U.S. tour at the Los Angeles' House of Blues during the inaugural St. Jude Rock'n'Roll Hope Show. Spin (by way of www.antimusic.com) has a review of the show here

PREVIOUS SHORTS THIS WEEK:

Herb Cohen, former record executive and manager for Tom Waits has sued journalist Barney Hoskyns and Random House, his publisher, for $1 million over claims allegedly made in Hoskyns' "Lowside of the Road, A Life of Tom Waits." Cohen also had a lot to do with the early career of sometime San Diego street icon Wild Man Fischer, who often said that Cohen "derailroaded" his career (a term later used as the title of a Fischer documentary film)... (more)

A brand new Megadeth track entitled "Headcrusher" is available for listening by calling Megadeth mainman Dave Mustaine's number (866.597.6342) at TheLiveLine, a service he launched that enables musicians to connect to their audience over the phone. (more)

Spin.com and antimusic.com reports: Three former members of goth rock stars Evanescence, all booted from the group over the years by frontwoman Amy Lee, are joining forces for a new band -- and they've tapped American Idol finalist Carly Smithson to contribute lead vocals.

Dublin-born Smithson, who finished sixth in the 2008 season of American Idol, joins ex-Evanescence guitarist/songwriter Ben Moody, guitarist John Lecompt, and drummer Rocky Gray in their new band, ORIGINALLY announced as being called the Fallen - more on this story

BUT...the band's name has changed to We Are The Fallen, thanks to a cease-and-desist letter from a Philadelphia band already called The Fallen. more on this and a preview of the new Alice in Chains.

MTV reports: It seemed too good (or bizarre) to be true, though with Blink-182 you never can be sure. Did Blink-182 schedule a one-off gig at a Cleveland nail salon?

That's what it said on the tour page of the band's Interscope Records site, which — for reasons not clear to anyone — showed the guys appearing at Alice's International Salon & Spa on July 10, nearly two weeks before their tour was officially scheduled to kick off in Las Vegas.

Obviously, this got Blink fans buzzing. Imagine catching Mark, Tom and Travis while luxuriating in a seaweed hydration wrap, or getting a French mani-pedi! And doing it all in beautiful Cleveland! - Sadly, it turns out the spa date wasn't legit - click here for more.

Billboard reports: It looks like Adam Lambert's debut album may not be released on 19 Recordings/RCA after all.

Sources confirm to Billboard.com that an album's worth of tracks Lambert co-wrote and recorded before "Idol" will be released in the summer by Hi Fi Recordings and Wilshire Records.

Entitled "On With The Show," the album is slated for release in the summer, months before Lambert's debut on 19/RCA is expected to drop. - more details 

Pinback have announced a tour of the US and Canada, scheduled to kick off October 17 in Tempe, AZ (more)

So it's only natural that eventually similar minded multi-facted artists including both legends such as Flaming Lips, Frank Black, Stephen Perkins of Janes Addiction, Dandy Warhols, Snowden, and newer buzzworthy acts A Place to Bury Strangers, War Tapes, and Blakq Audio pay their respect to a band whom had influenced their style. Indeed, it all does circle back into one big ball of confusion. - more on this story

 WHAT I'M WATCHING...

IMDB synopsis: - A fashion model moves into a house inhabited (on the top floor) by a blind priest. She begins having strange physical problems, has trouble sleeping at night, and has some nasty flashbacks of her attempted suicide. She complains to the real estate agent of the noise caused by her strange neighbors, but finds out that the house is only occupied by the priest and herself, and ultimately discovers that she has been put in the house for a reason.

Boy, 1977's the Sentinel is better than I remembered. When I saw it new in theaters as a young teen, I didn't have the patience for the very gradual buildup, and I don't even remember most of the flick. It was a treat to finally re-watch, and see so many later stars like Chris Walken, Jeff Goldblum, and Beverly D'Angelo, not too mention old Hollywood faves like Burgess Meredith, Ava Gardner, and John Carradine.

 IMDB synopsis: Hazel (Carol Baker) runs a beauty salon out of her house, but makes extra money by providing ruthless women to do hit jobs. K.T. is a parasite, and contacts Hazel looking for work when he runs out of money. She is reluctant to use him for a hit, since she prefers using women, but decides to try him on a trial basis. Meanwhile, the local cop she pays off wants an arrest to make it look like he's actually doing his job, but she doesn't want to sacrifice any of her "associates." Several other side plots are woven in, populated with characters from the sleazy side of life.

 I've seen Carroll Baker from the original Lolita get pretty scuzzy in other movies late in her career, but this one was a shocker. And what a trip to see Susan Tyrell - who I just recently watched in the early Oingo Boingo brothers cult flick Forbidden Zone - as the lone "good guy" in the whole flick (well, until she drops her mongoloid baby in shock from finding Baker's corpse). 

  RTN - the Retro TV Network - has been airing Night Gallery half hour eps each weeknight, and tonight's was one I don't remember seeing before, "Brenda" - turns out Thriller/Zone vet Doug Heyes scripted it, but under a pseudonym.

 Heyes did some of the greatest Twilight Zone eps, like the fondly remembered "Eye of the Beholder," but I'm particularly a fan of his work on Boris Karloff's Thriller, like the "Hungy Glass" episode with Shatner and Russell "Professor" Johnson - even horror author King has said it was one of the most terrifying things he remembers seeing on TV.

 (SPOILER PARAGRAPH) The girl is so wacked out that she imagines some kind of love affair with the creature, which sounds silly to type but actually made for a compelling ep, the way the actress played out a year in her character's skewed and psychotic life, managing to seem as if she's grown up when she returns to her monster's island, only to quickly crack back up into the whacked out lonely girl who may either marry or be eaten by her man-thing.

 Whether or not you're a fan of Will Ferrell...Try Stranger Than Fiction sometime! Seemingly loosely inspired by "Secret Cinema," an obscure cult film by Paul "Eating Raoul" Bartel, Ferrell's character suddenly hears an unseen narrator telling his life story, with foreshadowing and hints of worrisome events to come. Ferrell seeks out Dustin Hoffman, who has written about writing and seems to understand that Ferrell is a character in a story and must do certain things that adhere to certain narrative structures.

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

 One of the more interesting aspects of the movie is how Ferrell's obsessive compulsive disorder is actually illustrated by bits of animations that show us how his compartmentalized mind is working - surprisingly fine little film that few seem to have heard of, let alone seen.

 Cloverfield FAR exceeded my expectations! It wasn't an A-plus effort but, having heard nothing but "yuck" reviews, I was amazed I liked it as much as I did. Perhaps the whole jiggly camera thing isn't so annoying on a little screen - I imagine in a theater I would have needed dramamine pills to handle all the jerking around. 

 But on a TV screen, I thought it was a unique and entertaining way to tell a story - showing a huge event like a monster tearing down NYC, but focused thru a tiny handheld camera lens.

 I like that the movie doesn't cheat you out of at least one long, slow, intensely closeup look at big ol' Clover.

 STRIPPER POKER - LOCAL INTERNET CAFE WITH PORN CONNECTION SPECIALIZES IN ONLINE GAMING

BUT IS IT LEGAL?

The low key sign above an otherwise indistinguishable strip mall shop at 6311 University Avenue reads Lucky Internet Cafe, wherein patrons access internet time by purchasing a card that reads “Lucky JOLAR Internet Cafe.” Swiping the cash-reloadable cards (average $20 each) in any of the twenty-four computer terminals opens a startup screen with various internet gaming options, each accessing a website where customers can place bets and – if they win – collect their cash on-site from a Café staffer.

 “Jolar” – which only appears on the internet card, not the Café sign - also happens to be the name of the X-rated peep show arcade and strip club next door at 6321 University, wherein women perform nude shows for individuals in “Private Talk Show” booths.

 Both Jolar and the Lucky Internet Café are operated by longtime local smut peddler Harry Mohney, once called by the Meese Commission the second biggest pornographer in the U.S. Having gained notoriety over a $14 million tax bill and serving a three year prison stretch for tax evasion, Mohney founded and runs the Deja Vu Showgirls chain of strip clubs, as well as operating Larry Flynt’s Hustler Clubs.

Jolar, a combination porn shop, peep show arcade, and strip club, opened on Broadway downtown in 1978, before moving to its present location near College and University in 1983. Mohney’s other local porn endeavors have included everything from 8mm peep show arcades in the ‘70s to x-rated film production (Caribbean Films) at his La Costa home on 2520 La Costa Avenue in the ‘80s. In the mid-'80s, Jolar was taking in from $12,000 to $20,000 per week, much of that in peep show quarters.

 More recent local porn businesses operated locally by Mohney include the Déjà Vu Love Boutique in El Cajon (run by one of Mohney's sons) and the Barnett Superstore near the airport, with the latter locale featuring the same Talk Show Booths (and many of the same Live Nudes) found at Jolar on University.

Of Mohney’s current local business interests, the Lucky Internet Café may be the one most scrutinized by authorities. With all its computers set on internet games like blackjack, keno, poker, and electronic slots, are patrons just buying internet time, or are they gambling? Does sale of the Lucky Jolar swipe cards qualify as a legal sweepstakes, or illegal betting? If the gaming sites themselves are illegal, as alleged by most federal interpretations of current law, is the Lucky Internet Café aiding and abetting illegal gambling by setting all their computers on such sites?

What about the Café paying off the winners on-site – does that qualify the Café as an unlicensed (and illegal) casino? Which business is the customer patronizing - and collecting their winnings from - the website, the Café, or both?

Is even naming itself “Lucky” on the sign out front perhaps Mohney’s bid to attract gaming clientele, rather than the coffee slurping MySpace surfers found at internet cafes where the startup screens AREN’T all loaded with onramps to gambling websites?

 In the past, Mohney has circumvented local vice-related ordinances by creatively and aggressively challenging the letter of the laws. In 1985, the City changed the rules for peep-show establishments, as defined in section 33.3302, division 33 of the municipal code, stating that businesses licensed for booths had to screen at least 51 percent non-X-rated material in order to keep their operational licenses.

Instead of shutting down the peeps, as probably intended, the ordinance resulted in Mohney’s booths running whatever non-X film stock his managers could find, including cartoons and old boxing films. The ordinance was later challenged and defeated, having done little but create porn shops rocking to the sounds of both cinematic sex and Elmer Fudd singing “Kill Da Wabbit.”

 The following year, the city’s vice department began requiring x-rated peep show operators to remove all doors that might hide activities being conducted within. Vice enforced the rule by citing or arresting any employees found on a premises lacking doors on the booths.

Jolar lawyer George Haverstock advised Mohney to install swinging saloon style half-doors that barely managed to meet the new requirements, while still hiding booth activities from prying eyes, including vice cops, successfully keeping the matter tied up in the courts for years.

Mohney has spent a lot of time in court himself. Aside from countless criminal complaints, and the 14 million dollar tax bill that sent him to prison upstate in Boron, he's been sued a number of times, most notably by former mistress and porn star Gail Palmer, with whom he produced the successful "Candy" series of porn films.

The space at 6311 University housing the Lucky Internet Café was formerly home to a Metabolife dealership, an operation that experienced its own protracted set of legal problems. The entire half-block strip mall, which has also housed thrift stores, a check cashing store, and a pizza parlor, is owned by one of Mohney’s companies.

The California Attorney General’s office is looking into the legality of online gaming at internet cafes, as is the local District Attorney’s office, according to Channel 10 news report aired on June 11.

FOR THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE ARTICLE EVER DONE ON HARRY MOHNEY'S PORN EMPIRE, SEE THIS READER FEATURE:

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

WHY CHUCK CAN'T HEAR

“Back then, we were always looking for number 11 on the loudness dial,” says Chuck Lapinsky, a working drummer for over 40 years until hearing loss forced his retirement. “We didn’t use ear protection, because it was seen as a sign of weakness. Boy, how wrong we were.”

“When my music career started in Chicago and the midwest, our stage monitors and amps were as large as possible. That’s what people wanted, and I wore a complete headset onstage for many years. In retrospect, that was a really bad decision.” Audiologists now believe that headsets focus damage to the ear’s cochlea, resulting in Tinnitus and other hearing ailments.

Today, Lapinsky shoots photographs around town (www.myspace.com/chuckl2432), a gig that still finds him working at concerts. “The ear protection much better than in the past,” he says. “I use regular earplugs in front of the stage, and I keep that time to a minimum. I do a lot of shooting from onstage right or left, or backstage when I’m able to get access. I also use a zoom that lets me back off a bit. If it gets too loud, I take a break.” He says he’s only drummed “a handful of times” over the past few years.

Musicians who’ve talked publicly about hearing loss include Ike Turner, Pete Townshend, Lars Ulrich, Bob Mould, and Dave Pirner of Soul Asylum.

  “There’s no cure for Tinnitus or hearing loss,” warns otolaryngologist Dr. Sam Levine. He recommends being tested by an audiologist at the first sign of hearing difficulty or damage. “Your ears are trying to tell you something. That ringing is the scream of your hair cells dying.”

Related links

THE DAY TORI ROZE ALMOST MET GWEN STEFANI (PLUS, HOW A LOCAL THEATER GROUP ALMOST BECAME THE FIRST SNL CAST)...

This week’s new issue has a Musician Interview with songstress Tori Roze ("Like Stank on Erykah"). We had no space to include her entertaining brush with entertainment royalty, but here ‘tis below -----

“I used to call my car the No Doubt Mobile, aptly named because it was covered in a plethora of No Doubt garb, fully inclusive of a key chain dangling from the rearview that I made, with Gwen Stefani’s mug right in the middle of it. When I was 18, I was going to Melrose in L.A. to meet up with my boyfriend at a restaurant called Johnny Rocket’s. I found the restaurant, looked for the closest parking, and managed to park myself directly in front of a pine green Jaguar.”

“As I got out, a man from the Jaguar popped out who bore a striking resemblance Gavin Rossdale [Stefani’s husband]. Upon finishing lunch, I told my boyfriend that we should go back to my car to see if it was really him. So as we approach my car, not only do we see Gavin but, oh no, Gwen Stefani and her entire family were taking pictures on the front lawn of her brother’s house! I just kinda stood there in shock, looking like a complete fool with my No Doubt Mobile accidentally parked dead in front of Gavin and Gwen’s Jaguar. Talk about fate. I must have looked like a complete stalker.”

“I stood next to Gavin and asked him how it was going, but Gwen was very reluctant to cross the street and get in the car where he and I were standing. I’m sure he told her about seeing my car an hour prior, and there I was, faux stalker extraordinaire, looking so starstruck that my boyfriend ended up ditching me. Being the considerate and oh-so-cool person that I am, I walked away like it was no big deal, so that Gwen could feel comfortable about getting into her car. But I know they both sat in that car behind my bad-ass No Doubt Mobile and talked about me for the next five minutes.”

 Also, Tori’s Mom (who plays in Tori’s band) revealed some fascinating back info about Indian Magique, a theater group that won the Canadian Emmy for Best Comedy Show in 1977. Both Tori’s parents were involved with the troupe, which played a large part in launching the San Diego rep and ALMOST became the first cast of Saturday Night Live…

"It was a sketch variety show ala Saturday Night Live for Metro Productions. We wrote for it and Bernard Baldan, Franz Muhr, & Ralph Steadman starred in it. Indian Magique was the precursor to what is now the Rep. The Rep would not even exist if it hadn't been for Christopher R - Tori's dad. He brought Sam Woodhouse and Doug Schmidt, the now-recognized, established directors, into the company.”

“This same ensemble performed at a number of the Comedy Stores, was invited to perform on The Tonight Show by Victor Buono when he was hosting. Got canned for a flawed demotape viewed at the last minute by the talent coordinator for the show, and missed an opportunity for doing SNL as a result."

Tori further explains “Indian Magique was a band of hippies coming together doing theatrically innovative everything. You name it, they did it and well. They had a lot of potential; however, they sadly lost the opportunity to become SNL before it even existed, due to a flaw in their reel because the wrong tape had been put in the right hands. They were essentially the answer to what was being sought by the masses. in a time where the collective consciousness was picking up what they were putting down.”

Related links

• Musician Interview: "Like Stank on Erykah"
• www.myspace.com/toriroze 

Upcoming Shows

• The Bitter End, Thursday, July 9
• U-31, Wednesday, July 22

SLIGHTLY STOOPID, BLAZED, AND CONFUSED

Mickey Avalon is the latest act to join co-headliners Slightly Stoopid and Snoop Dogg, along with Stephen Marley, on this summer’s not-to-be-missed Blazed And Confused tour.

Reggae-influenced punkers Slightly Stoopid embarked on their first headlining run of US amphitheaters last summer and will continue supporting their 2008 album, Slightly Not Stoned Enough to Eat Breakfast Yet Stoopid. The record, which marks the group's ninth release, includes outtakes, rarities and "brand new studio joints."

Additional shows at Bicentennial Park in Miami, FL on Saturday, August 1 and the St. Johns County Fairgrounds in Saint Augustine, FL on Sunday, August 2 have been added to the itinerary.

7/10 Primm, NV Star of the Desert Arena
7/11 Irvine, CA Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
7/12 Santa Barbara, CA Santa Barbara Bowl
7/14 Albuquerque, NM Journal Pavilion
7/15 Denver, CO Red Rocks Amphitheatre
7/17 Portland, OR Memorial Coliseum
7/18 George, WA The Gorge Amphitheatre
7/19 Boise, ID Idaho Center Amphitheater
7/20 Salt Lake City, UT USANA Amphitheatre
7/22 Vancouver, BC Pacific Coliseum
7/24 Mountain View, CA Shoreline Amphitheatre
7/25 San Diego, CA Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre
7/30 Atlanta, GA Masquerade Music Park
7/31 St. Petersburg, FL Vinoy Park
8/1 Miami, FL Bicentennial Park
8/2 Saint Augustine, FL St. Johns County Fairgrounds
8/5 Columbia, MD Merriweather Post Pavilion
8/6 Holmdel, NJ PNC Bank Arts Center
8/7 Philadelphia, PA Festival Pier at Penn’s Landing
8/8 Boston, MA Comcast Center

SAN DIEGO MUSIC 4 A CAUSE - FOR THE CRITTERS

  "Basically we're just two girls seeking out ways to contribute back," says Brooke Haggerty, who with Carissa Buschle founded San Diego Music 4 A Cause. "Focusing here on the community in San Diego, we aim to raise awareness on animal rights issues. Our goal is to support local organizations while showcasing the San Diego bands we all love. If you're interested in supporting our cause or having us support yours, message us!"

Haggerty met Buschle on Election Day 2008, while both were campaigning for Proposition 2. "Carissa works for Greenpeace, an independent global campaigning organization that acts to change attitudes and behavior, to protect and conserve the environment and to promote peace."

  "I work for the Animal Protection and Rescue League, a local nonprofit organization which works to expose animal cruelty behind closed doors, educates the public on animals issues through outreach campaigns, and works with policymakers to implement humane change!"

"We share a love for the local music scene, and we quickly saw an amazing way to connect San Diego musicians with the local organizations fighting for humane and social change. Our goal is to support local organizations while showcasing the San Diego bands we all love, with the support from local venues."

"Right now we are planning a benefit show for APRL's SealWatch campaign. It will be at the Beauty Bar on El Cajon. We are also hoping to hold another benefit show at the Ruby room soon after. We have a number of bands excited to contribute to the cause, and so we have yet to solidify the line-ups and dates."

"We are working on posting a set schedule. In the meantime, APRL will have a booth at the upcoming Ocean Beach Street Fair, Saturday June 27th. We would love to chat with anyone interested in becoming involved."

 "Bands interested in playing a benefit show can contact us via myspace, and we will get in touch!" http://www.myspace.com/sdmusic4acause

Animal Protection and Rescue League - www.aprl.org --- Animal Acres - www.animalacres.org --- San Diego Animal Advocates - www.animaladvocates.org --- San Diego Green Peace - www.greenpeace.org/usa --- Guide Dogs of the Desert International - www.guidedogsofthedesert.org --- HandicappedPets.com - www.handicappedpets.com

LOCALS YOU SHOULD KNOW

  The Secret Seven, with Zachary Goode of of the Weezer parody band Geezer, made their live debut in late April, 2009, at the Whistle Stop. "We're done tracking guitar, bass, and drums for fourteen original songs," said Goode at the time. "Vocals and overdubs are up next..."

 Staring at Strange is fronted by Kelly Eismann, who was classically trained and is said to have a three-octave range. She sang with her father’s jazz groups before making her way through various punk and metal bands.

I rarely post video to this blog, but this tune "Sex With Ducks" is the best and funniest video I've seen in at least a year, since I came across White Gold doing "Is It Me Or Do You Love My Hair"!!

And, what the hell, here's the aforementioned White Gold vid --------

For the inside WTF-scoop on White Gold, checkout http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2009/apr/18/saturday-round-town-plus-lost-local-supergroups-ma

DELTA SPIRIT'S WORST AND WEIRDEST GIGS

Jon Jameson of Delta Spirit recently told LAist about the band's worst and weirdest gigs:

What was the worst show you ever played?

(laughs) Lawrence, Kansas. We played the worst show ever. We kept getting shocked the whole night by the mics. All of us just really hated it. We thought we were going to get electrocuted. But at some point we just realized, "Ok this show is total sh-t," and had a crazy Nirvana spaz out jam session at the end.

Did the audience like it?

Maybe, who knows? We're usually really friendly after the show and like to hang out, but that night we couldn’t face it. But we're going back to Lawrence on our next tour, and we're going to redeem ourselves!

What is the weirdest thing you ever saw at a show?

We played this show with Matt Costa in Florida one time that was totally weird. That tour for some reason we had six shows in Florida. At this place the stage was a fake boat and the audience was dancing on the sand. Next to this stage was this fake lagoon. It was like a really bizarre MTV beach house.

Would you rather be burned alive or frozen to death?

Oh, frozen for sure. Because there is always a chance you would always get warm. But if your hot there's no escape. I mean if you're frozen there is always hope that a St. Bernard will show up with a barrel full of whiskey . Whiskey doesn’t help in a fire.

Complete interview:

http://laist.com/2009/01/16/interview_jon_jameson_of_the_delta.php<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

Before there WAS a Delta Spirit, drummer Brandon Young and bassist Jon Jameson were both in Noise Ratchet.

After deciding to form a new group together, Young came across singer Matt Vasquez at a trolley station, where he was standing on a bench and singing to passersby. The trio became a band, joined by guitarist Sean Walker, and you-name-it-I-play-it Kelly Winrich.

Regarding the band's name, Jon Jameson says "My mom’s Uncle Red, from Birmingham, Alabama, had a taxidermy shop called Delta Spirit Taxidermy Station of North Central Alabama."

The band first garnered attention while touring with Tokyo Police Club, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, and their Monarchy Music labelmates (and fellow religious refugees) Cold War Kids.

The group's rootsy debut EP I Think I've Found It ranked number nine on the Best of '07 list at the influential music blog Daytrotter. Word of mouth about their fiery stage shows caused ever-growing crowds, though offbeat antics like playing trash can lids as instruments didn't always endear them to audiences expecting mainstream indie rock.

In summer 2007, they convened in Julian to stay in a friend's cabin and record a full length album, called Ode to Sunshine. They also recorded in a studio built in the basement of Kelly Winrich's parents' house, located on the beach in San Clemente. After circulating copies of the album themselves, the band was signed by Rounder Records in 2008, with the label re-releasing Ode to Sunshine. Rounder's remastered version of the album includes an additional song, "Streetwalker," taken from the EP and re-recorded.

They made their network TV debut on September 3, 2008, on Late Night With Conan O'Brien. Their song "Trashcan," featuring an actual trashcan lid used as a percussion instrument, has become a popular radio hit.

Related links

• Blurt (Dec. 3, 2008)
• Website
• Alternate website

HIDDEN TRACKS - THE SHAMBLES AND MANUAL SCAN -Dontcha just love getting something for nothing? And who doesn’t fantasize about finding hidden treasure? That’s pretty much the notion behind “Easter eggs” on DVDs and hidden tracks on albums – the goodies are there, but you gotta find ‘em ---- http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2009/jan/21/delta-spirits-worst-and-weirdest-plus-breakups-and/

Concert Security Wars: Battle of the Bouncers -- San Diego security firms fight (AND SUE) for their right to bounce you! http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2008/apr/24/concert-security-wars-battle-of-the-bouncers/

"Rock Operas Were Born in San Diego" - Didja know the world's first-ever actual rock opera was staged in San Diego? "An Eye in Each Head" creator Anthony Adams is still in the stage rock biz, at the North Park Theater... http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2008/aug/31/rock-operas-leaving-town-plus-playing-with-michael/

"Midnight Movies - the '80s Part 1" - The Fine Arts Theater, the Unicorn, the Guild, the Academy, the Loma and La Paloma, the Ken Cinema, the Strand in OB - for a time, the midnight movie crowd was its own sort of stoner subculture. Several historic cult movie events happened right here in SD, including the first-ever audience participation performance along with Phantom of the Paradise.... http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2008/nov/09/more-on-brick-by-bricks-new-hip-hop-showcase-plus-/

"Why Jackson Browne Hates Former Reader Contrib Richard Meltzer" - The first time Jackson Browne was profiled Rolling Stone [June 22, 1972], Richard Meltzer did the interview. When Meltzer called the singer "one hell of a prototype sex symbol for the gay rock underground," Browne was VERY unhappy....  http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2008/nov/09/more-on-brick-by-bricks-new-hip-hop-showcase-plus-/

"An Extreme Elvis Is a Naked Elvis" - Extreme Elvis doesn’t play San Diego much any more. "I’m banned from all the clubs in town," he says. "They booted me off the stage at one place [Brick By Brick] after about five minutes".....  http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2008/oct/22/worst-musical-halloween-costumes-plus-rock-op92d7a/

 "The Celebrity House Hunter" - A local real estate agent talks about driving celebs like George Harrison and Bread singer David Gates around town, in search of new digs... http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2008/oct/22/worst-musical-halloween-costumes-plus-rock-op92d7a/

  "Judge Judy Takes On the Belly Up Tavern" - So I was watching an afternoon repeat of Judge Judy (I like it when she yells at dumbasses), and lo and behold the episode involved the Belly Up Tavern in Solana Beach. It was the case of “Beauty and the Bouncers”... http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2008/oct/22/worst-musical-halloween-costumes-plus-rock-op92d7a/

"Playing With Michael Jackson's Head [Guitarist]" - Local string whiz Jennifer Batten has played with the Great Gloved One, Jeff Beck, Slash, and many more... http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2008/aug/31/rock-operas-leaving-town-plus-playing-with-michael/

 "Whales Are Changing Their Tune" - according to Professor John Hildebrand, a blue whale expert at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UCSD who has studied recordings of whales “singing” since the 1960s.   http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2008/aug/31/rock-operas-leaving-town-plus-playing-with-michael/

"RIP Alton Kelley: King of Collage, Prince of Prints" - my unpublished 1999 interview with the late album cover and poster legend, who died in June ’08. Together with Stanley Mouse, Kelley virtually created the very look of an entire era. http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2008/aug/31/rock-operas-leaving-town-plus-playing-with-michael/

"RIP Dave Stevens: Rocketeer Creator" - tribute to another fallen Great One, longtime San Diegan Dave Stevens.   http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2008/aug/31/rock-operas-leaving-town-plus-playing-with-michael/

"Where Have All The Deadheads Gone?" Local flower children, after the head Deadhead was dead. http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2008/aug/31/rock-operas-leaving-town-plus-playing-with-michael/

Blacks Beach - Partying nekkid with the children of the Rainbow (and some OCD Beatles fans).  http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2008/aug/31/rock-operas-leaving-town-plus-playing-with-michael/

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

LOCALS REVEAL THEMSELVES - We asked 75 local musicos to tell us something few would know or guess -----

http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2007/sep/11/75-secrets-about-75-san-diego-musicians

LOCAL ROCK CHICKS - “It’s not easy being a chick rocker,” says Vv Loveland of Scary Mary, who shares rock chick tales alongside Eve Selis, Anya Marina, AM Vibe, Elan, Lindsey and Anna Troy, Cindy Lee Berryhill, Jenn Grinels, Victoria Robertson, Rachael Gordon, Wild Weekend, and more...

http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2007/sep/11/rocker-chicks-do-san-diego-plus-browsing-the-board

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

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

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

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

When Your Love Is Locked Up - On California women's prisons and the families and loved ones of prisoners. Focus is on my good friend Danielle Barcheers, the 2nd youngest female ever convicted of a capital crime in CA state history (now ten years into a 20-to-life sentence). Plus 100 Rockin' Local Lawsuits.... http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2008/jul/30/when-kids-go-to-prison-plus-100-rockin-lawsuits

"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

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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