RODENTAL

Etta James - Music and Memories

2012-01-22T02:18:00.001-08:00

When I awoke the morning of January 20, 2012, I was very tired. Still half asleep, I placed my iPod on the dock in the bathroom. I must have (accidentally) hit random and “Down on the Street” by Etta James came on. I have been marathoning her albums on my headphones and hadn’t gotten to this album yet (Come A Little Closer).

When I heard that sick bass line I already knew I had heard this song before. I also knew that it was Etta. This was my first time hearing the album version. The place where I first heard it was at her House of Blues concert on June 30, 2002. I had missed her previous show as I was not yet 21. I was working at the Art Institute and the receptionist bragged that she was going to the concert. I perked up as I was a huge fan, but it turned out she knew very little about her. I remember thinking she didn’t deserve to go. If I was just a little older I could go too. I had to look forward and I vowed to see her next time.

Somewhere around that time I had read her (aptly titled) autobiography Rage To Survive and picked up her compilation Love Songs. The one-two punch of these made me a devoted fan. The life that she had been through was very tough. Reading about her hardships and the way she overcame them was inspiring. In particular, the difficult and destructive relationship she had with her mother. I first knew of Etta from the Rolling Stone Women in Rock book. Most of my favorites of the time were in there and I read the whole thing. There was a chapter on Etta and Ruth Brown. Reading about them made me want to hear their music and voices.

It was announced that Etta would be returning for a Chicago show. Thankfully, it was a month after my required birthday. I bought two tickets and took my mother. The concert was one of the most special evenings we ever shared. She wouldn’t let me take her to dinner, insisting the show was enough. I was now an adult and out on my own. I was sorting a lot of things out in my mind and life. I wanted to have a good relationship with her. Moments like that make me wish I had a photographic or videographic memory.

Etta was announced, the curtain was drawn and there she was. She was wearing a sparkly pantsuit and was (to quote John Waters) “big, blonde and beautiful.” She was still donning that bad ass cat’s eye make-up. It seems she had some health issues as she was in a barber type chair the whole time. She still had that powerful voice! The one that sounds like it was going to disintegrate mics on some of her recordings. The show was way better than I expected. I could not believe I was even in her presence. Here was a woman who was recording and rocking in the 1950’s. A living legend that made great music! She recorded some of the most passionate love songs that have (still) ever been heard. It really is a shame that most might only know “At Last” (Obviously a beautiful song but this being her “one song” makes me not like it as much). I’m more into “Sunday Kind of Love” and “My Dearest Darling.” However, I cannot stand the idea of ANYbody else trying to sing it.

There was a poignant moment when she dedicated “Sugar On The Floor” to her recently departed “mother.” She said that it was her favorite song. It was very intense, sad and long(ing). I loved it. There was also a raunchy moment during “I’d Rather Go Blind.” She used the mic in a phallic gesture telling her man she missed his…

It was unexpected and quite surprised me!

The day she passed away I went to my mom’s office during my break to meet my new nephew. I forgot what context it was in, but I was being an ass and singing “I’d Rather Go Blind” (I was NOT making fun of the song). When I got back to my office, my boss gave me the news a little while later. He walked past my desk and said “Etta James died.” I wish I hadn’t known at that moment. It really upset me and made me sad. I started to cry. Etta was in my thoughts that day already. I knew she had been ill and suffering for a while. There was something supernatural about that song playing when I was getting ready that morning. I thank you Etta for that perfect night I will never forget. I still have and treasure my autographed CD.

If you are uninitiated / unconvinced, I highly recommend starting with The Chess Box.

Grace Jones // Hurricane Dub

2011-09-27T17:36:00.000-07:00

You have to face your fears we are told. I was scared of Grace Jones as a child. Who/What/How is she? “This is my voice… my weapon of choice” – this is the first line uttered by Grace on Hurricane Dub in “This is Life.” She goes on to say “This is what I’m focused on… this is my head on straight.” Grace REWERKED 2008’s Hurricane and it is finally available in the USA. This album has only gotten greater since thawing and sprouting a second disc. Arms and legs. “William’s Blood” is so far the closest to autobiography and openness Grace has become. She seems to be turning the camera inward that was always snapping her. The song is a wonderful collaboration with Wendy & Lisa (Viva La Revolution!). There is almost a gospel energy which touches on her religious upbringing. This is further enforced by the songs ending with “Amazing Grace” backed by her mother. “Corporate Cannibal” is extremely relevant now in an age of “digital criminals.”We see them on the trains multiplying, outnumbering and plaguing the downtown area. There is also a reference to one of her past songs “Slave to The Rhythm” and some nice distorted guitar. In “I’m Crying (Mother’s Tears)” there is the lyric that chokes me up “I was there by her side when my grandmother died.” It’s so potent how she describes the loss they shared. The song “Hurricane” unleashes the mass destruction of “Hurricane Grace” with the help of Tricky. In “The Devil in My Life,” Grace addresses relationships that no longer serve a positive purpose. Some people need to be excised/extracted/exorcised from our lives. This past summer my wisdom teeth were in fact the DEVIL IN MY LIFE! Then there is the DUB disc: There is lots of Grace fading in /out, serenading, searing and scaring. You should bring Grace to your next bashment and drop legs (Jamaican decode)! In the “Hell Dub” Grace gets down in sparkling hat and smoke. Hopefully it won’t be much longer before she appears again!

Mister Fuckhead // 333

2011-07-10T10:08:00.000-07:00

Why is it I thought this album would be so rough, so scary? I am mistaking the painstaking detail. There is peace and loveliness within as well, even if it is fleeting (much like life). Such a sophisticated gentleman makes sounds that can be soothing. It’s been done to death by the man himself. The version and reversion revise all the way until satisfaction. I get a broke down barricade of beatific baroque. I love what he did with the viaduct. It was crawling to the other side I most enjoyed. The psyche, this object abducts. 333 stains the brain because we get 3:33 twice each day. We are constantly reminded. The car crash won’t start, wheels burning on overdrive. The fingers have had enough and he’s still got them! Pounding keys, warping through the gash grater / cater to the bea(s)ts. A stompy square dance drops the garter, the strip/teases work even harder. I take it in 1/3 at a time. “Deadbeat Deluxe” (great title!) reminds me slightly of video game music. Only the level consists of boss after boss, a tension that doesn’t stop/drop. This carries over to hurdle after hurdle. I am inspired to sprint and destroy. And I can remember flashbacks all the way through it. At times it was like playing on the metal playground equipment in the dead of summer. We had a burning layer of rocks and dirt to land on, not wood chips. mF likes to do things the hard way. (333 is available @ http://nopartofit.blogspot.com/)

Greatest Improvement in Dance @ Quimby's!

2011-04-25T17:55:00.000-07:00

Available Here!

review by EF:

Amaya's Greatest Improvement in Dance is a thoroughly lovable zine of music fandom, from letting Wordy Rappinghood tickle your toes to letting Bride of No No make you lose your shit. Album and show reviews with a personal flavor and bestest penpal style mixes make this zine part "Dear Diary...", part Roctober, part All-Ages Goth Night. I'm ready to do this time warp again.

Wanda Jackson // The Party Ain't Over

2011-04-13T17:13:00.001-07:00

from: http://roctoberreviews.blogspot.com/2011/04/wanda-jackson-party-aint-over.html

My latest review will be published in Roctober #49!

Wanda Jackson is such a bombshell. She’s got the fireworks, sparklers, croon and cackle. “The Queen of Rockabilly” title is very well deserved. She’s a bad bad lady, but gets away with it since she is so damn cute. Who could not love that big hair (hopper!), eyeliner for emphasis, fringe outfits and of course that voice! I was half expecting this album to have her voice sounding so different. What makes the album so great is that her voice is intact. She is doing what she does best and doesn’t fix what is not broken. I have now heard three excellent versions of “Shakin’ All Over.” The other two came from Mae West and Suzi Quatro. This song sets the tone for the album. The horn blasted hostess greets you right away and sways you in many directions. She even offers a “Rum and Coca Cola.” I drank one in her honor when I ROCKED WITH WANDA at Lincoln Hall. She improved and outdid Amy Winehouse’s “You Know I’m No Good.” I especially love the spoken intro where she says “You always gotta push.” I am not a fan of Amy, but this is definitely my favorite song. The same goes for Jack White III (the album’s producer). I have to appreciate how he used his “star power” to bring some attention to the detail that is Wanda. “Rip It Up” is an update that goes great alongside her original take on it from 1963(!). The timing seems better when she mentions her date picking her up “in his ‘88.” “Busted” is the greatest “I’m Broke” anthem. It’s nice to hear when payday seems distant, but still knowing it’s not the worst thing. “Like a Baby” is the story of a spurned lover coping with the sting and fascination of first love. I think she channels that well and possibly reaches into old memories. That’s quite a task for a woman who has been happily married for nearly 50 years. “Blue Yodel #6” is just what is says. This is a very sparse acoustic number with some sweet mournful yodeling. She does not leave Jesus behind with a cute version of “Dust on The Bible.” Wanda should be riding in a Smithsonian limousine for her contributions to Rock and Roll. This album offers a lot of variety and variations on the many moods of Wanda Jackson. It’s a fine place to start for those who haven’t heard.

El Dia De Los Muertos 2010 (MIX)

2010-11-07T14:11:00.000-08:00

Mónica Naranjo - Europa
Danielle Dax - Pariah
Lydia Lunch - Dead in The Head
Nico - Roses In The Snow
Skin - Please Remember Me
Fangoria - Fantasmas
Siouxsie & The Banshees - El Dia De Los Muertos
Graveyard Tramps (Movie Trailer)
The Stooges - Death Trip
Tricky - Makes Me Wanna Die
Sinéad O'Connor - I Am Stretched On Your Grave
Chris & Cosey - Raining Tears of Blood
Diamanda Galás - See That My Grave Is Kept Clean
Peggy Lee - I Remember

Download HERE

Cobra Killer // Uppers and Downers

2010-09-25T12:15:00.000-07:00

Brain/stem-cell/black and white film cell, wasted bleached and ruined. It’s about time to officially join the “Cobra Movement.” Cobra beats on… Cobra beats… off Cobra beats… strangled. Cobras are surrounding / surrendering broken record. “Hissing - not kissing!” just like the night shift sisters used to do. Shaking sending split snaky tongues wagging. The DHR super/mega/deluxe duo Cobra Killer = Annika Trost (former Shizou) + Gina V. D’Orio (former Ec8or). They also have their own solo projects. The love affair heightened in the attorney’s office. A couple of young law clerks were dual DJing to pass the monotony of writing motion slips. JC would mainly play Smashing Pumpkins and NIN and I would play lots of SATB and DHR. JC liked the first Cobra Killer album so much it warranted repeated plays, sing-alongs and “Sookie Sookie Now!” That very holy Xmas I gifted him the album. Chair spinning going on the merry go round. I mentally queue up “Where Did They Go?” by the great Peggy Lee when it comes to such reflection and remembrance. On Uppers and Downers “Upside Down The Building” and “Good-Time Girl” really stand out. In fact, the whole album is a good time, their sound has really evolved. “The Universe is in The Oven” aptly describes a fine cooking experience. I recommend viewing their live performance of “Try It” as a primer impacto for the Cobra gals. Annika is the hula hoop MËISTERESS and Gina stalks the audience. They are one of the few DHR (and best) artists doing anything new. They persist/insist on making excitedly fucked-up and interesting music. I remember thinking “How did they get away with this?” upon my first listen. They showed me how different music can be. They were the stabbing right and left q-tips in my bourgeoning devirgining ear drums.

Goldfrapp // Head First

2010-05-01T22:22:00.000-07:00

The (li)k(e)ness s(i)mile simultaneous metaphor of the robot (c)o(l)d(e). The rocket becomes a train running express / zoom (zoom, zoom)-ing past destinations, especially the stop you requested. A joyous sound overpowers the glum, tired, worn out faces punching the clock, the dread. Head First would be part of the savings plan. How can you frown while hearing a song like “Rocket?” I have nice 80’s flashbacks, seeing librarians with big hair, colorful makeup and the la(te)st fashions. These are only glimpses from a grown up. It provides needed parts of the changing plan. This is a soundtrack in time for difficult/fun alterations in life and in season and the SPRING A(HEAD) FIRST. This will be the first one in a new scene, new home. Depth after depth I got higher. I can’t help loving the UK Chanteuse Messenger Gorgeousness known as Alison Goldfrapp. Ms. G. has kept me on my toes with her changes in direction and styles. The Goldfrapp grocer brings the goods. As usual, the best track is the WTF experimental track “Voice Thing.” This continues in the tradition of my favorite past songs like “Slippage” (from Black Cherry) and “Oompa Radar” (from Felt Mountain). These all are very minimal with wordless vocalizations. Also standing out is “Believer,” (not just) because it has a good beat and you can dance to it. I have to admit I pressed the snooze button many times on the previous album Seventh Tree. It was very mellow and different (kind of folk), but I know I missed something. It’s because of this new album that I would like to get better acquainted with it. I really hope that their tour hits Chicago. It’s doubtful though, considering how lethargic and uninspiring the audience was here for their last show in oh3.

Fangoria // Absolutamante

2010-04-25T19:01:00.000-07:00

Alaska (Olvido Gara) is the love of my life lately. I accidentally stumbled upon her doing some goggle searches. The first song I heard of hers was “Bailando,” (Alaska Y Los Pegamoides) which is a great start. There was so much more to come. I would dive into a well of music and videos that’s deepened over 30 years. Alaska is leader of the bands: Alaska y Los Pegamoides, Alaska y Dinarama and currently Fangoria. I can’t help but fall harder as I delve into the discography of this wonderfully talented, beautiful and of course dark woman. She is the type that my stepmother (whose primary language is Spanish) would refer to as one of “las mujeres peligrosas” (dangerous women). She has correctly noted and observed my predisposed attraction to them. This class also includes: Siouxsie Sioux, Diamanda Galás, Jarboe and Lydia Lunch (her fellow Spanish emigrant). The prerequisite for this class is that they are: strong, prolific, beautiful, unique and write some damn good lyrics. I know that’s too much to ask these days, hence the length of my list. It’s true I might only understand half of what I hear. The language bury ear is becoming less of a burden. I have a hell of a time trying to sing-along, but she is making my Spanish less busted. The songs are expanding my vocabulary. I want to understand completely. Even in that half I find myself feeling and relating to the music. This might be her last album as Fangoria but I’m sure she will go on to other things. My favorite song on here is “Absolutamente.” It’s a great tune for uncertain times and uncertain people. The song is so affirmative, positive and just great to hear. The remix version features movie star/singer Sarita Montiel doing her thing at 82. The video is over the top in the best way.

Teeth Sharpening

2010-03-20T13:34:00.000-07:00

Historically, many cultures have practiced this form of body modification. In Bali, teeth were filed down because it was thought that the teeth represented anger, jealousy, and other similar negative emotions. The teeth were also sharpened as a rite of passage for adolescents. [1] Teeth filing was also used by Aborigines for spiritual reasons, as did assorted Vietnamese and Sudanese tribes. In Mayan culture, the teeth were sharpened, and sometimes had designs carved into them, to distinguish those in the upper-classes. Many cultures would sharpen their teeth to imitate animals, such as the Wapare of intertropical Africa, who sharpened their teeth to imitate sharks, as well as kicking out some of the lower teeth during puberty.[2] In Ancient China, a group called Ta-ya Kih-lau ("Kih-lau which beat out their teeth"[3]) had every woman about to wed knock out two of her front teeth to "prevent damage to the husband's family."[3] Some cultures have distinctions between which sex does what to their teeth. In the central Congo region, the Upoto tribe has men file only the upper row, and women file both the upper and lower rows.[4]

(from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_tooth_sharpening)

Halloween Mix 2009

2009-10-31T21:40:00.000-07:00

Download HERE:

Henry Mancini - Experiment in Terror
Plasmatics - Black Leather Monster
KMFDM - Blood (Evil Mix)
Scraping Foetus Off The Wheel - Lust For Death
Ohio Players - Runnin' From The Devil
Dr. Jekyll & Sister Hyde (Trailer)
Charles Bernstein - Run, Nancy, Run!
Raffaella Carra - Black Cat
Ole Ole - Fantasmas
Bernard Herrmann - Phillip's Murder / Window View
x-Mal Deutschland - Incubus Succubus II
Funkadelic - You Scared The Lovin' Outta Me
Siouxsie & The Banshees - Voodoo Dolly
Les Baxter - Dunwich Horror Main Title

Betty Davis - Is It Love or Desire

2009-09-26T22:15:00.000-07:00

Is It Love or Desire is the shelved album from 1976 by Funk Queen Betty Davis. Even the cover image suggests revelation, like she is about to show you something. It beckons you to make the discovery. She is going to show you everything. The album opens with multiple Betty voices all at once, a strong start. Betty brought back something for the lovers "When Romance Says Goodbye," the muthas "Bottom of The Barrel" (anti-disco + pro “real music”) and the fuckers "Whorey Angel" (one of the best song titles!) . Luckily, I have been waiting since only '02 and not the late 70's. I was more excited about this release than any other for the fall season. Heavy rotation is an understatement, to quote the title of track two "It's So Good!" I think she had to know that and now we can too. She literally makes you beg for it in "Let's Get Personal." She sounds a little like Mae West. It sounds like she presses right up to your speaker, you come closer to a one sided conversation. You are put in your place. The album will make you feel dirty. She talks about the rejection of the album in "Stars Starve, You Know." "They won't take what I'm givin', so it’s hard for me and the band to make a livin'." This album did not let me down; it is all over the place in the best way. Betty was incredibly original, creative and had a lot of ideas. It feels like a present. This is something for the Funk Antiques Roadshow and something for now.

Teenage Jesus and The Jerks

2009-09-06T13:41:00.001-07:00

I Want To Live! - Delirious Sunrise #3

2009-09-02T23:04:00.000-07:00

Delirious Sunrise #3HERE!!!

Air – Playground Love (from The Virgin Suicides)
Bernard Herrmann – Main Theme (from Sisters)
Ennio Morricone – Four Flies on Grey Velvet (from the film)
Asylum Party – Play Alone
Peggy Lee – The Siamese Cat Song (from Lady and The Tramp)
Lydia Lunch – Black Box Disco
Gene Moore – I Don’t Know About That Girl (from Carnival of Souls)
The Fabulous Stains – Professionals [Video Version] (from Ladies and Gentlemen, The Fabulous Stains]
Charles Bernstein – Run, Nancy! (from A Nightmare on Elm Street)
Divine – Hard Magic [Magic Mix] (from Lust in The Dust)
Bette Davis – Hush… Hush, Sweet Charlotte
Mae West (Celebrities… At Their Worst! Vol 2.9 Bitch Bitch Bitch)
Alfred Hitchcock – Suspicion (from Music To Be Murdered By)
Pino Donaggio – School in Flames (from Carrie)
Koko Taylor – Up in Flames (from Wild at Heart)
Franz Waxman – Sunset Boulevard
David Whitaker – Vampire Circus
Rockers Hi-Fi - The Lions And The Cucumber (Bigga Bush's Transylvania Boogie Mix)
Gene Page – Blacula (The Stalkwalk)
John Cale – Track 2 – (from Eat/Kiss music from the films of Andy Warhol)
Siouxsie & The Banshees - Hong Kong Garden (from Marie Antionette)
Bernard Herrmann – Color Red (from Marnie)
Henry Mancini – Touch of Evil
Vampire’s Sound Incorporation – Droge CX 9
Phylicia Allen – Two Loves Have I (J’ai Deux Amours)
Josephine Baker - J’ai Deux Amours
Eartha Kitt & Bronski Beat – Cha Cha Heels

Birds (of DEATH) Delirious Sunrise #2

2009-09-02T22:57:00.000-07:00

Delirious Sunrise #2HERE!!

Karen Finley – Strangling Baby Birds
Lene Lovich – Big Bird
Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazelwood – Ladybird
Yma Sumac - El Condor Pasa
Azita – Birds
Julie Andrews – Feed The Birds (From Mary Poppins)
Peggy Lee & Benny Goodman – Shady Lady Bird
Josephine Baker – Bye Bye Blackbird
Bessie Smith – Graveyard Dream Blues
Parliaments – New Day Begins
Bob Crew & Charles Fox - Space Ship Out of Control (from Barbarella)
Diamanda Galas – I Wake Up And I See The Face of The Devil
Patti Smith – Birdland
Eartha Kitt – C’est Si Bon
Sammy Fain & Bob Hillard – AEIOU/The Caterpillar Song (Who R U?) (from Alice in Wonderland )
Clint Mansell & Kronos Quartet – Summer : Dreams (from Requiem For a Dream)
Wendy O. Williams Ultrafly & The Hometown Girls – Early Days
Teenage Jesus & The Jerks – I Woke Up Dreaming
Vanity - Animals
The Delegation Mass Choir – Baptize Me Jesus
Siouxsie & The Banshees – Painted Bird
The Nutty Squirrels – Bird Watching
Magic is Kuntmaster – Birds Still Rejoice When Friends Betray You
Chromatics – In The City
Angelo Badalamenti / Julee Cruise – Falling
Cobra Killer – Cobra Movement
Jarboe – Dear 666

Les Raisins De La Mort! - Delirious Sunrise #1

2009-09-02T22:54:00.000-07:00

Delirious Sunrise #1HERE!

The Three Faces of Sioux:
Siouxsie & The Banshees – Poppy Day (Live)
The Creatures – Morning Dawning
Siouxsie – Here Comes That Day

Anubian Lights – Good Morning Spacegirl
Bride of No No – Out For The Day
Metalux – Black Sun
Phillip Glass – Candyman Suite
Polyrock – Changing Hearts
The Cure – A Strange Day
Marlene Dietrich – Let’s Call It a Day
Mae West – Day Tripper
Christine Ebersole – The Revolutionary Costume For Today (from Grey Gardens)
Johnny Mandel – Main Theme (from I Want To Live)
Jill Jones – All Day, All Night
Millie Jackson – Summer (The First Time)
LaBelle – Sunshine (Woke Me Up This Morning)
Lesley Gore – Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows
Nic Endo – Neon Sunrise
Flux Information Sciences – Dollar Days
Swans – I Am The Sun
David Bowie – In The Heat of The Morning
Pizzicato Five – It’s A Beautiful Day (The B-Day Arrangement)
Harry Betts – Day in The Oven (from Black Mama White Mama)
Disco Rick & The Dogs – Nasty Dance (*requested by Nick EaViL)
Moloko – Day For Night (Quarter Master Mix)
Suicide – Heat Beat
KUKL – France (A Mutual Thrill)
Peggy Lee – When The Sun Comes Out

Vanity 6 - 27 Years Later

2009-08-10T20:21:00.001-07:00

I love Vanity 6. Their first and only album is one of the best Prince related releases. It took years for me to find this stuff when I first began obsessing, because everything was out of print. This is a thoroughly enjoyable album.

There is this new rapper called Amanda Blank. I came across a review of her album in the last SPIN magazine. They quoted "Make Up" not acknowledging that it was a cover. I hate this laziness in journalists. Credit is not due to her! While the cover is not bad it cannot touch the classic original. So this 2009 person of the moment is so sassy or ballsy for these lyrics? Not really. Someone needs to do their homework. This was 1982! There should have been some citation or acknowledgement of Vanity 6 or even Prince.

Holidays \backwards... Happy Halloween?

2009-07-03T20:28:00.000-07:00

I am posting a DJ mix that I did for last Halloween. I had it on a podcast account but have not kept up with it. Anyhow, enjoy.

The Flirts - (I Was A) Teenage Werewolf
The Munsters - At The Munsters
Amanda Lear - Blood and Honey
Elvira - Haunted House
George Aaron – She’s a Devil
The Vamps - Vamps Sex Theme (Instrumental)
Bernard Herrmann – Temptation (from Psycho)
The Vampires of Dartmoore - The Torture Chamber of Dr. Sex
Siouxsie & The Banshees - Halloween
Hot Blood - Sex Me
Lydia Lunch - Spooky
Phillip Glass & Kronos Quartet - Journey to the Inn
The Shaggs - It's Halloween
The Vampires (Milton DeLugg) - The Head Shrinker
Suicide - Ghost Rider
Alfred Hitchcock & Orchestra - Music to Be Murdered By

Get it HERE

New Book Now Available

2009-06-24T13:36:00.000-07:00

Greatest Improvement in Dance chronicles some of my musically obsessive adventures. This is quite a departure from my previous works of prose and poems. This music is mostly other peoples but sometimes crosses over (like a mischievous ghost) into my own musical works. The stage is also set for my evolving solo project RODENTAL. I present perspectives on that solo performance as well as performing as EaViL and my chaotic beginnings in The Electric Set. All of these works have previously been unpublished and this is their first time in print. There are reviews of albums by Siouxsie, Prince, Nico and Glass Candy. There are in depth interviews with my pals Lydia Lunch and Mister Fuckhead. There is a live review of Diamanda Galás’ Valentine’s Day Massacre from NYC in 2007. There are some things that are pretty random like my first song lyric and some thoughts on the music of Vampyros Lesbos. There is also some insight into DJing and making compilations. I feel it’s important that each selection has a meaning behind it and serves a purpose or theme. The words here are presented as they were originally written aside from some grammatical fine tunings. There are also several photos and illustrations used to compliment the text. There is an undercurrent of self improvement and the importance of it that runs through.

Greatest Imrovement in Dance... (coming soon)

2009-06-19T21:38:00.000-07:00

I am near completion on a new chapbook. I have not done one of these since 2005. This one is all about music, with a few random things in. It's going to contain all of my unpublished work.

KOKO

2009-06-04T21:59:00.000-07:00

I was lucky to be able to see Koko at the Blues Fest in 2005. I have been a long time fan. This is one of my favorite songs of hers.
R.I.P. Koko

I want to be EaViL

2009-06-04T20:02:00.000-07:00

...but I already am or was I? or will I ever be again?

I'm too anti-social for social networking, substance-less fluffer.

Currently:

MUSIC

I am having a marathon of Peggy Lee and Lydia Lunch music, from beginning to end..

LITTERER-ATURE

The Girl Who Walked Home Alone

Bette Davis - A Personal Biography by Charlotte Chandler

I am devouring this book on my bus rides, I should be reading my school books but I find it better to do that at home. The author has also written books on Alfred Hitchcock and Mae West (more greats) that I would like to read.

MOVING PICTURE

I am in the midst of a Grey Gardens marathon. I read about this documentary in The Advocate a few months ago. Its about Big and Little Edie Beale. They are relatives of Jackie O that live in a deteriorating house called Grey Gardens. This was filmed in the early 1970's. They are two amazing eccentric women. I would have like to have met either one of them. They are in their own little world. The only thing though is that Little Edie seems to have a lot of regrets. She still would be great to talk to. She is just being herself throughout the film, she's a very interesting character. There is an interesting scene where she tells of how a newspaper described her as a schzophrenic. She seems a little amused by the ridiculousness of it. She is an all around entertainer and has a great fashion sense. Her mother Big Edie was a singer, and its cool to watch her sing over old records.