OR SOMEONE PUT A BULLET IN 1998's HEAD & PUT US ALL OUT OF OUR MISERY
OK say what you want but 1998 was a true year of spinning tires. Like a drunk walking back to the Welfare Hotel, it was one step forward three steps back. It just seemed like every time something good happened to anyone I knew there was someone or something waiting to make sure that they paid for it in spades. Don't get me wrong there were a lot of good things that happened in 98' like my son Quinn being born, and SlipKnot getting signed to Roadrunner but we all paid for it in our own way.
98 started with my girlfeind (yes that is spelled correctly) telling me that I would be a Papa. At first I wasn't really sure how to handle this, I mean I was in love with my girl and I want kids but I was unsure that the relationship could make it through this intact. So I put aside my reservations and set down and decided that it was time to start a family. It didn't take long for things to start falling apart and by March the whole thing was belly up. You know too often people go into this whole relationship thing thinking "sure this about them and that about them drives me nuts but I can't change that about that person". Only to find out that they are not going to change and the person that they really fell in love with was the person they wanted them to be and not the person they are. I guess we all do this maybe because we've been fed this perfect soul mate stuff since the first time we understood a Hollywood movie. Why can't we just see the things that make you happy about the person and leave the rest of it alone. At any rate I may be the father of a boy. I won't know for sure until the blood test but the little time I've spent with Quinn makes me understand what a mixed blessing is. At one moment there's the joy of knowing that you took part in creating this kid and that you will help to shape his future but on the other hand to do that you have to deal with someone you never want to see. It's painful regardless of what anyone says to go through the evil things you do and have done to by someone you loved. Also there's that feeling that only a single unmarried father can know, which is to know that you have no rights and are totally helpless without fighting and spending money that could give your child a better future.
This brings us to the SlipKnot Cloud theory. I thought it a bit far fetched at first but when you do the math it does tend to add up in that twisted SlipKnot kinda way. First off there's the fact that many of those close to the SlipKnot camp seemed to have had a crappy year. Almost as if for them to be successful we've all had to pay. Understand this does also include the members of SlipKnot. OK now for the weird and far fetched stuff. The weekend of the EAT'M Fest in Los Vegas which they played and I tagged along, Frank "Old Puke Eyes" Sinatra died. OK, OK some of you (including myself) may find this to be a good thing but the same night that I saw a UFO while looking upward behind Gameworks is the night that good things happened for SlipKnot and bad things for the Chairman of the bored (note to the editor- this is the correct spelling). Next point, the day they went they were to do an on air thing at KkDM (a station that with the help of Sophia John did a great deal to help them get signed) the roof at the radio station got ripped off by an act of God. The day I found out that they were signed to Roadrunner is the last day I drove my now broken down Ford. What could be causing this, is it some kind of cosmic thing? Maybe the same thing that caused a plane to crash in northern Iowa with Buddy Holly, Rickie Valanes and the Big Bopper. Could it be a Iowa/Rock-n-roll connection. A Ying Yang of some sort? Should I call Art Bell? Maybe SlipKnot could go on his show and explain this to the world. Makes you think. So even though I wish them all the best of luck and I totally support them as I have from the start. Deep within me in the cockles of my sub-conscience I hope they have a bad year so the rest of us can have a good one.
One thing that bothers me is that Carl Perkins died and I know nothing of this till just a few days ago. I heard more about Johnny Thunders dying in the press and even though unquestionably Thunders did a great deal to shape r-n-r it will never add up to what Carl did. Whenever I thought about Carl Perkins two things came to mind and they still do. Jerry Lee Lewis getting on the tonight show and Carl and I believe Johnny Cash asking Mr. Phillips, "When are we gettin on Tee Wee." The other is the scene in the movie Midnight Train with the two Japanese tourists sitting in front of the Evil statue in Memphis. The Girl says, "Elivis Presly" and the guy says "CArl Perkins." Kinda sums up the difference between men and women.
I saw a lot of great bands this year but the ones that stand out have to be At the Drive-In who's In/Out Casino is by far the best record of 1998, Dave Alvin, The Paladins, The US Bombs & The Teenage Frames. I miss the Humpers like ya miss your first love but I guess they didn't live forever and died trying. It seems like the whole music industry is just chasing their tales trying to figure out how to make a buck while the good grapes are rotting on the vine. It's almost like the whole things gone full circle again but this time a lot faster. There is this "new" swing thing but it's kinda like pulling out the old pong game and playing it. After about an hour it gets old. With over 40 years of rock-n-roll the last 10 of it seemed to be the first 30 in fast forward. I've been hearing a lot about the record industry downsizing and how home taping is killing the business. Sound familiar to anyone? With all the larger labels buying out the indys you'll be hard pressed to see a Sub Pop or Epitaph jump out of nowhere and take over anytime soon. Let's look to the underground and hope that there is something spawning down below. With MTV losing a lot of it's grip of control and it's use of Hip Hop is driving hip hop to the point of cartoonish almost disco like levels. It makes you wonder. Will the 1900s go out with a whimper when it comes to music? When I think about this D Generation's Waiting for the Next Big Thing, Slash Magazine's owner's line in Decline, "I've been through one too many youth movements" and Johnny Rotten's over quoted, "Ever get the feeling you've been cheated?" all come to mind. But then again maybe this too will pass.
So I'm down, things are down and life is down but I'll tell ya brothers and sisters Saturday Night things at Safari were anything but down. I've more then likely seen Radio Caroline over 50 times and often I just go up watch one or two songs and then retire to the bar but for one reason or another they sparked that old time rock-n-roll religion in me the other night. I remember when they were the Jones in a different life. The first time I saw them was way back in the days of the Foundry. I was in the back battling with the Tales from the Crypt Pin ball machine and after I had deposited a roll of quarters they began to play. Halfway through the first game I was just standing there watching and listening to something I hadn't heard for a while, a local band that played get this Rock-n-roll without the sub-catalog. After about 4 songs I made a note to pay attention and went back to the game. They made a few line-up changes and the name change soon after the Foundry closed and have been going strong ever since. They've had their ups and downs over the past few years. To be honest I've seen them just plain suck but that's an important part of shooting from the hip. Sometimes their southern/alternative rock thing creeps out in it predictable fashion and just plain bores the shit out of you. The thing is that they are loud, very very load, Mike is out of control sometimes and he gets really sloppy which is hard to hide when you're playing full volume through a High-watt. The other night they were something else I remember seeing an interview with Joe Strummer where he said when they lost Topper it just didn't burn. I didn't really understand that whole "burn" thing until I was in a band that could really burn or really suck. The burn is some where beyond playing. It's when you play from somewhere else and you watch the video two years later and don't even know the person on stage. That's where they where on that cold night back on the 8th. I wish they would stay there and be there every time they play. Cause that's where we want them that's what we pay for. To see that. After seeing bands do everything from breath fire to hang a guy from hooks in his back, the thing that does it for me is the burn. At any rate, to date it was the best show I've seen this year. Also Squid Boy showed they still can let their hair down and play their harts out.
All for now, Houston.
DaVo 1/11/99
