Dave Davies of the Kinks played tonight at the Lunch.
Mileah let me in the back and told me she was trying to work in Superego for one of the final shows. I dropped a dime to call my girl on her cell phone at work when he was singing her favorite Kinks tune "Picturebook."
As he was introducing the next song, I yelled out "Death of a Clown" and he said, "Yeah, how did you know? This guys calling the shots."
I am going to miss that place.
loyal nickel $ dime supporters,
i am hoping your family will take me up on an invitation for free dinner and some local showbiz schmoozing.
these hard times in the land of plenty find me working for dick clark's american bandstand grill as live music production coordinator.
I am booking bands and managing the stage and sound. I guess it's pretty slick, with audio and video throughout the club. Kind of complicated yet fun when it all works. Orange Mothers and Ginger MacKenzie both sounded awesome there last week.
It's at 183 and I-35, and it's really not that far at all once you find it.
Anyway, I host a Thursday night original music showcase there now.
This Monday the 14th is an open house for musicians, with free food and a chance for local bands to meet informally with reps from SIMS, CHRONICLE, AMN, CRYSTAL CLEAR SOUND, 101-X, MARS MUSIC SUPERSTORE and MARTIAN RECORDS, HOLE IN THE WALL and others, plus a band photographer, demo screenings, t-shirts and souvenirs. Bandstand television producers and label scouts will be there to check out the scene.
Local music is the lifeblood of this community and we need to impress upon these corporate interests like MARS and AB that if they want to capitalize on local music they should endeavor with us the artists to keep local music thriving. I am developing my numerous roles as booking agent, corporate employee, and working musician into a diplomatic position between the encroaching corporate America and the Austin Live Music Community.
In the span of a couple months Austin loses the Electric Lounge, Liberty Lunch and the Austin Rehearsal Complex due indirectly and directly to real estate development and corporate progress. That's not to mention places like Les Amis, Mad Dog & Beans and Quackenbush, which are part of the independent cultural fabric that employed and fed local musicians for many years.
Folks, the writing is on the wall.
Live music is quickly becoming an endangered species in the "live music capital of the world." The great vineyard is being plowed over for a liquor store parking lot. Now I know how those old hippies used to feel when I first moved to Austin in 1980 and they were crying in their lone stars and muttering "remember the armadillo."
Some might say it's cultural darwinism, survival of the fittest, if you can't beat em join em, whatever, but all's I know is if Starbucks' ever comes after my beloved Hole, they will have to bulldoze over me and my Japanese Strat.
I will be speaking in these same terms on the radio and in print in our upcoming cd release appearances for the new superego album "oh yes my friend" and the free for all fifth anniversary. I will be promoting this Monday's bandstand open house with mr. mahoney on check this action on AMN friday at 6 and with mr. langer on 101-X this sunday at 6.
So please plan to attend our little cookout, and I promise we won't be pandering, preaching or politicizing, just providin' good old fashioned family food and fun, courtesy of the world's oldest living teenager.
dinner 8-11,
followed with an all-star jam
hosted by the legendary bandstand house band "TBA."
Let me know if you have any questions or just show up for a quick appearance
anytime during the night, Floramay Holliday is taking snapshots.
I was at Kinko's tonight making copies of some items from the Statesman and the Chronicle about my new booking gig at the American Bandstand Grill. I am officially on the payroll now, and I have been putting in several hours a day booking bands, publishing ads, and installing and adjusting a new sound system. Troy Campbell's set sounded great in every corner of the restuarant last night, thanks to the troubleshooting skills of new house sound engineer Scott Ross.
I decided to walk across 26th street to Bass Concert Hall and try to catch some of the Neil Young show. I walked past the oblivious usher with my trusty lighter in my hands, and proceeded upstairs to the bar, where former texas tavern booking agent Tom Bowie, now director of concessions at the PAC, bought me a Heineken.
I grabbed a seat in the balcony, where I heard "Southern Pacific," "Sugar
Mountain,""Old Man,""Needle and the Damage Done,"Harvest Moon," "Mother
Earth," and a chilling version of "After the Gold Rush" that began on the
rickety upright piano and ended on the giant pump organ. I left before
the encore, the low strains of Neils antique instruments still reverberating
in my head.
Friday, June 4 - Lilith Fair's GINGER MACKENZIE
Sat June 5 AUSTIN ROCKAFELLAS Sock Hop
Sun June 6 ACOUSTIC BRUNCH: Shelley King
Wednesday, June 9 - AUSTIN ORIGINALS: DANGLERS
Friday, June 11 - BANDSTAND ROADSHOW: Snakeboy Johnson Walk of Fame Induction and Performance
Sat June 12 Memphis Train
Sun June 13 ACOUSTIC BRUNCH: Kim Miller
Monday, June 14th - AUSTIN ORIGINALS OPEN HOUSE AND APPRECIATION DINNER
Thursday, June 17th - AUSTIN ORIGINALS: SUPEREGO with SEED
Friday, June 18th - BEATLES A-Z Paul McCartney's Birthday
Sat June 19 Sheri Frushay
Sun June 20 ACOUSTIC BRUNCH: Mark Campbell
Thursday, June 24 - AUSTIN ORIGINALS: GINGER AND SARAH
Friday, June 25th - ARGYLES
Sat June 26 KLBJ All Stars
Sun June 27 ACOUSTIC BRUNCH: Joe Blanda & Michael Austin
Thursday, July 1 - AUSTIN ORIGINALS: JIMMY GEORGE & KARLA MANZUR
Friday, July 2 - AUSTEX GARAGE BAND
Thursday, July 8th - AUSTIN ORIGINALS: GRAND CHAMPEEN
Friday, July 9 - CAPITOL RETRO
Thursday, July 15 - AUSTIN ORIGINALS: FLORAMAY HOLLIDAY
Friday, July 16 - 6 AM
Thursday, July 22 - AUSTIN ORIGINALS: SEED
Friday, July 23 - ARGYLES
Thursday, July 29 - AUSTIN ORIGINALS: DARCIE DEAVILLE
Friday, July 30 - NEWMATICS
Thursday, August 12 - KAREN POSTON AND HER CRYSTAL PISTOLS
Friday, August 13 - ALLEN OLDIES BAND
Friday, August 20 - THREE PENNY OPERA
Thursday, August 26 - SLEEPWALKERS
It sure is quiet around our hyde park estate these days, and in an odd
way i kind of miss the daily sound of 50 jet engines warming up outside
my window, and huge commercial airliners landing on my roof.
"Down to Slaughter Lane, No-one's feeling any pain, I feel like I just scored when Frenchy's at the board, turning up the gain."
The songlist:
Misery Date (from SIMS compilation), Tulips, Another Weak Attempt, Black Lung, Nothing in Return, Lagniappe, Sweeter Waltz, Toss of the Dice, D is for Dismukes, Eastern Bloc.
The musicians:
Jon Sanchez- lead guitar; Kevin Pearson-drums, percussion; Andrew Duplantis-bass; Erik Conn-drums; Tony Scalzo-bass, organ; Joey Shuffield-percussion; Jon Files-bass, Kathy Ziegler-backing vocals; Rick Barden-organ, piano; Jacob Schulze-piano; Chris Smith-slide guitar; Stephen - Drums; Jeff Copas-bass; Chepo Pena-backing vocals; Jon Meyers-lead guitar; Jason Frankhouser - metal guitar; Bryan Anderton-lead guitar, Matt Wiedeman - keyboards; Paul Minor - vocals, guitar, keyboards, percussion
Jeff Johnston, Jimmy Smith, & Tony Nozero also played on some of the demos.
We recorded a version of the "Tighten Up," but now that the song is everywhere including car insurance commercials, it may have to be shelved.
Free MP3 downloads and other information will be on the Superego webpage by release time, which should be sometime this summer.
Here's what they said about us at SXSW.
There is no greater thrill in my life than playing new songs with Superego at the free for all. The return of Kevin Pearson on drums and the addition of junior-jedi bassist Chepo Pena has been inspirational to say the least. Andrew and Eric's other bands are keeping them too busy for the regular sunday show these days, but they still make the scene on a regular basis, along with such stalwart honorary members like Dah-veed Garza guitarist Jacob Schulze, Pocket Fishr-man Chris Burns, and Fastball's Miles Zuniga, all putting in spectacular performances in recent weeks.
In case you plan to join Superego in the near future, here's our current setlist:
(New Album) plus:
(from My Bad) Breeze, Shallow Blue, Lilies, Get Me Through, Nowhere
Worse To Go
(from Mellow, Robust, Satisfying) Riddled, It Scares Me, Smokey, Nickel
$ Dime
Chepo also learned "All My Worst" from the Knack Homegrown Volume 4 compilation, and miraculously, Superego played it perfectly at last week's free for all for the first time in years. Go figure.
If you want to hang in for awhile in Austin's most notorious house band should probably know a bunch of Velvet Underground, Rolling Stones, Neil Young, Replacements, Roky Erickson, T-Rex and Who covers.
Cotton Mather's last minute appearance at the free for all last sunday
in preparation for a european tour was bombastic, as were dynamic sets
by John Leffler and pedal-crazy Goudie, who scored big with a flying saucers
cover in the presence of author Jonny Flambeaux, who has been an in-demand
player himself these days, backing Troy Campbell and touring some upcoming
Lilith dates with Ginger MacKenzie.
saturday, june 12 - phone interview on "capzeyez" Cable Ch. 10, 12:30 am
sunday, june 13 - 101X interview 6 pm
sunday june 13 - FREE FOR ALL: demonstraitor, subset, juan solo
sunday, June 20 - FREE FOR ALL: troy young campbell, choking ahogo, lil' cap'n travis, superego
Sunday, June 27 - FREE FOR ALL: Danglers, mofoco, superego
Sunday, July 4 - FREE FOR ALL: highwaymusic, Sparkwood, Seed
Tuesday, July 6 - Superego CAPZEYEZ Taping at Babe's.
Sunday, July 11 - FREE FOR ALL: missing ingredient, trotline, school trauma
Sunday, July 18 - FREE FOR ALL: Dismukes, Lil' Cap'n Travis, Superego "Congratulations Andrew and Chasee"
wednesday, july 21 - STUBBS: Superego, Grand Champeen, Lil' Cap'n Travis
Sunday, July 25 - FREE FOR ALL: Grand Champeen, Bigamy Sisters, choking ahogo
Sunday, August 1 - FREE FOR ALL: megalo, swirlitbox, pirate radio
Sunday, August 8 - FREE FOR ALL: gnappy, quick drawl, superego, savant del amour
Thursday, August 26 - Superego on "Rock.Alt" Am15 10pm
Tuesday, Sept. 14 - FREE FOR ALL MUSIC FESTIVAL: Missing Ingredient
Wednesday, Sept. 15 - FREE FOR ALL MUSIC FESTIVAL: Experimental Aircraft
Thursday, Sept. 16- FREE FOR ALL MUSIC FESTIVAL: Superego Birthday Party and CD Release
Friday, Sept. 17 - FREE FOR ALL MUSIC FESTIVAL: Stickpony, Claymores
Sunday, Sept. 19 - FREE FOR ALL MUSIC FESTIVAL: KINKS HOOT NIGHT
Saturday, Oct. 23 - Tallabena, LA PIGROAST - Superego
I am scaling back to a part-time schedule at Mars, and I am already feeling a world of relief. I had to take a 175 question test on amp and guitar product knowledge today. If our entire staff scores a 90 or better, the managers get to take a trip to Vegas or something. I think I knew about half of the answers, but I am a pretty good guesser.
I sold Dick Clark a $6,000 p.a. system last week. Even though we are not on commission, they beat us over the head with our statistical numbers every week, except of course for the one week where my name is at the top.
My boss recommended a great book that I devoured in a couple of sittings.
It's called "Confessions of a Record Producer." It is full of juicy details
about all the different ways you will get screwed by the music business
machine if you are one of the fortunate few who get to take the ride. Not
to ignore the fact that major label show-biz does have its perks. Tonight
on Conan O'Brien, the Damnations seemed o.k. with it. I just sold them
a brand new banjo the other day.
I wonder if anyone has told them they will have to sell a million records before they see any royalty money.
Step on that butt, kids, it's time for the second act...