Sex, Booze, and Rock ‘n Roll
Nashville Pussy Invades Sacramento
When I think of Nashville, I think country music and DollyWorld (for those of you that don’t know what that is, it’s Dolly Parton’s version of Six Flags). When I think of Pussy, well, I’ll tell you that I don’t think of some of the most killer Rock ‘N Roll out there. Together Nashville Pussy is as dirty and raunchy as the name sounds with two of the hottest women in rock music playing guitar and bass, and two of the luckiest guys in rock next to them on drums and lead vocals.
If you’re into bands like AC/DC when they were still raunchy and singing about the biggest ball(rooms) of them all, or The Ramones, Motorhead, and the New York Dolls to name a few, then this is the band for you. At the Empire Events Center in Downtown Sacramento on July 1, they brought everything that you usually get with a Nashville Pussy show and more, even though the crowd wasn’t nearly what was expected of a show in Sacramento with Reverend Horton Heat and the Supersuckers.
And after their mind-blowing rock ‘n sleaze performance I was able to sit down with the ever-so-kind and by far hottest lead guitarist in rock, Ruyter Suys, have a few shots of Jack Daniels and then get to answering some questions.
FRINGE: How’s the tour going so far with the Rev?
R: It’s going great, it’s going really, really, really great. We’ve been trying to do this tour for a while; Supersuckers are good friends of ours, we tour the same circles for the most part and we’ve been trying to get this going for like eight years now.
F: What do you think of the current rock scene?
R: You know what, we live in a f***in’ vacuum, so as far as we’re concerned the rock scene rules! All we do is drive around and listen to Foghat and then go rock out, and anytime I turn on the radio and hear something that sucks, I turn it off. But, I think it’s getting better.
F: If you could give one description of what Nashville Pussy is, what would it be?
R: AC/DC on crack.
F: So, what’s been the craziest show so far?
R: I think maybe in Livingston, Montana, it was a tiny, tiny town, it had something like two streets and every hotel room in town was booked because people were coming down from the mountains to see the bands play that night. It was just us and the Supersuckers that night, it was just absolutely nuts. Went back to the hotel that night and there were kids just diving off of the dumpsters into an algae filled pool. It was all these sweaty people packed into this little tube of a room and it was like 200 degrees in there. We pulled in and it looked like a mining town where you should have a donkey and stuff, and it turned out that it’s like Rock ‘N Roll Central.
F: Out of all the bands you’ve played with (Marilyn Manson, Black Label Society, the Rev.), which band was the most fun?
R: Motorhead. Always Motorhead. They’re the only other band we’ve ever met where their priority is to rock as hard as they possibly could and then when they get off the stage to party as hard as they possibly could, and one did never get in the way of the other.
F: How did everybody come to be in Atlanta to form Nashville Pussy?
R: Atlanta was like a fluke. Blane and I lived in Nashville, and we met our first bass player in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and our first drummer was from Kentucky. We were born out of the ashes of Blane’s old band, "Nine Pound Hammer," which at the time had just broken up. So we took the drummer and me and Blane started this band and found this crazy chick to play bass, and then as soon as we started touring we realized that we couldn’t all live in different states, so we all moved together in this sh***y f***in house in Athens, Georgia. And we’d have to drive past Atlanta every time we left to go out of town and we’d all see this big shiny city and wonder what’s going on in there. And Athens was ONLY cool when we played, other than that it was only full of R.E.M. people. The rock ‘n rollers would only become rock ‘n rollers when we had a show or a party. Then we decided, f*** it, we’re moving to Atlanta.
F: Where did the name Nashville Pussy come from, if you’re technically from Atlanta?
R: The name is a Ted Nugent reference, that’s from Double Live Gonzo right before Wang Dang Sweet Poontang. He says, "this is a love song, gotta love that Nashville Pussy."
F: The last album was in ‘05 with "Get Some." Are there any plans for a new record sometime in the near future?
R: We just finished a record! It should be out by X-mas at this rate. We also have a live from Hollywood DVD coming out in the end of September from the Key Club.
F: Out of all the places you’ve played, what’s your favorite?
R: Japan’s up there, France, Holland. It’s nice to get out of our little bubble.
F: On ‘Get Some,’ you recorded with Daniel Ray (Ramones, White Zombie). How was that experience different from the past?
R: He helped us arrange songs, and he actually helped in the writing process, which was really good. He likes the same music as we do, so we trusted him, we never let anyone really f**k with our s**t before, but he did the Ramones, so he knows what he’s doing as far as recording good hook’ey songs, so he helped a lot. He got Blane’s vocals to sound more like Alice Cooper pretty much, and he did the newest album, too. It’s kind of like the southern rock album that Alice Cooper never made.
F: You’ve been around for about 11 years now. Do you think the invention of I Tunes, and Myspace, etc… has helped your popularity grow?
R: I think the Internet period has helped us because we’re not played on the radio. We’re kind of like underground superstars in our own country. But, like in Europe they do play us on the radio and we’re actually on national television and stuff like that. Over there, people recognize us in the airport and stuff.
F: When people see you guys live, what do you want them to leave with?
R: Horniness! I want them to leave inspired to go home and do naughty things to each other, supposed to make you go in the backseat of your car somewhere. It’s supposed to re-inspire those old horny moments from high school.
Organized Chaos at Sara Jane and Co. this Second Saturday
Fringe’s favorite art hot spot in downtown Sacramento is Sara Jane and Co. a quaint but bold boutique featuring diverse art, jewelry, toys, clothing, etc.
For August’s second Saturday, the rabid minds of owners Joe and Sara Sinclair have brought together a beautiful mix of chaos for your viewing and listening pleasure.
The show "The chaos of Bad Otis Link and friends" will feature rebel artist Bad Otis Link and his merry band of misfit artist friends. The live soundtrack to this crazy mix of visual indulgence will be provided by the bands Times of desperation, Trackside Poets and Large Hairy Beast.
Along with other bent projects, Bad Otis Link became globally known for his "True Life Murderers" trading cards, published in 1990. The idea grabbed the unwanted attention of censors and moralist groups. Bad Otis art shows were threatened with pickets and bomb. The national media, FBI and major American corporations picked up on the project and attempted to make it a crime to own Otis’s art. Otis was sued, raided by the feds, drug through the media and talk show mud for two years, laws were changed in America restricting and censoring the sale of Otis’s cards and art. Soon the news went global; it is a hate crime to own Otis’ card sets in Canada and other uptight countries. Still standing and smirking, Otis responded by delivering a kick square to the balls of the crybaby puritans by releasing his next projects "The Worlds Most Hated People" trading card set followed by the "True Cannibals" set. All out of print, rumor has it that some may appear at this event for sale. According to Otis it’s just a rumor.
Before that debacle Otis became the house artist and merchandise supplier for literally hundreds of bands around the world, such as The Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Damned, The Circle Jerks, Bad Religion, and many others. Otis has also worked on book and publishing projects with Glen Danzig, Rob Zombie, illustrated for countless magazines and record companies. Now Otis mainly paints for gallery shows and makes strange and violent movies with famous Dominatrix, and not too famous puppets. Otis has invited some of his close and personal friends to join him in this first "Chain of Chaos" (add echo) art show.
Scott Angle, an early punk artist and comrade of Otis since the mid ’70s will prove that he’s an amazing painter and illustrator. Spencer Barsh, aka "Switch," besides being a talented artist, Spencer is also the front man for the infamous OC based punk band Shattered Faith, coincidently performing the night before the show at the Distillery. Another multi-talented friend who Otis is bringing up is Joe Wood, ’80s TSOL front man blues legend, who added to his palette the title of accomplished painter. Clark North will also be showing with some of his insane tattoo art.
You will also see Photography by Liza Orozco, known for her famous photos of Hank III and other country and rock legends. Other photos by the immensely talented JJ Hommel, our old pal Arab, infamous old school skate punk from the Duane Peters crew and guitarist from the infamous ’80s punk phenomenon "Love Canal". Other skate, music and art heroes include John Cormack, Alan Forbes, Craig "Skibs" Barker, Dara Santhai, XNO, Aaron Coleman and more. And if that isn’t enough, come enjoy the oddballs, local folk, musical talent and BOOZE!
You can check out Bad Otis Link at http://www.myspace.com/badotislink
Princes Today, Kings Tomorrow
The Heavy Lifting of Heavy is the Crown
It’s almost 11 o’clock and I’ve nothing better to do than to get inside, get out of the heat and out of the smoke that that’s wrapping the whole city in an eerie orange light. But instead I’m stuck outside on Academy Way, off of Marconi, part of the industrial area of our widespread city, with a coffee that I didn’t have the foresight to get iced. Rising above me is a stark white building surrounded by razor wire and somewhere inside is a hard-working band called Heavy is the Crown, adhering to the rigorous work schedule they’ve set for themselves, and probably playing too loud to hear my phone calls.
The text messages the night before from Nathan, their lead guitarist, read "We usually go (from 9) till (sic) 12 with drums and then from 12 to 3 with just vocals and or guitar…" And that’s just on Monday. When I sat down with Nathan and keyboardist Brian a week previously, they showed me their schedule tacked to the wall and written on binder paper. "Monday: Vox; Tuesday: Drilling w/ Metty, Guitar" and so forth on to "Fri: Writing, Recording."
And here I am almost two hours late. Suddenly I get lucky as Le Ryan, the smooth voiced singer of HitC drives through the gate. I catch him and during our conversation, a crucial piece of information is revealed.
"Oh, you mean you practice from 9 PM until midnight?"
Fast forward 12 hours and I’m sitting with Nate on the couch of their practice space. "Yeah," he says. "Bands rarely play that early." Outside, the building confirms this. The night is alive in this building of rentable practice spaces. Musicians congregate outside the retractable door for smoke breaks. Inside bass, guitar and drums — especially drums — ring out, vaguely muffled. For me it’s a new experience, but for these folks it’s a lifestyle.
That goes double for Heavy is the Crown. If I had any brains, I would have noticed that the schedule insisted on 7 PM to 12. The nine o’clock time in the text message, it turns out, was for my benefit; it was a chance to see them play before they embarked on an August tour that would take them across the country. Practice, then, usually is set for six hours a day and during less-than-conventional times, even for musicians. When I finally left their space, just past two in the morning, the place had gone largely silent except for the hiss of the light rail station across the street. But then, this band doesn’t pretend to subscribe to the conventional. It’s obvious that this endeavor is more important and serious than anything they’ve done before. They talk about their earlier bands when I ask, but in an offhand way. Brian didn’t even want me to mention any of his old bands by name.
Part of why they have so much hope for this group above all others is due to the best band chemistry that they’ve experienced. Ask them why they joined and they’ll go through the vague but powerful reason of "I just knew." When they jammed, they just know and when, independently of looking, they found Le Ryan, with whom, they just knew it would work. They all want to do something different and the best way seems to be together.
But, in head and heart fashion, what keeps them together is the structure and discipline heavily enforced by Nate, the de facto leader of the group. He is the last authority on the songs they put together. "Like with Celebration OC, I had my version of the song, but I was willing to give it up to Nathan and let him chop it up anyway he wanted," Brian told me. "Really, there is a sense that comes along with anh band that if you really want to achieve the goal of making this career and what you do for a living, you have to learn to compromise and you have to learn to understand that you do what’s best of the band. It’s not about individual effort anymore."
The strict sense of position in the band is striking to hear and even more so to see. Watching him during practice is like seeing a coach keeping in line his talented team. A reprimand, that rhythm guitarist John come up with guitar riffs while he jammed instead of soloing, is taken in stride without a hint of resentment, almost demurely, despite how sharp it seemed to me. On my last visit to a band practice, he took about 15 minutes with John, going over one single riff for a new song and until John had it pat. Earlier that night he was at the drum kit as John jammed, music punctuated by frustrated exclamations. Then, they paused for Nate to say "We’re hopping straight into Dark Funk now."
Of anything, that statement is an illustration of what these guys have thrown themselves into. "Dark Funk" is the term that they’ve coined for the sound they’re working on, described as a "Heavier, meatier kind of funk." It says a lot about when they formed, not just to be punk, indie, metal or whatever else under the sun, but something new the fans will have to learn to appreciate. That’s the artist’s sense.
The first taste of Dark Funk, as they’ve developed thus far, is the striking amount of sound thrown into it. HitC is a sonic assault. With six members, the songs include drums, two guitars, vocals, keyboards and one member running samples. And this is before they have a permanent bass player. Complicated and intricate, Dark Funk is the fun and bounce of that genre infused with seriousness of heavy sound.
I asked them why funk as we sat outside for a smoke break. John, with his back to me flicked away his cigarette and said over his shoulder, "It shakes booties." When I ask them why they want to change it in the way they do, why they want to make it "dark," the answers are more muddled. Different adjectives are thrown at me, like "real," "aggravating," "opinionated" and especially "dirty." "It’s going to be dirty in the sense that, if we show it to our mothers, she would blush," Nate explained.
The basic point is that they want to shake things up in the most vigorous way possible and it reveals how young these guys are, none of them yet 23, that this is their fancy. Any pithy joke they make to me carries an earnest and heavily serious undercurrent. More than anything else, the band feels like it’s their chance to mark the world and the world’s eardrums. Hence the evocative name "Heavy is the Crown."
I asked about that in my interview with Nate and Brian. To me it seemed as an arrogant, presupposed proclamation of glory, but along with everything else, they take the name very seriously and there is no flippancy regarding their name. The underlying theme is responsibility and, though they feel it heavily, they see it as something to be embraced. "I’m at an age where I need to get shit done," said Brian. "I’ve had about 20 years ahead of this to where I could have had fun and I can put an honest few years of work and, hell, I’ll probably have 40 more years to have fun."
Not that the work isn’t fun in it’s own right. These guys are musicians, after all, and the point is to make the music good. And then make it better. It couldn’t happen to worthier musicians. As I sat in their practice room and they showed the fruits of their labors, hearing every clean tempo change and every searing solo, I couldn’t help thinking: "Man, this is pretty sweet."
Lynus: Get Outside
Lynus is a chilled-out band that has been rocking Sacramento for a long time. They are still relatively young in terms of their age – but they started this whole gig when they were wee lads. Lynus hasn’t always impressed me – but they’ve changed. They seem to have a new-found determination and the music just keeps getting better and better. It seems like the most organic progression that a band could have. Possibly due to this new attitude, I was intrigued to interview them, so their singer Joe did some explaining for me.
Fringe: It seems like you guys spent a really long time getting the songs
together for this new CD, what took so long?
Lynus: We wanted to make an album giving 100% to every track, so going into the writing process we were very critical and selective of what would make it to the album. We’ve always liked to take our time when it comes to writing songs. I think people can hear the difference when there’s time spent on a song or album rather than just dishing it out. At least I hope they can!!
F: Did you have a lot of songs that you decided not to record?
L: Not really. If an idea wasn’t cutting it, we were pretty good at scratching it right away. But, there definitely was a lot of abandoned ideas during the process, some of which I think could still be turned into future Lynus songs.
F: I’ve noticed that you guys have gotten more serious about the band
this past year. What changed that?
L: Well, I went through a really bad year of writer’s block prior to writing the album. We all became far too hard on ourselves and our music. That led to our bass player of eight years (Jason Brown) quitting the band. After that, being that it was our first member change ever, I felt I had no choice but to commit to the writing process. I told myself I’d finish a song whether I thought it was good or not. The end result was the second track on the album, Labrador. I think getting older is also a good kick in the ass to start working harder on the business side of things as well.
F: How have your goals changed as a band since you started, if at all?
L: From the time we started the band 10 years ago, it was purely based on having fun and being as good as possible. That still is the ultimate goal of things. On top of that we’ve always shared the common dream of taking it as far as possible. Ten years later we’re still working to achieve success!!
F: I like asking this question - if you could play any show with any band in any venue, existing or not - who would it be with and where?
L: That’s a good question, Gina!! I don’t know where to begin. Of course I’d like to play with all the greats but they’d make us look bad, I think! But The Beatles, of course, at my house would be a sweet time! Maybe in outer space or like a future moon base would be more historic of a venue.
F: Are you guys gear geeks? What do you play with (on stage)?
L: We’re very much into the tones of our instruments. So, yes, we are geeks! I play Blake’s Sheraton Epiphone through a Fender Supersonic amp. Blake alternates an American Strat and a Casino Epiphone through a Twin Reverb. Tim Plays an American P bass through a Mesa Boogie 400 run through a Ampeg 8×10 cab. And Minh plays a Pearl kit. I forget the exact model.
F: If you can see this far into the future - give me Lynus in eight years.
L: Wow. That means Lynus when I’m 30 years old! At least two or three platinum industry changing records, massive world influence, several world tours, and plenty of groupies all under our belts!! Of course, that’s all speculation!
F: Say the world was the way it should be and bands actually got what they wanted - what five things would be necessities in your green room?
L:
1. Marijuana
2. Water
3. Beer
4. Candles
5. Good people
F: I like the title of your new album, "Nice Outside." I am a big fan of being outside. Not related to music at all. What is your guys’ take on global warming?
L: Global warming trips me out. I actually worked two days canvassing for a non-profit organization aimed at fighting global warming. I was so discouraged to find out how many people still reject global warming and the overwhelming scientific evidence of its existence. I’m optimistic that humanity will come around. At least the politicians are. Now we just have to figure out how to take down the special interest groups (oil and coal companies) and their powerful economic influence they have on the governments of the world. I’m just pissed off that they’ve waited until the very last minute to react. Voting is all we little folk can do, so I encourage folks to vote.
F: Okay and one more. Describe your music in the most creative way possible.
L: I don’t know how to describe our music. I guess in simple terms it’s melodic, intricate, harmonious, original and thoughtful. Just buy our new album "Nice Outside" and listen for yourselves!
Art. Rock. Indifferent: Der Spazm
I could tell you that Der Spazm sounds a bit like the Pixies, but then you’d walk away thinking that they sound just like the Pixies. I could also tell you that they sounded a bit like (good) Sonic Youth. But you’d just hear "sounds. Like. Sonic. Youth." And again, you’d walk away with the wrong idea about them.
While this is a band that wears some of their influences on their sleeves, Der Spazm is far from the type of band the dresses in their hero’s clothes. Too many ‘art-rock’ (if that’s indeed what they are) bands think that by being indistinguishable from their idols they’re somehow doing something new and unfamiliar. But even black sheep are still just sheep.
Der Spazm doesn’t have this problem, musically or lyrically. And the band excels at both. Dillon (guitar, vocals), Leticia (guitar), Johnny 13 (drums), and Ashley (bass, backing vocals) are doing music barely fallowing any of the blue prints for art/punk or post punk rock music. I can sit here and tell you what they sound like till I run out of comparisons and descriptions. I can work up a sweat and bust a vessel in my brain trying to come up with witty little antedotes that are supposed to somehow let you read what they sound like. But a simple "this band sounds like that band" isn’t going to work this time. For the good ones, it never does.
You need to go hear them. If you like your rock good and loud, you need to go hear them. If you like bands that are pushing the musical envelope, not because they are trying to be different, but because they ARE different, you need you go hear them. Sometimes words can’t get across what the music sounds like without doing it a great injustice. Saying that they got Dark and hooky melodies colliding over shadowy and menacing riffs ain’t going to cut it. This band’s music sparks in the dark. I could just call them an esoteric masterpiece, but that ain’t going to cut it, ether.
I got the chance to talk with them about their music, their thoughts, and what they themselves think about the uncanny band called Der Spazm.
Fringe: calling your band’s sound unique or different would be an understatement. Even though I can hear a lot of really great influences in your songs (The Pixies, Sonic Youth, Liars) there’s a lot going on in the music that turns Der Spazm into it’s own thing, instead of just being another good carbon copy band of other great bands. What influences do you guys have that might surprise your fans?
Der Spazm: Perhaps the most surprising thing about our influences is the diversity of influences that we all have! Ashley likes to listen to bands like Coldplay and Pantera, Jonny13 is into bands like 311 and Deftones, Dillon likes bands such as Hoover Phonic and Juliana Hatfield, and Leticia enjoys music by Joy Division and U2.
F: Some would (and do) call Der Spazm an Art-Rock band. Is what you do art-rock? What does that term mean to you?
Der Spazm:
A. Yes! We ourselves never really felt we fit well into the punk rock or indie rock category, so we feel Art-Rock is a great way to describe our sound!
B. Art-Rock to us means music that has a lot of diversity, which may be experimental and the most important goal about Art-Rock music is to make every song sound different! We also feel Art-Rock is about always trying new things, and when writing the songs the goal is to not follow a specific writing pattern, not to get stuck writing songs the same way, and allowing EVERYONE to take part in the writing process. The result is a sound that is fresh, as well as something that is new, exciting, and helps us avoid (as you said earlier) having carbon copy sound!
F: Der Spazm is very poetic lyrically without confusing the listener as to where the song is coming from, and what it’s about. Or, am I wrong here? Are the lyrics meant to be broader in meaning than what I’m seeing? Are the lyrics open for interpretation, or are they about just what they would appear to be about?
Der Spazm: We feel the lyrics to our songs may be pretty obvious at times and can be taken literally, but really they are always open to interpretation. When Dillon writes a song like "Lite speed" or "Scrilla," oftentimes the process for him is like a puzzle when putting the words together and usually the songs will take on a meaning later. From Dillon’s perspective, "Light speed" is about people getting caught up in convenience and trying to get things done as fast as they can, and "Scrilla" has a more personal meaning; its generally about the struggles of not having any money that he and his mom have faced at times. We think a lot of people can relate! Leticia also likes to write some of the lyrics and her goal is to write the song like a poem. For instance, the song titled "Stuck inside a dream," is really about when someone is facing a rough spot in their life and it seems like a bad dream. Jonny13 is also writing a new song for us called "El Maton" (The Killer), and he will try to put himself into the song and make it into a story, but an exciting, dramatic and meaningful story. Ashley will also be writing a song for us soon and we are very excited to see what she has to add to the variety of our song lyrics. But in the end, and as we said before, the lyrics are very much open to interpretation and the listener is welcome to make up their own story, depending on how the song makes them feel!
F: what other bands are pushing the envelope the way you guys are in Sacramento? Who should we be keeping an ear out for?
Der Spazm: We are lucky to have had the opportunity to play with a lot of really great bands in Sacramento and they are all a lot of fun! Some of the bands that we feel are really trying to do something different that music lovers should check out are groups such as The Common Men, Razorblade Monalisa, Goodness Gracious Me, An Evening Episode, March into Paris, and Holiday in Spain!
Please go hear this band at myspace.com/derspazm .
Don’t Blame Me, Blame Betty!
From riot grrrl tribute act to original high-energy rock band, Blame Betty is winning over hearts everywhere they perform. You’ve heard of them, right? That is no doubt because guitarist/lead vocalist Brooke Sobol is a non-stop promotional machine, not to mention one heckuva performer! Along with Jason, Matt and Ray, they have been very busy writing original songs and performing at just about every locale that allows live music, be it clubs, bars, or roller derby bouts.
Blame Betty may have started out as a tribute band, covering songs from the likes of Betty Blowtorch, L7, and Joan Jett, but they have since grown into their own unique little beast. And what’s with the name, Blame Betty? Where did it come from?
"The band began with three friends who shared a love for a band called Betty Blowtorch," Brooke explained. "We tossed a few ideas around, but since Betty brought us together, it didn’t take long for us to decide on Blame Betty!"
What was it like transforming from a tribute band to an original act?
"It’s been awesome!" Brooke said. " It was a little scary at first. We had a very unique niche, playing riot grrrl cover songs nobody else was playing and people DUG it! We got a lot of great attention because of the covers – despite the stigma associated with most cover bands. And I had no idea if we could even write songs or if people would like them. But once we started writing, we realized we could actually write some pretty cool songs! And we totally love it. So now we’re fully focused on writing original songs, and it’s taken us in a great direction. We still play some covers, because the crowd loves them and so do we, but now we’re seeing the crowd also liking our originals! It’s an amazing feeling, looking out in the crowd and people are singing along or rockin’ out to songs we wrote!"
Since Blame Betty is a female-fronted band, do the guys feel like the band is looked at differently? This time Matt Vijeh (guitar) answered.
"First thing guys say to me is, ‘Female singer? Oh, is she hot?’ To which I reply, ‘come to the show and find out.’ Women tend to be more open to seeing a hard rock/punk band that is female fronted. It seems to be a common sentiment amongst them (women), at least in my experience. The point is to get these people to a show. As far as band matters, I don’t view Brooke as a woman, but as a fellow musician. So there’s no sweetening up the guitar licks. Gender’s not an issue."
And how about Brooke’s experience with playing in a band full of guys? Do they burp and fart a lot?
"Oh my god! The guys never burp, let alone fart!" Brooke explained. " I am totally the burper! The louder the better, and if I’m anywhere near my microphone, lookout! Farting at practice is apparently frowned upon. But this one time, we were right in the middle of a song, and I dunno, I had Taco Bell for dinner or something, and a silent one slipped out. You know those hissing kind that burn a little? I tried to play it cool, but oh my god – I was drowning in a cloud of stench in my little corner! I was totally cracking up while trying to sing and play, but they didn’t know why. Apparently they didn’t smell it. I completely lost control and couldn’t even get through the song, so I had to fess up."
How does Blame Betty define success as musicians? Drummer Jason Osika answered.
"For me, it’s just finding a group of people you can stand to be around day to day and just playing music and being able to share it with other people."
Ray Hilliard (bass) added, "For me, personally, it’s all about the songs. Sometimes success could be as simple as figuring out a bridge or transition, or creating something from scratch that you’re really proud of. As long as people keep coming to shows, singing along with us, and we are able to give our best effort in writing and playing, that’s all you can ask for. I’d be happy with that."
And what’s next for Blame Betty?
"We’re going to record an EP in August," Brooke said. "We’re pretty excited about that. After that, more shows! Our original music is going more in the direction of high-energy rock & roll than punk, so we’ll just have to see where that takes us. I’m always pursuing playing with bands I personally like, be they local or national bands, punk or rock. I love a good line-up that makes the fans want to show up for the first band and stay through the last band."
If you have never had the opportunity to catch this band live, make sure you take the time to do so. They play with a lot of energy, they’re fun, and you’re guaranteed to have a great time. In watching them, they clearly display their love of music and performing, and that love quickly spreads throughout the audience. Be warned ahead of time, Brooke is not afraid to catch you off guard and sing right to your face! I do speak from experience.
Head on over to www.myspace.com/blamebetty to find out when and where they’ll be playing next.
October Comes Not Soon Enough For This Autumn Sky
Autumn Sky has been serenading the Sacramento area for over two years, but this year is different. Her debut album "All Which Isn’t Singing" is due to release in early October, and saying she’s ecstatic is an understatement. For the 19-year-old indie folk singer, October couldn’t come soon enough. Besides celebrating her first album release she will also be celebrating her birthday and marriage to fellow musician Matt McClean.
"That month is going to be huge!" Autumn exclaimed, "it’s going to explode!"
Autumn Sky, yes that is her birth name, has been playing music for years. Trained in piano and violin as a child she was able to pick up just about any instrument that came her way. Her resume lists 14 instruments including everything from the more obvious voice and guitar to the less obvious accordion, ukulele, and bongos.
"I really like making music and I have an appreciation for it," she said about her collection of musical talents. "It opens horizons to new ideas and new sounds." While her mom made her take piano lessons as a child, she said picking up the guitar in high school was her own decision, "it was my cool thing" she said.
Autumn has been writing songs since the age of 6, when she first picked up the guitar, which she named Samuel Taylor, when she was 15 things just took off from there. Her biggest set back was stage freight.
"I’ve been singing for a really, really, really long time," she said. But because of her stage freight, it took her a while to showcase her talent. "My dad didn’t even knew I could sing."
She started taking voice classes at the community college and learned how to control her voice and sing in front of people. She also sang with her youth group… eventually she made it to an open mic.
Today Autumn Sky and her side kick Samuel Taylor dazzle audiences with her little girl/ big voice presence. You cannot help but notice her on the stage. She’s the shy girl in the cute spring dress. But once she starts singing she transforms. Her hips start swinging as she sings with theatrical expressions. "I like the melodramatic," she says. Her songs are upbeat and cute.. but don’t be fooled she has her sad and angry songs too. In fact, for being so happy, she does sad so well.
Both Autumn’s voice and songs are extremely versatile. An Autumn Sky show is an breathtaking experience as she brings influences such as June Carter, Regina Spektor, and Lilly Allen to her performances. Her debut album release is expected to be nothing less than promising.
"There are a lot of cool little gems on the album, none of the songs sound exactly alike." Autumn said. She said you can expect to hear some country, pop, experimental, and even some of her yodeling skills.
"It would be nice to be able to live off my music someday," she said. However, she’s fine living a double life courtesy clerk by day, rock star by night. "Honestly, if I never make it, I’d be happy just do it to do it."
For now this 19-year-old is working on making it, even if that means performing late nights in bars… which she still isn’t quite used to.
You can find out more information, including show dates at: http://www.myspace.com/autumnskymyspace
The Quest For The Cold One
For years, a question has plagued scientists, philosophers and frat brothers: Where can I find beer and where do they serve the coldest of said beverage? So, to do my part, my buddy J-Dub and I embarked on what can only be called a fantastic voyage, sans Coolio. That’s right, friends, in the second part of Fringe’s mission to find the coldest beer in town, we stormed Vacaville’s downtown in search of the chillenest ale. To be fair, we headed out on a Monday evening. The bars were pretty slow, so it seemed the fridges would be pretty idle, thus not adding any outside interference to the experiment. It was also decided we would pound down wheat beers, but some issues came up along the way. So, like most of the adventures my boy and I run into, things didn’t go as planned.
Merchant and Main Bar & Grill
349 Merchant Street
41.5 degrees
As we found out, having the best atmosphere and food has nothing to do with how cold your brew will be. My Blue Moon was cold, but the thermometer told the story. Probably my favorite place to hang out in the double V, M&M (as the cool kids call it) came in dead last. Apparently the temperature of your kegs has nothing to do with the size of the televisions either. Merchant (if you’re into the brevity thing) has three or four plasmas, which all had sports on, which is nice. The food was equally pleasing as we put down a basket of wings, which were perfectly crispy, and pounded down an order of potato skins that were one of the best appetizers I’ve had in a while. So, kids, what we’ve learned today is that you can’t judge a beer by its cover.
TJ’s Tavern
554 Main Street
40.3 degrees
What can I say about TJ’s? It’s used to be a biker bar, but ever since Vacaville turned its downtown into a night spot, the tavern has been attracting co-eds on weekend nights. Equipped with dart boards, pool tables and a pretty bitchin’ juke box, it’s a good spot to grab a stool and get hammered. It is a bit rough around the edges, and J-Dub felt a little overdressed, as he was wearing sleeves and all. And with Shock Top (Budweiser’s Bavarian beast) at $3.50, you won’t break the bank. As far as the food goes, it’s pretty much chips and beef jerky. The back patio is a nice touch, with plenty of chairs for those who need to smoke a square while hydrating. What sets it apart from other bars is the service. Whether it’s Glen patrolling the door, Bill serving up drinks while hurling a few one-liners at you or the ever-changing 22-year-old cuties behind the bar, there’s always some good conversations going on.
Los Reyes Restaurante
21 Town Sq # A
40 degrees
What is quickly replacing Murrillo’s as the go-to Mexican restaurant in town, Los Reyes also has a small bar inside that seats about five. We actually hadn’t included the place on our list, but when we realized near-by Cheers didn’t offer draft beer, we quickly improvised. And because we went in during their Monday happy hour, I scored a $2 beer. Even better was the fact that my home girl Mo-B was behind the bar. For full disclosure, Los Reyes was having some keg issues, which may or may not have affected the temperature. But, nonetheless, if a restaurant can rank in the middle of the pack on our list, they are doing something right. And it’s a shame we weren’t doing "The Coldest Margarita," because they had our back on that one. Our girl didn’t stop making them while we were there, serving them up in over-sized glasses. So, if you’re looking for some Mexican munchies and some chilled cervesas, you’re in luck.
Creekside Bar and Grill
555 Main St
39.7 degrees
Our trip here was off from the get-go. Normally we like to head downstairs to the comfortable chairs and numerous TVs. However, for some reason it was closed and we were jettisoned to the upstairs bar, which is nice, but just different. And, in yet another sign I drink too much, the bartender was no stranger. The next dilemma was that when I ordered a Shock Top, they were out. So, next in line was the Widmer, also out. So we settled for a Bud Light, which came in a chilled glass from the back of the cooler. Very cold, quite refreshing, but still, it was a Bud Light. All this could have been avoided, but the clueless owner made it quite clear he didn’t know how to change a keg….wow.
Huey’s Pub
519 Main Street
35.9 degrees
Ding ding ding, we have a winner. Who’da thunk it? Normally I avoid Huey’s like a girl with a cold sore on her lip, but now I have to rethink the whole strategy. On weekend nights, you usually have to navigate through throngs of loose women and piles of douche bag dudes, but on this Monday evening the place was pretty much filled with an older crowd. It probably had something to do with the BBQ action they had going, offering up a steak and the fixings for 10 bucks. So heading into the place, J-Bone and I decided to get one beer, pound it and bounce. Little did we know the guy behind the counter would hand us a frosty glass with a near-frozen beverage inside. In fact, the whole ordeal has given me a new respect for Huey’s. With beer that cold and a meal that cheap, it seems like Mondays are the spot. Congratulations to Huey’s, and to J-Dub, who got this reporter home safely after pounding beers on a Monday night.
The Next Generation In A Film Festival
A Christie Digital projector can cost a pretty penny to rent or own. A projector like the Roadie HD + 12k, which plays movies in pristine HD, was a steal for Jaime Gonzalez, president of the Next Gen Film Festival. He got to rent his for free on one condition: it was only free for film festival use. However, there was a small problem: At the time, he hadn’t started the festival yet.
Gonzalez, a filmmaker and film-enthusiast, always had pipe dreams about starting his own film festival, but said the offer from the people at Christie Digital made those dreams "a little more tangible."
He partnered with Hatzune Aguilar, who he knows from various political organizing efforts, including volunteering for the relief effort after Hurricane Katrina. They both currently work at Jim Gonzalez and Associates where Gonzalez, 25, is the media director, and Aguilar, 27, is a Senior Policy Analyst.
The two began to piece together their plans for the festival and decided that since the projector they wanted was an HD projector, the festival would focus on new technology in film – and the Next Gen Film Festival was born. This festival is the first of its kind to showcase movies in HD.
"The technology is growing by leaps and bounds," Gonzalez said. "It’s opening the doors to younger filmmakers."
Gonzalez and Aguilar approached sponsors to help fund their endeavor. Because of the innovative nature of the festival, Gonzalez and Aguilar said they didn’t meet much hesitation.
As for the festival shorts, there will be up to 50 films, narrowed down from a field of approximately 200. The shorts will screen at Memorial Auditorium over four nights, from August 28 through August 31. The categories of the films are HD, digital animation, narrative and documentary shorts. Most of the shorts are world premieres, but a couple have screened at film fests such as Tribeca and Sundance.
"We judged the films just like you would judge a movie walking out of a theater," Gonzales said. "We chose short films because we wanted to be able to fit in as many movies as we could."
Also, with the support of Tracy City Council Member Evelyn Tolbert, the Next Gen Film Festival will hold a New Young Directors segment where juniors and seniors in high school will showcase their two-minute promotional movies for city programs.
Everything about the festival was approached from the perspective of a festival attendee. Ideas, such as being able to buy pizza, tapas and beer, and take them to your seat while you watch the films were born because the festival organizers thought about what they would want if they we’re attending the festival as a fan.
On opening night, there will be a VIP reception along with appearances by Danny Glover (Lethal Weapon), Rudy Youngblood (Apocalypto), Adam Del Rio (The Pursuit of Happyness), Cinematographer Don McAlpine (Moulin Rouge!), and Will Bingham, winner of "On the Lot," a reality television competition for filmmakers. Mayor Heather Fargo will provide a welcoming speech on opening night and introduce the celebrities and Kevin Johnson will welcome people to the awards ceremony as well as present the audience award.
Audience members will also get to vote for their favorite films, with the top four being shown On Demand, courtesy of Comcast Cable.
Gonzalez and Aguilar have spent the better part of a year planning and organizing the festival. In the last three months, a staff of about 10 has been working hard to put the festival together. Since the festival is still in its infant stages, ideas are being born all the time, some of which will have to wait until next year.
"There was a point where I had to say ‘ok, no more new ideas,’" Gonzalez said with a laugh.
Tickets are $10 for each day or $25 for all four days. Tickets for the VIP opening night are $35 with free wine and hors d’oeuvres. Go to Tickets.com or Nextgenfilmfest.org for more information.
Just Friends
I had this vision that, after the break up, we’d both have this huge relief lifted from our lives, with the pressure of a semi-dysfunctional relationship no longer burdening our days. I imagined we’d both feel like the ride was good and over and had been a great, exciting one for the most part. My mentality was to be strong, move on, peace out disappointment, good riddance loneliness and adios unmet expectations. I wanted to lay back with my feet up and know that he was much better off without me always at his feet, wanting more and getting less. I was hopeful that we’d be able to retain the core bond of why we ever dated in the first place: our phenomenal friendship.
The final break up had cleverly changed my ex into the type of boyfriend I had always encouraged him to be but, sadly enough, my time was done. My heart was free. Soon after it became clear how much of a cardinal sin dating your coworker really is. It was like the ride was over, but the shoulder harness wouldn’t release me from my seat. I was stuck heavy in break-up aftermath with no escape. We couldn’t be friends; we couldn’t be enemies. We were coworkers and it was hell. While he was an emotional circus, I was trying to enjoy the sunshine from Cloud 9. He wanted to be close and I needed space. There were his eyes every morning, reminding me what I was putting him through.
Monday through Friday my daydreams with my new Mr. Perfect were being interrupted by the guilt and sorrow I was feeling over the break up and the loss of my best friend. How could we ever be friends again when he vowed to never let go, to never move on, to never love another woman because it "wouldn’t be right"? He even refused to go out and find some rebound sex.
With no scheduled long vacations on my horizon, I needed a plan fast. There was no way my life would exist as something so chaotic. I couldn’t be sending mixed messages to this man who I didn’t want to be with anymore, just to help him through it. Pure and simple, I decided to do every thing right with my new boyfriend. Although it would be uncomfortable and even difficult sometimes, I would be honest, open and loyal. I would call my new guy when I wanted to, even if it meant my ex might overhear. I would think about him just to get through the workday and avoid the drama. He deserved everything I wanted to give him: me without baggage, me with big dreams, me with a wide-open future and a heart that was longing to love.
I knew someplace deep inside me that eventually we could be just friends. Pain is a human condition and it doesn’t lessen because of inconvenience or boundaries. It’s one of those sh–ty emotions that only diminishes over time. And usually you got to go through that time alone.
