Rock and Roll

I thought I would write about my favorite rock band Kiss today. I find the tension that drives rock bands to create great music is always alive in any Kiss fan. Gene Simmons steers the ship and he would have you believe he was captain, but clearly the wind in the sails is Paul Stanley. Often questioned is his sexuality, but clearly and secure in himself just like many from the glam era he lead the band though battlefield arenas to fame. After reading his book it's clear he had a rough childhood, but did not let that stop the music. Kiss has always been considered a joke band due to the simplicity of their songs and for the seventies their appearance was shocking but has become so iconic and familiar it has become part of our culture. For the fans the music is something we connected to because the make up made it counter culture and the music was some of the hardest rock of the time, but within those live albums was where the community started. Paul would lead the crowd with "do you believe in rock and roll?" And often shouted, "we love you!". Obviously those live records were studio enhanced, but as a young boy who needed something to believe in I bought it. I spent any allowance I had on records and magazines I would get from the grocery, record and liquor stores. It was right there in the songs where to get your teenage fix "around the corner at the liquor store". They talked to us like adults. It was intended as adult music but because of the image kids were drawn to it like horror movies. I remember in 1975 I had their first record and my friend gave me Dressed to kill for my birthday. We had not even seen the costumes yet because they had suits on, but the suits with the makeup made them look like scary thugs. The Warriors movie was out the and some of my friends from school had got to see it when their older brother took them to the movies. The make up theme made me start drawing the make up. I thought it would be easy to draw so I had contests with my friends in school drawing kiss and warrior pictures. I soon found a compulsive urge to perfect my drawings. I entered a school drawing contest in 1978 after getting the Ace Frehley solo album for my birthday that year. My parents encouraged me to enter my drawing of the Ace record cover in the contest. It was a pretty good drawing and I thought I would do really well with it because by that time I had built up my skills drawing everyday in my room with my headphones on listening to kiss, Sweet and Aerosmith (those were the 3 records I owned.) my sister was younger and did not understand the attention I was getting and decided to add her touch to my drawing. Let me say for the record I forgive you Jenny. She still remains my biggest fan and wether she knew it or not became my first critic. (I drew it over and won second place.) I forgive you little sister, and second place is o.k. Sometimes. Peter Criss in 1976 had all the girls singing Beth (including my sister) and made all us young boys understand how we got here in the first place. The only other sad song of that year that made me cry was "only women bleed" by Alice Cooper (which was of course where kiss got the whole idea) this song would become the theme song of the beginning of the end of my parents marriage. They fought a lot then and did their best to keep it behind closed doors but my door was just down the hall. Ace Frehley was the main man for me in Kiss. Mostly because he was reluctant to be a singer at all but when he did it was real. You can hear it on any of those early records especially Alive 2 where he was formally introduced as a singer as well as being the most important part of kiss's music the lead guitar player. He sounded like he would mess up even as he played which was his trademark of his playing style. On stage he had swagger where Gene had the theatrics and Pete (with the same kind of style as ace) kept the beat. I had the smoking guitar poster on my wall then. My dad smoked then. Soon my buddies and me would be smoking too. Sooner or later that ended, but in the 70s and 80s we had smoke. I was always at least aware that it was only entertainment (it's only rock and roll) but I still like it even if today I don't have the smoke and booze to go with it. I don't want to go back because life move forward but now and then I follow the logic of Cheap Trick and get my Kiss records out. I still collect Kiss merch now and then, but I kind if feel like the man in charge (Gene) has steered the ship into the rocks for good. The reason most fans got into the music is we wanted to play it too. I wanted to design Kiss record covers like the great Ken Kelly did for Love Gun, Destroyer and just this year Ace Frehley's new cd Space Invader. One day my personal hope us that visual art meets up to the same kind of importance music artists have. On thing is for sure I don't have any desire to play football for the L.A. Kiss football team. Most of the jocks bullied kiss fans back in the day so I guess it is what it is. I do remember the god of thunder (gene) in make up on the poster on my wall scared me at night when I was young and I had to overcome my fear of the demon. He is a great bass player and I do dig his solo lp too. Defiantly Paul and Gene where going for the Beatles and Ace and Peter were more Zeppelin and Stones and no they all don't get along. I really would like to hear a record from Peter and I love the new Ace record. I loved Sonic Boom but the long wait for Monster and promises that never happened like vintage Kiss DVDs let me down, but it's only entertainment. I don't want to see a second reunion but I do still believe in Rock and Roll which despite the wishes of Mr. Simmons, will never die. Today I will turn up the music and paint into tomorrow, hope to see you there.... Goodnight! 

Onward! Paint like you mean it...

I have noticed this younger generation has found their voice. The new music escapes me and hipster culture has arrived... Don't be confused grungers we are indeed old and are in no way "hip". We are, however, the last pre digital age. I started painting classes when I saw the art of Robert Williams' first books. It blew my mind that art may become as radical and bitchen as surfing and rock and roll so I set out to build an art ark (a big body of paintings) to sail out of the 90's and into the future. Now that we have the digital age and folks just steal any image or recording they want it is all the more important to show these eager young hipsters how to paint and draw. Due to the leftover stoner culture of yesterday it is now,"cute" and "hey that's neat" to paint or draw by hand. At least that's what they tell me. Don't talk about it, do it. Do it while they still make paper and canvas. It does not cost much and your mind will take you to new places if you open it up enough. Once apon a time we had art departments to run and the hipsters took them over. Don't lose your sense of humor but let's not be just crass and slapstick... Make it good! I see hope for us all still, but it takes hard work. I don't care if you want to use your cell phones or play video games all day. That's stress relief for some. On line shopping will convince you you need it even more. The machine has begun its mission to overthrow humanity and humanity is eagerly craving more. I am reaching out to those of you who still care as I do.  If you see an artist and you like the work and buy it it makes a difference. U2 wants your mind and money. Another Irish band had a song about a suspect device. They still play today too. Joey Ramone is spinning in his grave. I had to rant a bit about this. Thanks for listening. Get to work! ...did you get the new Motörhead cd yet?

Saccharine Trust at the Warner Annex coming Friday, Sept. 24th

All hands on deck, ya pirates! The mighty Sacchrine Trust is playing in town. I have know Jack for some time now and if you have not attended a Jack Brewer show in person you are missing out. He is by far the best poet in Los Angeles (ask around) his show is always unpredictable and have never left a show of his without feeling changed for the better for being there to witness it. This band in particular is legendary and blazed huge new paths in sonic power since they began. Then you got Joe Biza... Far and away the most amazing guitar player, and if not for getting a flyer draw by Biza years ago I may not have ever attempted drawing flyers (the first flyers I got were by Pettibon, then when I got a Biza flyer I knew that's what I wanted to do...) This show is being put on Guitar Safari who if you don't already know is the one and only place to get vintage guitars and a history lesson in punk at the same time.

Here's my Jack Brewer story... My friend John played bass in Jack's band and I sometimes did flyers for him. In the 90's I worked at Peanut Records in Lomita and was kind of hooked on buying records. My fave band at the time (and I was obsessing on them) was Sonic Youth and I had a Kool Thing for Kim Gordon... So much that I painted her on my leather jacket next to Lydia Lunch (I was digging her too) they did an in store at Rhino Records in Westwood...it was secret but I knew about it and brought my leather and black light sonic youth poster from tannis root to get signed. 

So when I got to Kim I was all excited and I showed her my jacket and suddenly standing by Thurston Moore (they were married) I felt like a stalker... Well Jack Brewer was playing the show and stopped over to talk to me and Kim said,"you know Jack?" And Thurston started talking to me about how much he loved Saccharine Trust and when Jack took the stage Kim and Thurston hung out with me the rest of the day. 

The next day I went with my friend Dave Naz and Lee Ranaldo to a Robert Williams singing at Golden Apple comics, and told him I wanted to paint like him, but did not have enough time... Robert told me,"you have to make the time..." So I did. I can also tell you this...Lee Ranaldo is the nicest guy in rock and roll. 

I still have my jacket, tannis root sonic youth black light poster, and signed robt. Williams poster.

 I get by with a little help from my friends...

Go to the show!

My Yesterday

That's my flyer right there under the n's... I made that flyer the day before the show and I rushed it out because I knew this was a big deal gig, but Fletcher was always saying things like, "yeah, I guess if you want to make a flyer you can, but only if you want to..." That's because there is no real money in punk rock or rock and roll, whatever. It's not about getting high or drunk either...although years ago I did, but I had to battle my depression then, and the best thing for it that I ever found was rock and roll. To hear it correctly you surround yourself with some friends and talk about your shitty life (well at the time I felt pretty bad) then when you are done and maybe a tear rolls down your cheek, and instead of your buddy laughing at you, he gives you a hug and turns up the cassette tape in the boom box. We took the bus and rode our skateboards everywhere because any pocket change we had went to things for relief like smokes, booze, drugs and the priority in my case was always...records. I went all over Los Angeles anyway I could to find them. Zed's in long beach was the best but it meant a long day on the bus and skate to get there. Hollywood had Pouser (made famous by Redd Kross tune "standing in front of Pouser" on their first record. They also started at "the church" which was were we hung out in front of some days just to feel the vibe of it. Back to the story... The first local place for me for my record fix was platterpus in Rivera village. I bought the Germs gi, oingo boingo 10 inch ep, more specials and for my moms birthday I bought Dolly Parton's Crackers used with my leftover change. When punk was starting up I remember saying goodbye to loving cheap trick's budokan lp and hello to X's Los Angeles. It was the unheard music. Music by you friend who rode the same bus you did. They playe one or two "good" songs on the radio, and on the weekend you had Rodney on the Roq for homework. Lines like "butcher baby, they're gonna put you away" and "I'm not no animal" "Manimal", "Wild in the streets" filled my head with a healing hand just like Iggy said in the tune "Raw Power". Back then I was a Stooges fan and I often saw Iggy on the beach with pretty girls. real pretty girls. One day I got the courage to talk to him. I walked up and said,"I am a really big fan" he said "who do you think I am?" I said, your Iggy! He said, no I'm Jim. You seem like a good kid go ride your skateboard. Then he turned a rubbed lotion on the French cut bikini ass of the tan girl on the beach. That is rock and roll. In that moment I understood. Over the years I met many rock stars but back to the ones who were yet to be. I fucked up in school at Redondo high and had to make an attempt to finish at summer school at Costa. I rode the scroc bus from Redondo high to Southern California regional occupational center with Johnny Reb who chewed tobacco and shared herb with. When I went to Mira Costa in Hermosa for summer school I met Kenny John's brother and of course we ditched everyday and went to his house. He had a band, he put out records with the money he saved. He had a great record and flyer collection, and that was when I decide to make punk flyers. That was what my Raw Power was. If you went to the gigs these were the prizes. They were the trophies. Ever time I look at them I go right back then, anyway... Hermosa had Either or Bookstore which was very hippy and where I got my copies of Bukowski books and most important... The Rick Griffin art book which I called "rick griffin, I" because I did not understand that his signature looked like a cross, and the top looked like an"I" to me.  The other shops were Restyle on pier ave then they moved to Hermosa ave and changed to Restyle Too... Next door was the Cove Theater wher Red Cross played with Twisted Roots and eventually they had a riot and changed the name to the Bijou where they showed art movies. I went on many dates there and got funky in the back. (Mostly animation festivals) a bit later on Theo opened Alternative Groove records on pier avenue. This was the best place ever for records as Theo was one if us. He hung pictures of us on the wall in Polaroids and I was one. I had met Fletch at a party and we bonded because I had hung out with his brother Christian at some Fenders and Olympic auditorium gigs and skated around town with. Well, the record shop is where the stories got told, and you did you homework, which was reading fanzines like tripping corpse by pettibon, Flipside, maximum rock and roll. In those pages told more stories and in the Flipside comic relief issue Shaun Kerry drew a lesson on how to draw skulls and pointed out "you draw them, because I am sick of them..." These kinds of thing get in my fabric.Theo was putting out records and put out early PW stuff. At the time I was hanging out with My friends in Down by Law who were signing with Epitaph. I was hanging out I think with Fletch and Theo at Alt Groove one day and talking about Down by Law and Epithaph and I think that was the start of how they got on there. I think Theo had much to do with it, but that was the launch of how they progressed. we also hung out at GoBoy in Redondo too. Keith Morris worked there and many times Jeffery Lee Pierce visited him while we hung out there and talked about art and groovy bands like Arthur Lees Love and played bubblegum and girl group records. It's hard to tell all of this story as I am still living it. Some days I still feel no one is listening, so now and then I get with my bros and turn that around. The message of the wise was always "you get one life, make it count" and like my pal Mike Watt says after ever gig "START yer own band!" There was a shirt in thrasher that said "be more than a witness" if it's in there, let it out... Until next time, see you all at Oki Dogs....

Adventure Day Thursday 8-7-14

took a trip to the OC again for some good old tymie inspiration ....and it was time to get off the couch. I was originally going to the ceramics shop and art supply warehouse with a buddy, but he slept in so I soloed this one. I decided to stop by Amazing Comics in long beach first. I found a (kind of late) birthday present for my sister who will be in town this week. For myself I found an Iggy Pop action figure which is stone cold metal cool! They had an Astroboy but he was stuffed, and stuffed toys are not my deal... Almost got him but decided not to spend my whole budget there. I moved on to Kellys Toy Stop in Bunea Park on the corner of beach and ball (kind of a new spot I really like for old toys). I found a few older things there. One was an old 1974 talking batman alarm clock. It needs repaired though (if anyone knows where to get this fixed email me: popkustomshoppe@gmail.com) The shop next door had a few good things too. Across the street was a small kids amusement mini park with a mini White House where they have weddings etc... Also in there was a hobby shop premier hobbies (I think that was the name...) I found a Star Trek Scotty hot wheel and of course I had to get it. They had lots of snake and mongoose and hot wheel stuff and many cool kits. Very surreal town. Loads and loads of skanky hotels and wandering vagrants and yet they have lots of good shopping places. The strangest hotel I have wondered about is the Robin Hood hotel. I think it's in my top ten of places I never want to stay at. Overall, a pretty nice day. I am one lucky guy.

Visited by the ghost of Mr.Peanut?

I went to a junk shop in Lomita yesterday to find some new displays for my shop. I bought a magazine rack that looked like it had been sitting outside for a few years. I got it down to my shop and noticed it had to be touched up and then I noticed the low shelf needed fixed. Then I found a small piece of wood in it and I had déjà vu... Back when I worked at peanut records in Lomita, the owner, my friend Steve ramsdell (mr. Peanut) years ago was closing shop and asked me if I wanted anything and I told him I wanted the rack to display my stuff at home. He said I could pick it up, but I did not have means to get it then and he told me he was giving it to the junk shop down the block if I still wanted it. I was sitting at my shop and flashing back on that rack, and I remember Steve broke that shelf and told Roy to fix it. Roy (he was the manger) brought that piece of wood to do the job, but they got into a stand still on who had to fix it and there it is now in my shop. I guess it's up to me now. Steve passed away many years ago. This was a sign from him. This type of thing happens to me all the time if I am not paying attention to it. If I had known this was the same rack I may have hesitated on getting it, but this was Steve letting me know he is looking out for me still. I am on a good path now and when I am doing the right thing and taking care of myself and helping others now and then, these things happen. Karma comes around and you find home again (metaphorically, you find the good in you again) and every now and then the next world confirms your path. Well, at least that's what I think. Which is nice...

7-1-2014 Creative day...time for inspiration.

Went to Pop Monster toys in Torrance today and bought an Astroboy zipper pull, a book on Japanese mascots and talked about having some of my art in this shop. went to f.y.e next for toys and bailed quick cause that place is lame, lame, lame. last was an antique shop on pier ave. in Hermosa where mrs. Gooches used to be. I bought an Addams Family thermos for a friend who has the box, but if he has it already I will keep it. Got my copy of Gary Panter's Dal Tokyo in the mail this week too so tomorrow I will dream I am in Japan buying toys.