Views From Da Crow's Nest

Appollo 18-Ground Control to Major Blah!

2011-10-11T02:55:00.000-07:00

Apollo 18 – Ground Control to Major Blah!

David Giarrizzo

The premise of this movie is a double entendre, a conspiracy theory for anti-conspiracy theorists concerning a conspiracy theory. It’s all too convoluted to explain, so let me set the scene. Old footage from NASA's abandoned Apollo 18 mission is found where two American astronauts were sent on a secret expedition reveals the reason the U.S. has never returned to the moon. There are under budgeted movie producers living there ready to suck our money and brain matter to substitute a real plot with believability and great camera work. But seriously, folks, this film does very little for justifying support for the Arts. With a shoe string cast of three; Warren Christie, Lloyd Owen and Ryan Robbins , it uses a documentary format to attempt credibility. The character development was predictable and a cliche, focusing mainly on the one Astronauts and his family. Ground Control to Major Blah! He has a cassette player in space playing a song written by the band Yes more than three years later than when the mission supposedly occurred. The other characters are even more two dimensional, your typical play by the rule guy and your run of the mill rebel without a pause.

Was there ever really an Apollo 18? When the Apollo program began, there were plans for an Apollo 18, Apollo 19, and Apollo 20 mission to land on the moon. These were canceled in 1970, and the hardware built for those missions was scrapped, re-purposed or donated to museums. I know this for a fact as my father worked on Apollo 17 and was hired by Lockheed shortly after the closing of the space program. I was able to tour the NASA facility at Moffett Field where I saw an assembly of rocket boosters and landing gear, presumably for unmanned missions. The period of History, however, was of great interest. Did Russia really have a lunar lander? Yes, it was called the Lunniy Korabl (LK, for short), developed in the late 1960s and tested on three occasions from 1970 to 1971. Due to the failure of several N1 rocket launches, the LK was never used for a proper lunar mission. Interestingly enough, the LK was initially designed to be piloted solo, but it could accommodate a crew of two cosmonauts. Fact: When moving around on the moon, the astronauts do not appear to be affected by the lighter gravity. They walk normally, even shuffling their feet at times. Fact: While on the "dark side of the moon" it is stated that side never sees sunlight when in fact it does. The far side of the moon is covered by the sun about once a month.

Director Gonzalo López-Gallego takes a multitude of shaky, poor lit and often too conveniently located camera shots “journalizing” the space expedition. The film begins with a typed preface stating the films were taken in Super 8, however, the video camera was invented by then, and I noticed that many of the shots were a combination of old video, super 8 and 35 mm. I recall monolithic VCR s existing in the Office of Education in 1970 where my mother worked as an educator.

Writers Brian Miller (screenplay), and Cory Goodman take this Ron Howard like plot, mixed it in with just about every Suspense Thriller you have ever seen, and capped it off with a distinctive vague ending that has become so popular lately. I don’t want to be a spoiler, but the mere possibility of the tapes/films would survive in space, let alone be returned into re-entry without crisping to a chard. There is also some plot errors (which I won’t divulge) left me scratching my dome at the end.

I give it a C minus. Please God, don’t let them make a sequel.

Rise of the CGI Apes

2011-08-16T23:35:00.000-07:00

Rise of the CGI Apes

By David Giarrizzo

Since the epic 1968 film “Planet of the Apes” directed by Franklin J. Schaffner and adapted by Micheal Wilson and Rod Serling from Piere Boulle’s novel (about an astronaut crew who crash land on a planet in the distant future where intelligent talking apes are the dominant species, and humans are the oppressed and enslaved) , most of the sequels have been a progression of violations of plot continuity and time continuum laws.

“Beneath the Planet of the Apes”(1970),

“Escape from the Planet of the Apes”(1971) and “Conquest for the Planet of the Apes”(1972) worked on the premise that Mankind has obliterated itself with a Nuclear War, save a handful of mutants living underground. Where the Apes went while all this nuclear warfare is destroying life on Earth, one might ask. Another point would be “Why do the apes look like normal primates, and then suddenly in Conquest the apes are on hind legs walking around like Homo sapiens. “ All I know is prosthetic latex making up is a pain to apply and remove. “Battle for the Planet of the Apes’(1973) was the last of the sequels, followed shortly by a shoe string budget TV series ”Planet of the Apes” (1974)and an animated series “Return to the Planet of the Apes”( 1975). By then, all plot development had been exhausted, the marketing value was past its prime, and Slasher films were becoming the rage.

Tim Burton decided In 2001 to reanimate the corpse of Boulle, taking us into theTwilight Zone with a remake of “the Planet of the Apes” The script was noticeably different from the original, attempting to make the film a Tim Burton acquisition! Using extreme artistic license, he cast Mark Wahlberg , Helen Bonam Carter and Tim Roth in a film that can only be described as overtly Shakespearean filled with acrobatics and enough plot holes to fill the Albert Hall. Spoiler alert! Just like the original ending, the sole astronaut escapes back to slingshot his spacecraft back to the future, except this time he is greeted by a an alternate Earth with apes driving planes, trains, and automobiles in a fully technology aware world. The acting was a bit over the top, but it was worth it just to see Charlton Heston saying his famous line “Damn them! Damn them all to hell!” this time as an ape.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes, also an original story set in present day San Francisco, where man's own experiments with genetic engineering lead to the development of intelligence in apes and, ultimately the beginning of the downfall of humanity. Directed by Rupert Wyatt (the co-founder of Picture Farm) . screenplay written by Rick Jaffa and Amanda Phillips ( Hand that Rocks the Cradle, Relic), this story portrays a deep psychological character based story with heartwrenching moments generated, ironically enough, largely done by the apes who were all CGIs. A monumental film in itself as this was the first feature length film with its lead character played by a realistic CGI. The animators were numerous, and their work shows. The apes, Caesar especially, had such convincing mannerisms and expressions that the interactions with human actors seemed natural. The human factor is emphasized as this startling intelligent being learns concepts like slavery, anger management, loyalty, and compassion.

With a diverse cast of human and ape characters, this movie moves along smoothly. Best known for his breakthrough starring role on freaks and Geeks, James Franco plays Wil Rodman, a research scientist working on a cure for Alzheimer’s disease. Surprisingly convincing, Franco’s performance has echoes of James Dean with a dash of Dean Jones. Playing off of CGI characters is like shadow boxing. You can’t see your opponent, but you can imagine where he is and where his next move will be. His father, played by seasoned veteran of the screen John Lithgow is a touching portrayal of a person slipping in and out of lucidity, as an Alzheimer patient would. Freida Pinto plays a Veterinarian love interest Carolina Ahranha, a role that seemed secondary and poorly developed.

Nonetheless, she was an adequate female figure for young Caesar to look up to. David Oyelowo (Last King of Scotland) plays a corporate greedy boss who is caught up in the politics of research funding, while the cure for Alzheimer’s is right around the corner. Meanwhile, the comedy relief is supplied by Dr. Rodman’s co-worker, Robert Franklin who is played by TV actor Tyler Labine ( Reaper, Boston Legal, Mad Love)

After attempting to protect one of his human family, Caesar ( amazingly portrayed by Andy Serkis )is incarcerated by Animal Control where Dodge Landon (Tom Felton of Harry Potter) and another sadistic caretaker ( played by Richard Harris son, Jaime) treat the poor creatures like they were felons. Felton’s character sneaks in a line from the 1968 release. As Caesar grasps his arm in defiance, Landon shouts “Get your stinking paws off me, you dirty ape!” This is the moment Caesar speaks his first word, “NO!”

Caesar realizes that the shelter is a death camp for animals, so he manages to procure the solution and genetically modifies himself further and his cell mates to an intelligence level high enough to orchestrate an “Ape Escape” through picturesque San Francisco. I think my favorite shot was the apes riding a cable car to the top of Lombard, purveying the city in defiance. They eventually seek refuge in the Redwood forest just North of San Francisco. There is a small patch of Redwoods remaining nearby SFU, but merely a handful and definitely not a grove. Sadly enough, one must travel through Mendocino Northward to find any substantial growth, and that too is dwindling.

With the final exodus of the apes, a sub plot is introduced explaining the cause for the beginning of the end for humanity. Go see the film if you want to know why, no more spoiler alerts. I’m outta here!

Too many Cowboys, Not Enough Aliens

2011-08-16T22:40:00.000-07:00

Too Many Cowboys, Not Enough Aliens!

David Giarrizzo

A stranger with amnesia and a strange shackle on his wrist (Daniel Craig aka James Bond) stumbles into the hard desert town of Absolution In 1873 in the Arizona territory. Before he can get there, he has to contend with all the venomous creatures on bellies and on horseback. The Claiborne clan try to get the drop on him, eldest Wes (played by veteran actor Buck Taylor of Gunsmoke) and sons who give him a great old fashioned shoot out, disastrous, of course for the boys and Dad. The stranger wanders into a young bully terrorizing the locals, to whom he teaches manners. Unfortunately, this youth is the local rich kid, lone heir to the Dolarhyde ranch, the local cattle land owners who also own the town. The cocky youth shoots a deputy and is locked up, much to Big Daddy Dolarhyde’s dismay.

Eventually, someone (cause Absolution is such a Mecca!) recognizes him as Jake Lonergan ,a rustler strong-arm , which lands him in Meacham’s(Clancy Brown of Highlander, Shawshank Redemption) jail cell where he tries to remove the strange shackle, where he is stuck in a cell next to the young Turk. . By all normal appearances this would be your typical Gold Boom Town, but this stranger soon finds out they have a secret that has eluded even the town Cattle Baron , Woodrow Dolarhyde (Harrison Ford) . Then, all hell breaks loose.

The town’s people hear a roar and look skyward to see lights like from “First Encounters of the Third Kind” appear deploying smaller jet like crafts. To the horror of the town’s people, the stealth bullet shaped crafts swoop the town, roping humans like cattle, dragging them up to the mouth of the Mother Ship. The stranger’s shackle begins glowing and he makes his escape from the jail house while all this pandemonium ensues.

Faced with numerous loved ones ( including the Sherriff) snatched into the air by these alien rustlers, Lonergan and Dolarhyde must join forces with the assistance of the local Doctor, an Indian Stepson of Dolarhyde, and a Gunslinging mysterious girl next door,

Ella Swenson( Olivia Wilde).

Like all Westerns, there is a formula which involves an anti-hero, a formidable foe alliance, a weak character, a love interest, and a mutual enemy to defeat. In this case, the enemy was virtually unseen. Visuals of the creature were as fleeting as the monsters from “ALIEN” with a “Predator” look, shown only in flashback scenes and shabbily drawn running CGI images. If the director’s (Jon Favreau of Iron Man )intention was to create more of a suspense with the lack of the creature on screen, it was poorly overdone. The alien’s absence only made the under budgeted visuals more evident. The character development seemed to dominate the story, even though the protagonist seems to be a bit unsympathetic to us, we still find ourselves routing for us stupid humans. It did have elements of Indiana Jones, especially the constant hat retrieval of Lonergan and the gratuitous explosions and gunfire.

Cast for his resemblance to Steve McQueen “The Magnificent Seven”, Craig has the cool calm which gives him a nice contrast to Harrison Ford’s gruff John Wayne impression. With the assistance of Speilber
g, we see Ford and a former James Bond on screen together again (Ford as Indianna Jones and Connery as his Dad) creating a complex combination that works well.

Produced by sixteen names, including Steven Speilberg, Ron Howard and the writer Robert Orci, this strange blend of Western Drama and Science Fiction( from a comic book) seems to be a new genre that hasn’t had its day yet. I was impressed by the acting, the lighting, and the camera work. The wholesomeness would appeal to a family, but I wouldn’t recommend it for children under 13 years of age. The on ship scenes of experiments and the drooling alien fangs gave me a bad dream or two. The concept is great and the cast was incredible, however, too many cowboys and not enough aliens make for a poor box office seller.

Inglourious Basterds : Cinema for the Movies

2010-02-25T02:08:00.000-08:00

Inglourious Basterds : Cinema for the Movies
By David Giarrizzo
Imagine yourself in Nazi-occupied France circa 1942; Lt. Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) has pulled together a team of Jewish soldiers to systematically annihilate as many German troops as possible, interrogating first, scalping them afterwards. “I got a word of warning for all you would-be warriors. When you join my command, you take on debit. A debit you owe me personally. Each and every man under my command owes me one hundred Nazi scalps. And I want my scalps. And all y'all will git me one hundred Nazi scalps, taken from the heads of one hundred dead Nazis. Or you will die tryin'. Working through the country killing Nazis and collecting intelligence, the “Basterds” find their way to spy Bridget von Hammersmark (Diane Kruger), who tips them off to a Third Reich film premiere to be held at a remote Paris Theater, the Le Gamarr owned by Shoshanna Dreyfus (Melanie Laurent), a young Jewish woman who witnessed the massacre of her family by “The Jew Hunter,” Nazi officer Col. Hans Landa (Christoph Waltz) and is living incognito under a non-Jewish name. When word of the premiere reaches Raine, and the VIP list of Nazi officials including; Hitler (Martin Wuttke) himself, officer Col. Hans Landa, Fredrick Zoller (Daniel Brühl;, Joyeux Nouell), a German soldier and war hero who’s stars in the featured propaganda film and its director Joseph Goebbels himself (Sylvester Groth: The Reader), the plan is set into motion to access and blow up the theater.

Inspired by the 1978 Enzo Castellari film, “Inglorious Bastards,” the crudely re-titled “Inglorious Basterds” offers Tarantino a new film genre to taint with the Tarantino black humor. One can sense the vein-popping determination from the filmmaker to make sure every single frame of this film remains to his liking; it’s a picture of intricate cinematic details and cold, chilling responses. Tarantino uses men-on-a-mission plotting to spin off into wildly different directions, some richly theatrical, while others remain potently visual, gleefully imagined by a resourceful filmmaker who loves the electric charge of subversion.
Turning his twisted spin on Film Noir, “Basterds” falls in line with the rest of Tarantino’s un-orthodox cinema, returning stunning discourse, solid plot development, effective and unconventional soundtrack, and methodical performances to the screen. Perhaps not as tumultuous as the advertising suggests, “Basterds” goes elsewhere to find inspiration, finding the art of intimidation and espionage even more thrilling than straightaway slaughter. It’s a patient, layered, cinema graphic creation. Once again Tarantino has come to push the envelope of cinema, and the results are characteristically spectacular.

Basterds is so superior to much of Tarantino’s previous work because he’s not just being a smug geeky basterd himself here: all the corny movie jokes he deploys -- from the 1970s-era Universal logo that opens the film and the old-fashioned “guest starring” credits to the film-within-the-film to that final parting shot -- aren’t just nerd enhancing cinema. Unlikely many of his other films, this isn’t about feeding the inner geek: it’s about why and how movies can inspire such devotion in the first place. If many of Tarantino’s other films have been incestuous preaching to the masses where he and his fans get off on one another and how clever they all are, this film was made more as homage to the Movies themselves. A+

Revolutionary Road, a Painfully Intimate Journey

2009-02-04T03:08:00.001-08:00

Revolutionary Road, a Painfully Intimate Journey
by David Giarrizzo

Genre: Drama
Running Time: 119 min.
MPAA Rating: R
Director: Sam Mendes
Writer: Justin Haythe, Richard Yates
Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet,
Michael Shannon, Kathryn Hahn,
David Harbour, Kathy Bates, Ty Simpkins,
Zoe Kazan, David Harbour, Ryan Simpkins

Mendes triumpant advent to his arduous style in “Revolutionary Road,”is an extraordinary motion picture that assimilates enthralling affective discharge and riveting aversion, using two of the most talented and captivating stars of today to bring to the screen a masterwork of domestic detachment. Directed with illustrious adeptness by Sam Mendes (American Beauty), who lures us into in the daunting Yates-faithful script by Justin Haythe, the film is a painfully intimate journey, but well worth the ticket. Camera genius Roger Deakins lights the "hopeless emptiness" on view with an aberrant allure. Like American Beauty, the grand zoom outs from uncomfortably intimate close-ups, and vice-versa, are a dead givaway. I went into the theater not knowing who the director was. By the time the opning credits rolled, I knew. One of my favorite scenes is shot at Grand Central Station amongst a sea of suits and fedoras, all walking in slow motion with dead facial expressions. It seemed like that scene was an homage to Ron Fricke of Godfrey Reggios' Koyaanisqatsi (1982).

All the actors astonish also. DiCaprio is in his zone, peeling away layers of immersed emotion to a crestfallen man. And the splendiferous Winslet defines what makes a great actress, scintillating commitment to a character and the magnitude to make every nuance felt. Winslet's last scene, as April prepares breakfast for a husband who can't see the torment behind her smile, is emotionally devastating. This movie takes a piece out of you and spits it out. Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio, as her husband, Frank, could not be better in the roles of young marrieds who (shades of Mad Men) move from Manhattan to the suburbs, promising themselves it's all just temporary. To hear Kate Winslet, as April Wheeler, express her desire "to be wonderful in the world" is to be reminded of how individualism is like living free, at best a concept. She wants so desperately to be special, as if to feel unimportant if established in society. Hand over an award for Michael Shannon as John Givings, the institutionalized son of a gossipy realtor (the awe-inspiring Kathy Bates). Home on a visit, John splits no hairs with the truth " You say existence here is hopelessly pointless. I'm impressed. Most people get the emptiness, but few understand the hopeless part." Playing the role like a heat-seeking missile that targets hypocrisy, the eruptive Shannon blows the roof off the theater. Add two kids, thwarted ambitions, adultery — Frank with a secretary (a vivid Zoe Kazan) and April with a married neighbor (the excellent David Harbour) — plus April's unwanted third pregnancy.

Trying their best to conform to mid-1950’s standards of social grace and marital comfort, Frank and April Wheeler are coming apart at the seams. With years of growing unrest at home sending April into depression and Frank to infidelity, the couple decides to shake up their life by moving to Paris, to start over with renewed vows of devotion. April hatches a very feasible plan in which the couple could be happy once again and quickly Frank jumps on-board. But as is the case with any dream that goes against the grain of what society expects, the longer the couple waits to hatch their plan, the more it falls apart. Think about that great movie or screenplay idea you had and how excited you were by the prospect. Then think about how day by day, hour by hour “real life” or friends calling you crazy got in the way and quashed out your spark. If you know what I’m talking about, you’ll understand all too well what’s happening as the wheels fall of for the aptly named Wheelers. Spreading the news to friends (David Harbour, Kathryn Hahn) and acquaintances (Kathy Bates), the couple perceives the hesitation of congratulations, amplified when Frank receives a promotion at work and April discovers she’s pregnant. With the window of opportunity closing on their European dream, Frank and April turn on each other, powerless to confront and amend their dissatisfaction and fear.

The true test of “Road” is the range of melodrama that exists within. Adapted from the beloved novel by Richard Yates and knowing Mendes’s predilection for polished hysteria, it makes perfect sense for the film to dwell on the bubbling pot of emotive poison spattering Frank and April, with an eye toward grandstanding professions of marital bile. However, “Road” never goes to a shrill place of obviousness, nor doesn’t it attempt to spell out the misery with wild performances and on-the-nose screenwriting. Instead the film is a gorgeously mounted voyage of discomfort, observing the widening dividing line between two people who’ve lost interest in open communication, forced to preserve a decomposing lifestyle and status in the name of matrimony.

The cruelty which pulls Frank and Alice apart is where “Road” hits the hardest. Playing with steadfast gender roles and suburban complacency, “Road” elects the slow burn route, generously exhibiting the erosion of spirit within the two lead characters. Frank and April were brought together by cocktail-hour flirtation and broken promises and now, left to deal with the mess of life, they’ve declared war, using April’s pregnancy and Frank’s possible new position at a company he loathes as ammo to unleash horrible diatribes against each other. “Road” is teeming with blistering argumentative situations, but Mendes doesn’t allow the unhappiness to blur into white noise. Instead “Road” grips tighter with every row, deepening the characterization as Frank and April confront their boundaries for the first time, coming to the realization that kids, a house in a WASPy neighborhood, and predetermined domestic roles have transformed them into rats trapped inside a cage.

As “Road” tightens with anguish, lies, and acts of emotional revenge, Mendes positions the film beautifully to best consume the painful road ahead for Frank and April. With a cast this tight, production credits that evoke a 50’s mood with both obvious and subtle characteristics (think cigarettes and internalization aplenty with copius martinis), and a directorial job that can manage the displeasure of marital disagreement and loathing without submerging the intended pitch of sorrow, “Revolutionary Road” reaches a summit of dramatic gratification and pure emotional mutilation that’s absolutely riveting.

Watch the trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpra9OEw6nQ

Punks Pack Slims at X show

2009-02-01T23:18:00.000-08:00

Christmas in Frisco, the crowds fill the street, the guy on the corner plays a bass and his brother has a three piece trap to keep the beat. Macy's is packed, the sidewalk is cracked, and there is no shortage of places to eat. Ally, Hawkeye and I step out of the Drake and heed the call of the night. "Taxi!"

Opened in 1988 by legendary R&B artist Boz Scaggs, Slim's (http://www.slims-sf.com/) is a live music nightclub with food & drinks, and a variety of American Roots Music--Blues, R&B, Cajun/Zydeco, Jazz, and Alternative. The club is located in the South of Market district of San Francisco, a hub of nightlife in the city. The premises consist mainly of an open floor on a main level. At one end of the floor is a performance stage. At the other end we have a small balcony with table seating for 70. Often packed beyond what I would think is the capacity, there are very few places upstairs to sit, let alone a safe place to stand on the floor below. Besides, you have to buy food or two drink minimum to park it up there. As we entered the quickly filling room, I spied a large sign" No Moshing, No Stage Diving, and No Slam Dancing!" Ha! They'd be lucky to pogo at this gig. We stayed down on the floor.

The opening act was the Twisted Hearts, an edgy Pop band sporting black fedoras and up-beat attitude. Between their sweet Anglophile melodies, they occasionally hawked their CD which sat off to the left of the mountain of X paraphernalia. We enjoyed drifting through the crowd, dancing to the back beat rhythm and rock. There was a brief intermission, so we decided to slip out and sit on a flower box outside the club, lighting up a smoke to enhance the Punk experience. Soon after, the mob filled the club. The only safe place to stand was by the entrance, so we hung back where we could at least see a glimpse of the band. Then, the lights went down and the thunderous beat of D.J. Bonebreaker filled the air. A dim blue spotlight pulls up on the drums as a shadowy figure struts up to downstage right, electricity buzzes through the air. A staccato of twang guitar drives the drums faster as a red spotlight comes up on the striking figure of Billy Zoom. Another shadowy figure runs up to the opposite side of the stage, pow! John Doe is at the mike flailing on his bass. Last but not least, a small figure of a shapely woman skips onto the stage in a flower print dress from an Andrew Wyeth painting, steps up to the center stage. The crowd is jumping up and down, people are spilling drinks over each other to get a better look at Exene . John purrs into the mic, "Sheeee, had to leave.." The crowd sings along with Exene calling back, "Los- an- gell -ees!" You could tell there were hard core fans out there. People in black, people with gray, young punks, old punks, feel alright on a cold San Francisco night.

X was founded by bassist/singer John Doe and guitarist Billy Zoom. Doe brought his poetry-writing girlfriend Exene Cervenka to band practices, and she eventually joined the band as a vocalist. Drummer DJ Bonebrake was the last of the original members to join.

X's first record deal was with independent label Dangerhouse, for which the band produced two singles, "Adult Books" (1978) and "Los Angeles" ("We're Desperate" was the b-side to "Adult Books"). The Dangerhouse session version of "Los Angeles" was also featured in a Dangerhouse compilation in 1979 called "Yes L.A." (a play on the now-famous No Wave compilation No New York), a picture disc that featured other early-punk-era LA bands like the Weirdos and Black Randy. As the band became the flag bearer for the local scene, a larger independent label, Slash Records, signed the band to issue its first LP.
The result was their first LP release, Los Angeles (1980) (produced by The Doors' keyboard player, Ray Manzarek). It was a minor hit and was well received by the underground press and mainstream media]especially the remake of the Doors "Soul Kitchen". Much of X's early material had a rockabilly edge, mainly due to the twang-king Billy Zoom on guitar. Doe and Cervenka co-wrote most of the group's songs, and their slightly off-kilter harmony vocals remain perhaps the group's most distinctive element.

Their follow-up effort, 1981's Wild Gift, broadened the band's profile when it was named "Record of the Year" by Rolling Stone, The Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, and the Village Voice. Wild Gift, like their debut album, was released on Slash records, and was similar in musicial style, although Wild Gift featured shorter, faster songs; arguably their most stereotypically punk-sounding record.
X then signed to Elektra in 1982 to release Under the Big Black Sun, which marked a slight departure from their trademark sound. While still fast and loud, the album's country leanings were evolving and its raw punk sound was channeling raw guitar power chords. The album was heavily influenced by the premature death of Exene Cervenka's elder sister Mirielle (Mary) in an automobile accident in 1980 ( while living up here in Humboldt County). Three songs on the album, "Riding With Mary", "Come Back To Me", and the title track all directly relate to the tragedy. A fourth, a high-speed version of Leadbelly's "Dancing With Tears In My Eyes", was indirectly attributed to Exene Cervenka's mournful state of mind years later. The stark black & white cover art and title were also a reflection of the somber mood of the band during this time. Nonetheless, this album remains Exene's favorite X album.

The majority of the Slims show was material off these albums, excluding the jolly versions off Chuck Berry's Run Run Rudolph and the classic Santa Clause is Coming To Town and the Doors Crystal Ship with their own flavor, naturally.

1983 saw the release of the More Fun in the New World album. X slightly redefined their sound with this release, making it somewhat more polished, eclectic and radio-ready than in previous albums. With the sound moving away from punk rock, the band's rockabilly influence became even more noticeable, along with some new elements like funk on the track "True Love pt. II" and Woody Guthrie-influenced folk protest songs like "The New World" and "I Must Not Think Bad Thoughts." The record received critical praise from Rolling Stone and Playboy, who had long been stalwart supporters and fans of X and their sound.

A side project of some of the band members was Poor Little Critter In The Road in 1985, underthe name The Knitters: X minus Zoom, plus Dave Alvin (of The Blasters) on guitar and Johnny Ray Bartel (of The Red Devils) on double bass. The Knitters were devoted to folk and country music; their take of Merle Haggard's "Silver Wings" "may be the definitive version."

Despite the overwhelmingly positive critical reception for their first 4 albums, the band was frustrated by its lack of wider mainstream success. Billy Zoom had also stated that he would leave the band unless its next album was not more successful. The band decided to change producers in search of a more accessible sound. Their 5th record, Ain't Love Grand, was produced by pop-metal producer Michael Wagener. It featured a drastic change in sound, especially in the polished and layered production, while the band's punk roots were little in evidence, replaced by a countrified version of hard rock. The change in production was hoped to bring the band more chart success, but although it got somewhat more mainstream radio play than their earlier releases, it did not represent a commercial breakthrough. Zoom left the group shortly thereafter in 1986, the same year in which the feature-length documentary film, X The Unheard Music was released.

Zoom was initially replaced by Alvin on guitar. The band then added a 5th member, guitarist Tony Gilkyson, formerly of the band Lone Justice. By the time the band released its 6th album, See How We Are, Alvin had already left the band, although he plays on the record along with Gilkyson. Like Ain't Love Grand, the album's sound was fairly far removed from the band's punk origins, yet featured a punchy, energetic, hard-rocking roots rock sound that in many ways represented a more natural progression from their earlier sound than the previous record had. After touring for the album, X released a live record of the tour entitled Live at the Whisky a Go-Go, and then went on an extended hiatus. Much to my delight, Billy returned to the band to play his signature rockabilly leads and occaisionally make robotic facial gestures to the adoring fans.

I was pleased that the original line-up playing with such fervor. You could tell that this was all second nature to them, but they were re-discovering their own material. A stripped down raw sound that moved me to the pit of my stomach, X was back with a vengeance. I remember seeing them in 1982 at a small club called Mojos in Arcata, CA, and they had much of the same energy now as they did then. My friend and guitarist caught John Does pick the first show there. When they returned a year later, Stevo, being the kind guy, returned John his pick and ended up having a smoke with him "Nice guy!" Well, tonight was no exeption to their kindness, and wow, the driving force with zero dead air. These guys are my peers and they still put out the buzz! Exene gave great banter with John and the audience, "Smells like weed out there", big grin. She used her shy charm to sweeten up the flavor and keep the vibes cool. I must admit, for a punk show, the crowd was very well behaved. The worst part of the show was trying to see around unusually tall people. It might be my imagination, but I am certain that the audience members have gotten taller. I saw a guy in there that stood at least 7 feet. "Wow!", I thought to myself, "Wheres my Jumbo-tron? " The people kept coming through the door till the doorway was packed with standing hopefuls. It had been a long time since I have been to a punk show, so I hung in there as long as my legs could stand. There comes a point when you gotta call it a night. The cab ride home was a relief; food, smoke, shower, love, and to all a good night!

Guitar Thieves Smash Local Musicians Car Window!

2009-01-14T15:59:00.000-08:00

See photos of Franko's
missing guitars!

Tuesday morning, January 13 sometime between 2AM and 9AM after playing the open mic at the Boiler room, some body smashed out the back car door window on Frank Mancinelli's hatchback in front of his home on Harris Street in Eureka, CA. Obviously the perpetrator was on foot because they made off with two guitars, a brown sunburst Silvertone with vinyl siding,
the other a Fender silver metal flaked Squire Jazzmaster with a red devil girl decal and left his amplifiers.

Any information leading to the retrieval of these items will be rewarded.
Contact Frank at 707 498-4082 or
Dave at 707476-0369

Television, the new Big Screen

2008-07-12T12:19:00.000-07:00

Man has sought entertainment through spectator events: still seeking outside stimulus to forget the drudgeries of life. Entertainment has a very interesting evolution ;indigenous dances , bloody fights in coliseums, or elaborate "Morality Plays". Live theater seems to always flourish, despite all the options of more contemporary electronic media. However, movie cinemas haveDating back as far as history can recall, man has sought out new forms of experienced a big drop in attendance mainly due to the attention television has diverted, thus, fragmenting the entire industry. Action films and gratuitous teen films seem to have dominated the box offices in the past, but that trend is changing. Because of the explosion of internet media, the Information Generation is becoming a little more discerning in how they spend their time and money on entertainment. With inventions such as satellite networks, online streaming, and Tivo, one can view whatever whenever.

With the creation of online interfacing, many people can preview clips of films and reviews more readily, thus enabling the potential viewer to make personal and educated decisions. Fantasy has become less of an attraction and reality has stepped out into the limelight. This can be a good thing as more documentary styled movies have come about, not to mention mini-series on PBS. Unfortunately, the television executives have done a knee jerk reaction to the "reality craze", creating one crappy reality series after another. It all stated with "Cops", a Rupert Murdock abomination that depicts the public as shirtless, spouse abusing, drug induced degenerates. We all know the plot and the boys in blue are never the bad guys. (Talk about an oxy-moron!) I think we can move past this one.
You'll see the truer nature of police if you watch "Reno 911" (ironically enough, another program that now airs on Fox.)
With all the bad press about lawyers and cops , we had to create a legacy of television called "Law and Order" It wasn't enough to have cool dramas like Hill Street Blues, they had to put more reality in and less humor. Based on actual crime cases, they glamorize crimes and the people who solve them. If there is any humor, it is usually a snipe on a crime scene from some unlikely hero such as Ice Tea. Then the forensic craze took over, and slowly, but surely, the CSI series cloning began. (CSI Miami, New York, etc..) Our military has lost numerous points in the popularity polls with all this mucky muck in the Middle East, so what do the P.R. guys do? They create a hybrid of CSI and Law and Order, thus birthing NCIS. Sucking us in with the boyish charm of Marc Harmon and a collection of misfits, they are the new "cool" military. Hmmm.

But, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Fortunately, there are a few shows that have risen above the hard boiled reality craze. Animated comedies and situation comedies have taken a few twists in the wind , yet, a select group have stood apart from the flock. Even so. many still prefer to spend their time blogging, or chatting online. But, I digress.

Butthead was sophomoric, but a little more edgy. Another one that lays in the "Where are they Now" category is "Ren and Stimpy". Once again, sophomoric humor, but just gross and weird enough to entice my adult brain.” Family Guy" takes paying homage and collegiate humor to a new level. Nothing is sacred with such things as gay baby, a talking dog, a pedophile, a slutty stoner mom, angry handicapped cop, a black guy with a speech impediment, and more. Being as it shows on primetime, this makes even more dubious intent onOne of my favorites remains "The Simpsons", still poking fun at their own network and the rest of us as well. Matt Groening created another show "Futurama" which was short lived, unfortunately. The problem was he was competing with his other creation, "The Simpsons!" "King of the Hill" has it's moments, but is really just a watered down Mike Judge. Beavis and the part of it's creator Seth Mc Farland. It seems to me that a little show that’s been running on Comedy Central for the last decade had gone that route already. Yes, I am talking about "South Park", the epitome of bad jokes and even worse animation. Creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone were the pioneers in pushing the envelope for what is appropriate and fair game. A good example was the whole Tom Cruise/Isaac Hayes incident where the sarcasm offended one of the talent to the point of resignation. Hayes played Chef, a lovable school cook that was a bit of a self proclaimed Romeo. When Tom cruise and his Scientology babble was parodied more than once, Hayes quit and said "Making fun of religion was wrong." The reaction to this was a farewell to Chef episode filled with out of context clips and sound bytes of Hayes’s character making embarrassing comments. This show was no more offensive than the multiple reruns of Family Guy we are given on other stations, some not even on cable. Why we don't see shows like South Park, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Home Movies, or even Ren and Stimpy (which, ironically started on Nickleodeon, a TBS affiliate) on in rerun syndication, I still don't understand.

As far as situation comedies go, you get more bang for your bucks with Big Bang Theory. With a theme song by Barenaked Ladies” ,The History of Everything", you just can't go wrong. The premise is simply a group of nerdy high tech reseach workers who share a flat across from a normal intelligence blond waitress. Their worlds intertwine, like aliens and cowboys. The show distinguishes itself by being unafraid to toss scientific references and techno babble into an otherwise standard sitcom, even employing a physicist to keep things accurate. Created by writer/producers Chuck Lorre (of Two And A Half Men) and Bill Prady (of Gilmore Girls) roommates/physicists Sheldon (Johnny Galecki of "Rosanne") and Leonard (Jim Parsons of "Ed") meet Penny (Kaley Cuoco of "Charmed"), a beautiful woman moving in next door--and realize they know next to nothing about life outside of the lab. Rounding out the crew are the self-proclaimed womanizer Wolowitz (Simon Helburg), and Koothrappali (Kunal Nayyar), an East Indian who suffers from an inability to speak in the presence of a woman. Because the writing is quick and filled with Sci-Fi pop references, and the players work so well of each other, I have to tip my hat to this as being the most superior comedy on primetime. Most other situation comedies, I have to shut down my critic inside, and play dumb like the rest of American viewers.

Following Big Bang Theory on the same network is How I Met Your Mother, a comedy about Ted (Josh Radnor) and how he fell in love How I Met Your Mother is a comedy narrated through flashbacks from the future about Ted (Josh Radnor) and how he fell in love. Ted's best friend, Marshall (Jason Segel), drops the bombshell that he's going to propose to his long-time girlfriend, Lily (Alyson Hannigan), a kindergarten teacher. Ted realizes that he had better move quick if he wants to find that special one. Helping him in his quest is Barney (Neil Patrick Harris), a sideman who has a love for suits and knows all the lines to pick up women. When Ted meets Robin (Cobie Smulders), he's sure it's love at first sight, but destiny may have something else in store. At first I really liked this show, mostly because I like seeing goody goody Doogie Houser misbehaving in adulthood. The ironic part is Harris is gay in real life. But, I digress. The plots remind me of a combination of Seinfeld and Friends, but the characters are likable enough. A bit anticlimactic, however, especially after watching the brilliance of Big Bang.

Scrubs, a half-hour comedy, is filmed in the North Hollywood Medical Center, which has gone under severe reconstruction to fit all the equipment and represent Sacred Heart Hospital. This show, (also narrated) focuses on the bizarre experiences of fresh-faced medical intern John "J.D." Dorian (Zach Braff) as he plods along on his career in a overworked and wacky hospital crammed full of unpredictable staffers and patients.

Joining the rumpled J.D. in his own private Idaho are his college buddy, Chris Turk (Donald Faison, "Clueless"), an intern with a more elite surgical group, and J.D.'s fellow medical intern, the beautiful and driven Elliot Reid (Sarah Chalke, "Roseanne"). Keeping the new interns on their toes are: The fatherly chief of medicine, Dr. Bob Kelso (Ken Jenkins); the sarcastic, yet, paternal Dr. Perry Cox (John McGinley), and the caring but slightly jaded nurse Carla Espinosa (Judy Reyes). The hospital janitor (Neil Flynn) also never seems to miss an opportunity to harass his target. The use of music with the "lesson" in each episode is done nicely, often tying together the subplots at the end. .

A more recent addition is one you can only view on The CW, "Reaper". The series is produced by ABC Television Studio in association with The Mark Gordon Company. It has been given a 13 episode (coincidence?) initial order by The CW. Throughout Sam's life, he always wondered why his mom and dad were so lenient. Whether it was sports, school, career choices, or picking on his little brother Kyle, Sam always got away with everything. Because of it, he decided to drop out of college and take a dead beat job, wasting most of his time playing video games and wishing he could ask his co-worker Andi out. However, everything changes in Sam's life once he turns 21 and finds out the reason his parents let him get over was because they sold his soul to the devil before he was born.

Satan (Ray Wise of Twin Peaks) explains to Sam that he must serve as his bounty hunter, tracking down souls that have escaped from Hell. Initially, Sam refuses to accept his fate but he realizes the results of breaking a deal with the devil. He is armed with various vessels to collect the escapees. Sam finds that the work is dangerous and frightening even with the slapstick help of his friends Sock and Ben, and Sock's former girlfriend, Josie. As weird as it seems, Sam feels somewhat positive about his newfound "jobs", removing errant souls from our world and sending them back to the smelly special effects ridden hell. Along with his misfit friends and his vessel of the week, Sam goes working for the hoofed one as the "reaper". Its a funny show that I wish was on another network without so many commercials between scenes. That’s the rub. To do a really good production, one needs backers. To get backers you either have a rich benefactor or sell a lot of advertising. And what’s up with the volume levels of the promotional limbo we call commercial breaks? That’s when VCRs and TIVO come into play. If you record the show, you can bypass the obnoxious barrage of ads.

Another recent addition is “Fear Itself”, a one hour weekly series Produced by Andrew Deane and Adam Goldworm (Masters of Science Fiction/Horror) which features short films of suspense by different directors for each episode. The first suspense (as opposed to typical horror) episode of Fear Itself proves to be a disappointment, and I suspect most of the blame this time lies with the direction, rather than with the script. Not that the very guessable "twisted" ending writer Victor Salva (Jeepers Creepers) offers helps matters, but the uneven tone, utter lack of subtlety, and clumsy pacing of the episode, directed by John Landis, killed it more efficiently than any insidious serial killer could do to a real victim. It reminded me more of a Lifetime cable made-for-TV movie...and, except for the weak twist ending, it did resemble far too many of the video Romance Novels that station runs more than any successful thriller. Even with a few nicely-composed shots; the series continues to be admirably well-produced on what's surely a modest to medium budget.

There are many other choices to peruse, these are just a few of which I have observed. Television is rarely criticized with any accuracy and perspective, so, I hope I have made a small dent in the fabric of this mind boggling enigma. It is so easy to ”just give in” and watch whatever is in front of your face. It’s the easy way out, but, not always the most beneficial approach. I really have tried to sit still while some of these inane shows continue to insult my intelligence and integrity , while the rest of society bleats on about television personalities I care little for. Too bad Johnny Rotten isn’t on the air any more. I’m sure he’d have a thing or two to say.

"Young at Heart " a Cool World to Visit

2008-06-08T21:58:00.000-07:00

The Rolling Stones, as it turns out, are not the only senior citizens singing rock 'n' roll. Another, rather unexpected group is singing lyrics that are more cutting edge and performing on-screen antics that are considerably more amusing. You won't believe the world of "Young@Heart," but you'll have a hard time resisting it.Not unlike our own "Raging Grannies" they take new songs and put their own spin on them.

Since its beginnings as a collective arts project in 1982 at a center for the elderly in Northampton, Mass., The Young@Heart Chorus, a 24-member singing group who have developed into a popular local ensemble with an international reputation. It has made 12 tours of Australia, Europe and Canada and serenaded Norwegian royalty. We get an intimate sideline view of the mechanics and comradeship involved with such performance groups.

Accompanying the singers is a solid core of professional rock musicians who help ground their sometimes wavering voices. But, under the firm-but-fair direction of Bob Cilman, who's led the group for 25 years, these troupers slowly but surely rise to the occasion, delighted to have a purpose in life and as willing to have fun in the process as people one-quarter their age. Guided by the chorus’s demanding longtime director, Bob Cilman, the members are learning new material, including “Yes We Can Can,” the Allen Toussaint hit for the Pointer Sisters, whose lyrics repeat “can” 71 times in intricate, staccato patterns;enigmatic, equally demanding “Schizophrenia”; and the Coldplay ballad “Fix You. Of course, when you're of a certain age, learning rock lyrics is not always easy, and we look on as the group members scrutinize words with huge magnifying glasses and hold their ears as they listen to the loud originals.

Directed by Stephen Walker, a British TV documentary maker, narrates the film himself, and his overly chipper voice-over initially borders on being intrusive. But when the chorus starts to sing, when, for instance, animated 92-year-old former war bride Eileen Hall rips into the Clash's "Should I Stay or Should I Go," none of that matters. Just as eye-popping are the videos (ala Vintage MTV style) for songs like David Bowie's "Golden Years" and the Bee Gees' "Stayin' Alive", “I Wanna Be Sedated ”by the Ramones and "Road to Nowhere" by Talking Heads that veteran independent cinematographer Eddie Marritz shoots with a gleeful energy. The movie concentrates on the rigorous two-month preparations for a 2006 concert at the Academy Theater in Northampton.

The serious moments are equally balanced with comical levity like the wry flirtations of Eileen Hall with the British Film Crew. With an organization whose members are this old, the question of mortality is bound to come up, and that turns out to be one of the shocks as well as one of the graces of "Young@- Heart." Late during the making of “Young@Heart” two members of the chorus, Bob Salvini and Joe Benoit, died within a week. Although neither death was a complete surprise, occurring so close together, they come as shock to a group dedicated to living in the present as fully and exuberantly as possible. When the chorus sings Bob Dylan's "Forever Young" to an audience at Hampshire Jail at a particularly emotional moment, many of the inmates are literally moved to tears. (I know I was!)

One of the choir's most touching personalities is Fred Knittle, a big man with a deep, Johnny Cash-type voice. He had retired from the chorus and returns to visit his comrades, now with an oxygen tank after suffering congestive heart failure. Knittle speaks eloquently about the travails of old age, and his rendition of Coldplay's "Fix You" near the end of the film is a moment you won't forget.

What we learn is that the age of these singers is not some glib contrivance but the heart of the matter. In a culture that venerates youth and considers aging the worst of all fates, to see these men and women having the time of their lives near the end of their lives couldn't be more refreshing. We want these wonderfully alive people to go on singing forever, most of all, perhaps, because we know there's no way they can.

Personally, being employed by Humboldt Senior Resource Center, I have direct contact with the lives of many productive Senior Citizens, some of whom have formed singing groups. I can hear them practicing down in the recreation room which is next door to the kitchen where I work. I applaud them every chance I can. Occasionally, at HSRC, we lose one of our older friends, and their absence is truly felt. We rarely get to really know people while busy taking care of tasks, consequently, never fully appreciating their achievements and personalities. I am happy to say that this film gave a greater appreciation of our elders and the noble work activity directors do to keep such beautiful humans on this planet. We walk through this world and all we can see is that life is a song we sing all day long.

Breaking Routine, Late Night Excursions at the Boiler Room

2008-05-27T16:34:00.000-07:00

I work as a cook for a non-profit that requires me at work, ready to rock at 6:00 AM, so needless to say, I rarely get to attend weekday opportunity's Sunday, after an abundant Memorial Weekend barbecue , Franko and I showed up at the infamous Boiler Room, a small bar on the busy side of Broadway, Eureka. (You can't miss it, the only building that looks like a 57 Chevy painted with side flames) As I made my way past the neon signs, bar perchers and pool tables, I could see my old pal Lester belting out his own style of outlaw rock. Next to him strumming away, is the host Kingbee, with JP on Bass, Dave on drums, Rockin Rick on Harmonicas and Joe on keyboards. I wanted to get a feel for what kind of crowd was there, so I hung back in the shadows for a spell. Being a regular there, Franko makes himself at home. He walks in, sets up his amp, tunes his guitar and joins in with the boys. Its just that friendly! Really! Now, that doesn't mean any anyone can walk up and start jamming; there is a certain code of honor when attending these Open Mikes. Generally, one either asks to join in or waits to be invited. Kingbee is very good about giving stage time to others, yet, not afraid to give gentle reminders to any over-enthusiastic players. ( I believe the term is Ball Hogs)

Everyone that wants to play, gets to play. After some liquid courage a smoke, I strolled in and set my bass up in the corner. When the time was right, Kingbee approached me and gave me an idea where I stood in the lineup of players. Frank and I started out with a little number byParliment "I Just Want to Tell You", then we went through some rock standards and I even got a chance to premier my own composition, "Endless Maze". The boys joined us on stage while we rocked to some Rolling Stones, Violent Femmes, Ted Nugent and even Iggy Pop! Of course, one of the other players heckled us when we took too long to start, muttering "Blah, Blah, Blah" as he passed by the stage. I quickly shot out,"Heres a song I wrote , and I'd like to dedicate it to that guy. It's called Blah, Blah, Blah!" Turns out he was one of the two guys playing Metal Instrumental with only guitar and drums, with a surprising full sound. It wasn't too bad, but the ego of the guitarist was almost as big as his hair, while making what must have been intended as sexy moves. (I thought his guitar strap was bunching up on him, but, I could be wrong. ) He was pretty entertaining for mindless virtuosity. I think he was trying real hard to impress these two young ladies enjoying cocktails at a table up front, one of which got up and played a few numbers on the drums. She was pretty decent for such a waif, and you got to give her credit for stepping up to the stage with all that testosterone amidst.

The stage is small , but accommodating, the drinks okay, audience so-so. However, on the positive, Kingbee provides a mike and PA , Bass Amp, and usually a decent drummer or two in the house. The show starts at 9:00 PM, but get there earlier and sign up if you want to be in the early line up.

As we left the party, Kingbee was whisked away by a group of young ladies who had just missed the last song. I could see that this upset them, so Kingbee quickly apologized and became absorbed in conversation with these lovelies. I'm sure that at 1:30 AM, he will be the only band available for after hours fun. Keep on Rocking Kingbee!

Not Your Average Dreary Documentary

2008-05-20T16:10:00.000-07:00

SHINE A LIGHT provides a welcome glimpse into the Stones' world at this advanced stage in their career, and continues Scorsese's obsession (see also: NO DIRECTION HOME and THE LAST WALTZ) with documenting some of the most influential characters in rock & roll.

The music of the Rolling Stones has lit up the soundtrack to so many Martin Scorsese films ("Gimme Shelter" has appeared in no less than three of his features--GOODFELLAS, CASINO, and THE DEPARTED) that it's little surprise to find the director teaming up with the legendary rockers for this concert recording.

SHINE A LIGHT begins with a few glimpses of the preparation that went into the recording of the show, which was staged over two nights in 2006 at New York's Beacon Theater Broadway ( opened in 1928) Scorsese makes the ritualized concert play like an opera, beginning with 10 minutes of behind-the-scenes madness preparatory to filming the concert that works as a comic introduction of the characters (including Scorsese, doing his best Woody Allen). Guitarist Keith Richards is like the character actor who slowly, inevitably takes over the movie from the supposed star without ever leaving the sidelines. In fact, there is a point where he simply crouches down at the front of the stage like a gargoyle and the camera lingers as if to say, “You okay, mate?”

Scorsese opens the movie by suggesting the tensions that can flare up when great minds -- his and Jagger's, that is -- collide. We hear Jagger, a disembodied voice on the phone, expressing his concerns about the problems of filming a live performance, as Scorsese, either vaguely annoyed or feigning annoyance for the camera, responds by raising his caterpillar eyebrows. Scorsese wants lots of cameras and needs lots of lights; Jagger doesn't want anything to detract from the performance. Scorsese also has a discussion with his lighting director about the amount of heat from the halogen studio lights towering behind the audience in the balcony and roof. “I don’t want these lights burning Mick Jagger!” he screams at the poor shmuck. Of course, later, in the middle of the show, Jagger turns his back to the lights and shields his eyes as he orates his displeasure to the nearest camera in his face . " Scorsese doesn't budge. In fact, eighteen cameras — manned by the Oscar-winning likes of Robert Richardson, John Toll and Robert Elswit — seemingly gliding effortlessly about the stage like birds in flight.

Scorsese is anxious to see the set list so he can plan ahead; Jagger assures him it will be ready -- an hour or so before the band goes onstage. Will they be able to pull their "Hey, kids, let's put on a show!" act together in time? A benefit for the Clinton Foundation, Bill and Hillary Clinton were in attendance, along with Hillary's mom, and before the show the band comes out for a meet-and-greet. It's a kissy-face moment, except for the way Wood greets Hillary's mother. He’s just a nice guy, you can tell.

Almost voyeuristic, the cameras capture the most intimate spaces, like Jagger going into heat with a backup singer in "She Was Hot," Keith Richards crying out in his husky pirate voice "You Got the Silver," Ron Wood mastering the guitar like a wizard and cool Charlie Watts bringing the audience to their knees with his still steady beat. With each zoom, the player in focus’s instrument, be it guitar, drums or vocals, comes to life with the clever sound engineering. If it wasn’t so clean, I would think it was taken directly off the camera microphones, and not off a mixing board. The close-ups were so extreme, I think I saw the map to Greenwich Village on Mick’s face. And Keith, well, I stopped counting his crows feet ten years ago. Do you think Anne Rice is a big Stones fan?

Jagger, in performance here, is pretty wooden: His rendering of "As Tears Go By" is clipped, exact, cautious, the words turned into a Hooked on Phonics session.
Jack White looked like a kid at the Wonka Factory singing along side with Mick on "Loving Cup," and Christina Aguilera once again goes over the top, out vamping even King Mick on "Live With Me." The best part is blues legend Buddy Guy on "Champagne & Reefer - who was in the recording studio when the Stones visited Chicago's Chess Records during their first U.S. tour in 1964 - fits a little better with the music and holds down one of the longest shots in the film by simply staring into the camera.

Short pieces of vintage interview clips are salted in throughout - young Mick Jagger saying he thought the band might be able to last at least another year , yet, without batting an eyelash, assures the interviewer that he‘ll be doing this well into his Sixties- little comic interludes that lend some context to the performance, brief asides between songs that never threaten to turn the proceedings into some dreary rockumentary.

Has Beans is Has Been?

2008-05-10T08:33:00.000-07:00

The little cafe my friends and I used to frequent has been having some troubles lately. It appears that the owner is terribly confused.

You see, he made an arrangement with the Bohipnix to play every Friday night for trade and $10.00. Now, that is almost playing for free. So, the band agrees to play at 6 p.m. to accommodate the local folkies (who plague the corner with their crappy renditions of other peoples songs) so they can get a little stage time before we came on. This all went well the first three weeks.

However, the little by little the times were altered to suite either the Neanderthal baristas, or the scummy toothless panhandlers who never spend a dime on coffee or pastries, unlike the members of Bohipnix. On top of that, the owner never made any attempt to advertise the recurring event, made no posters, called no TV or radio stations, even didn't bother to post the posters we designed in suitable places to view.

Aside from the obvious, the last time we played there, they closed early and wouldn't pay some of the band members. I went to talk with the establishment a couple days later to work out some kind of compromise to allow the street folks to play a little earlier so we may go on at Four as the new request from the owner. Goon boy informs me that he was told that was our last night because the business was too slow and the band was too loud with our big amplifiers; these were the size of a lunchbox! Are you kidding?

I flipped. The owner never expressed these views to the band, but, as usual, he was out of town this week and couldn't do his own dirty work. This, plus the rude behavior of the employees, shutting down whenever it suites them, making weak coffee, and selling three day old pastries, has driven myself and my friends away from even patronizing this little business.The time has come for a boycott of this establishment. It is obvious they don't care about the public, as they were turned away last Friday when they thought a band was playing there. "I saw it in the Journal. I wonder why they aren't open?" (Of course the band had to get the listing placed in the Journal since Has Beans management didn't bother.) Well, the reason is the owner and his goons are too busy sitting at home listening to music like Jack Johnson and Dave Mathews.

What ever happened to a honorable agreements, where a man's word is solid? I now see that this was how the good employees were treated also, which is why they no longer work there. They had a wonderful manager and a great baker, but the owner cowed to the pushy indigents that plague the streets of Eureka with there sooty appearances and their constant panhandling. Whoopee! So you can play a Bob Seger song.

I am so thoroughly disgusted with them, I will join the moratorium with "The Sunny Side" (who were disrespectfully referred to as "The Wild Bunch" by the new manager, presumably for playing cribbage without a license) and boycott the Has Beans Cafe. I hear even the Fair Chance folks now meet at Ramone's (on Tuesdays at 5) after Has Beans started playing games with their closing time and confusing the customers.
Sorry guys, but Ramone's Bakery (which started in Old Town Eureka in 1981, unlike Has Beans from Chico), not to mention Old Town Coffee and Chocolates, are a little more user friendly.

Classic Street Files from Yesteryear

2008-04-22T16:14:00.000-07:00

There once was a TV Station called ACAT, and this is the channel that tells i'ts story through the eyes of a Humboldt County Resident, David Giarrizzo. Here, David interviews Scotch Wiggly's own Paul Sanderson.

Bohipnix House Blend Band

2008-04-19T01:47:00.000-07:00

Well It would appear that Friday Nights at Has Beans Internet Cafe have become one of the cooler spots in Old Town Eureka. Rumor has it that you can see Bohipnix appear regularly at the little cafe on the corner of 2nd and I Street, Has Beans. The coffee and pastries are fresh, as are the soups and bagels and smoothies to roll your eyes back into your head. The Show starts at 4:00, but time may be subjective to the establishment. Occasionally we will have other local acts opening for us, warming you audience up for a real cool time. Hope to see you there.

Lisa Shari and Bohipnix Play Has Beans

2008-04-19T00:24:00.000-07:00

It was Arts Alive April when Brandon Garland's Artwork shone and music flowed. Lisa Shari opened with her multitude of original angst ridden love songs and ballads. Encouraging audience participation, she enticed the crowd with rythem instruments and hollers. She even got Stevo (her ex-band mate from the Groovy Imbeciles) to play some eerie surf guitar to "Taking You Away", and our own chantreuse, Christine Walden to sing duo on "Hopscotch". After a brief intermission, Bohipnix took the stage and made things even cooler (if that was possible, baby) bringing their own brand of Bop and Roll. With our little green friend Kazoo on drums, oh, wait, that's Donny Hart, Grandma Dolf dude and squirrelly recycling man. ( He's hiding under his cousin It costume in the corner) Anyway, with Donny, Christine Walden,Franko Mancinelli, Stevo Vidnovic, David Giarrizzo and a whole lotta coffee and "cigarettes", we are Bohipnix. It's not quite a scene more as a lifestyle. Ciao

Scotch Wiggly Is Back!

2008-03-03T15:27:00.001-08:00

Saturday was a real good rehearsal at Sanderson Manor. We played some new songs by Paul, “Sweet Virginia” and “Rock By Rock”, the first a sweet melody of a soldier pining for home, the second a glimpse into the life of a North Coast Salmon. We are still hoping to complete our recording sessions with Gary and Courtney of the Monster Women on Saturday here at the Crows Nest. So far we have recorded two songs of mine, “Endless Maze” and “Network TV Blues”, and a few of Stevo’s not to mention a new version of “Late One Night” by Jimi Jack, and Franko had a few up his sleeve,so, there is more to come. Stevo, Captain Flashback, Lisa Shari and I played up in the Art show above the Art Center Saturday. That was cool. Some of us will be playing Arts Alive at Has Beans on April 5th.