Gary Heffron screaming at the recent Penetrators show at the Casbah... just like he did in the '80s.

Great shot! Just to note: Gary's surname is Heffern; and the Casbah is not in Little Italy. The northern border of SD's L.I. is considered the east/west-running Laurel St. - the Casbah is on the northeast corner of Kettner & Laurel. (So it's in Middletown; interestingly, Little Italy is sometimes considered a constituent part of Middletown - tho all that is Middletown is not also L.I., etc.) Also, note Devon E. Levins of Holy Love Snakes/aMiniature/Creedle/Rust/The San Diego Music Awards in the lower right corner; and the Radio Wendy poster on mirror ...
— April 5, 2011 11:35 a.m.

Capital T The SDMAs

Bonus Beatage: After going to press, further one-sheet-ish info on The San Diego Music Awards arrived from the cyber-desk of Robertdale Rulon Crow, Jr. It's rich in factual/descriptive detail and synergistically enhances this author's impressionistic take on the band name. Here 'tis some: "[Other members of The SDMAs include] -- Chris Fulford-Brown - Keys -- and probably some more guys by showtime. (NOTE: This is in no way a jam band and any "explorations" are kept to a minimum) What it sounds like: Carl Stalling, Ennio Morricone, Nino Rota and John Carpenter influenced Post-Pop, Post-Punk, Pre-Prog, Contemporary Drinking Klezmer, and Hardcore Easy Listening. This description is not hyperbolic. Impetus behind the band: An excuse for us old-punk music-nerd friends to hang out and play complicated, surreal, and sophisticated music while drinking. Why it is called The San Diego Music Awards: Because The San Diego Union Tribunes, The City Beats, The Blurt Sections, The San Diego Readers, The IMS's, The Learning Annex's, The May Day '94's, The May Day '95's, The Rockpress', etc. were all shot down as names and we all need to stop taking ourselves so seriously." Exactly why "The May Day '93's" -- when, whoah, Bill Silva even got the Electric Love Hogs to come down from LA to play the local band fest -- and "The May Day Rejects Show's" -- Sept. '95; included the self-described "cartoon ska" of El Cajon's Turkey Mallet, as fronted by charismatic frontman Matt Hoyt -- were, apparently, not considered ... remains unclear. Finally: as no credit appears online, it really should be noted that the awesome perf photo of Dev & Rob was taken by Chris Woo.
— March 23, 2011 3:33 p.m.

What of Young Teddy Ballgame?

Oh, yes: the TW boyhood home stands in North Park today, tho no note of Ted once living there can be seen (at least not the last time I drove by). On the one hand, I'm semi-reluctant to give address in def. to privacy of residents - who must get bothered occasionally, etc. - but on the other hand, it's history and an address that's v. easily found - even spelled out in biographies of Ted. Just found this, more insight here: http://baseballblogga.blogspot.com/2009/03/unassu… BTW, Ted being of 50% Mexican parentage should not go w/o note. He seems to have neither hid nor downplayed his Hispanicity nor particularly celebrated it; and he apparently didn't know Spanish, altho of course he must've heard his mother and her sister/other family members speaking to each other en español. (Remember, his mind was always elsewhere: hitting, hitting, hitting - and then, after retirement, presumably lotsa fishing). Still, tho: Ted W. IS regarded as The First Latino inductee to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Good bar-bet Q., eh? Most who thought they knew A. to that "Who was ...?" would answer, "Roberto Clemente." Incorrect! Cuz it's The [Border Region] Kid ...
— March 10, 2011 12:31 p.m.

What of Young Teddy Ballgame?

Thanx 4 compliment, Neph! Notes: Bill Nowlin's great book "The Kid: Ted Williams in San Diego" is satisfyingly stat-rich, the way baseball-heads like. The song "Ted F***ing Williams" is on The Baseball Project's magnificently titled debut LP "Volume 1: Frozen Ropes and Dying Quails." TBP just put out their 2nd album on Tues. (3-8-11): "Volume 2: High and Inside." The Baseball Project will play SD (Casbah) on 3-30-11. Finally: there're 3 more songs about Red Sox players on "Vol. 2" altho none dealing w/ the pernicious pattern of Boston luring native SD Padres away, e.g., Ted W.; now Adrian Gonzalez ...
— March 9, 2011 11:30 a.m.