Blogs | Rock Around the Town
Michael Page Goes 3D, Best Breakups and Worst Reunions Ever, more
By Jay Allen Sanford | Posted December 19, 2008, 4:40 a.m.
Break Out the Boomboxes and Food Cans
Press to play the Overheard song!
Contents:
1 – Michael Page Goes 3D – Interview With Former Iggy Pop Bassist
2 – Break Out the Boomboxes – UnSilent Night is December 20th
3 – Heroes Against Hunger – Eben Brooks Band hosting benefits for San Diego Food Bank
4 – Rockin’ Book Reports:
Eben Brooks’ Shoots Sci-Fi Video based on a Roger Zelazny story
Rock to Riches by Lee Silber
Rock & Roll Homicide by RJ McDonnell (set in San Diego’s rock underworld)
Forty Schmorty; Life Keeps Happening by Eve Selis & Mattie Mills
The Summer I Died by Ryan C. Thomas (of the Buzzbombs)
Heavy Mental by Ian Shirley
5 - Just Sing the Hits - When Bands (Barely) Reunite
6 - How I Snuck Into Around 100 Local Concerts
7 - Ratt Doesn’t Want You to Read This Blog - Ratt & Roll Over: Beyond Behind the Music
8 - Battle Of the Local Blues Lovers
MICHAEL PAGE GOES 3D
Though best known for his stint with Iggy Pop (1979 to 1984), bassist Michael Page has also performed and recorded with David Bowie, Chubby Checker, Jerry Lee Lewis, and New York Dolls guitarist Sylvain Sylvain, with whom he formed the band Criminals.
“Iggy introduced me to Johnny Depp around ‘92,” says the Kearny High graduate (1968), “and Johnny put me in charge of throwing a band together with him, the Vipers. However, that project ended up clashing with his movie shooting, so that’s when I bailed on live road gigs, in favor of working at home, scoring for films.”
Page – who grew up in North Park - lives near Banker’s Hill and works for a local visual production firm, PassmoreLab, where he converts standard photos, film, and video into 3D.
A horror-themed music video was just shot in 3D for the song “Magnetic Baby” by Semi Precious Weapons, featuring “taxidermy and glam ghouls spewing metallic body fluids,” according to Page.
“We chose the east coast-underground band Semi Precious Weapons because the frontman Justin is so full of energy and so animated that it just screams 3D. Top that off with some of the best music out there today, and there you have it. They seemed to muster up an artistic concoction that had similar tastes and sensibilities as my old cronies the New York Dolls, sprinkled with a bit of Iggy Pop flavoring,” Page says of the group. “We seek out unique and unusual subject matter to explore and document…the band was awesome and ripe for 3D.”
“PassmoreLab feels that visual stimulation and excitement is necessary and foremost, with an ability to display artistic originality and creative aesthetics that are outside the norm. Simply put, the wilder the better, and you just instinctively know it when you see it.”
“Magnetic Baby” was shot in San Diego, in both 3D and 2D format.
PassmoreLab paid the costs to make the Semi Precious Weapons vid. “Including the champagne and gallon of gold body paint, it ran about $30,000. We shot the entire project in one long day but spent a considerably longer time building the sets and even longer time cleaning up afterwards. The cost for a 3D production is significantly more than 2D, partially due to the complex editing processes.”
So why would PassmoreLab foot the entire bill? Page says that - because of the production - "[Two big L.A. film companies] came down from L.A. to meet with us...Yup, right here in sleepy lil Dago, they came to us. We're all about the art, about being a futuristic cutting-edge experimental lab, not a production company.
"We don't need no stinkin' badges. Or motives. Just like the Reader!"
Company founder Greg Passmore elaborates. “PassmoreLab co-owns the resulting 3D video. PassmoreLab is in the business of producing films and as part of this function finances and performs production services in exchange for back-end revenue off the resulting content. Several 3D films are currently in production, ranging from educational content to the purely entertaining. Semi Precious Weapons seemed like a winner to us.”
"One of the really great things about the 3D conversion we're doing," says Passmore, "is that a lot of content that otherwise may be seldom seen is now getting a new and fresh look. It also creates a more immersive experience for the viewer.”
As for where the finished video will screen, Michael Page says “We are interested in releasing the 3D version in Japan, where they have been successfully broadcasting 3D television for a while now. Bands also appear on the PassmoreLab 3D demo-reels which are shown to the heaviest hitters in the entire industry worldwide. MTV shot Passmorelab filming the Semi Precious Weapons video for an episode of their Made series. Other than that, the band's record companies dictate when and where the videos appear.”
Page says the company is also involved with photographic 3D projects.
“We teamed up with rock photographer Bob Gruen, to convert his well-known iconic images to a format that can be viewed on stereoscopic displays.” Gruen was the personal photographer for John Lennon and Yoko Ono, and served as tour photographer for the Clash and Kiss. His extensive photo archive includes the Rolling Stones, the Ramones, Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, the Talking Heads, Led Zeppelin, Muddy Waters, Patti Smith, Bo Diddley, Blondie, Bob Marley, and the Sex Pistols.
Page prefers his local 3D gig to the rock and roll lifestyle. “It’s a lot less dangerous than dodging bottles with Iggy Pop,” he says.
(Blurt interview with Jen Hilbert of PassmoreLab) www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2008/jun/25/blurt4
JACK UP THE BOOMBOXES FOR UNSILENT NIGHT, DECEMBER 20TH
New York composer Phil Kline created Unsilent Night as an electronic music caroling party, and for the past 16 years it has been an annual event in downtown Manhattan, making it a new music holiday classic. Now in its 17th year, it will be performed in the streets of San Diego in downtown's Gaslamp Quarter. The event is free for all participants.
Unsilent Night is an audience participation work, an outdoor ambient music piece for an INFINITE number of boom box players. It's like a Christmas caroling party except that we don't sing, but rather carry boom boxes, each playing a separate tape or cd which is part of the piece. In effect, we become a city block long stereo system! Performances in New York have been using hundreds of participants. The more people that are involved, the more joyous a sound we can create.
The performance will be on Saturday, December 20th. We will meet at the Gaslamp Trolley Station at 5th and Harbor at 6:40pm, and starting at 7:00pm walk through the streets of San Diego's Gaslamp up to Horton Plaza. The whole walk takes about 40 minutes.
The more people that are involved the more beautiful and festive it will be! Phil Kline's ambient soundscape becomes more magical and unpredictable with more tapes being played, filling the air and seeming to come from all directions at once.
All you need to join in the sound is a portable tape or CD player with fresh batteries, and we will provide you with a copy of the music. Just send us an email so we can know how many copies to bring. If you don't have a boom box you are still welcome to join the procession and just enjoy the music. Unsilent Night is also kid-friendly, so bring the whole family!
If you would like to take part in Unsilent Night on December 20th contact Ellen Weller at 619-263-8002 or eweller@palomar.edu and please let us know how many of you would like to participate. Parking is very limited so we suggest you take the bus or trolley.
This event is presented by a coalition of San Diego musicians.
More about Phil Kline and Unsilent Night:
http://www.philkline.com/index2.html
http://www.myspace.com/unsilentnight
Trummerflora
Musicians collective dedicated to creative music.
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Other Ideas at Kava Gallery
Second Sundays at 7pm
The Eben Brooks Band is hosting a series of December shows to benefit the San Diego Food Bank
Heroes Against Hunger headliners The Eben Brooks Band will be hosting a series of December shows to benefit the San Diego Food Bank. At each of their shows, there will be a barrel for food donations and a jar for monetary donations. In addition, the band will donate 10% of this month's CD sales.
"I call myself a Working Class Superhero, and this is the kind of thing I do," says tour founder Eben Brooks. "I try to help people however I can." Additional bands participating in the tour will be announced as the information becomes available throughout the month of December.
Participation is as simple as pledging to put out a donation jar or food barrel at an upcoming show to benefit the hunger charity of the musician's choice. Participating bands will have their shows promoted on the Eben Brooks Band webpage at http://music.ebenbrooks.com/heroes.html.
San Diego show-goers are encouraged to bring a canned or boxed item to donate at Eben Brooks Band shows. "There are so many people just here in San Diego County that don't have enough food, it' s heartbreaking," says Eben. "We want to help the San Diego Food Bank as much as possible so they can continue their mission to end hunger."
For further information on the Heroes Against Hunger Tour: Eben Brooks Video Blog discussing tour: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=LP_QUYSVb6Q
The Eben Brooks Band December show dates: http://music.ebenbrooks.com/
San Diego Food Bank: http://www.sandiegofoodbank.org
EBEN BROOKS GOES SCI-FI - ZELAZNY ROCKS!
“I’m a very big fan of Roger Zelazny’s work, and I’ve read all the Amber Chronicles,” says singer/songwriter Eben Brooks, who just finished shooting an elaborate video for his song “Champs Élysées,” inspired by Zelazny’s sci-fi classic Courts of Chaos. “We chose Lestat’s to shoot at, because the writer and director wrote a script that fits perfectly with their setup and décor. Lestat’s has great stone gargoyles!”
Brooks explains the video story: “In Courts of Chaos, from the original Chronicles of Amber, there’s a scene where the protagonist is worried that one of the cornerstones of reality has been destroyed…the only way to save the universe is to create a new cornerstone. While he’s doing that, he lets his mind wander as he creates this new ‘pattern,’ to anchor reality once again. I read that passage, and the imagery was so powerful that I found myself thinking about it a great deal over the next several weeks.”
He says he’s influenced by sci-fi songwriting. “I’ve always been a big fan of Jethro Tull, who tend to weave fantasy and sci-fi elements into their songs. Hawkwind writes music heavily influenced by Michael Moorcock, and there’s always Led Zeppelin’s work based on Tolkien.”
Around a dozen people scheduled to appear in the video were no-shows. “An hour after shooting was to begin, we were frantically calling people to come to Lestat’s. Even the makeup and wardrobe girl ended up on camera, because of the lack of people.” The video for “Champs Élysées” – which opens on one of Lestat’s stone gargoyles - can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsTT2s....
(Eben's virtual sci-fi alter-ego)
Formerly with the Celtic folk band The Wild Oats (1991 – 2002), Eben Brooks has been playing monthly at Lestat’s since 2000.
ROCK TO RICHES – LOCAL TEACHES ROCK STAR SECRETS OF FINANCIAL SUCCESS
“You can learn a lot about funding from David Bowie, and about branding from Dave Matthews,” says local drummer and author Lee Silber. His new book Rock to Riches, co-written with Andrew Chapman, is a tutorial on what he describes as “Building your own business the rock and roll way. Learning important business lessons about multiple income streaming from Jimmy Buffett is much more interesting and fun than trying to learn from [wealthy investor] Warren Buffett.”
According to Silber, “If you look at the most successful recording artists, many are also astute business people. Madonna, Kiss, and Garth Brooks have all been smart with their money, and not afraid to market themselves and profit from their efforts.”
The San Diego native - an avid surfer - started his first business at age eleven, repainting his neighbors’ mailboxes, later launching a successful chain of surf shops with his two brothers called Waves and Wheels Surfcenters. His first book, The Guide to Dating in San Diego, was followed by thirteen more books, with Rock to Riches being the first of a two-volume deal with Capital Books.
“The thing I stress most is being systematic and getting organized. I’ve learned a lot about being organized, despite my natural, right-brain tendency to want to hang onto everything I have ever owned or borrowed, and keep it out where I can see it.”
“The way I operate now, and what I teach, is that if it’s not on a list, it doesn’t exist.”
Silber's co-author is Andrew Chapman. "Andrew and I met a LONG time ago at a booksigning I was doing at the Barnes and Noble in Encinitas," says Silber. "We hit it off right away since he is also an author and a musician. In fact, we are teaming up on another book right now for Career Press. The idea for Rock To Riches was Andrew's, but because of my prior success in publishing and enthusiasm for the topic, we teamed up."
Regarding their joint writing methods, Silber says "Nobody would ever be able to tell, but Andrew and I wrote entire chapters by ourselves. I can barely remember which is which when reading it now. We worked to our strengths. You also may never be able to tell (but I thought I'd mention it) that Andrew prefers KISS, head-banger music, and more or the modern bands while I like everything from the seventies. I also went WAY back to pull examples from early rock stars, too."
The book is published by Capital Books, based on the east coast. "Our goal for the Rock to Riches book is to sell out of the first printing as fast as possible. That's why I am so thrilled you may be able to get us some much needed exposure in the Reader, the only paper local musicians really read."
The book's Abbey Road-inspired cover certainly conjures up the notion of rock star riches (tho not even Sir Paul McCartney was rich enough to buy back the Beatles' publishing - I wonder how hard he's laughing now at the financial woes of the guy who outbid him, Michael Jackson?). Says Silber, "In the [book cover] photo, my wife is John Lennon, I'm Ringo, and Andrew Chapman is George Harrison."
For more on Lee Silber and Rock to Riches, checkout last week’s Blurt column….
http://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2008/dec/10/blurt1
ROCK & ROLL HOMICIDE by RJ McDONNELL
“I moved to San Diego in the 1980s and intended to earn a living as a musician,” says author RJ McDonnell, whose just-released novel Rock & Roll Homicide is set amidst the local music scene. “However, I shattered my wrist a few months after my arrival and my plans changed.”
The book concerns Little Italy native Jason Duffy, a musician-turned-private eye investigating the death of a local singer. “Jason’s client is the widow of the deceased rock star,” says McDonnell. “She suspects that the record company, based in downtown San Diego, was involved in her husband’s death…he also investigates the band members, as well as a roadie and a groupie.”
Suspects among the murdered singer’s band include an alcoholic drug addict drummer on the verge of being booted from the group, a bassist who camouflages his rock star status by living in a lower middle-class neighborhood, and a lead guitarist who wrote half of the band’s songs and lives well beyond his means.
The investigation takes Duffy to a Mission Beach bar that resembles London’s West End in PB, a T.G.I. Fridays in El Cajon, Jake’s restaurant in Del Mar, and a Steve Poltz concert at the Belly Up. He also makes trips to Rancho Santa Fe, Cardiff by the Sea, Alpine, and Southeast San Diego.”
“My depiction of San Diego as home to a record label featuring an emerging headline act is my way of acknowledging the quality of music originating in San Diego,” says McDonnell, who resided locally for 26 years but now lives in Pennsylvania. “My love for music and belief in the San Diego music scene has never changed.”
Rock & Roll Homicide by RJ McDonnell is retail priced at $25.95 and is available on Amazon and at www.rockandrollhomicide.com.>
FORTY SCHMORTY; LIFE KEEP HAPPENING by EVE SELIS & MATTIE MILLS Singer/songwriters Eve Selis and Mattie Mills have written a book, Forty Schmorty; Life Keeps Happening. “During the process of writing the book,” says Selis, “Mattie was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 45, and I became pregnant at age 43.” “Mattie and I helped each other get through this journey,” says Selis. “She went through her chemotherapy with courage and the knowledge that she was going to kick cancer’s ass, not the other way around. I felt powerless over the disease, but knew our friendship would help us conquer anything.” Selis’ sister is a breast cancer survivor. “As for my pregnancy, our friendship provided support…Mattie had two children in her forties, and had her fourth child at age 45. She was a great inspiration and help to me, because it had been so long since my first pregnancy…my daughter is thirteen years old.” “Most males have been very curious and said that they’d love to read our book, just to get a better idea of what’s inside a women’s mind. It definitely helps answer a lot of questions men have when their wives are going through difficult or challenging times.” In addition to the book, blog, and website, related FortySchmorty podcasts are available from iTunes. THE SUMMER I DIED by RYAN C. THOMAS “My first paying sale was a story called ‘Cookies Have No Souls,’ for Space Squid Magazine,” says Buzzbombs guitarist Ryan C. Thomas (aka “Johnny Fuego”), whose side gig is as a horror and sci-fi author. “Up until that sale, all my stories were freebies for webzines or fiction magazine that paid, like, $5 a story.” The executive editor for North County’s Ranch & Coast Magazine says his first novel The Summer I Died, published by Canada’s Coscom Entertainment (mainly known for comic books), pits rural teens against a razor-happy killer with a man-eating dog. “It’s my attempt to do a written version of a slasher film.” Thomas’ short stories have been published in anthologies like DreamGoblin and Twisted Cat Tales. The Summer I Died concerns Roger, a nebbish comic book geek of the new Millennium variety, ie less Comic Book Guy and more Kevin Smith but still likely to cut in front of you in line to meet Scott Bakula. Gun totin’ dope smokin’ buddy “Tooth” would like to drag his friend-slash-pet-nerd into a more adventurous and thrill-filled life, far from the four color bubble our hero Roger has so far immersed himself in. As bad luck would have it, he does just that ------ The Summer I died is available at Amazon and at www.ryancthomas.com.>
HEAVY MENTAL by IAN SHIRLEY Author Ian Shirley is by definition what you’d call a rock ‘n’ roll writer, and he would be even if most of his works didn’t concern rock music in some form or other. The same way you can’t help but hear ‘50s doo-wop in your head when you read Christine, or the Sex Pistols whilst you read anything by Richard Meltzer, Shirley’s books seem to come with their own internal aural soundtrack. In the case of his newly released sci-fi novel Heavy Mental, Shirley actually recorded a song, “Spy on Love,” essentially soundtracking a bit of peep show-inspired naughtiness from his rockin’ opus – you can find that MP3 here. Dig that ‘70s porn wah-wah!! You can almost smell the chlorine urinals and feel the sticky floors, huh? Heavy Mental concerns a metal singer named Brett Ray, who finds himself whisked off to another world/reality/dimension/dreamscape/acid peak, ala Adam Strange or John Carter, only instead of becoming a People’s Hero he becomes an accused pigf-cker ------- Far less dunderheaded than heavy metal/cartoon rocker spoofs like Cartoon Network’s Metalocalypse or Britain’s Bad News, Heavy Mental is loaded with nods to the lores and legends of rock, displaying an encyclopedic fondness of the genre and sprinkled with enough witty musical in-jokes to read like a transcript of the best episode of Mystery Science Theater ever dreamed up ------ think "Hitchhiker's Guide To The [Hawkwind]Universe" meets an imaginary Ramones In Space cartoon...by Ralph Bakshi. On acid. G-o-o-o-o-o-d acid......... Heavy Mental was released in October '08, and is available at Amazon, and at www.safpublishing.co.uk.>
"Just Sing the Hits and the Crowd is Happy - When Bands (Barely)Reunite" - San Diego has seen its share of former hitmakers who come to town with few - if any - original members. And it doesn't help when brainless local promotors can't even spell the band name right ("Orginnal Sugarhill Gang," anyone? No? I didn't think so.....) http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2007/oct/21/just-sing-the-hits-when-bands-barely-reunite
"How I Snuck Into Around 100 Local Concerts" - Not that we advocate lawbreaking, mind you, but it was a long time ago, and most of the places are long gone, so here's what I did and how I did it.... http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2007/oct/30/how-i-snuck-into-around-100-local-concerts
http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2007/oct/23/ratt-doesnt-want-you-to-read-this-blog
"Battle of the Blues Lovers" - Two local blues organizations with a history of battling, plus former Bluestime host Dan Pothier reveals how he was fired from local KPBS and forbidden to take the mic for his final show, and more... http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2007/nov/04/battle-of-the-local-blues-lovers/ "Buffy Staked After Ken Cinema Screening" - The musical episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer had its final audience participation event at the Ken, before being shut down over copyright issues... http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2007/nov/04/battle-of-the-local-blues-lovers Like this blog? Here are some related links: OVERHEARD IN SAN DIEGO - Several years' worth of this comic strip, which debuted in the Reader in 1996: http://www.sandiegoreader.com/photos/galleries/overheard-san-diego/ FAMOUS FORMER NEIGHBORS - Over 100 comic strips online, with mini-bios of famous San Diegans: http://www.sandiegoreader.com/photos/galleries/famous-former-neighbors/ SAN DIEGO READER MUSIC MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/sandiegoreadermusic JAY ALLEN SANFORD MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/jayallensanford
In addition to their book, the duo blogs about their experiences at FortySchmorty.com, which offers merchandise including BBQ aprons, tote bags, and string thongs, all emblazoned with the FortySchmorty logo. Selis recommends the latter as a gift for men, to purchase for their forty-something wives.
Ian Shirley is the author of the definitive books on Bauhaus and the Residents, and he’s written for Mojo, Record Collector, and other pop cultures mags - his first sci-fi novel Shadowplay was published in 1998.
Shirley also authored Can Rock & Roll Save the World, an exhaustive history of comic books and comic strips which have crossed over into the world of rock and roll, and vice versa (a subject of particular interest for me, having perpetrated some of the Rock ‘N’ Roll Comics covered in his colorful art-heavy book). 
"Ratt Doesn't Want You to Read This Blog" - Beyond Behind the Music, here's a comprehensive account of how much these guys hated each other, through all the lawsuits and insults, until the money to "reunite" piled up too high to ignore. That is, if you consider the current partially-original lineup a "reunion"....
