Category Archives: Uncategorized

back to reality

5 September 2008

me in the dust

xxximagesxxx

we have returned from the relative safe fantasy of Las Vegas and Burning Man back into the tension, for me anyhow, of the pre election weirdness… i spent the last election, that is i watched the actual event unfold from a hotel room in Lima Peru… Lima is a huge city and a close neighbor of the US… it is all but overcome by poverty; we frequently would see say a seven year old kid holding a two year old to act as a ‘prop’ for his ability to create a pathetic sympathy for his begging efforts… this atmosphere just underscored the surreal nature of the election results happening miles away in the US

now again we have been traveling all over the world this past summer… how can it be that people here at the same time they are daily preaching the ‘global village’ theme can be so isolated and uncaring about the opinion and view of America in the rest of the world… granted that a rock band is a decadent extension of the liberal mentality but still we had all sorts of people at our shows, i talked to all sorts of people in Europe as well as Russia and Israel this time and its really amazing but NO ONE in the rest of the world understands why we have George Bush for the president…
so again: i really like Obama, i am excited by the prospect of some actual change in the systems here no matter how slight… but there is something about the guy that is straight and smart, i like the way he speaks, he is certainly not the lesser of evils that the Democrats have presented previously
its gonna be a tense couple of months

very dusssty this year at BM

xxximagesxxx

is this Bill Clinton in disguise at Burning Man center camp?

xxximagesxxx

Vali chills out at Kidsville Burning Man

xxximagesxxx

Link To Article

HOWLUCINATION ’08: “LOW LIFE CITY”

17 August 2008

LEAVING THE 21ST CENTURY
HOWL! FESTIVAL AND THE JACKIE FACTORY PRESENT
HOWLUCINATION ’08: “LOW LIFE CITY”
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 7
5-7 PM, FREE ADMISSION
TOMPKINS SQUARE PARK, NYC
mothernyc.com/lowlife
howlfestival.com

CELEBRATING 150 YEARS OF BRILLIANT BOWERY PERFORMANCE

On September 7, JACKIE FACTORY producers CHI CHI VALENTI and JOHNNY DYNELL will present their second annual HOWLUCINATION to crown this year’s HOWL! FESTIVAL. HOWLUCINATION is a new spectacle created by the JACKIE FACTORY each year as an evening event for HOWL!. The new LOW LIFE CITY follows on the heels of their first HOWLUCINATION at HOWL! – last year’s scandalous LOW LIFE. LOW LIFE CITY is a two hour theatrical showcasing the East Village – and especially, The Bowery, in a lavishly costumed production starring dozens of downtown’s finest. A time-travelling, bawdy and witty cavalcade of talent, this show is not recommended for children!

This year’s superb cast is now complete – MCs PAUL ALEXANDER (of “The Ones”) and HATTIE HATHAWAY, Bowery Belle DEBBIE HARRY, icon JOEY ARIAS with master puppeteer BASIL TWIST, burlesque supernovas DIRTY MARTINI, MISS DELIRIUM TREMENS and JONNY PORKPIE and NASTY CANASTA of PINCHBOTTOM BURLESQUE, GOON SQUAD featuring MISS GUY, drag divinity SWEETIE, butoh ensemble VANGELINE THEATER, WORLD FAMOUS *BOB*, LOGO song star ADAM JOSEPH as The Irish Tenor, slapstick duo DUELLING BANKHEADS, sister act ACID BETTY and EPIPHANY, sensationalist AMBER RAY, Bay Area artiste FAUXNIQUE, BLACKLIPS eminence POISON EVE, members of THE PIXIE HARLOTS, and New Bowery treasures TRINA ROSE, HEATHER LITTEER aka JESSICA RABBIT DOMINATION and TIGGER!

For pictures from last years edition visit LOW LIFE @ HOWL 2007 on FLICKR HOWLUCINATION ’08: LOW LIFE CITY was inspired by the seminal LUC SANTE book “LOW LIFE: The Lures and Snares of Old New York.” It continues a body of work born at JACKIE 60 a decade ago, with past editions in London, Minneapolis and of course, last year’s HOWL! For the show’s producers, East Village residents for over two decades, this annual show is a Valentine to the neighborhood’s past, present and future stars. Dress Up and join us in the park! Wear NYC demimonde evening glamour (1860-2010), Gangs of New York, Victorian/Edwardian rags, newsboy caps, B’hoy for Butch Women, corsets and vintage lingerie, Bowery Belle ringlets, Opium Den loungewear, Vampyre of Gotham, black parasols, Bowery Twink, velvet, 19th century Clownwear, Top Hats or Bowery Punk.

THE HOWL! FESTIVAL was named in honor of the groundbreaking poem by ALLEN GINSBERG and began in 2002. HOWL celebrates the East Village and Lower East Side’s role as a preeminent locus of culture, with signature events like the group reading of HOWL and ART AROUND THE PARK. Centered in Tompkins Square Park, the festival attracts more than 100,000 visitors bringing to the clubs, galleries, parks, streets, and theaters of Manhattan’s Lower East Side.

Link To Article

REVOLUTIONARY ACTS – A BENEFIT FOR THE LIVING THEATRE

9 August 2008

Barbara Maier, in association with GOODIE magazine, will present Revolutionary Acts: A Benefit for The Living Theatre Honoring Judith Malina.

Talent set to perform includes Tony-nominated Justin Bond, Debbie Harry, Eisa Davis and Coleman Domingo of Tony-winner Passing Strange, and Nellie McKay, among an impressive list of audacious performers.

Mon., Aug. 25th 7PM
Barbara Maier presents
A BENEFIT FOR THE LIVING THEATRE
Joe’s Pub
425 Lafayette St., NYC
Tickets: $50
($30 standing room)
212-967-7555
Table Reservations (two-drink or $12 food min.) 212-539-8778

Producer Maier says, “In the spirit of Judith Malina and The Living Theatre, I’ve encouraged the performers to contribute provocative works, social and political commentary.” The benefit is meant to provide substantial relief to the iconic The Living Theatre, which is experiencing financial challenges.

More details at www.joespub.com

Link To Article

iron, bat man…KAMERA

5 August 2008

i never get to the movies much these days… i was happy to see IRON MAN on the plane home then the next day saw BAT MAN dark knight etc i LOVED iron man i thought it put batman to shame, i would like to see Favreau work on the batman franchise… Ledger’s Joker brought a small bit of the smartness of Iron Man to Batman, but i know that ‘the dark night’ though a lot of fun was one of those ‘in one ear out the other’ films that i wont remember in a few months

thanx again to everyone who was at our shows this summer… i have been listening to the KAMERA cd, they supported us on a bunch of our European gigs; some great songs, do check out KAMERA, i think that they will be around for a while, have a great future

Link To Article

almost…

26 July 2008

xxximagesxxx

the tour is winding down… currently sleepless in Glasgow

there is a tv show or something i heard: “win a day spent like a rock star!!” no fooling… one of our days might start late lets say: 4:00 pm leave hotel, 4:30-5:00 get to venue, sound check, dinner sometimes, 9:00 ish do show, 11:30 travel in bus for eight hours get to next hotel (7:00 am) try and sleep, then repeat whole thing two more times then day off spent traveling to next city…

but the crowds have been maybe the best for a long time… as i mentioned before there is something about this particular summer tour that everyone is feeling; some kind of bump up in appreciation/attendance

so thanks a great great lot to everyone who has come to see us… thnx a lot too to some of you that we see at every show! there are some very dedicated fans that we see all the time, we do notice that you are there

when we get back home i promise that we will try and get a new recording together, its been much too long, some new blondie stuff is way overdue

i am gonna try again and sleep… i slept a little on the bus on the way here, its tough to get back there to the dream realm after waking up watching ‘Raging Bull’ and checking into my room

Link To Article

University of Gloucestershire: Blondie Drummer Launches New Research Project

26 July 2008

“A unique dedicated drumming laboratory will be built at the University of Gloucestershire’s Oxstalls campus and over the coming months it is envisaged that other professional drummers will come forward to undertake physiological profiling.

Via the Clem Burke Drumming Project, academics from the Department of Health, Sport and Social Care also aim to join forces with the University’s popular music degree course to develop community outreach programmes targeting overweight and disengaged youngsters.

Dr. Steve Draper said: ‘This is the first facility of its kind in the world and we are extremely excited about the potential here. It is a unique collaboration between science and arts.'”

Link To Article

This Is Gloucestershire : Blondie’s Clem Burke comes to Uni to promote groundbreaking experiment

26 July 2008

“Clem, 52, arrived at the Oxstalls campus, in Cheltenham, hours after playing a gig at Suffolk’s Latitude Festival. He said he felt a lot fitter now than when he first picked up the sticks, and he has learned a lot about himself during the programme. ‘I’m better at it now and a lot fitter,’ he said. ‘This experiment has opened up to me how my body is working. I had an initial interest in physical fitness which was why I became involved in the first place. The whole thing has been great,’ he said.”

Link To Article

Telegraph: Drumming ‘as tough as a football match’

26 July 2008

“A study of Clem Burke, the drummer in Blondie, found that drumming for 90 minutes saw his heart rate rise to the level reached by the average top-flight footballer, and for the same period of time. Burke’s body was put under such stress during his gig that his heart averaged between 140 and 150 beats per minute, even reaching as high as 190. He also burned up to 600 calories per hour during the scientists’ trials.”

Link To Article
2008 News Archive: Page 33 of 51