Volume 10 – #1 – January 2007

It’s 2007; a brand new year. Check it out. My one resolution, as it has been for several years, is to have the newsletter posted as close to the 15th of each month as possible. I sort of made it for January, so let’s celebrate and take off the rest of the month. We could all meet in some exotic, remote location, if there were any left. Since there aren’t, go to the nearest Starbucks and we’ll have a group party chat on the Internet, at a mutually agreed time. When it’s my turn to type, I’ll explain how weird it is to find out important details about a huge show only a few weeks before the big event, and how those important details can impact one’s life. Of course, I’m referring to the Richardson Symphony performance I had this wild dream about. You know what? That low expectation philosophy of mine really pays off on occasion. But shake it off, America! It’s all about having no control and embracing that feeling, anyway. You know, like when you’re on a plane and it’s taking off or when you’re going into surgery. One time I was about to have surgery and I had to drink a big cup of barium. I hadn’t had anything to drink for several hours (surgery, you know) and the barium was cold and wet. It was so refreshing, I asked for another cup. It was like a delightful fruit smoothie. By the way, I haven’t been able to find barium cola or juice or anything even close since. And Brave Combo hits every truck stop and 7-11 from coast to coast. My father always said they get you hooked on something and take it away. Anyway, if you’re about to have surgery and you’re really thirsty, I highly recommend it. I remember it was light purple in color.

Poor President Bush. Almost nobody is on his side anymore, yet he still thinks he’s smarter than everyone else. If the circumstances weren’t so serious, it would be humorously weird. The account of his presidency will probably be a pretty entertaining historical sidebar someday. Great nations are rife with goofball leaders from the past; crazy egomaniacs that believed they had special powers of insight. How did our current “decider” get so smart and so wise? He’s not really known for saying anything particularly profound. In fact, he often comes off as dense and somewhat clueless. So, how come he can do what he wants, against most of our wishes, and continue to drag us deeper into this bottomless pit of goo? Even when it was obvious, four years ago, that his policies would mean irresponsible death and destruction for lots of innocent people, I was still hoping that the big payback was around the corner. I never wanted to be so wrong so badly in my life. And I would take no joy in saying, “I told you so” even if I was inclined to do that. Oh well, I bet Mr. Bush isn’t digging life much himself, these days. Nobody really wants him to show up at his or her party anymore. He blew it and that’s gotta feel rotten. Okay, enough of that. Sometimes I’m just sad for everyone, no matter how much harm they’ve inflicted. None of us knows anything, really. Well, I know a few things. I know that I like polkas!

Speaking of polkas, I’m currently composing one to be debuted by Brave Combo at Denton’s Sesquicentennial Celebration on Tuesday, January 30. It’s called “The Denton Polka.” I was thinking about keeping the lyrics to a minimum, but perhaps I should mention Fry Street? It’s a street, but it’s also an area of town and a state of mind. A developer from Houston bought a bunch of the buildings at the legendary corner of Fry and Hickory, across the street from UNT, and plans to raze them and erect Denton’s freshest CVS Pharmacy. Fry Street was the beginning of “cool” in Denton. Hipsters, Hippies, Hunks, Punks, Ravers, New Wavers, Rockers, Kickers, City Slickers and dressed-down Miss Americas have all hung out on Fry Street with lots of normal people over the decades. Denton has always struggled to establish itself, in the shadow of Dallas, Ft. Worth and, especially, Austin. But we did have Fry Street and what it represented. In its heydays (and there have been many) the scene was as good as anywhere. But two landmarks are already gone; completely gone, and eight to ten more, some that are 100 years old, may be reduced to dust by the time you read next month’s MACHINE’S PUMP. You know what, this topic is too depressing for “The Denton Polka.” I need to think less specifically anyway if there are lyrics, and write more symbolically. I could approach it from “the secret vortex of divine cosmic energy that always pulls you back” angle. You know, like, “No matter how many miles you stray, there’s a happy place to bail your hay. No matter how far you choose to roam, Denton’s the town that calls you home. Just like an Electrolux, it sucks you back. With a gentle reversed breeze, you fly over the trees, landing pretty as you please, far from the seven seas in Denton.” The city recently adopted the catch phrase, “North of Ordinary.” Since Ft. Worth is just South of us, I could maybe make it a song about how Dentonites feel superior to Ft. Worthians. Something like, “We live here and you live there. You’re ordinary and we’re not. We’re to the north (yay) and you’re to the South (boo). That makes us north of ordinary. Yeah! Yeah! North of ordinary. We feel sorry for you!” Hmmm, that won’t make a good polka, though. I’m over-thinking this. Maybe everyone will be too busy dancing to “The Denton Polka” to actually hear the lyrics anyway.

FUNNY SIDE JOBS. I’ve been doing odd things in the studio lately. There’s a new anime called BECK about a young Japanese rock band that gets to live out its dreams and comes to the USA to perform at a big festival. Beck is the name of a little “frankenstein” dog that hangs out with the band. Check it out, if you can, when it starts running on Cartoon Network, and listen carefully to the music different rock bands are playing throughout the show. It’s an amazing series and is quite accurate in its portrayal of touring life at the indie level and definitely not just for 12 to 14-year-old boys. Even 16-year-old boys will like it. Also, I’m right now involved in writing and performing music for a documentary on the State Fair of Texas, to be debuted on February 15th at the Hall of State Museum in Dallas’ Fair Park. The music alone makes it worth attending, if I do say so myself.
Click for
more information about the State Fair documentary.

Speaking of studio time, I’m starting to feel a new straight-ahead Brave Combo album on the way. I’d say we’re about three months pregnant at this point. That means a summer baby. I wonder how it will look and what it will sound like. I hope it’s cute, or at least interesting. But that’s for you to decide. Everything’s interesting to me, especially cats and dogs. And sloths. And hyenas. I have become extremely interested in both of these animals, sloths in particular. They live slowly, do very little damage while they’re alive and have a constant smile on their faces. Here’s to the hidden sloth in all of us. Till next time, happy vegging.