As you get older, you, obviously, have more experiences and, hopefully, they’re not all horrible. But some are bound to be. That’s the way things work. As Mr. Buddha says, “Life is suffering.” This week, Jane and I had to put Blinkie, our beautiful 17-year-old tuxedo kitty, to sleep; our third such event in two months. Orion (14-year-old orange tabby) and JJ (21-year-old grayish-brown tabby) both preceded her demise, in September. Blinkie was a gentle beauty queen, JJ was quite small, but also quite scrappy and was blind her final four years. Orion was a big, super-friendly, stubbornly-independent buddy. Each was unique and a source of enormous joy for us. But right now, the numb feeling is disorienting, and tears are constant companions. My father, although generally considered a go-to-dude for stability and reliability, cried easily, especially if you told him what a good guy he was and patted him on the back. Anyway, I’ve been clinging to my other pets, grabbing their heads, and looking them all in their eyes as deeply as I can. Our old dog, Foxey, is not enjoying my obsessive attention. She’d always prefer that I keep the lovey-dovey stuff to a minimum. But that doesn’t dissuade me. I just hold her head in my hands while her eyes dart in every direction, except toward me, and I tell her how much I love her, as she tries to pull away. Then she gets a treat, then goes outside, into the backyard, then back in, then right back out, then right back in, then out, then in. A touching moment, for sure. For a couple of days after Blinkie died, our other cats settled down and the house became uncomfortably quiet. We’ve seen this before with our dogs and cats. This time the silence was almost distracting. Whatever, this crappy feeling is, sadly, familiar. That’s the big-ass downside to rescuing and adopting and loving lots of animals. Most likely, they will go before you do and you’ll have to endure whatever that involves. I don’t take the sad stuff well, but I do know what to expect and sorta how to plow through. We will be reunited with Blinkie’s cremated remains in a few days. That always helps. Our shelf-top cemetery is completely full of little wooden and metal caskets, filled with ashes and bone fragments. Some of our currently-living cats like to hang out there on occasion and pay their respects.

Sorry to hit you with a downer and, trust me, I am not fishing for sympathy. Just sharing a monumental event because a lot can be learned from it, especially how one reacts to it. Plus, I rarely post on up-to-the-minute social media and, generally, only through a Brave Combo site. So this is my once-a-month “reveal” into what I’m thinking and, you know, I’m all about the three “A”s! Animals, Art, and Airplanes, minus the airplanes. I’ve flown a lot, way more than some folks, not as many as others. I’m familiar with the experience. Overall, it’s a pretty massive drag, as I’m sure you’re aware. It’s still mind-blowing to me that we’re able to do it at all, but it’s also just as mind-blowing that it’s so common. We certainly don’t think of it in Sinatra’s “Fly with me. Come fly, let’s fly away” way anymore. It’s not exotic. It’s just humans sorta fine-tuning a technology, based on physics, primarily creating a convenience for an overly self-indulgent species. And, at best, it’s a hassle. Have you noticed how many travel commercials on TV involve steel drums? Just a “musical” side note. Of course, I’m talking about what one might call LEISURE travel. I’m certainly not referring to ordering something I desperately need from Amazon, which will be shipped across the country, as quickly as possible, on a big cargo plane and delivered directly to my doorstep. You know, THAT would be something essential…to me! Whatever, it doesn’t matter. People gotta go and get themselves somewhere for a reason and that’s the end of the story. Sing it again, Frank, same melody, “Come fly with me. But first, let’s stand in line!” One more thing. Flying with a guitar and accordion sucks and it’s scary. Ta-daa! One more time, Frank, “Fly with me. Are your instruments insured?”

ONE QUESTION FOR ALL POLITICIANS. AND ONLY ONE. So, it’s another new world today. I’m not a nostalgia freak or anything, in fact, I think it often causes problems, but wow is it a new world. Primarily due to babies who can’t control their addiction to ego, our country is a divided mess. And there’s no need to go over everyone’s differences, but there are, basically, two camps. One side believes one way. The other believes the opposite. I got both sides figured out, literally, need no more info on who thinks what. And neither do you. In fact, NO ONE really needs to hear ANYONE’S partisan view on anything, right or left. I gotcha both figured out. So, that means ALL politicians should only get one question from every interviewer, which is, “What is YOUR plan to get the country back together?” That’s it. We need to hear nothing else. I mean, I know my side is correct and the other side is full of stupid, dangerous, scary snarks!” Their evil cancer has infected all corners of the country, so living location options to escape the insanity are limited. Therefore, no matter what, we gotta agree to disagree and get along. And everyone must be on board. So, again, there is only one question for all politicians, which truly matters. “What is your plan for bringing the country together, other than civil war, forced lobotomies, or mass incarcerations and executions?” Spread the idea. ONE QUESTION!

Okay, we have a few holiday shows in the works for next month. In dandy Denton, beautiful Bedford, and magical McKinney (with full orchestra). I anticipate one or two more to be added. Make your plans. Here’s a holiday joke to get you in the mood.
MUSIC FAN A: HEY, YOU LIKE CHRISTMAS MUSIC?
MUSIC FAN B: SO-SO.
MUSIC FAN A: WHAT ABOUT BRAVE COMBO’S STUFF
MUSIC FAN B: WELL…. HELL, YEAH, THAT’S SOME GOOD SHIT
MUSIC FAN A: YEAH, PRETTY GOOD SHIT. HAVE A MERRY DAMN CHRISTMAS

For now, here’s an old BC video you will definitely enjoy. Joe Cripps is holding the photo display. Enjoy!

As our poor, sad world continues to slide into even deeper despair and its inhabitants look to an uncertain future with growing trepidation, I have to wonder what’s really going on. You know, the big picture. Everything feels like it’s either broken or breaking. Almost nothing is guaranteed, as it once was. Even just grocery shopping requires a lot of strategy. And concerning something of which I am very familiar, the live music scene is a mess, as is everything it involves, especially the enormous hassle touring has become. And, personally, I’m now uncomfortably aware of how much damage touring bands do to the environment. Traveling, in general, just ain’t easy anymore, physically or psychologically. We can’t even predict how long it will take to go from Denton to Dallas or Fort Worth (about 40 miles each). Simply too much traffic AND construction AND too many pissed-off drivers with guns! I don’t like it, but it’s reality and it’s better to see it as it is, rather than try to recreate the past. The past is gone, condemned to nostalgia. If denial is your bag, have a beer and watch METV. Plenty of “the good ol’ days” happening there. However, if you want to be in the game, you gotta stay plugged into something and try to think like humans think, which is not in my nature, but I’m getting better at it. We certainly want to reach as many people as possible and, although it’s both easier and harder than ever, one might as well see how much attention one can get and experiment with the tactics. In some ways, Brave Combo is actually very lucky. We’ve been in existence for sooo damn long, we have a multi-generational fan base of folks who seem to enjoy, and will sorta seek out, our music and skewed view of life. Plus, we can play lots of festivals, which are somewhat more resilient than clubs right now.

Many things contribute to the way the scene has evolved. Social media, streaming services, fear of crowds, worn-out templates, an overabundance of entertainment options and dwindling interest in the old-school idea of what live music even is. The kids, who are responsible for keeping the scene active and moving, might not dig what we dug. In fact, I’m sure they don’t. And there is simply so much of whatever, it’s hard to even know where to look to find anything and when you do, there’s another forest of content to waddle through. As always, there are only 24 hours in a day. But here we are. This is the way it is in the year 2022. And those who choose to call themselves musicians or artists will either figure it out or give up and move on to something more stable or just disappear in defeat.

It sounds bleak, huh? And you’re not surprised, I’m sure. But maybe it’s actually not all bad, if you can shift your perspective. We’re all desperate to return to normal, but that comfortable idea of normal is fading away. Plus, our psyches are too damaged to trust going backward. Now it’s all about accepting, adapting and changing. And, historically speaking, for musicians/artists this weird, challenging new environment should be stimulating, maybe even exhilarating; something to react against. Some of the greatest pieces of art are created during heart-breaking strife, social unrest, and change. Extreme inspiration, yes, but often effective. I like to think of Brave Combo as a mindset or an attitude and that makes it possible for us to find a place to exist, wherever. Besides, life is suffering and there must be a reason for that, right? So, cheer up! And despite the obvious doom and gloom, I hope Brave Combo always chooses optimism over pessimism. Because, why not? Every day is supposed to be a weird, new frontier, right? With exotic food and strangely-colored clouds in the sky, right? A place where everyone is a doctor, but no one needs a doctor.

And speaking of life being weird, Dallas radio station, KXT, contacted us recently and said, “Congratulations! Tuesday, October 18th is Brave Combo Day on KXT!” I thought, “Really? Why?” It turns out the station has been somewhat highlighting a particular popular local act every Tuesday for a few weeks and the 18th would be our “Queen For A Day” day. Hmmm, I do listen to that station fairly regularly, in the car, and haven’t heard us mentioned much, plus it’s rather pop-oriented, so I found this interesting, considering they only showcased about 8-10 bands during this period. But, contrary to my usual curious self, I’ve learned to not question certain things too much and this definitely falls into that category.

Denton resident and local cable television personality, Mike Miller, has interviewed hundreds of area musicians, artists and personalities over the years, for his show, THE OTHER SIDE. I was recently honored to finally be on his program and here it is. https://youtu.be/Oz0eVdeXWjc Check it out. It’s sorta long but pretty entertaining, I think. Mike has a unique, and consistent, interviewing and editing style and is, himself, an interesting character. AND, he won a case on THE JUDGE JUDY SHOW a couple of years ago, involving a ruckus at a live music club right here in Denton, of course. Rock and Roll is dangerous!

Speaking of dangerous, it’s usually unwise to give someone too much reason to cultivate an overblown ego, but I want to thank Rusty Taco and Denton mural-painting legend, Warren Lunt, for immortalizing me and my hat and accordion. Total surprise and shock! I don’t know what else to say other than if you’re in town, go to Rusty Taco and have a taco and a look. People are way too nice to me.

Although music is struggling in myriad ways, as I mentioned, certain pockets have been weathering the storm better than others. And, thankfully, we have played so many Oktoberfests and regular fests since August, everything is a blur. Even tomorrow is already a blur! And we still have three great festivals to go before November arrives! The awesome Autumnfest in Hillsboro, the magnificent Magnoliafest in Blanco and the polka-rific Polkapocalypse in Austin. So, come out and join our blur! A couple of weeks ago, Brave Combo performed in my hometown, at Texarkana’s very first Oktoberfest. It was right downtown. Right on the state line, literally. In fact, half of the band was in Texas and the other half was in Arkansas. We performed directly in front of the grand old post office, which famously straddles both states. When I was a kid and we had family visit from out of town, we would usually go the post office. It has a designated spot where one can have a picture taken, enjoying standing in two states at one time. Anyway, before the gig, I was interviewed on the Texarkana-based podcast, ON THE LINE. So, if you wanna know even more about me, here’s another opportunity. On The Line Podcast Link Knock yourself out. I’m pretty sick of me.

Therefore, enough is enough! Besides, the trash and recycled bins need to go to the street. Get ready to vote! Happy Halloween! Here’s “The Vampire Twist!”

When I first started paying close attention to polka, around 1978, not only did I know very little about it, I did not think of it as dance music. I knew that’s how most people perceived it, but I heard it differently. In the beginning, to me, it was more like trance music. It took me away, like Calgon was supposed to.  It was passive, physically: something to hear with your eyes closed. And this is still my reaction upon hearing a polka for the first time. Trance, not dance. I never really cared how someone got to the music, but I always want the audience to listen first and then start gyrating or hopping after the sound has wormed its way into their heads. Whatever, from my point-of-view, polka music was exotic and sorta mysterious, because it was so NOT mainstream and because it had attachments to faraway places, AND the emphasis on the upbeat turned me on. One of the great practitioners of the style, which first got my ear, was a Swedish accordionist, named Andrew Walter. His interpretations of traditional Scandinavian polkas and waltzes were immaculately executed and all the songs on his albums were little masterpieces, full of intriguing, but simple, melodies and interesting harmonic structures (chord changes). It was wonderful music to relax by.

I became totally sold on Andrew and his contemporaries from the various Scandinavian countries. One of the first polkas Brave Combo ever played was Andrew’s “Herrgard’s Polka” and we still play it regularly in 2022, often opening the show with it. In fact, when we were invited to tour Sweden and Finland, it was mainly because a famous folk magazine, LIRA, heard about this oddball band from Texas who covered Andrew Walter recordings and ran a huge article about us. It turned out Andrew was a national treasure over there. We didn’t know that bit of information, we just liked to rock his polkas because they were so clean and precise. As I learned more and more about more and more polka musicians and styles, it was exciting and rewarding on many levels, but was always about the music first. I say it constantly. “Music, for music’s sake!”

This does not mean that I don’t fully and whole-heartedly appreciate the forever surprising physical reactions people have to the sounds we make. I am overwhelmingly grateful that Brave Combo has been able to evolve the way it has and that we are solidly viewed as a wild dance band. But it’s just not necessarily how I see/hear it. By the way, I am also thankful that we can evolve any damn way we want, based on musical whims. Polka will forever be the core sound and message, but it was just the beginning of an unencumbered journey of joyful discovery which is still happening at full-steam. There’s just too much to hear and do. I’m supposed to be wrapping up work on three previously unreleased Tiny Tim/Brave Combo tracks (first recorded 25 years ago) about now, to be ready for Christmas-time release. Haven’t even started yet.

Plus, now I’m so hung up on cranking out lo-fi music videos, there’s barely enough time to work on my cat circus. They (the cats) are all pretty good at the high wire trapeze stuff (on their terms, of course), but we have a lot of work to do on the synchronized dance routines. Plus, Twitchie and Dreamy literally hate each other. Screaming, nostrils flared, bugged eyes, backward ears, claws out, teeth exposed. That kind of hate. We think they’re sisters

Back to my original topic, I’ve always been fascinated by background music and its often misunderstood relative, Muzak. I once tried to figure out a way to play live background music through the sound system at a grocery store. I still want to do that. Who wouldn’t? You know, to affect people, with music, but subliminally rather than overtly. Muzak, specifically, is more active, than passive. It’s actually a company that custom designs office music to get the most productivity out of the workers through the application of various musical elements. They’ve been around a long time and what they make is not the same as what people call elevator music; true background music, which only exists to fill a space or mildly enhance a situation.

Speaking of enhancing (I hope) situations, Brave Combo is performing at a bunch of big ol’ fabulous gigs between now and mid-November. Denton’s massive Arts and Jazz Festival, The State Fair of Texas, Texarkana’s (my hometown) first Oktoberfest, the ever-expanding McKinney Oktoberfest (and myriad other fabulous Oktoberfests), Blanco’s hippie-cool Marigold Fest, Austin’s appropriately weird POLKAPOCALYPSE and lots more! Most of our musical events are still outdoor safe and each will be special and unique, of course. Check our itinerary right now, pick one or two shows and make your plans! That’s an order!

Thanks for wasting your time reading this. I know you have options and could have wasted your time reading something else. Here are a couple of those lo-fi videos I mentioned earlier, to send you on your way.