For some reason, the 7” 45 rpm (revolutions per minute) vinyl record (we called ’em singles or 45s) became a special, sacred thing to me, when I was a youngster. I started collecting these magical objects at a frenzied pace, buying my first one at, like nine or ten years old. It was perfect; round with a big ol’ hole in the middle. Made out of flattened vinyl with tight little grooves and an interesting, informative label glued to it. And there was a song on both sides. Each circular masterpiece was nestled in its own sleeve. I liked holding them and twirling them on my finger. Probably got pretty good at that. Anyway, I became, what I would call, addicted. I couldn’t stop buying them. My brother and I discovered places around Texarkana that sold old ones that had been in jukeboxes. These were only about a quarter apiece. We would buy, easily, 10 to 20 per visit and half of them I’d never heard of. The top hits for the week, on the other hand, would be around a dollar each. Had to be more discriminating with those. Whatever, I acquired lots and lots of the new and old and in-between. I had my favorite recording stars from all different eras. I dug Lou Christie, Neil Sedaka and James Darren as much as something more with-it, like “Dirty Water,” by The Standells. I could appreciate Liberace’s “Tico Tico” as much as anything else, especially if it was on a single, because it would be so direct and to the point. Albums were okay, too, but they weren’t as cool. Ultimately, my shelves and racks of LPs dwarfed my singles, and everything else in the house, but those were never as precious. Following are six early (pre-British invasion) pop musical influences in my life. I still own all of these, of course.

https://youtu.be/IcL5rz1V6dU I Saw Linda Yesterday
https://youtu.be/hBtcJwDrYrA Rhapsody in the Rain
https://youtu.be/8zAX5StHD6A Foolish Little Girl
https://youtu.be/cBJrrz6mKcs Paper Tiger
https://youtu.be/vvRq91JkFL0 Her Royal Majesty
https://youtu.be/UqTP4SCVgDQ I Wish I Were a Princess

BIG-ASS NEWS! Our Grammy-nominated live album, KICK-ASS POLKAS, is being re-released by Cleveland International Records, with the original cover photo. Our scheduled release date for the album was September 11, 2001. As things usually go, we were a little late and didn’t quite get it out right on time. Then two airplanes hit the World Trade Center and everything turned upside-down for everyone. When we decided to go on with the release we realized the jacket photo, an explosion, might not be the best image, at that time. The USA was still shell-shocked, so we went with generic text only. Now, here we are, 18 years later. Steve Popovich, Jr., son of the late founder of the label, Steve Popovich, Sr., is rebooting Cleveland International and Brave Combo’s recordings for the label get new lives, as well. To make it a special event, we decided to go back to the explosion photo for the 2019 version of KICK-ASS POLKAS and present it as we first intended. The album is now available for digital purchase and streaming on all the popular platforms! https://orcd.co/vr5qarx

LET’S PARTY (and fix stuff around the house)! Our final Oktoberfest/Polkafest for the year is behind us and we’re gonna see what it’s like to not play non-stop for a few weeks, before Christmas crushes everything in its path. Mastering the new recordings will definitely happen while we’re not gigging and jamming. I need to clean, straighten and organize the BC office a bit. I’m at the office now. It’s a block south of the downtown Denton square. I can hear a solo horn, might be a soprano sax, playing “Autumn Leaves.” I don’t know where it’s coming from. I also will spend more time at home with my animals. They all love me a lot and seem to like hanging out with me, even when it doesn’t involve food. But, you know, everyone and everything has an angle. Stray cats will start to trust you because you feed it and show it compassion. They’re just like people; attracted to those who make them feel good and safe. Love something and it will love you back…..usually.

RIP Michael Galbreth, one-half of the Houston duo, The Art Guys. He and long-time collaborator, Jack Massing, transformed themselves into living, breathing conceptual art pieces and had major impact on the art world, at large. If you are not familiar with their work, Google “The Art Guys” and
check them out. We were invited to participate in a few of their happenings over the years, including one which involved composing and recording a song about them and how great they were. It’s called “The Art Guys Polka.” People die. Art lives on. A big thank you to Michael and Jack for including Brave Combo in their world.

Okay. Gotta move on. So much to do and the second hand taunts me. Look at our itinerary on occasion. We just added some new dates and at one of them you just might find the answers you need. So make your plans to attend whatever, wherever, whenever. The Cosmos says hello.

Okay, be honest with me. Is music really all that important to you, anymore? I know there was probably a time when it was right up there with food and water, maybe even air, but where does it fit in your life in 2019? It certainly makes sense if it’s not near the top of your priority list. I totally understand. We’re all trying to cope with the constant distractions which, apparently, go along with modern life, but let me ask you a couple more questions. Do you spend any time searching the web for information on the exciting new band or musician you just discovered? Or, better yet, how often do you let yourself go on fanciful musical journeys to who-knows-where, on YouTube? You know, like when you start out with Sandy Nelson’s “Let There Be Drums,” and end up at a Romanian wedding. That sort of thing. I’m not trying to put you on the spot with yourself, just curious about how involved professed music lovers actually are with music. I have some friends who rarely miss anything with melody and rhythm in and around Denton. They seem to sincerely dig being around music, especially live music, whoever, wherever. Those are the obvious true believers, but not the majority. For musicians, things started changing rapidly in the early 2000s. Big crowds at clubs were no longer a given and our once-reliable methods of promotion were not cutting it anymore. Plus, after 9/11 it took a long time for the masses to even remember that bands and clubs and concerts were still around. Unfortunately, by the time the country was ready to party again, the word “party” had been redefined and the old, packed venues were now struggling to stay open. The musical landscape had become almost unrecognizable and eventually there was so much of everything the landscape practically disappeared. The pie was now cut into a thousand slices instead of a hundred. Brave Combo was very lucky that we were as established as we were when everything went wonky, but we still spent a lot of time trying to figure out which way was up. Every musician, artist, PA engineer, club owner, booking agent, radio DJ, studio recording engineer, etc. were in the same WTF boat. The explosion of social media helped at first, but, eventually, as everyone knows, too much is just too much. Right? Everything’s a cluttered mess now and we’re all too busy getting the basics done to tend to anything extra. That’s just reality. Anyway, I’m only pondering all of this because it’s market research. To be honest, I’m not glued to any idea about how the public is supposed to react to, respond to or interact with music. I can see a future with no live musicians or tangible objects, such as LPs or CDs, just music in its most pure form, barely out of someone’s head, straight to someone else’s head. Nothing scares me along these lines, but I would rather make money than not make money. So, here in 2019, I have to ask myself, on a fairly regular basis, what’s my best way to communicate and share any artistic efforts I feel inclined to release. How much more of me can this world tolerate! This is important. The new album of recordings we just finished may not go beyond the streaming realm. Video has become just as important as the music, in terms of what a viewer/listener is inclined to do. Pretty much, for me, this just has to be seen as a big, weird-ass game with impossible rules, but a game, none-the-less. And, for what it’s worth, selling one’s art has always been as important as making it. Jeez, there’s also been a massive swing toward tribute acts in recent years. Baby-boomers have the money and they want to hear Queen and Steely Dan (and Billy Joel and Tom Petty). Maybe Brave Combo should become a Kinks/Procol Harum band. I loved both of them and have most of their recordings and already know most of their big hits. We could even morph into a Merle Haggard band. I know a set’s worth of his songs, too. Don’t be surprised! Que sera, sera!

Okay, this is how I see it; the way things are. The Conservative Right folks are straight-up scared about lots of things and over-the-top freaked out when it comes to gun regulations, LGBTQ issues, pro-choice vs. pro-life, immigration, etc. and nothing will change their passionate feelings about these core topics. The Liberal Left folks are scared of a collapsing eco-system, evil corporations and greedy rich people, loose gun controls and feel strongly, with bleeding, yet optimistic hearts, about creating an even playing field for all, even if it means propping up the less fortunate, which likely translates into higher taxes. Many on the right are Evangelical Christians who firmly believe God is on their side. The left are convinced that’s ego-driven insanity. No left-wingers are going to jump on board with the Evangelicals and vice-versa. So, what do we do? Maybe, if we citizens of the United States are going to be this polarized, and, apparently, we are, we can try to just start classifying everything in the simplest terms possible. For instance, I could write a song with lyrics such as,

I don’t mind if you’re white, just please don’t be a jerk
I don’t mind if you’re black, just please don’t be a jerk
I don’t mind if you’re brown, just please don’t be a jerk
I don’t mind if you’re red or yellow or green or blue
Just please don’t be a jerk

You know, if you have a different point-of-view, by all means, express it. Get it off your chest, just don’t be a jerk about it. None of us, cause we’re still alive, knows the ultimate truths yet, anyway. So, say your piece and get out of the way so someone else can do the same. If I can see that your convictions are sincere and that you’re not just a pissed off me-me-me ninny, I can respect and accept some pretty crazy philosophies. Look what I’ve done with myself for the last 40 years. I don’t eat meat, I’m not a big fan of beer or alcohol, I lean way to the left, I see the potential perils in national/cultural pride and I only wear what I wear (no lederhosen, Hawaiian shirts or puffy sleeves for me). Yet, I have spent hours and hours and hours having a blast at polka festivals all over the USA with humans who are my opposite. What’s wrong with that? If someone is just pleasant, I’m cool with it. I feel sorry for my Evangelical friends who have been brainwashed and conned and I’m sure they’re worried that my beliefs are paving my path to hell. Whatever, who gives a shit, just don’t be a jerk. Stop trying to be so tough and scary. Most likely, you won’t be attacked on the street corner tonight. Put your gun away, little fella. It’ll be alright. How about a game of checkers and a root beer? We’ll get Lucy to come over and dance on her pole. No, wait, can’t do that anymore. Okay, how about some kale with that root beer, then.

RIP Ed Loftus, lead singer, keyboardist, and songwriter for Denton legends, Schwantz LeFantz. They were the cat’s pajamas of Denton bands when Brave Combo first started. We all got to be great friends during those amazing times. Ed was enormously talented, had a huge smile and was often the sharpest wit in the room. It’s hard to imagine him being gone.

Have I covered everything? Oh yeah, Brave Combo is playing lots of shows right now. Go directly to our itinerary and pick one or two and come out and lose your mind for a while. Did you know it’s POLKATIME?