The Machine’s Pump Volume 19 – #12 – December 2016

SIMPLE HOLIDAY JOY AND COMPLICATED FEAR. I recently got a text from our original woodwind player, Tim Walsh, stating that he just heard Brave Combo’s version of “Jolly Ol’ St. Nick” over the Muzak at a store in San Marcos, Texas (where Tim lives, with his wife, Helen). That’s always good news. So, a belated Merry Christmas to everybody in the world, my potential audience!! And a big ol’ Happy New Year, too! It’s time to say goodbye to 2016, one super crappy year (except for my induction into The Polka Hall of Fame, the answer to a dream I never imagined) and hope it wasn’t just a hint of crappier things to come. I know folks on my side of the fence are still pretty stunned that a cartoon character will soon be leading the “free” world. I guess I’m becoming resigned to it all. Or maybe, just increasingly numb. I’m definitely worried, but now I would just rather think about domestic duties and home improvements, like painting the hall, updating kitchen cabinets, doing something groovy with the yard and installing awnings. The last year and a half feels like a horror movie in slow motion, ending with the crowning of the first Zombie King of the USA. Everybody loves zombies, you know. Remember that scene where the future Zombie King was on a bus with poor ol’ zombie ass-kisser, Billy Bush? You know, the “pussy-grabbing” scandal! Whatever, I’m a combination of grossed out, freaked out and burned out and ready to be none of those. Did I mention I’ve been digging making an outdoor recreation area for our indoor cats? Now that’s how I spell F-U-N. It’s attached to our catio (cat patio), which had leaves all over it until this afternoon. I got out the leaf blower and it looks a lot better now, but the cats didn’t seem to notice. Our dogs don’t appreciate it when we tidy up, either. We just bought a new rug for our living room and are scared to let any of the animals near it, because you just never know where or when a secretion (pee, poop, vomit, etc.) of some sort might occur, not to mention plain ol’ dirt and mud.

Speaking of pets, a fan of Brave Combo recently named her show kitten, “Brave Combo.” That sounds like a good name for an animal. I get lots of email which starts with “Dear Brave” or “Dear Mr. Combo” and I remember once hearing of a backpack company called, Brave Combo. Of course, we want to wish little kitty, Brave Combo, a long and happy life! Viva, Brave Combo! Band, backpack and cat.

THE DOWNSIDE. A band like Brave Combo has to travel. Always did. Always will, I guess. Very often, the best gig choices (money, fun, exposure) are nowhere near Denton, our hometown. So we have to hit the road. Most of the time, traveling is uneventful and even sorta fun. You get in a vehicle and it transports you to your desired destination. In recent years, highway construction and an overabundance of other travelers and truckers have made getting from A to B increasingly more difficult. At any moment you could be sitting in miles of non-movement. And, actually, I can’t believe how much of a hassle it can be to get to a club date in Dallas or Fort Worth. Seriously, for decades this was NO BIG DEAL now it’s a major drag. Well, add bad weather, like ice and below freezing temperatures and it takes “major drag” to a whole new level. This is what happened to us just a few weeks ago during a quick run to the Midwest for three weekend dates of rowdy holiday music in three of our favorite cities. Routing was logical and easy. We would spend the first night in Salina, Kansas, play at the Zoo Bar, in Lincoln, the next evening and drive to Kansas City to spend the second night. This was to be followed by a drive across Missouri, to 2720 Performance Center, in St. Louis, for our second gig, followed by a 30-minute drive to Collinsville, Illinois, to bed down for our third night out. The next day would involve a five-hour drive to Chicago, and our last gig of the trip, at Fitzgerald’s. After that last show we would drive 15 hours home. Sounds simple, huh? We’ve done this or its equivalent hundreds of times. Anyway, as I was saying, ice and freezing temperatures appeared, unexpectedly, while making our way from Kansas City to St. Louis and traffic stopped or barely crawled, for the next 12 HOURS! The good times started around Columbia, Missouri (halfway point of what should have been a three-hour cruise, I mean drive). By the time we got to the edge of St. Louis, showtime was well behind us. And, as if that wasn’t bad enough, the weather continued to deteriorate such that we didn’t feel we could safely get to Chicago either and decided to just head home and lick our wounds. This was so hard to do. There was no good choice and I’m still haunted by the decision to abort. The loss of revenue to us and the venues was significant, to say the least, but the worst part, definitely, was inconveniencing hundreds of people and not fulfilling our goals In the history of the band, only a handful of shows have been canceled and not able to be rescheduled. Off the top of my head I can just recall about nine or ten. So this rare event sucked, big time, or bigly, as the smart people say these days. And, although we could very well have made the absolute right decision, I mainly feel like we let a bunch of folks down. I mean, we ARE Brave Combo. It’s our job to do the impossible, or at least, the improbable; to get away with the craziest stuff. Therefore, since we can’t live with ourselves until we fix it, we are working on heading back to St. Louis and Chicago ASAP. We hope, by March or April. We’ll still play holiday music, of course. After all, as we have said for years now, “Christmas is always just around the corner.” Isn’t that hilarious? Feel free to use it, just credit us.

SAD 2016. We close out this long and stressful year, not knowing the fate of our good friend and ex-BC member, Joe Cripps. He disappeared in mid-October, after attending a concert in his hometown, Little Rock, Arkansas. Two months have passed and none of his friends or family have seen or heard from him since. We hold out hope that we’ll learn something soon and that it will be good news.

Okay, people. Even though society is collapsing and the future looks bleak, it doesn’t mean we all have to wring our hands constantly, though that does help, in a weird way. Get involved in a project or activity, to take your mind off of reality. Maybe get drunk more or take harder drugs. Comfort food can provide a quick, though short-lived, high. Start gambling (and smoking). If you already do both, increase the frequency of each. Basically, learn to enjoy deep denial, any way you can. I’ve heard music’s a good escape. Brave Combo makes music. Feel free to use us anytime, but we’re on vacation for a while. The doctor is OUT, Baby! Just keep an eye on our itinerary. Shows will eventually start popping up. For now, though, we are all just digging the late, late movie and sleeping until noon. Except for Robert. He and his wife and new baby are going to Hawaii. Here’s some beautiful traditional Hawaiian music. Check it out, as you check out. Good luck. You’re gonna need it.