The Machine’s Pump Volume 27 – #3 – March 2024

Welcome to the MACHINE’S PUMP.  The year is 2024 and the month is March, with April arriving in just a few days.  Earth is spinning and full of action, pole-to-pole!  Allergies are in full swing in Denton, Texas, as are new disoriented residents and their giant pickup trucks.  Our poor little town now has huge traffic and parking issues.  The past is racing away at lightning speed, leaving in its wake, a weird-ass, modern comic book version of itself!  And it’s getting harder to relate to so much gobbledygook.  Does everyone else like hassles and complications?  Yeah man, I have conflicting priorities these days.  Many people would have retired by now.  I don’t know how that works, exactly, when one’s profession is also one’s pleasure.  But work is not one’s only pleasure, right?  And, apparently, taking care of forgotten/discarded animals must be a blast for me, cause I spend about half my waking hours doing just that.  Chubby Chin’s coat is looking pretty darn good, by the way, and Patches still has a lot to say in a mournful meow.  You know, trying to figure out how to make things better and more efficient for the feral cat world, in general, is cool because I’m working with actual living beings and each has a unique personality.  And I enjoy seeing how far their trust will go; and how much I can push my will.  Maybe I’m just desperate for love and attention.  Whatever, I’m also learning a lot and I believe you can, in fact, herd cats…to a degree.  And I’m lucky cats crack me up.  Unfortunately, I often feel right on the edge of burned out.  But, life is suffering, anyway, and sacrifice has its rewards, I understand.  Plus, self-indulgent things like cruises, even the music-geared ones, full of cool bands and abundant food and drink, are not for me.  Trapped on a boat, with no control!  Hot air ballooning doesn’t sound like much fun anymore, either.  Nor does a long day at Six Flags Over Texas or attending any big game of any sort in any big arena.  I still like Dr. Pepper, though.

Speaking of the mysteries of life, Brave Combo will be heading to Wilber, Nebraska, and Cuba, Kansas, on April 5 and 6, to perform a polka-packed weekend in two heavily-drenched Czech communities.  Wilber claims to be the Czech capital of the United States.  If you are within 100 miles of either of these cool little towns, and you’re a Brave Combo fan, you’re crazy or lazy if you don’t, at least, consider attending one of these super groovy events.  I mean, how often do you even get to Cuba or Wilber, with or without Brave Combo?  See what I mean?  All of Lincoln better show up, ready to polka, that’s for sure.  You know who you are!

There was a time, not that long ago, when humans didn’t have an ENORMOUSLY POWERFUL rectangular device attached to themselves most of the time.  But now, everyone, from a very young age, literally holds frightening magic with far-reaching consequences right in the palm of his or her hands.  Hmmm.  I know this phenomenon (evil smartphones) has been examined from every possible angle, but it’s similar to the proliferation of guns.  Both can inflict enormous harm with very little effort.  So, let’s hand it all out like candy and hope the masses can control their emotions and fantasies.  We just love toys and shiny objects and distractions, don’t we folks?

Brave Combo has been invited to perform at the just resurrected, legendary Fry Street Fair, at the equally legendary intersection of Fry and Hickory, right beside the University of North Texas, on Sunday, April 28 at 4:00 pm.  In keeping with old traditions, the festival is already rife with controversy, especially over the use of the name.  Nostalgia, plus ego, is a powerful force.  For us, it sounds like a fun gig, unless there’s a tornado or something worse (this is Texas, you know), so rock on, as far as we’re concerned!  Set your mindset and your aural compass to your favorite Armenian and Romanian funk melodies, combined with psychedelic Arthur Murray cha-chas, and get your asses over there, even if you have to walk a couple of miles, which you will, because parking always sucks big time around campus, even when nothing is going on.  And, of course, dress like a hippie or someone in Limp Bizkit or Big Freedia.  That should cover it.

STUDIO NEWS:  My forever-expanding Tiny Tim project is, well, expanding.  Gotta reign it in, wrap it up, and decide how to present this to an anxious, impatient public.  I can honestly say, I think you will Love, with a capital “L,” what we’ve managed to create here.  As well, its relevance to where we all are right now is humbling, frankly.  This has almost been too full of emotion.  A lot of talented and busy people have given freely to me, just because I asked.  So this has to be stunning and it will be.  Look up!

Well, is there anything more to say?  You know how messed up things are.  Focus on doing fun stuff and being a good person and always find humor, or an entertaining interest, within the cringe-worthy world you’re forced to inhabit and endure.  Might as well make the best of it and, above all, don’t be scared.  It’s Always Partytime!  Why not?  Let’s Polka!