I am so tired of thinking too much. I’m so tired of checking the news to see what new depressing thing has happened. I’m so tired of trying to wrap my head around the thought processes of evangelical Christians. I’m so tired of disliking others because they’re idiots. It feels like, in 2016, we all moved to a weird, distorted version of where we had been living. Indeed, something has allowed, even encouraged, the worst side of humanity to rise to the surface and feel just fine about it. October has been a horrific month in the USA. I guess the killing of eleven people in a synagogue is part of making America great again. I feel like we are witnessing the dissolving of American society and the de-evolving of humanity. The explosion of social media, a platform designed to “unite” us, has mainly been about the explosion of ego. Me against you. Now that Pandora’s Box is wide open, a dangerous, fear-spewing monster has been put in charge of the country. I just need to figure out a way to embrace all the crazy stuff going on and be thankful and honored to be living in such a bizarre, volatile, out-of-control era; to be alive at the actual tipping point of climate change. And to actually see the USA flirt with becoming controlled by right-wing nationalism. How special is that? No matter what, I have to stay a little attached to this ridiculous realm. I still have to write up contracts and make business phone calls. I have to set up gear and plug in cables. I have to pay bills and drive within the lanes. Friends and family, including lots of animals, depend on me every day. So, there are many reasons I must keep it together. But it’s become harder to find anchors; reliable stuff. And we’re all learning too much about how to con people and how to live comfortably with lies. Okay, now I am tired of this paragraph. Jeez, go vote!

Check out this song, “Shprayz Ikh Mir,” by the Klezmatics. Viva music of immigrants!

Hmmm, David Byrne is about to release the entire TRUE STORIES movie soundtrack, including the stuff I wrote and recorded. That explains why Warner Music has been calling and sending me forms to fill out. Okay, that’s very good news.

LET’S not POLKA! The 2018 polka-blitz season has officially come to a close. This was one intense bunch of gigs! So many notes! Thank you to all who came out to our shows and dances and got down with us.

Did you know that a classic line-up of Brave Combo has been performing together most of this year and will continue to do so in November and December? I’m talking about Jeffrey, Bubba, Danny, Alan and myself. The five of us recorded two Grammy-winning albums not too long ago. Don’t know what 2019 will bring, so you should scramble to check us out before the year (or time) comes to an end. Hear songs you haven’t heard in a long-ass time or maybe ever.

Speaking of classic Brave Combo, our beloved musical brother and long-time BC member, Joe Cripps, has been missing for two years. It’s just as hard to believe now as it was in October of 2016. I can’t believe Joe hasn’t been around since the presidential election. Man, oh man, he would have had some choice words for certain people in high places. We all miss him and hope we can, someday, know exactly what happened.

Speaking of the past, above is a gig photo we unearthed from the 1990s. Over the decades Brave Combo has performed at, perhaps, hundreds of wedding parties. One time we were playing such an event in Dallas and the groom asked if his dad could sit in on a few songs. Of course, we said yes. It’s his wedding. The father turned out to be Roger McGuinn of The Byrds. So, indeed, we played a mini-set of his hits. From left-to-right, it’s Jeffrey, Bubba, Roger, Mitch (on drums in the back) and me on piano. We were so cool at that moment. All five of us!

Please check our itinerary often. Dates pop in when you least expect it. Of course, holiday shows are around the corner. Make your plans now!

Also, my new side project, The Carl Finch Sound, will be performing one more fabulous show this year, in Denton, at LSA (south side of the downtown square), on Thursday, November 8. I have been in the studio recording new material from this endeavor and hope to release it, with videos, early 2019. As well, good ol’ Brave Combo has recorded several new tracks, including our latest version of “The Clarinet Polka,” featuring Robert Hokamp flying though the melody on guitar. I gotta get busy and pull this stuff together.

And speaking of good ol’ Brave Combo, next year, 2019, will mark 40 years of nuclear polka. I may not ever mention that again or we could wind up throwing a bunch of celebratory bashes. I can’t really dwell on this too much, though. Not yet. But I’ll probably get myself psyched up for it. It’s no big deal, really. I mean, it’s not like it will be our 43rd year or anything like that. Everybody calm down.

For now, let’s focus on the present and what’s right in front of us. If you have not voted, do it now! Then go have a nice dinner.

First of all, if you are not registered to vote, do so immediately. Time is running out

I often listen to some of the most incendiary call-in, right-wing talk show hosts, just to be sure their arguments are as cliché as usual. They always are. They’re still yelling and screaming and spoon-feeding their listeners plenty of nauseous poop, accusing the left of stuff which almost never crosses MY mind. I mean, I’m definitely not for abortion, but I am pro-choice. The talk-show hosts make it sound like I have baby-killing fantasies. I am, actually, so pro-life, I go out of my way to not kill bugs. If I see a stray dog or cat which obviously needs help, I often become that animal’s best friend. And, as I’m sure you must know by now, I haven’t eaten any meat for over three decades solely because I know it reduces the suffering of innocent animals just a little bit. That cat or dog or cow or monkey or crow or bug has a right to have its own life. It’s my duty to respect that. Whatever, if our country is just determined to split into two tribes, this is how I see it. The left believes in constantly working at leveling the playing field; making it fair for rich AND poor, because this is the USA. The right believes in earning and keeping as much money as possible and that each person must make it on his or her own, no matter what privileges or obstacles exist, because this is the USA. The left believes in expanding the concept of equality as far as it can go, because this is the USA. The right believes that equality is limited to those who, basically, follow the certain beliefs, primarily those of Christian evangelicals, because this is the USA. The left tries to ascribe to the idea of live and let live. The right tends to drift toward “It’s my way or the highway.” I don’t believe in just giving away money to freeloaders, but I do think we should help out those in need. That’s one of things I’m supposed to do, since I don’t worry about where my next meal will come from. For me, the meal quandary is always, “Well, what should I eat tonight. I have several options and can easily afford them all.” And, for what it’s worth, I‘m not fond of mean, scary people, whether he or she is white, black, brown, red, yellow, green or blue, but I can promise you, I won’t immediately judge you just because you’re white. I know there are good white people. I even know lots of good OLD white people. I even know a ton of good old white MEN!

Here’s a crazy idea. I wonder if it would be possible to have a call-in talk show where people actually discuss both sides and no one yells like a 6th grader. Are we weary of sensationalism yet? Is it insane to propose following The Middle Way? I figure we can either promote rational discussion or fear mongering. Anyone want to host such a show? I’ll provide your theme music for no charge, unless you just suck as a host and can’t get your words out in the proper order.

Also, if you are registered to vote, then vote!

CAT UPDATE. If you read the August newsletter, you may remember we’d recently rescued a mama cat (Twitchie) and were trying to catch her two kittens. Well, indeed, we caught them and now our zoo has grown by three cats. These are trying times, especially since our dreams of the glorious reunion of Twitchie and her kittens were immediately dashed. Twitchie will have nothing to do with her babies. She’s not even indifferent. She despises them and wants to attack them. Yep, trying times. Remember that old saying, “Cats will be cats?”

Did I mention how important is to register and to vote? Do both!
Check this out.

Brave Combo is in the thick of Oktoberfest season. We have played many and we will play many more. So far, they have all been a blast. Also, we are returning to the great State Fair of Texas! We have been told to please not call it the Texas State Fair. We will be performing on the big ol’ Chevrolet Stage. Also, there are some oddball gigs, here and there, including a few groovy private events. Check our itinerary often. Dates are being added weekly.

And, for all you fans of musical nostalgia, please be aware that Brave Combo’s line-up for most of the remaining 2018 dates includes the amazing Jeffrey Barnes on woodwinds and the equally amazing Bubba Hernandez on bass. We are performing all the hits and much, much more! And we’ve been playing so much, our chops are razor sharp right now. Not bragging, just a fact. Also, about 3 million people are showing up every gig.

That’s it. Keep on being your honorable self. Listen when others speak and respond in a measured, understanding tone. And don’t forget to vote! Other than that, do whatever you want.