Volume 10 – #9 – September 2007

I have an idea. And, right off the bat, please understand that I’m not making light of the situation. And, also know that I, myself, try very hard to follow my own suggestion. That said, here’s my idea. From a “fear” perspective, perhaps we (humanity) could try to look at terrorism as just another scary natural phenomenon; something that we are aware of, but have little control over, like a tornado or lightning or a rabid skunk or a vicious wild cat or a decaying bridge. We certainly should be conscious of our surroundings, but also use common sense when assessing the actual threat these things pose on a daily basis. According to the news, there are trained humorless people in our corner on the constant lookout for threatening terrorist activity. We have to hope that they’ll let us know if anything truly serious is brewing or about to happen, just like the meteorologist or the game warden or the highway department would. I mean, don’t be stupid and schedule to have your wedding reception at the Baghdad Hilton. But fear, as a motivator, was already high on the list before September 11, 2001. All I’m saying is that there are some things we know exist, but don’t have to be afraid of every minute. This is a great time to be an Earthling. The positive aspects of current life probably outnumber the negative for most of us, in this country at least. Nothing is perfect. It was never supposed to be. None of us was guaranteed a “la-di-da” existence. And, believe me, this is a tough realization for Carl, the ultimate perfectionist control freak. I try to cover all the angles, predict the potential problems and use perfection as a goal, when dealing with Brave Combo matters. Yet, I also know that we’ll never reach that goal. I just figure that if we try to be perfect, we’ll get closer than if we didn’t. But, on the worry scale, I think it’s fine to put domestic terrorism somewhere below concern over the price of cat food, which is a serious issue at my house, but not a matter of life and death. Am I being too flippant with a subject that’s above examination? I think I’m trying to instill some balance. Whatever, it seems to be working for me. Let me make it clear that this proposal doesn’t apply where there is a clear and present danger, as exists in many places around the world, such as Iraq and Afghanistan. I’m talking about a vague sense of dread that is exaggerated and exploited, by whomever and for whatever agenda, to manipulate others.

Speaking of the price of cat food, let me run down the names of the four-legged critters that share a home with Jane and me. The cats are Biscuits, Stacie, Blinkie, JJ and Sammy. The dogs are Dudley, Augie and Bobby. JJ and Blinkie hate each other for some unknown “cat” reason and Augie resents Bobby for making him the in-between dog. Other than that, we all get along pretty well. Animals sleep a lot, maybe as much as 20 hours a day. Hmmm…. Hardly seems worth it, but I’m not a cat or a dog.

Oktoberfests abound. There is still plenty of time to get some serious polka dancing out of the way before Brave Combo’s 2007 Oktoberfest Season winds down. Check our itinerary. You’re really fortunate if you live near St. Louis or Houston. And, actually, if you consider our date at Wurstfest (New Braunfels, Texas) in early November, I guess we can say the season continues until then. Speaking of Wurstfest, Danny Jerabek, our squeezebox/valve trombone-playing buddy from Oshkosh, Wisconsin, will be joining us for this show. We had a blast playing Westfest with Danny this year and wouldn’t be surprised if he starts popping up everywhere. The ever-elusive Tim Walsh is making threats that he’s going to be at this show, too. If indeed he does, well, all I have to say is “Duck and Cover!”

CAR TALK, the animated television series, will premiere, prime time, in June 2008 on PBS and will be drenched with Brave Combo music. This is really going to happen, it appears, and we’re delighted to be in such good company, working with creative people of this caliber. The show is the ideal vehicle for our somewhat off-kilter musical vision. I think you could say that we are a lucky, lucky band. I guess the recording studio will be our home away from home for a while. Usually our home away from home is a Red Roof Inn in Omaha or Salt Lake City, interrupted by a day or two in the studio here and there, so maybe this will be more like our home away from our home away from home.

NOW CLICK THIS. Check out the YouTube video of the popular Japanese punk/thrash/ska band, Brahman, performing our song, “Flying Saucer,” over a Sumo wrestling competition. Confused? Click here and it will be revealed

We are choosing a few more Brave Combo songs to be scored for symphony orchestra and plan to unveil them at our performance with the Mesquite (Texas) Symphony early 2008. One of the strongest contenders is “The Denton Polka,” from our new CD, POLKA’S REVENGE. I can hear the sweeping strings already. “A Little Bit Irish,” from our CD, HOLIDAYS, would also adapt well and perhaps there could be a little Danny O’Brien “Riverdance Tribute” in the middle. He’s a world-champion river-dancer, you know. No, wait a minute, I meant swamp-stomper. Now that’s quality humor.

CALLING ALL VAMPIRES! Let’s twist! In fact, let’s remember and celebrate all the late night “characters” of the ancient world; those wild spirits that once inhabited the smokiest corners of the coolest night clubs from coast to coast and literally fed off the vibe, contributing uniqueness to those moments when we were all connected in some kind of special dimension. As the entertainment world continues its unfortunate slide from the gritty, funky unknown to squeaky-clean predictability, we wonder what the future holds for any remaining true “characters.” In our quest to offend no one, are we shooing them all away? Or are we simply breeding them away? Has our environment evolved into a place that can no longer tolerate sincere eccentrics? Or maybe we’re subconsciously creating the opportunity to dig deeper and find a new definition of that wild “character” in ourselves. Something that knows, but doesn’t have to be tangible. Or perhaps the old neon sign is finally being turned off for good. I’m not a nostalgia buff at all. Living in the past, denying the inevitability of change, has always been creepy to me. But turning everything into some form of Disneyland (convenient, safe, well-controlled entertainment, suitable for all ages) might be akin to stepping down into that first level of Hell. Who’s to say we’ll recognize it when we see it. For what it’s worth, I do know about one thing that’s 99% free of the trappings of mainstream influence. It’s called polka. Amazing music. Cool word. What more can you ask? And one more thing. As it turns out, you can enjoy polkas without eating meat, drinking beer or wearing a costume. Spread the word. Then go to bed. And then get up and spread the word again.