Volume 12 – #4 – April 2009

Hello everyone. It’s time to notch up the worry just a little more. Swine flu has now been added to the list that already includes global warming (weather calamities), domestic and global economic collapse, international terrorists with nuclear weapons, domestic hate groups committed to assassinating our president, Mexican drug thugs and regular day-to-day stuff, like murder, cancer, car wrecks, plane crashes and reality TV. And I can probably come up with at least twenty more troubling things that are unique to my life, as can you. What a stressful world, huh? Here’s a fun fact. Concerning domestic terrorist groups, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center’s quarterly magazine, THE INTELLIGENCE REPORT, there are now, in the USA, 186 chapters of the KKK, 196 Neo-Nazi groups, 111 White Nationalist groups, 98 Racist Skinhead groups, 39 Christian Identity groups, 93 Neo-Confederate groups and 113 Black separatist groups. In addition The SPLC has identified 90 general “hate” groups, as well as 149 Patriot groups with sophisticated weapons arsenals fully stocked and ready for whatever. Another fun fact is that Texas leads the country in number of KKK chapters (66 statewide). Yay. We’re number one! We’re number one! This means there are over 1000 organizations in our country prepared to do harm for their cause. None of them like the government and I’m sure they’re all excited about kicking someone’s ass to prove how right they are. Actually, I think kicking ass is more important than figuring out what their causes actually are in the first place. It seems like the reason for hate is always about hurting someone because he or she is different in some way. You know, I may be wrong, but I think a lot of these groups that are so full of disgruntled folks are mainly full of just lazy folks that never grew up. Sitting around bitching about how someone else is screwing up your life is a good way to pass the time and get nothing accomplished, other than constantly pointing out the chip on your shoulder. And I’ll admit that when I was about 8 or 9 years old any game that involved killing the enemy was the most fun, but by 10 or 11 I was well on my way to more mature stuff, like girls and rock and roll. Fun fact #3 is that no one gets out of here alive, so everybody just chill out a minute if you can. All these hate groups need to get together and focus their combined anger on something like space litter. Speaking of space litter, I’m sorry, but I didn’t put any of it up there. Well, actually, I did launch a water-powered toy spaceship into the sky one day and could never find it. I think it got stuck in a tree in the neighbor’s back yard and I never bothered to look. It was probably dinner time and my life moved on. My point is this. Tomorrow will come. The sun will rise and you’ll probably wake up with a new day ahead of you. You will occupy the space you occupy and do what you do. Unless you die first, this is inevitable. How you spend your time and how you feel about it is largely up to you. Pursuing wealth, convenience, power or luxury seems crazy right now. Plus, there isn’t a great sense of security anywhere anymore, anyway. So, there you have it. When it all gets down to just survival, this will be a really interesting existence. Being in a band for 30 years, we have never known much job security. Even today, after all this time, we still book our shows no more than a year in advance (most gigs, four-six months out) and even in good times the scene is constantly changing. Keeping Brave Combo busy and working for so long has taken a lot of strategy. The things that worked 10 years ago simply do not work today. Almost no one goes to clubs on a regular basis anymore (old people are too old and young people aren’t that interested in the world of live music that the old people deserted). But festivals have popped up like crazy, I think, in part, to accommodate an aging, baby-rearing community that still desires a familiar live music experience. Unfortunately, most of the festivals and city-produced concert series are funded, to some degree, by corporations. And, of course, due to our fragile economy, the first money to dry up deeply impacts the entertainment world. Our booking calendar, as it is with all bands right now, is sitting on a foundation of Jello. Gigs are coming and gigs are going like never before. A few sure-fire dates have simply disappeared on us, due to the events being canceled (no Kansas City Oktoberfest this year, at all, for example). On the other hand, some of the big festivals and events that were once reserved for bands that have actually had hits on the radio are now open to second and third-tier “fringe” acts, like Brave Combo, because our fee and backstage needs are way modest compared to the real stars. It’s the whole yen/yang, crisis/opportunity thing, you know. Jello shifts and wiggles around. It doesn’t turn into anti-matter. As long as we can wiggle with it, everything’s cool. Speaking of wiggling, we’ve brought back an old twist that was on our very first release, POLKAMANIA (double 7-inch vinyl EP). It’s called “Trim Twist” and we originally discovered it on an exercise record that accompanied a fun (?) exercise tool, called the Trim Twist, which was like a lazy susan that one would stand on while twisting. The audience seems to like it.

Our brand new video, “Mission Impossible (Cumbia)” is now up and ready to view. It’s as thought-provoking and unsettling as the earlier video, “Honga.” These are both songs from our new CD, THE EXOTIC ROCKING LIFE, and well worth the time you waste looking at them. http://www.youtube.com/bravecombo

Speaking of videos that turn me on, here’s a traditional Zimbabwean song called, “Dangurangu,” by Thomas Mapfumo, featuring the mbira-mimicking guitar style of Jonah Sithole. I plan to arrange a version of this for BC soon. Check it out. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HguWUGz2Q0g If it turns you on, as well, there’s a lot of stuff in this genre on YouTube. We saw Thomas Mapfumo and his band in concert once in, of all places, Little Rock, Arkansas. We were both playing a festival called AUGUST IN ARKANSAS. Once I saw/heard the sound of his music, I was hooked. A popular Brave Combo classic, “Skokiaan” was originally a hit in Zimbabwe.

Here’s something to think about. As times get tougher and money gets tighter, you cannot simply abandon your animals. If you do, you will forever be haunted, knowing the fear and suffering your beloved family member will probably endure before it dies alone. It is your responsibility to do the right thing. In fact, if you don’t do the right thing, you may not attend anymore Brave Combo shows or buy any of our music. We don’t want your money and we don’t want to look at you or have you look at us. Take care of the innocent creatures, including people, that depend on you.

BC BUSINESS OF THE DAY:
Carl: Hey, since Steve’s playing with us now we need new photos.
Danny: Okay.
Jeff: (humming a little song) Uh, do what?
Arjuna: I’m in.
Danny: Where do we wanna take them?
Carl: I guess over here in the corner or out back by the wall.
Danny: How do we dress?
Carl: Mmm. I don’t care.
Arjuna: (texting as he speaks) When do you wanna do this?
Carl: Sometime next week, I guess.
Fanfare. Drum roll. Cymbal crash.

Well, rehearsal is about to begin. But first I have to take Eddy home. He hangs out at the office with me in the afternoons. Tonight, Brave Combo will be working on some music, readying ourselves for the coming shows. Please check our itinerary often. We are really excited to be visiting so many great places this summer, like the West Coast, from Los Angeles to Seattle. We’ll be returning to some of our favorite venues around the USA, including Blob’s Park (between Baltimore and D.C.), in August during our East Coast swing. In addition, we’re entering new territories, such as Boise and Hailey, Idaho. And, World Citizens, wherever you may be, you can also watch us live stream rehearsals and performances on occasion. Check our website for details about the next on-line happening. Go get your groove on and find your space in the happy place. I have to work on some lyrics. Let’s go, Eddy.