Volume 17 – #12 – December 2014

To say 2014 has been interesting would be an understatement. A revelation is more appropriate, or, rather, lots of revelations. It was Brave Combo’s 35th year, in case you hadn’t heard, and both the golden-era and the silver-era combos, as well as other former members, played reunion shows to help celebrate the milestone, or whatever you want to call it. Sometimes it feels like I’m just swimming through a long TWILIGHT ZONE episode and 2014 had lots of those moments. In addition to performing in front of people, we released a live album, LIVE AT BLOB’S PARK, and right at the year’s last gasp, wrapped up a new studio album, THE LIMINAL ZONE (official release tba soon). You need to hear both. They’re way dissimilar. The live album contains eight polkas. The studio album, only one. The live album is a feast of classic BC standards. The studio album is full of brand new songs, the majority of them original compositions. In the real world grind, gigs came and went. At times, rapid-fire. It’s all a blur now. I’ve never been one to reflect too much and admire the fruits of success or dwell on the humiliation of failure. I’m definitely a move-on-to-the-next-thing kinda person. Fame and relevance in the music world is always fluid; can’t rest on last week’s conquest. I remember how excited we were to be in ROLLING STONE for the first time but were also shocked at how quickly the next issue came out, devaluing our precious blurb, burying the big news with newer news. I look back on it now and wonder how the hell any of that recognition and acceptance happened, anyway. Sometimes it all seems impossible; that we’ve reached so many people and that we’ve lasted 35 years. But I always knew how much our view of music delighted us and just figured there had to be enough interested listeners in the world to make it a worthwhile thing to keep on doing. Plus, the challenge of making something constantly fresh is actually fun; one of the big motivators. I’m still turned on by a blank piece of paper. At that stage of creativity, anything is possible and when you’re in a band like Brave Combo, anything really does mean anything. I like being a musical devil’s advocate or gadfly. Out on a limb is where it’s happening, Baby!
Speaking of the reunion shows, the recent ones with Mitch, Bubba, Jeff and me were, as I predicted, really loud and really easy. It was like no time had passed since our last regular gig together twenty years ago. So, that makes me conclude, as many of you will agree, twenty years is simply not a very long time. A year is only twelve months (check any calendar) and everyone knows that a month is practically nothing, unless you’re in a horrible, uncomfortable place, worried about about dying a painful death every second. But, from a normal day-to-day perspective, a month feels like a week, and so forth. Know wud I’m sayin’? So that’s what I figured out about that. Feel free to quote me. No charge. Here we are rocking the Mitch Miller!

And, speaking of our new studio album, THE LIMINAL ZONE, we are scheduling video shoots for a couple of the tracks for sometime in January 2015. I have some ideas. That’s all the rage, you know; images with sound? The album will soon be available as a CD or a download from the BC Store. It’s a fine collection of catchy melodies and thought-provoking moods, designed to make you wonder and wander. Here’s 30 seconds of track #9, “The Everything” to arouse your curiosity. Tension and release and tension and release! That’s what it’s all about!

Man, things are pretty bleak out there, huh? Feels like everything is spinning out of control, doesn’t it? And jerks are everywhere, right? Whether they’re politicians, cop killers, killer cops, bankers, zombies, ISIS card holders, movie makers, teenage gunmen, domestic and foreign leaders, musicians, or, of course, cranky radio talkers, they’re just jerks. Jerks, jerks, jerks! Why does everyone want to be a such a jerk? Don’t be a jerk! Get a cat or a dog and spend time with it and stop being so pissed off. Look at this!

Okay, let’s bid a fond farewell to another year of stuff that did happen (old, hunched-over, crinkly man in a diaper) and welcome in a new year of stuff that will happen (happy smiling baby in a diaper). Don’t forget to think for yourself (super important) and if you’re a jerk, try to be less of one in 2015. Ahoy, New Year!