Volume 3 – #5 – May 2000

O, What A Beautiful Morning, O, What A Beautiful Day, I’ve Got A Beautiful Feeling, Everything’s Going My Way. I remember singing those words in unison with our great audience at The Duck Room in St. Louis recently. After the show, we loaded up the Donut (our bus/van thing) and headed out of town for an overnight drive home. About half a mile from our interstate entrance we were stopped at a light. When it turned green we drove through the intersection. Suddenly, and I mean suddenly, something with great force severely jolted us. Stuff flew from the shelves and Bubba started yelling about somebody hitting us. Danny was driving and thought we hit an invisible object, but he wasn’t sure because his glasses were no longer on his head. Bonnie was on the phone in the back bunk and was thrown against the back wall. I sat in my chair a minute, realized it was very wobbly now and called 911 before I got out to see what actually happened. And what happened was this. Our very strong, sturdy right rear bumper corner was hit by a Camaro doing about 60 miles an hour. It ran a red light, after nearly hitting two other cars. Our back doors flew open (the impact broke the lock) and some equipment, merchandise and luggage fell out. So, I was looking over all of this and, POW, the Camaro burst into flames. Also, I saw a lone body, lying motionless in some grass about fifty feet from the blazing car. It was 3:00 AM. This was quite surreal. An ambulance arrived quickly and paramedics began to tend to the body, which, it turns out, was not dead. Two of the people that were almost hit came up to me and asked if we were okay. They saw the car hit us. I picked up Bubba’s bass amp and suitcase and then saw some CDs and cassettes right beside the burning car. By this time, firemen were soaking the CDs (the car too, of course) and the party was really kicking in! We talked to police, I called home a couple of times and looked stunned along with everyone involved. After about an hour, Danny and Alan temporarily secured the back doors and we drove on home. The mighty Donut took a lickin’ and kept on tickin’. The Camaro decided to hit the most unforgiving place and was promptly punished. Eleven hours later we were in Denton. A few days later we learned that the car driver was unconscious for two days, woke up and left the hospital, apparently unhurt. Aside from a few aches, Brave Combo is okay, too. The Donut will be in the shop a while and being without it is a royal pain, but the driver’s insurance company has been very fair. I wonder if he was at our show.

Speaking of people that seem to be out to get us, we’ve become sadly aware that not everyone on this planet loves Brave Combo. Hard to believe, huh? And the most overt of the bunch are prideful polka supporters. This is both disturbing and fascinating to me. And certainly lets me know that we’re having impact. To some, we’re a serious threat. We don’t play polkas exactly as they prefer. They think we’re making fun of polka music and that we should not be allowed to exist. What they don’t know, however, is that I was truly, almost spiritually transformed by the power of this music. I don’t know if my moment of enlightenment was brought on solely by it or if perhaps it was a by product of changes in my life perspective. Whatever, I received the strength of unshakable faith. And, when I’m on stage, at my most vulnerable moment, I am also the most protected, in a way. So, I am going to do what I do. At the expense of a normal life, I will gladly perform the music I believe in. Often it’s not for me at all, though it’s always rewarding; even the obviously stupid gigs. I’m a slave to my heaven and hell and that’s just the way it is. I’m trying to help carry the torch along with many others who are similarly motivated. When it turns into an ego thing, and it certainly does sometimes, I hope you can enjoy my self-indulgence. But you can trust that Brave Combo cares about this darn music and we work hard to preserve it properly. We’re very tired, but we’re very happy and grateful, too. The spirit of polka is bigger than individuals. Forward.

Sports News: At press time, The Brave Combo Cardinals, the little league team that we sponsor, are having a stellar season. Get down. Also, we have recorded two more versions of “Take Me Out To The Ball Game” and hope to get these played at every ballpark in the country. No, the world. No, the universe. What kind of CD players do they have on Pluto?

Speaking of Pluto (Mickey Mouse’s dog), the Pomeranian I mentioned in a recent newsletter is really more of a spitz and is officially our dog now. Her name is Dolly and she’s very sweet, except to cats. My wife, Jane, is teaching her to sit. But it appears that Dolly just thinks “sit” is a word for “treat.” Dogs have relatively small brains.

Here are some lies:
Bubba lives with his great aunt in Waxahachie.
Alan bathes with Bon Ami.
Bonnie has four children under the age of two.
Danny is a famous surgeon and has a practice in Boise.
Jeff’s television talk show is the top-rated local program in Texas.
I enjoy manufacturing designer air filters.

Please check our itinerary. We are performing many public shows in the next several months. At the end of May, for instance, is the fabulous Ennis Polka Festival in Ennis, Texas. This event is growing as the polka buzz gets louder. And before long the buzz will be deafening.

Robert Christgau wrote in The Village Voice recently that Brave Combo knows how to make “fun” fun. Thank you, Robert. By the way, we’re coming to New York in July for performances at Lincoln Center and The Bottom Line. Maybe The Voice will give us a pick. Please.

Our new album, THE PROCESS, is still available. You should own a copy. And if you have a radio station, you should be playing it. And if you have a telephone, you should call your local radio stations and request that they get a copy and play it. We are considering releasing a single from the album. What two tracks should be on the single? If you’ve heard THE PROCESS, let us know your two choices ASAP. You can contact me at carl@brave.com 24 hours a day.

I guess almost every member of Brave Combo got the I Love You virus. It makes your throat hurt. Danny said something about sinus draining razor blades. Until next time, listen to music as often as possible and notice how it enhances your life. I will now ride my bicycle or go swimming or drink a milkshake. I know how to make “fun” fun, damn it! Get on the polka wagon train and learn how to protect yourself from mental marauders. Stand up and be counted or go to bed and get out of the way. I Love You.