Volume 5 – #8 – August 2002

I don’t want to say that there is evilness in this world that’s trying to destroy goodness. It’s just not that simple. Some people have different values and priorities than I do. Some people get mad or confused or bored. Or their egos get the best of them and they do something regrettable. Or they’re not very smart and they do something stupid. The world is a beautiful, magical and horrific place, full of predictable and unpredictable challenges. We all experience various levels of existence. First of all, we’re individual machines that have tangible needs. At the next level we have obligations to other people who depend on us for emotional and physical support. And then, we have to make a living, and, of course, fulfill our dreams and goals. All of these things require plotting daily strategies, which probably don’t include dealing with terrorists flying airplanes into buildings. Something like that thrusts us into a whole new realm; a place that’s hard to ponder and figure out. But it’s just as weird that we can go through major disasters and before long roll back into the illusion of stability. You know, the cold war is declared finished, the Soviet Union splits apart, the iron curtain crumbles away and I find myself thinking that the threat of nuclear annihilation is over. It doesn’t occur to me that small groups of radical “freedom fighters” could get their hands on “the bomb,” or something worse, and create a whole new kind of dread. Fear has a fresh new face. Anyway, it occurred to me that many people in this world don’t look at anything the way the average American does. For some, life is just a brief, miserable game; cheap, if not worthless. For most of us Westerners our time on Earth involves education, working, children, savings, life insurance, lots of entertainment and shopping, retirement and all things that support the concept of permanence. So, when the unthinkable happens, we’re unprepared and mad because some lunatic force spoiled our version of life. As the anniversary of September 11, 2002 approaches, I hope that any changes brought on by this devastating event have, at least, been enlightening for you and that any new perspective is a positive one. Carry on.

Okay listen up! And I mean listen. Brave Combo is playing a concert at the beautiful Campus Theatre in downtown Denton, Texas on Saturday, September 7. Allow me to list all the reasons to attend.

1. The air-conditioning works really well.
2. Early show (8:00 PM).
3. All ages welcome.
4. Great sound and not too loud.
5. Comfortable seating.
6. No smoking.

Plus we’re making it “special request” night (check the front page of our web site for details). Since it’s a concert, we’ll be able to perform more subtle material than we can in a typical dance situation. If you don’t enjoy seeing Brave Combo late at night in crowded smoky bars, this is the show for you. Bring the whole family, if not the whole neighborhood. Oh yeah, one more thing, we’ll be playing some new songs from our forthcoming Rounder release of popular Classical themes. And we’ll be giving away U.S. Savings Bonds and food stamps (just kidding). Does it sound like I’m begging now?

Two pretty chickens showed up in the alley by my house recently. I don’t know where they came from, but I like ’em. What a cruel experiment in genetics chickens are; fat, defenseless, flightless birds. Most humans might think that God intended for us to catch them and put them in our mouths. They’re practically sitting ducks, except they’re chickens. The poor things are just too easy to enslave and abuse. Have pity on their plight. Don’t take advantage of their weakness, just because you can. Of course, the same goes for cows and pigs.

Speaking of vegetarian hijinks, one time Brave Combo stopped at a fast food restaurant in West Virginia and I ordered a cheeseburger without meat. This created some confusion with the clerk concerning what to charge me. Finally she said that all I owed was five cents for the bun. I was stunned, but delighted. Joe Cripps was in the band at the time and next in line to order. I told him what a great deal I got and he looked at the clerk and said, “I’ll have twenty cheeseburgers without meat.”

I love rain and thunderstorms and dark cloudy days. I even like it when it’s raining on TV shows or in comics. There are times when I don’t mind standing in the rain. I like the way it smells. Rain is when high humidity works. Speaking of high humidity, the big sweaty family reunion known as Westfest is once again upon us (check our itinerary). This means that we’re all a year older and a year crankier. But it also means that polka continues to be alive and well in Texas. It’s been a rough year for almost everyone, so come out and focus on something else for awhile. Abandon self-consciousness (don’t even try to fix up), make new drunk friends and dance like there’s no tomorrow. And if it ever turns out that there is no tomorrow, just remember that polka is eternal and worthy of your faith.