Pay the Writer. Pay the Musician. Damn-it.

Snarfed this vid from Yvonne Navarro's blog:



And for the Musicians...my favorite quotable Dick Dale:



This is why I don't work for free. This is why I am my own boss. This is why I am successful at what I do.

Anyone aspiring to write or to play music should pay close attention to what Harlan and Dick have to say. Words to live by.

Labels: music, writing

posted by Rain at 11:31 AM

Various Updates and Travel Schedule

I’m behind in my reporting…I know this.

Last weekend is a blur, which ended in a fantastic show at the Red Devil Lounge – Dick Dale, "King of the Surf Guitar." I ran into Aerinys there with a friend of hers, and the show was extremely high energy and totally phenomenal for any guitar-head looking to see a legend do what they do best.

…and then…my wallet was stolen. So I had to leave early, before the end of the show. I wound up getting a call on Monday from Yellow Cab saying it was found in the back of one of their cabs (my business card was in it, and that’s how they connected the dots). I don’t keep valuable stuff in my wallet, unlike most folks – it’s a catch all for membership cards, coupons, and maxed out credit cards that wouldn’t do anyone any good anyway…so whoever took it could have made off with a Surfrider Foundation card that might get them a discount at certain surf venues, but not much else.

Ok…on to the travel calendar. This is what’s confirmed:

9/28-30 – Santa Cruz (paddling out for the evening glass off on the 29th, dawn patrol on the 30th). Those of you joining me know where…booya!

10/5-7 – Santa Cruz (tentative)

10/12-14 – Seattle, WA

10/28 – My birthday…and possibly LA/San Diego road trip. Dunno yet. But I’ll let the SoCal folks know ahead of time, of course.*

11/8-11 – Denver & Cripple Creek for Lady Katherine’s weddin’. Yeeeeee haw!

Turkey Day – yet unticketed, but I’m going to still try and see the Fam in TX if I can get the ticket on the cheap.

X-Mas in Texas.

*If I don’t make it down south at the end of October, I’m going to try for it in November – I’ve got a long list of people to see, and want to get in some SoCal surf with some of them. Fortunately, Virgin Atlantic has some way-cheap fares, but if I’m surfing, I’ll drive the boards down.

As you may have guessed, I’m behind on reading up on my LJ friends pages, etc…and if I’m late responding to your emails, don’t kill me. I promise to get to them soon(ish). There is such a thing as a telephone, vintage communication device that it may be – and you can always use it to get me caught up…or just send me funny pictures from your cellphone. (I said funny themissblue, not fanny).

Labels: music, surfing, travel

posted by Rain at 11:45 AM

Tonight @ Red Devil, New Board, & Weekendery

Yanno…

Every time I go to Wise, I always have a good experience. It’s not the same as other surf shops; a little bigger, a little more in the “nice” category. If you have questions, even stupid ones, they answer ‘em. Sometimes they answer ‘em before you ask ‘em. For instance…how to put on a leash, and fins. Waterwookie instructed me via email on the leash business when I picked up that old board off of CL, but seeing as how the guy was so patient (and cute) helping me out buying the new board (my first new board!), I decided to just take it all in.

I called ahead yesterday to see what they still had in stock, since the sale is $100 off the cheapy brand Blue – not a bad choice for a novice, and the boards are glass, not epoxy. They had some 7’6s in stock, which was the same size as the old board, but I decided to move up to something more stable in an 8’2. Bigger is better, but I didn’t want to go too big. I picked the least girly looking board in the bunch, a black pinstripe on mostly white. It’s pretty light weight, easy to carry, and was only $350 or something nuts like that. He threw in 3 bars of wax for free, and took $10 off my leash, and the fins were included…so the whole thing cost me $400.35 – the exact amount I had budgeted was $400 (having gotten $150 for the old board and sold some stuff at the local thrift, and budgeted $200 out of this paycheck for the rest). The way I figure it, in real time money, I only spent $200 – which was what the used pintail cost me off CL too. It was a steal.

The fellah who helped me out showed me how to put the fins on, and how to move the center fin, how NOT to poke into the board getting the fins to slot in, and some tips on wiggling a bit, and tightening the screws. He took the price tag off with some solvent stuff, and asked me if I was going surfing. I had to reply no, that I was on my lunch break and had to get back to work, but that I was planning on Santa Cruz this weekend (if I can get some buds to go with me, which is looking grim). He laughed and said, “At least get your hair wet…looks good out there today.” I had to admit that the little crumbly fast waves at Ocean Beach not only looked surfable, but inviting. I had no idea that OB could even produce such smallness…but like the sirens entice sailors into the treachery of rocks, I knew better the beast that was beckoning… and went back to work instead. It really did look tame. And inviting. Despite no one being in the water…

The guy helping me further joked about sharks, saying that July and August seem to be the season when most people around here get bit.

Yikes.

Anyways…support your local surf shop, damn-it. Community and all that. I tend to spend my money where there is no attitude adjustment needed - and Wise has been the best experience I've had in that category so far. That's where I got my wetsuit...usually where I get my wax...and spare leash for the 7'6.

Speaking of support and local and community – MusicFairy’s band, Truxton, is playing tonight at the Red Devil Lounge. They go on at 9pm sharp-like, so drop in and check it out.

I’m thinking about getting back into Bikhram Yoga again, by the by. I’ve been doing good with the diet, and it’s time to incorporate some exercise that will help build strength and agility.

Tentative alternative plans for the weekend (because it looks like surfing won’t pan out, which is a bummer when you have a new board and are itching to take it out): Picnic on Saturday with Dr. Kaos and potential others; Napa on Sunday with AccidentProne (who is driving, yay), her in-town friend, and maybe Lily_Dove.

Psssst. Themissblue’s birthday is on Monday. Her gift is in the mail. :)

Labels: friends, music, surfing

posted by Rain at 11:02 AM

Volcomics, Death, Rock n Roll, and No Reservations

Some events for things that people graciously invited me to that I’m behind on mentioning anything about…



Volcom Comics ( = Volcomics)



Some of you may remember Fay (not too tough a code name to figure out - much like Sparkle's was - dang, I miss the old crew), who used to own Fuse (shout out to those who recall the Halloween party I hosted there - Celebrity Morgue...heh), and now owns Space Gallery on Polk. I was over at Surfline and happened to notice that the SF release party for Volcomics was going to be at his venue, and phoned him up to get details. That same day, my membership info arrived from The Surfrider Foundation, which included an International Surfing Day t-shirt, and lots of great info on saving our beaches. I put on the t-shirt, and headed down to Space. I ran into a few familiar faces and throngs of skaters, surfers, artists, writers, and general mayhem makers all behaving themselves in a peacefully energetic fashion. Good vibes were had by all. Not to mention, Volcom had made it an open bar, complete with live music upstairs. Nifty event - and I got a free first issue of the comic, plus a gander at a wide variety of art on the walls. I met some interesting new freaky people, too.



In the dance world, another set of tango shoes falls silent on the floorboards: Pupi Castello has passed away (last Saturday - I found out yesterday when checking the tango in-box, which I don't do very often these days). May he join all the other great Milongueros in the sky, to dance on clouds.



Some weekends back, Miss DebG held a BBQ after a photo shoot for the Survivors of the Summer of Love (which you can learn more about over at her Livejournal), which I attended. I'll pretty much go anywhere she tells me to, as long as she's cooking. We had a delightful mess of vittles (ok, ok, it was cuisine...but after meeting Bill The Cat, who does indeed look pretty much identical to the Bloom County Bill The Cat...I just had to use the term vittles), including Teriyaki chicken, roasted fall-off-the-bone pork (Bill's favorite), a cherry-fudge torte of sorts (yes, Deb, I know I'm getting this wrong), some kind of vegetarian bean salad that was quite good, tossed salad, and many Belinis. I had the pleasure of meeting Deb's rock n' roll friends (being in the presence of greatness is a huge understatement here), and being hypnotized by Zmayhem's sweat-pea of a baby. For some strange reason, that baby stares at me from the moment she arrives, until the moment she leaves. She has full conversations with my face in baby-talk, whether I'm looking at her or not. Everyone found it quite eerie, to say the least, but I enjoyed it immensely. To be the center of a baby's attention for an hour is a gift. To be the center of a baby's attention for 5 hours and not be the one feeding her...is priceless.



Last week the Nob Hill Grille fellahs gave me an advance screening promotional pass for two to go see No Reservations, which was a cutesy single-parent family-making feel-gooder with plenty of eye candy. I did not cry...though I think the actress that plays the kid is fantastic. Hot Mark (tm) came with, and we both assessed the movie as good, but not really anything we'd have paid to see. We walked to the Bigfoot afterwards, had a nightcap, and then I walked home. There is something so satisfying about being able to walk to all the things you'd like to do in an evening.



Well...back to the script grind. 3 down; 3 to go. Possibly 4. I found out they are using these to pitch to clients/companies looking to do more (or some) business with us. Yikes! No pressure there.

Labels: comics, friends, music

posted by Rain at 11:43 AM

happy birthday dr. kaos, & dime store updates

First of all, a very happy birthday to Dr. Kaos. May the woodland sprites bring you lots of lovely treats (and sweep your house of Black Widow infestations like the one you had when you lived in San Jose…shudder), and keep the leprechauns at bay. I do believe I’ve known you now for what…8 or 9 years? Why, just yesterday we were dancing to a Perki/Nando mix at Shrine of Lilith…and Midnight was in his Top Hat with hair down to his butt.

I cannot believe it’s almost August. Because right after August is September, and after September is October – and then comes November, possibly my busiest month this year, depending on how I work the whole thing out. I’ve got to go to Denver for my high-school girlfriend’s wedding, and there is the potential for a Thelma And Louis Southwest Tour with TheMissBlue, stopping off in Arizona to camp at Rockstar Ex’s, before landing in Texas for Thanksgiving. The whole thing should take us about a week.

This weekend was a lot of fun, but rather jam packed. Friday was the usual happy hour at the cigar bar with Lily_Dove and MuppetMan, (c)Superman, Snake Eyes, and the usual bunch. Later, Libitina joined us, and she, Lily_Dove, and MotoBlondeGuy (a friend of Lily_Dove’s) went for Sushi at Sushi Rika. My eye was really giving me trouble at that point, so I wound up begging off early and went home.

The next day I was supposed to have a look at a surf board from a somewhat flakey eBay Guy. He said it only had two small dime size dings that he’d had professionally repaired, but what showed up was two dings the size of the top of a redbull can, and he’d filled them in himself with Blue Steel epoxy – not the kind you’d want to use for a surf board but I would guess it would have been somewhat ok – but it wasn’t even sealed or laminated. I’d have had to take it to a professional repair place at $25 a pop, and told him so, since it wasn’t even water tight. He got angry and said, “Well, if you don’t want it then…” I think he half expected me to stop him. What a freakin’ baby.

He turned around in a huff and threw the board back into his truck, took his toy, and went home. This after telling me he’d lost his cell phone all week, then found it the morning OF the day he was supposed to be in the city and coming by between 11am and 1pm…which turned into 4-5:30…and then he didn’t actually get there until 6:15pm. Originally he’d had the board listed for $400+ on eBay as a collector’s item (and it wasn’t). When it didn’t sell I made an offer to him and said I could pick it up since he was local (San Jose) and he insisted on bringing it to the city. So my whole day was wasted sitting around waiting for this guy, and for a board that wasn’t what he said it was. Needless to say…I was glad to be rid of the whole task. The board isn’t even worth $100 at this point, after what he’d done to it.

I had dinner plans in the Marina with Fleur De Lys (no, not the restaurant – we went to Ace Wasabe). Afterwards, we headed to the Matrix, our fair Mayor’s fine establishment, and chatted away from the unwashed masses in a tidy little corner on a velvety lounger. The waitstaff was very attentive, and we weren’t bothered by horrible drunk marina boys on a mission, as we were out of the view of the meat market crowd. I dare say I’ve found a way to enjoy that place on a Saturday night. Fleur De Lys just got back from Italy, Cambodia, Europe…and had lots of stories.

Sunday I kept to myself, watched the History Channel all day long, reruns of General Hospital (and I have to say I am HOOKED on General Hosptial Nights) from the previous week to get caught up on my favorite Mob family soap, then caught The Notorious Bette Page (on demand) – which was quite a good little movie, even if the actress that played her was a little too thin.

Today I get back to the grind on two difficult scripts for branded content; one involving the Beckhams, and the other a major cosmetic company out of the UK. Fun, fun.

My apologies to TheMusicFairy (aka Charmless) – I did not make it out to see his band last night, though I had meant to. For those of you in LA – Truxton will be playing two gigs coming up this week…here’s the deets from the band:

FOR OUR LOS ANGELES PEEPS:

Wednesday July 25, 2007 @ El Cid (Silverlake CA)

Silver Needle (AWESOME band!)
Truxton
TBA

9pm 8 bucks
__________________________________________
Friday July 27, 2007 @ Relax Bar (Hollywood)

TRUXTON
Kinky Method
Lipstick Dynamite

8pm 7 bucks

Labels: food, friends, LA, music, surfing

posted by Rain at 9:34 AM

SIg Sheets for ILT rec'd...and the Art of the Fez

I got the signature sheets from Cemetery Dance via Norm Partridge today, for IN LAYMON’S TERMS, a Tribute To Richard Laymon. Looks like I’ll be busy with those for a while. Heavy, heavy box.

I hear from my friends in Buenos Aires that it’s snowing there for the first time in 35 years. That’s absolutely and absurdly frightening, and just another notch in the belt of odd weather thanks to Global Warming.

The 4th was fun; friends from the neighborhood, work, and Grille came to celebrate up on the roof, which proved windy, chilly, and a bit obstructed in view this year. Still, a good time was had by all. I promptly came down with the Martian Death Flu afterwards, however, and had to take Thursday and Friday off – plus stayed home Saturday mostly. Sunday I read cards at the Bigfoot briefly, ate dinner at a new Moroccan restaurant…which makes me wonder what Johnny Strike would think of it. Quite tasty, IMHO. The dishes were sweetly seasoned with spice, as opposed to spicy but sweet, which would be how I describe some Indian cuisine. Besides, there was a guy who greeted us in a red velvety Fez. Yes, a Fez!

Which reminds me of n, who once talked me into buying Acnalbasac Noom (He used to wear a fedora...but now he wears a fez...) because he thought it was a tango I should hear. (bad...bad n!).

Labels: food, friends, music

posted by Rain at 12:39 PM

Tomorrow is International Surfing Day

Surfrider Foundation has a list of local events in your 'hood. For NorCal - here's ours. Ran into a couple gals in the break room today who also surf...one of them is just getting back into it. She said when she was 15, she and two other gals would go out into the waves in Santa Cruz and the male surfers would spit on them, and say things like "women belong on their backs, not a board," and so on.

I've never been spit on, or given any derrogatory commentary (within earshot), though I suspect it was a lot like when I used to play guitar in a rock n' roll band when I was a kid (17 and out playing gigs at clubs with a fake ID). If I walked into a music store to get some strings or tubes for my amp, or gods forbid a new axe, I'd have to actually wave money in the air to get help. Or worse, I'd get ye olde, "Can I interest you in a microphone?" comment. Doubly worse when my old bassist, CraigMonster, would drag me out to jam sessions with other band mates he knew.

One time in particular I recall suiting up the gitfiddle with him, only to have half the (male) musicians in the room leave. What was left was a drummer and rhythm guitarist who only played sitting down and looked like Nigel Tufnel from Spinal Tap. They were good; we were good, and halfway through the first song all those asshats came back. "Wow, you actually sound good." Said one. I won't tell you how many of the other ones I had to glare angrily at when they asked me out four beers or so later.

Anyway, those times have changed too, with the emergence of girl rockers like Courtney Love (who didn't exist on anyones radar during the hairband days I played out in)...so we no longer have to rely soley on shredders like Lita Ford or Jennifer Batten. As with music, so has surfing evolved.

Get out and surf, ladies. Respect the beach, respect yourselves, and rip and carve your way to a cool new surfer nickname. :)

Labels: music, surfing

posted by Rain at 3:33 PM

Scripts, Punk Rock, Robots, and Colibri

Couple o’ things.

1) Screenwriting (I know, I know…I said I’d never do it).
2) Punk Rock
3) Maker Faire
4) Colibri

Before I begin - a big happy birthday to Chardonnay. Viva Las Wankas Peligrosas! Li li li li li li li liiiiiiiii!

1) One day at the cigar bar…(isn’t that how it always starts?) Chocolate Buddha (his choice of name, not my doing) and I were discussing the art of film and writing for film. He got my usual tirade of how I’m anti-screenwriting, and hate the business almost as much as the snake oil type people running the business, and how I hate the format itself. I find it constricting for a writer. We hashed out some good old fashioned writer-talk (read = drunk talk) about projects we’re currently working on, and at one point it seemed like a good idea to go with the epiphany that, yeah, I’ve had lots of opportunities in film I’ve turned down, and yeah, I do suppose that’s a lot of money, but no, I really don’t care and yeah, sure, if you want to try and develop a script for some of the trunk treatments, I’ll send you some.

We both forgot about it (somewhat) in the morning. I got an email or two from Chocolate Buddha requesting reading material...and time went on. Ran into him again, and we rehashed the discussion, and again I was convinced that this could work. The next day I sent him two things - beats for GARDEN OF ANGELS, because I couldn't find the treatment...and 11 pages of script for DANNY, which is sort of a messed up deep ended GREEN MILE sort of pants-grabber.

These were the responses:

I just had the opportunity to read what you've done so far with "Danny" and I am impressed. Outstanding work. I really like Danny's poem. You definitely have a gift. I have so many thoughts about your work. Too many to put in an e-mail. We should definitely speak soon.

And

Decided to also read your beats for GARDEN OF ANGELS today. I can visualize how sinister the Lead Child should look. This is another good idea, but will take a lot of work to fully develop into a script. Can't wait to see you again to discuss.

Now, Chocolate Buddha can write scripts. No doubt about it. But the interesting part came when we connected (again) at the Cigar Bar...he said:

"What do you need me for? I wouldn't change a word of DANNY. It's perfect the way it is. If I can't get into it in the first 10 pages, it's never going to fly. Not only am I into it after 11, I'm hooked. I can't wait to see what happens. It's brilliant."

I was staring blankly at this point, just blinking.

"But it's just a first draft. I haven't even edited it...and I--" He cut me off. "WHY AREN'T YOU DOING THIS FULL TIME?" he shouts.
"Er...cuz I don't like it?" I said. He scowls.
"Well...you just have to!" He proclaims.
"I don't have to do anything." I say defiantly.

But I'm starting to think about it. If anything, I have promised to finish the first act of DANNY and give him another look. During this discussion, Muppet Man pipes up, "Who's going to look over the contract when it comes in?" in typical lawyerly fashion. "That's where you come in," I said. He grins. "I'll do it pro-bono, even."

Its good to know good people. And good lawyers.

Meanwhile I'm going to try and dig up the original treatment I did for GoA. actually took a stab at firming up the original into more of a different story - so perhaps he'll get them both.

2) Punk Rock Bassist bartends at the Bigfoot. Last night he mentioned somewhat of a Mab reunion (for those of you who aren't old school punk - the Mabuhay Gardens, now the Velvet Lounge, was once THE place to see punk in the early 80's) at the Great American Music Hall on June 8th - which might conflict with Judge Clooney and the Bull Semen Boys coming into town for their annual Sideways trip...otherwise, I am going to try and get a ticket. In which case, I may have to see the Slims show on the 7th (the day Judge Clooney flies in). Now, one might recall when Fay and I were doing a documentary on the Mab, and Dirkson was the one who pulled the plug citing he'd already had the idea years ago and we'd be stealing his... but I'm not there to see Dirk (or even help him). I'm there to see the bands.

3) Another event I'm looking forward to: Maker Faire. Learn to make, craft, design or develop: Robots, rockets, crafts, cars, electronics, and alternative energy. What's a nerd not to like? May 19th-20.

4) Colibri... is perhaps the BEST tapas I've had in the city. Thanks to for making it happen last night. What we sampled:

Pisco sours
Fresh blackberry margaritas
Walamu (like Halibut) with a decedent creamy, cheesy, wine sauce over green beans and some other veggies - not too heavy. Very light and flavorful, unlike French food.
Chicken Mole (incredible mole sauce)
Mushrooms in spicy sauce with cheese
Fresh tortillas with 3 types of dipping sauce

This all after drinks with the gang at Bigfoot. All in all a more positive end to a difficult day.

Labels: food, music, writing

posted by Rain at 10:58 AM

Can someone please tell me why Tori Amos now looks like a cross between Carrie (see bloody leg) and and Thai tranny from AsiaSF? (I say Thai, because those Thai "gender illusionist" gals are so convincingly female and gorgeous - not to be confused as something derrogatory. In Tori's case...well...I love her work so dearly, but his is definately not a look I ever pondered for her...or for that matter, anyone past Larkin and Sutter after the sun goes down.

And I can't get that Beach Boy's tune, Little Surfer Girl, outta my head. Not even by listening to Dick Dale. It always weirded me out that Dick Dale refers to himself in the third person during every day speech.

Labels: music

posted by Rain at 11:18 AM