The Archives

Excerpts from Electric Degeneration, Degenerate Press' semi-weekly e-zine, free and ad-free. A full episode contains sections for music reviews, upcoming events, blasphemy, classifieds, and anything else we feel like saying. If you'd like to subscribe just contact us.

You can surf the entire archive.

2/4/2001

THE HONKEY TONK'S BLUES

"Liar, n. An attorney with a roving profession. A journalist of any occupation, trade or calling. See Preacher."
Ambrose Bierce, from The Devil's Dictionary

Friday I got a flurry of emails asking if the rumors that Dottie's was closed were true, or "Did you hearŠ?" type emails.
1) No, I didn't hear. People always assume I know these things so ironically enough I'm always the last to find out. I did some investigative reporting and still don't have the full story.
2) Dottie's was shut down by the cops one night due to an Evil Twin show that, in the eyes of the APD, qualified as an adult performance due to the bondage content and they shut the place down. Since then I haven't been able to get the slackers at Pink Torpedo, their booking agents, to return my calls or emails. But a call to the bar itself on Saturday night resulted in this conversation:
"Dottie's." (loud music and typical bar sounds in background)
"Oh, hey, are you guys open?"
"No."
"Oh. What's the deal?"
"We're opening again on Wednesday. Come on down."
Sunday we cruised by Dottie's and there were several trucks outside making it look like some renovating is going on, but there are no more details at this time. As soon as we know, you'll know. So I'm leaning towards not believing the rumors that the cops shut the place down permanently so that Bill Campbell could build a palatial estate and casino, or the rumor that the place is owned by the owners of the Clermont Lounge who have also been kicked out of their traditional venue and are therefore moving the Clermont into Dottie's. Nor am I believing the rumors that the staff of Degenerate Press are a bunch of drunken sex fiends who throw massive parties just to get laid, eat barbecue and blow shit up.

EAR PLUGS
Friday we hit the Star Bar a bit late, but in time to catch half of the Holy Smokes, the opening act of the Dixie Rockabilly Rumble. Clete was behind the mike, belting out a fun mix of rootsy rockin' country rockabilly stuff. I was sorry I'd missed even a few tunes, it was good stuff.
High Gear Combo from New York was next. They did some western influenced rockabilly with boogey flavors, spiced up with some swell slide guitar. Either the dancing set that usually attends these shows was at the Rev. Horton Heat show, or the swing dance craze has died even at the Star Bar - only a few couples took up twirling a few times over the course of the evening.
The Combo served as the backup for "the rockabilly philly" Rosey Flores. She has a fine, strong voice perfectly suited for the rootsy country rockabilly sound and she could play a mean Fender to boot. We bopped heads and tapped toes along with her for an hour or so before we couldn't take any more, but she was still going strong as we dragged our tired asses out the door.
Immortal Lee County Killers have their CD out. Can't wait to get my hands on a copy! We got this from 'em:
ILCK's web page is fixed. Now you can order ILCK cds, vinyl, and t shirts directly from the web page. Hell, you can even use you credit card. It's ez. EARN A MILLION DOLLARS WORKING FROM HOME!! It's a good cause. If enough of you purchase a CD/LP, The Boss and the Cheetah promise to quit their lives for you, go on tour full time, and strive for world peace. There are other new goodies on the web page. LEARN the Cheetah's hot lix from the posted GUITAR TABLATURE. SEE the oversized, triple humbucking, semi-hollow guitar the Moon Doggie Co. is fashioning for the Cheetah. They need a name for the axe. Help em out. http://www.LeeCountyKillers.com

FILM FLAM
By degenerate SW After waiting in an excessively long, yet surprisingly swift moving line at the Phipps Plaza and securing the requisite $7 coke and popcorn, we made it into available seats on the third row just in time to see the end of the opening credits of Steven Soderbergh's newest flick, "Traffic". (Since when does a Saturday matinee require 30-minute advance preparation in order to catch preview trailers and the whole of a movie?) As you've no doubt heard, the film is a patchwork of three interweaving tales about various aspects of the drug trade industry. But it is more than that. There are countless stories told by characters that aren't always defined but simply exist. There is more to this film than the Catherine Zeta-Jones, Michael Douglas, Benecio del Toro roles which have been much touted. There's the confused and devoted wife of a Mexican policeman who is helpless to save her husband from himself yet bravely takes on the role of widow. There are the confused and angry teens who drown their fears in drugs and alcohol while asking aloud questions of their own privileged existence. It's a joy to watch these lives come together in what is a confusing and ultimately futile war on drugs. The film lacks subtlety and symbolism and often the situations are too conveniently presented. For example, it's the newly appointed drug czar's (Douglas) daughter free-basing while he's out on the campaign trail - how opportune. Technically it's beautifully shot in intentional sepia or blue tones to convey story changes and to reflect the varying emotions and settings. However it's filmed entirely in unsteady handy-cam (I'm not the only one tired of this method) which could prove sea-sickening. Overall "Traffic" has been garnering deserved praise and awards and it's worth seeing. Since there are so many good films released in January for Oscar contention, we couldn't stop at just one movie this weekend.
On Sunday we loaded up the family and headed to the Tara Cinema to catch "Shadow of the Vampire." Fortunately we allowed enough time to get seated during the previews. The ads for this movie are misleading. It looks like a suspenseful, if not downright frightening, drama about the events surrounding the 1921 production of "Nosferatu." I was half thinking it would be a comedy or farce. The movie tries to be all of these and ends up a scrambled mess. While there are genuinely funny moments (Willem Dafoe is having the time of his life as Max Schreck) the film takes its premise all too seriously: What if "Nosferatu" were actually a documentary? Who's the bigger blood-sucker, a vampire or a calculating, murderous director? The film sets these questions up nicely but then leaves the audience flat having no real climactic moment or argumentative point. What you're left with is an award-worthy performance by Dafoe and a desire to rent the original film.

ONCE... TWICE... THREE TIMES A PARTY
Invites for the 33 1/3 party exist! Contact us with your snail mail address and let us know how many you need (in multiples of three, of course) and we'll ship 'em to ya. A web version is online at http://www.degeneratepress.com/invite/

BLASPHEMY
The Fulton County Green Party is electing officers at a 7:30 meeting Feb 8 at Innovox, the coffee shop under Cameli's Pizza in the Ford Factory Square.

Our preferred mode of communication with the masses: earplugs@degeneratepress.com