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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.

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4/8/2001

Happy Palm Sunday, for all you Christians out there. It's Palm Sunday here at Degenerate Press too, though we mean it in more of a heathen fashion…

EAR PLUGS
Friday I arrived at the Star Bar a bit early, anticipating a potential sellout, but the place was still half empty at 10:30. It wouldn't remain that way for long, but when Billy Joe Winghead got up on stage there weren't a lot of folks there to see 'em. Before they began, they called Billy Rat out to the stage and presented him with his 51st birthday cake, "The first all-meat birthday cake!" - a huge bologna with 51 pieces of beef jerky jutting out the top like candles, and happy birthday written down the side in spray cheese. Those that arrived too late missed a fun set of rock with a mild country aftertaste, piled high on a bed of wacky. The highlight of their set was a version of Freebird with a theremin instead of the slide guitar - hilarious, and probably the only show at which someone did NOT yell "Freebird!" before they broke out the tune.
A few of the staff from the Loaf showed up, already liquored up after the "wake" they had for the 14 layoffs. We at Degenerate Press are sorry to hear of our competitor's woes, since may of our friends work there. Yet at the same time perhaps it's for the best - if that damn thing would just go under maybe we could get a REAL alternative paper in this town! And I'm proud to say Degenerate Press is still at 100% of it's original staff! However, subscriptions have dropped off a bit lately as folks have changed email addresses, or jobs, and we haven't campaigned hard for new viewers so if you know someone that might be interested in this fool's enterprise, forward this to 'em and tell 'em to sign up.
Now back to our regularly scheduled broadcast, already in progress. After a break, Truckadelic came on to a packed house. Ted stepped up to the mike and announced that they'd start things off by playing the CD in its entirety, but you'd have to buy it to get the song titles. Before each number he'd say "Here's a little song we like to call Track Number 3!" or whatever number they were on, then tear into it. I may have grumbled about the mere 99% energy level of the CD, but the show is, as expected, a full 300%. Loud, raucous, fast, everything we've come to know and love from the stars of the Star Bar. Yet despite the energy level, somehow it doesn't sound sloppy for in instant. The lyrics may be dirt, but the musicianship is airtight. After the full CD set they moved into a few classic numbers, then took a break. A few folks slipped out, leaving the regulars and the new converts behind for the usual sing-a-longs, and the usual incredible grand finale - or at least I thought it was the finale, they couldn't pack any more energy into a set than the previous 20 minute jam and they couldn't get the crowd any more riled up. But I looked down at the set list and saw another 5 songs listed for another encore. I don't know if they got to 'em or not 'cause even I couldn't take any more - it was 3 AM and we'd been rocking hard since midnight! So we headed out the door, dog tired and happy.
We got a few things last week we neglected to post - sorry for the delay. Such as this from Radiogram, the folks that book Echo Lounge:
We finally got a parking lot attendent, who will be watching all the cars, whether parked in his lot or on the street. He's posted at the corner of The Village Vidiot, so he can pretty much watch everything that happens between The Flatiron and The Echo, and all the side streets in between. Until they start making money from the parking, The Echo will be subsidizing his presence, but of course, the idea is that even our regulars realize that $3 is a small price to pay for us to keep everyone safe going to and from their cars. The guys are staying out there until 3 am, much of where our subsidy is coming in, but I hope that people will at least park in the pay lot every other time, or kick the guy a buck for watching their cars when they park on the street so that it will be a success. I'm trying to get them to have the guy out there six days a week, but until I show them that our customers will use the lot, it's probably only going to be Thursday through Saturday and for bigger shows. I'm also spending more time outside, and you might mention to your subscribers that I would be honored to walk any of the beautiful women that come to our club out to their cars at any time, and to let me know when shakedowns of the variety that MM mentioned in her email to you. I talked to the guy with the cane in pretty frank words, I haven't seen him in about ten days. Anyway, enough of the continuing saga of security in East Atlanta, just please let folks know that I'm trying to find solutions, I swear. Also, Carmen's benefit for the East Atlanta Animal Rescue is next Saturday, with Marc English 800, Random Baldwin, Johnny Knox, Centipede, Adom, Moto-Litas and a band called The King's Pills, made up of Brian and Adam from the Forty-Fives, Fran from Tom Collins, Brandon from Telepathics, etc-. It's $7 and a good cause, and they'll be giving away TONS of free stuff, dinners from Flatiron, Earl, and about ten other places, all sorts of stuff. And this from degenerate SG: King Brothers at the Earl were decent but left me hoping Thee Michelle Gunn Elephant comes back. Entertaining none the less. Subsonics need the video backdrop they did at the Point 'back in the day'. 60's videos of people bowling etc etc. Otherwise its all the same - to me. But the EARL is hands down the best space for small bands and its great the booking has changed. Weird thing was some skinheads present in the front part of bar (nazi tattoos maybe) but not associated with the show that I could tell. Travelling with the opener "rabies babies"?? who knows...but not a welcome addition. And degenerate ME says the Lizard Lounge in Chattanooga is out of business.

AUTOMOTIVATIONAL
The SS Degenerate Press, our 1971 Chrysler Newport, is on its last legs (wheels?) Whatever.) I'm 90% certain she's blown a head gasket, which would be problematic enough except that she's been running poorly for a while. We're gonna call around and get a few bids on her resurrection, but if I had to bet I'd say she ain't worth what it'll cost. Check out http://www.degeneratepress.com/newport for the extensive history of the boat. At the same time, we've had no luck selling the 1963 Imperial Crown we picked up cheap a while back, only to find she needed more work that we're willing to pay for. She's worth putting work into from a financial investment standpoint, and would make one swell ride once she's roadworthy, but we just ain't got it. SO if you know of a big, fast, mean ol' American ride for sale cheap (Something 1972 or older, 350 V8 or larger, $1500 or less) PLEASE let us know. We don't care about looks so much as we care about getting to work. And if you know someone looking for an investment in a swell ride send 'em to http://www.degeneratepress.com/imperial/

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