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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2/10/2003
BEGGING, BORROWING, AND, IF WE COULD, STEALING
If our past reports about Tease-O-Rama got you hot and bothered,
maybe you should scratch your head (the other one) and help them
think up a sponsorship idea for 2003. Unfortunately burlesque doesn't
pay enough for any of the ladies to quit their day job to do the
marketing in addition to the performing. Email us and we'll pass your
thoughts along to the appropriate folk, or hit their web site at
http://www.teaseorama.com
In other solicitations, Degenerate Press is still in search of a
place to have our mostly-annual Summertime Blast. We basically just
need a pasture with power, without neighbors that would complain
about fireworks, live music, hordes of lunatics eating barbecue and
drinking all night! I've had one generous offer from degenerate TJ,
but I fear his place is just a little too far for most Atlantans
(about a two hour drive.) Help us celebrate a decade of degeneration
by donating a few square acres for a weekend!
EAR PLUGS
Friday we headed over to degenerates DC and BC's place for a quiet
evening in, but on the way home spent half an hour waiting to cross
Peachtree while people gridlocked the whole fuckin' neighborhood.
Freaknic all over again, 'cept with even bigger SUV's.
Saturday we hit the Star Bar for the annual Dixie Rockabilly Rumble.
Due to the traffic, we missed Flathead Mike & the Mercury's, but
caught a new local semi-psycho rockabilly act Rocket 350. A little on
the dull side, but has potential. Caroline and the Ramblers followed,
probably their final public performance for a while since Caroline is
due for her first baby in the near future. But her voice is as clear
as ever, same with Chad Proctor's guitar work. His effortless
precision behind her incredible voice makes a great combo.
Johnny Knox and Hi Test did a set without a drummer (apparently he'd
been fired and they have yet to find a replacement.) Still plenty of
punch thanks to Johnny's furious fingers, but it does need that
backbeat to turn it up to 11.
Rumor has it Nashville Pussy has ceased to be and that Nine Pound
Hammer has been resurrected. Anyone got confirmation of this? As much
as I enjoy Nine Pound Hammer's weird Southern hardcore punk metal
thrash trash, their presentation has nothing on the fire and tits
that Nashville Pussy had. Nine Pound Hammer is a little more deep
fried, maybe a shade closer to punk than Nashville Pussy's straight
up metal, but Blaine's guitar skill extends far beyond the three
chord sound. A few of Nine Pound Hammer's fans from their old days
mixed in with newer fans in random bursts of moshing, chanting along
with the usually-indecipherable lyrics.
From the Nine Pound Hammer web site at
http://ninepoundhammer.homestead.com/ we got the official word:
The rumors are TRUE! The best cowpunk band of ALL TIME
is back in action and ready to kick YOUR ass!
The demolition continues... After an overwhelming response to
several recent sold-out reunion shows, the Kentucky-bred band Nine Pound
Hammer (on hiatus since 1996) is about to release a NEW album
of supercharged, gear-grinding, shotgun-wielding rock'n'roll.
Known for their steamroller brand of buzzsaw guitar country-punk
and energetic live shows, these hellacious, garage rock shit-stompers like
it loud and dirty.
No mention on Nashville Pussy's site as to their continuing to be or not to be.
(Speaking of things that are no more, Kurt put in his last night at
the Star Bar's soundboard after nine years at the helm.)
Photos from the above events, and dozens of others, are online:
http://www.degeneratepress.com/earplugs/gallery/
Yeah, it needs to be organized. It's on the To Do list...
Sunday we braved the traffic again for a cross-town trip to the Civic
Center. Despite my many years in and around Atlanta, I've never been
inside the venue. The décor is dated and the strange pointy things
dangling from the ceilings in the lobby made me think of the Sword of
Damocles. Tacky 70's brass everywhere you look. The auditorium has
minimal décor, and minuscule seats, but we weren't there for the
architecture.
Disney's stage version of The Lion King features some fantastic
costumes, transforming the actors into their animal characters with a
mix of makeup, masks and puppetry. Very cool stuff. The stage also
transforms frequently, from African savannah to cave to rocky crag to
jungle and more, yet usually with only a few simple pieces. The
acting and singing were good quality, but the content itself was a
little on the dull and predictable side. A few lighting and other
special effects make the action sequences exciting without being
heavy handed, but you know the story beginning to end the moment the
curtain opens, even if you haven't seen the film version.
One other slight problem is the scene with Elton John's "Can You Feel
The Love Tonight" song. You've been watching animals as main
characters through the whole performance and suddenly there are six
people dancing about to represent the love the animal characters are
feeling and it just doesn't click. But apparently I was the only one
bothered by this, and the kids in the audience managed to stay awake
through the entire three performance. Overall, a great production of
a somewhat dull and predictable script and score.
FILM FLAM
I caught The Recruit on Wednesday while waiting on SW to get out of
The Hours. The Recruit is a suspense-thriller with little of either.
Al Pacino does a good job with his role, as does the lead Colin
Ferrell, but the script is a little slow and the direction doesn't
help. As the twists and secrets are revealed they're revealed
awkwardly and by the end I just didn't care. Not worth seeing until
it's on cable, and even then you can probably find something better
to do with two hours of your life.
Take me to Degenerate Press' home page!
There's no place like home... no place like home...
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