May 21, 2005 First, I'd like to say thank you to Coolgrrrls Publisher Frank Davern for having me back. I used to write for coolgrrrls way back when I lived in the boonies of Ohio, but there wasn't much going on, so I had nothing to write about. Then, I moved to New York City and I had so much going on that I didn't have time to write. But now I'm back...as you knew I would be. You can't get rid of me so easy! I'm like sticky paper. So let's get reacquainted. My name is Eva Chavela. I'm originally from a wee-itty-bitty town in rural Ohio. I started dyeing my hair bright red in high school. I got kicked out of school cause people are dumb. Especially those in Middle America with nothing else to do with their time but pick on a feisty little Mexican like me. I am feisty. And I am Mexican. Therefore I can't help but defend myself when people are picking on me. So I exploded. After he told me to get out of the building, I called the principal a joke and stormed out of his office stopping only briefly to scare everyone in the cafeteria by letting out a giant death howl of "FUUUUUUUUUCKKKKKKKKKKK OFFFFFFFFFFFF!" I wasn't necessarily expressing this to one person in particular, but the school as a whole. So I left, and started following Oasis around on tour. But that's a whole other story altogether. After a couple weeks, they let me back into the school building, but I had to wear a wig cos my red hair was "inappropriate for young ladies." Yes, a wig. I wore a black wig over my red hair to school. THE MOST EMBARRASING THING ON THE PLANET to do when you're in high school is to be forced to wear a wig when you clearly already have hair. My wig had a fake scalp at least so some people actually thought it was my head. But whatever, man. I wasn't exactly caring what I looked like in those days. My favorite outfit to wear to school my senior year was a men’s pajama top held together with a giant diaper pin with a blue turtle on it. But I got my way eventually.  The ACLU heard about my plight and offered their services. It was on the radio, then the TV, then in the newspapers. By then they had to let me back into the school or face the horror of THE LAWSUIT. Ha ha. Take that, OHIO! So fast forward a few years, and you have me wandering the country in my car looking for friends and a place to live. Eventually I landed in New York City; but before that I went to Toronto. That didn't work out too well. Then I went to Graceland. I think I best summed up that trip in this old diary entry: "I was sitting on a beach in Florida two weeks before I came to New York. Did you know that? I just sat by the ocean for days trying to figure out what the hell I was doing. I didn't want to go back to Ohio. And I had just left a mess in Toronto. San Francisco was fun; maybe I should go back there. I was kind of lost. Then I went up to Graceland in Memphis for a few days to get some inspiration from The King. There he said to me "sugar darlin' you ain't cut out for the simple life. You've got to go out & find your own Graceland. And while you're at it, get me another peanut butter & nana sammich." thanks Elvis. I mean how could I not take advice from someone with shag carpeting on his walls?" I really did hear Elvis. He's a chatty one. Okay, maybe I didn't, but still. I was encouraged by Graceland to go to New York, which I did in June 2001, only to be almost squashed by terrorists blowing up the World Trade Centers. Thanks Elvis. But yes, I am now living and breathing in Manhattan. And my hair is still red. I like it red. It's my hair. I can have it any way I want. So there. I was playing in an all-girl rock band called "The Drive" up until recently. We did rather well, and toured a bit, and were featured on some shows on the telly. Then the thing that happens with most bands happened. We all got in a huge argument and everyone went in opposite directions. Oh well. It was fun. Now I've started a new band with two boys, Scott Irvine and DW Friend. We start recording next month and are in the process of rehearsing and getting things together. Wish me luck. I have a lot of work ahead of me. My next update will be more of an update-update rather than an autobiography. But I figured we should get to know each other first. Shake hands. Exchange pleasantries. Mingle. See you soon. Eva www.evachavela.com