January 12, 2008

Happy New Year! It’s a fresh start, a clean slate, to become more of who you are and make the world a rockin’ place. I wrapped up my 2007 with some great shows and moments of inspiration including:

Social Distortion, the seminal punk band held its annual weeks-long run at the House of Blues, and I was lucky enough to score some tickets on a night they had Scottish all-girl band Hedron as the opener. Bringing a “grrrls can rock” attitude to warm up the crowd, these brawny lasses flirted and growled with their own punk sound and proved they could probably take ya in a bar fight. “Who’s gonna buy me a whiskey?” singer Tippi asked the crowded right before she jumped off stage and made her way to the top of the bar, never losing the microphone or a beat. Of course they struck a cord with me when they did a cover of the Clash’s “Brand New Cadillac.” These grrrls have their roots and their spirit in the right place. Find out more about them on their official web site www.thehedrons.com. (And by the way Tippi is also a CoolGrrrl writing news from the road and her hometown of Scotland! You can read her CG column HERE)

While waiting for Social D. to take the stage and rockin’ to some gool ol’ Johnny Cash, I took time to people watch. Greaser boys and retro girls worked their hoodlum look. While most probably slammed to singer Mike Ness’s rebel tunes in their teens, and have now settled into careers and kids, their appearance on this night proved that the trademark style that blends rootsy rockabilly influences and hardcore punk always looks good. Like a classic ride, it just gets cooler as it gets older.

Ness himself has proven to have matured with grace, Social D.’s 2004 release “Sex, Love and Rock ‘n’ Roll” has become one of my favorite all-time albums with reflective lyrics that demonstrate an attitude of “live before you die” and appreciate all the lovin’ and rockin’ you do along the way.

When the band finally took the stage, Ness came out with a fistful of roses, handing them to the front row before going into three acoustic songs. They then crashed into the first electric rocker that came to a skid when the entire band was offbeat. Ness stopped the song and looked at his bandmates with a scowl, “Man, we must have had too much turkey!” commenting on the Thanksgiving weekend’s timing, which drew a laugh from the crowd. The band proceeded to step on the gas and go for the next two hours filled with steel-toe stompin’ rockers that prove without a doubt, punk will never die!

Last summer I made the pilgrimage to Berlin to see where my grandmother grew up wanting to be a singer and actress in the Weimar cabaret scene of the late ‘20s. She loved the clubs and the shows of Berlin’s pre-WWII era of decadence. So when I heard a bit of Berlin cabaret was making its way to LA’s Royce Hall in the form of pop crooner Max Raabe, I had to go.

Slim as a crescent moon with slicked-back blond hair, chiseled features, and ever-dressed in a tux, Raabe has a striking presence and a voice eerily reminiscent of the period’s top crooners. He and his Palast Orchester have been drawing fans young and old by resurrecting the classic orchestra sounds of the ‘20s and ‘30s as well as cabaret spirited parodies of pop hits such as Britney Spears “Oops!...I Did It Again” and Salt ‘n Pepa’s “Let’s Talk About Sex.”

While he can make his audience swoon and dip with romance, Raabe also has some slick dry wit, knowing how to deliver a punch line with the cock of one eyebrow. He made his audience giggle with delight, even with his choppy English spoken with a thick German accent. He kept his Royce Hall performance focused strictly on between-the-wars classics from Irving Berlin to a selection from “The Threepenny Opera” and the crowd couldn’t have been more delighted. I could almost imagine my grandparents sitting with me enjoying the show.

I stopped by the West Hollywood Book Festival to check on my fellow writerly types. I sat in on panel discussions and poked around at some indie press booths. Every time I go to these festivals, I always discover something that catches my attention. This time, it was the Baby Tattoo booth that called to me with their unusual collection of colorfully illustrated books. If Marilyn Manson had kids, he’d probably pick up his bedtime stories here. I bought a copy of Gris Grimly’s “Little Jordon Ray’s Muddy Spud” for my nephew and for me, it had to be a collection of drawings by artist Ragnar, whose retro, space age bombshell drawings are so cool I want to wallpaper my house with them! This guy has to be my new favorite artist, check out his work here: www.littlecartoons.com

Well it seems wherever I go, I end up at a bar, even when I go to the theatre. That was the experience when I was drawn into the world of Finn’s Pub outside Ireland for opening night of Ray Bradbury’s “Falling Upward.” Set entirely in the well-worn, dark wood bar complete with dartboard, dusty paintings and a pair of boxing gloves hanging on the wall, the bottles are emptied out to a cast of regulars including our lead narrator “Garrity” played by Pat Harrington (of “One Day at a Time” fame.) We are taken into the antics of barfly regulars who have a moment of revelation when some tourists pass through town and their bar.

The play was created by Bradbury from a series of one-acts he wrote on his experiences while spending a year in Ireland writing Moby Dick and hanging out at the real Finn’s pub with the gang of regulars it drew. Now there’s no doubt that Ray Bradbury is a literary icon, I’ve seen him speak many times on his writings and he’s always entertaining, so it was an honor to attend the opening night of his play at Theatre West where he was in attendance celebrating his 87th Birthday, and thanked the audience for making his day. Long live his mighty pen!

I continued my adventure into the theatre zone by attending “Hair the Musical” at the MET Theater. With original Broadway producer Michael Butler at the helm, the show’s Hollywood run celebrated the 40th anniversary of the original production. From the moment we walked in the theater, flower children clad in bellbottoms, head scarves, fringed vests, and peace sign patches greeted us as they lounged around the stage and romped through the seats prior the show’s start. With musical explosions of classic songs “The Age of Aquarius,” “Let the Sun Shine In,” “Good Morning Starshine” and others, the message of life-loving youth on the verge of facing a reality of society’s oppression and their resistance to a war overseas, it was stunning how relevant the message is today. Under the capable musical direction of Christian Nesmith (son of ‘60s Monkees rocker Michael Nesmith) the show burst with life, love and music in the intimate 99-seat setting.

And finally, with the holiday shopping frenzy over, I wrote up a film that might just help you with your New Year’s Resolution to rethink the way you purchase gifts and just about anything else this year. “What Would Jesus Buy?” is a docu-comedy from producer Morgan Spurlock (of Super Size Me fame) that follows Reverend Billy and his Church of Stop Shopping as they go on a mission to exorcise the demons of over consumption and gluttonous consumerism in this country. Check out my review HERE on Yahoo! Green and look for more ideas to make this year a greener one in my regular blog contributions.

Make 2008 great,

(Social Distortion photo by Kastle)

September 15, 2007

Where did the summer go? As Labor Day weekend arrived -- bringing with it an unbearable heat wave -- I wondered how fast time flies. Although I can’t say it wasn’t a good summer as mine came with some fantastic life-changing moments, including a trip to Berlin where I got inspired by the cool street fashions, the booming art scene, found the history of my family, and was moved tears by the long, dark shadow of the Holocaust. Read more of my trip here.

I’ll start out by saying a big R.I.P to Hilly Kristal, founder of CBGB’s who passed away on August 28th after a long battle with lung cancer and an even harder battle trying to keep his club open last year. While he may have originally wanted CBGBs to feature country music when he first opened it in 1973, he’ll be remembered as a lover of ALL music, especially the underground scene that spawned the punk movement and bands such as the Ramones, Television, the Patti Smith Group and Blondie. I wouldn’t be who I am today if it wasn’t for that music! And I can say I was lucky enough to have had one great night at CBGBs seeing some good ol’ local New York rawk a few years back, so thank you Hilly, you leave behind a hell of a legacy!

Earth Day may have been back in April but to me, every day should be Earth Day. I spent my official celebration down at Santa Monica Promenade who had a big showing of Green-friendly vendors from organizations such as NRDC to green housing developers and green clothing designers including one I found called Recyclicious who make headbands and jewelry from groovy material scraps and found objects. You can buy ‘em here.

I also picked up a Green guide from Greenopia, the listing of all things green in LA from dry cleaners to restaurants to clothing. They make it easy to go green. Check out their listings online or buy their guidebook here: greenopia.com

I month later I rocked through the day for Live Earth and caught performances by Wolfmother, Foo Fighters, Chris Cornell, Madonna and the impressive gesture of making giant Wembley Stadium go dark for one minute to make a point on what one action can do to save a lot of energy. Despite those who balked at the wastefulness that a massive concert like this kind can produce – give me a break! – rock concerts will never go away (I hope) so if anything, Live Earth shows how it can be done using the fewest carbons. If you missed it live, watch it on demand at the Live Earth site: liveearth.org

It’s been said “once a punk, always a punk” so when clubland’s young rockers grow up and start doing creative work that makes them some dollars, it’s a pretty cool thing. A big kudos goes to Share Ross who turned a hobby of knitting into a book deal and celebrated the release of “Punk Knits” at The Stitch Café, in a quiet shopping mall strip in the Valley. For a few hours, Share, her band Bubble, and a slew of models from the book wearing her finest needlework, strutted down the runway entertaining guests and press in the store’s back parking lot. The neighborhood may never be the same! I’m honored to have a photo in the book (see photo shoot report in a previous LA@Nite installment below) and I spent my pre-show prep time getting glammed-up with a leopard print manicure courtesy of Nail Art by Luca (myspace.com/cookienails) who teamed with ultra cool hair stylist Cazzie of Gorgeous Hair Salon (gorgeoushollywood.com) to give rock ‘n’ roll makeovers in the makeshift salon cabin adjacent to the store. The book has been receiving rave reviews in such publications as Spin Magazine and on Amazon where it out-cred’s its competitors for using “real rocker” models. So it is my honor to be in such company!

Get “Punk Knits” for yourself at Amazon.com.

I attended another celebration of the printed word at the 12^th annual LA Times Festival of Books, which broke records for attendance with over 130,000 people showing up on UCLA’s park-like campus to browse books on all topics and see appearances by such luminaries in the book world as Ray Bradbury, Gore Vidal and Arianna Huffington. Every year I go to this festival and I always find a book I want and attend panels that inspire or entertain. This year’s outstanding event was an appearance by T.C. Boyle who proved to be funny, smart, and little bit off his rocker in presenting an excerpt from his upcoming book that explores what it might have been like to hang with the Beat Generation. But it was opener Jerry Stahl that really knocked me out. His book “Permanent Midnight” is one of my all-time favorites. This is one TV writer who's been through the hell of junkie-dom and back, and proved to be as funny on stage as on the page as he summed up writing as the only job that allows you to do your best work “naked, high and up at 3 a.m.!”

I learned about some true girl power when the MOCA downtown brought the Feminist Revolution back for a revisit with the Wack! Exhibit, examining the foundations and legacy of feminist art produced from 1965–1980. Visitors knew exactly what they were in for when greeted at the entrance by a giant 20-foot replica of a vagina made of red fabric hanging from the ceiling. The extensive exhibit featuring a broad range of media including painting, sculpture, room installations, photography, film, and video, brought the viewer into the volatile world of women fighting oppression in the social, political, business and art worlds that should be credited for opening the doors in the society we now enjoy freely (but not yet completely as there is still a ways to go!)

Taking a good two hours to go through, I came away remembering some standout exhibits such as a curious series of photos reflecting how we view our bodies in showing the daily change of a woman gaining 10 pounds; a display of ‘70s era porno mags – questioning is it sexy or female objectification?; and a film of Yoko Ono’s famous exhibit of vulnerability - sitting still and allowing people to come take a pair of sissors and make a cut in her clothes – including the one guy who thought it was funny to overstay his welcome and cut off her bra straps (there’s always one guy like that, ugh!) If anything, this exhibit proved the sisters are doin’ for themselves!

One grrrl making her own way in the world of fashion is H.P. Lovecraft, whose rockin’ shoes I stumbled upon while getting my magazine fix. Taking a plain set of Vans or Converse Chuck Tailors, she transforms them into artistic masterpieces featuring pop art and band album covers. I simply must get a pair of those Clash shoes! I hit her up for a little Q&A to find out how she got started and how to order a custom pair. Check it out here: kastleview/hpLovecraft

And I have to say a bit congrats to my pal Yana Chupenko who recently launched her new glittering makeup line Shiny Mama in Los Angeles with a kickoff party at the Peeler store on Western and Santa Monica. With years of experience with Tony & Tina, Yana knows what the girls want – and it’s all that glitters! Loads of shiny glitter to wear on eyes, lips and body. Check it out at shinymamabeauty.com and be the bright star you are!

Shine on,

March 31, 2007

All you need is love…it’s so true. So I jetted out to Las Vegas for a weekend to see the show called “Love,” a sweeping, magical interpretation of the Beatles music as done by the twirling, dancing masters of Cirque Du Soleil. With a spectacular feast for the eyes and the timeless hooks of all those Beatles classics, this show is pop treat not to be missed. Aerial dancers, wacky characters, colorful costumes and whimsical stage props – my favorite: the enormous silhouette shadows of the all four Beatles strumming along, their mannerisms so distinct you could pick each one out without seeing their faces. Dancers pranced and twirled on stage and overhead in a story loosely based on the lives of the band from post-WWII Liverpool to Beatlemania and a moving segment portraying young John Lennon witnessing his mother’s death when she was struck by a car.

Feeling totally filled up and rejuvenated by the power of rock ‘n’ roll, we headed out after the show for a nightcap at the Onda Restaurant where I indulged in a divinely scrumptious White Chocolate Espresso Martini and we had a perfect window view of the international troupe of Cirque dancers as they came out from the dressing room. Later we took in the psychedelic go-go dancers shakin’ their moves in the wall of giant letters of the R-E-V-O-L-U-T-I-O-N Bar. I am the Eggman, I am the Walrus…

Check out more on the show on the official site: www.cirquedusoleil.com

Are you alive in Los Angeles? I found out how to be when I went on the Museum of Neon Art’s Beat Poets tour. Although the lights went out on this downtown museum that lost its lease in January, the staff continues to bring some of LA’s neon gems to the masses through their once-a-month tours. I hopped aboard for the winter tour, which combines spoken word with architecture and cocktails, beginning inside the stunning Los Angeles Theatre. After ogling the golden palace that is usually closed to the public, the tour kicked off with a slam of words from Mike the Poet, his partner Phill Harmonic and percussionist Bongo Matt. Choice words about LA rolled and punched with a perspective that is often lost in the grind of day to day living:

“I’m alive in Los Angeles!

Where the angles change like isosceles

Citywide topographies

Undulate across mass landscape

Moving from chain-link to palatial gates

Into separate economic states

With rising birth rates below hilltops into the streetscapes…”

We boarded the bus that took us to Chinatown, Silver Lake, Echo Park, Hollywood, Koreatown with stops at classic watering holes the Broadway Bar, the Frolic Room and Frank N Hanks. Throughout our journey Mike the Poet let off rhymes through the bus’s PA system and shared his infectious passion for this city aglow with contrasts. He intermixed his poems with a soundtrack of songs about Los Angeles including X, the Doors and Elliott Smith and others. Most impressive was the sidewalk slam outside Frank N Hank’s that had people dropping their drinks and gathering outside the bar and cheering along. We are alive in Los Angeles! For some great words that will open your eyes to all that is to behold of our fair city, pick up Mike the Poet’s recently published book and check him out on mySpace: www.myspace.com/mikethepoet

Another artist who appreciates good landscapes is Vija Celmins whose collection of drawings is on display at the Hammer Museum. Working with photography taken of what she calls “spaces unbound” such as star-stippled nighttime skies, infinite ripples of ocean, unending desert floors, she subtly alters the perception through shifts in scale and reversal of depth. With a photo for inspiration, she takes a canvas and blackens it with graphite, then erases away white space to recreate the image in her photographs. A shooting star, a spider web, the delicate wonder of nature take on new meaning in this reversal of imagery in Celmins’ stunning exhibit. Check it out for yourself through April 22.

Forget American Idol, for a dose of talent right here in LA’s backyards, head down to LaBoheme’s Upright Cabaret nights, where a mixed crowd of West Hollywood hipsters gather to hear working and aspiring theatre singers give it what they got one song at a time. The best part is the surprise of never knowing what you’re going to get, surprise performances by Broadway stage stars is common and with the constant revolving door of talent on stage, if one doesn’t suit your fancy, wait five minutes, the next one probably will. And best of all you can have dinner or drinks in the lush gothic setting of this opulent space. I laughed, I cried, it was better than Cats! For more go to www.uprightcabaret.com

I made a pit stop at a tiny little gallery in the Valley called the Drkrm. to check out a photo exhibit of Bowie and Jagger by Donald Cammell and Nicolas Roeg. Candid black ‘n’ whites on the set of “The Man Who Fell to Earth” and “Performance” made you want to run and add those films to your Netflix queue. It’s also clear what triple threats Bowie and Jagger really are – they can sing, they can act, and they are stunningly unique looking! I haven’t seen anybody else come along that has the legend power of these two. If you missed the show, you can still check out, and even purchase some of the pix here: www.drkrm.com and watch for more cool exhibits on their web site: www.drkrm.com/gallery.

Every picture tells a story,

January 15, 2007

Happy New Year! All I’m saying is where did 2006 go? Well, I know where mine went, into lots of working, hitting some LA hot spots, taking an amazing trip to Italy, and getting caught up in holiday fever!

My December holiday madness was capped by the John Water’s Christmas Show at UCLA’s Royce Hall. The “King of Filth” was in peak form with his one-man monologue -- now in its third year -- that gave Waters fans insight to the man behind the camera. And what a mind is tickin’ in there! Always the “Crackpot” the director/artist who brought us Pink Flamingos, Cry-Baby and Hairspray and the divine Divine to the big screen, gave us a one-hour rant about what he wants, and doesn’t want, for the holidays. A few items on his what-I-hate list – fruit baskets (“Who wants a bunch of pears for Christmas?”) and crowds. On his holiday wish list – rare books and a sticker bush wreath (“Wouldn’t that be fun?!”) Now you know – only a few hundred shopping days until next Christmas!

Opening for Waters was none other the original punk with a beat-up heart on his sleeve, geek-gone-wild Jonathan Richman. Armed with a guitar and Tommy Larkins on drums, Richman gave the kind of sparse performance only he could pull off, tackling some of his best loved tunes such as “Pablo Picasso.” And though he frequently couldn’t contain his feet during songs and broke out into dance, don’t let his goofy footwork fool you, Richman is no slacker in the intelligence department. He proved his worldliness by busting out his heartfelt laments in English, French and Italian. He’s one Modern Lover indeed!

I had the pleasure of doing a fun interview with Jonathan Richman a few years ago, you can check it out HERE.

Recently two books have hit the shelves documenting a time period I know well. I just happened to move to Los Angeles in the mid-80s just as the glam metal scene was exploding. Two rock journalists brought back a few memories of my nights stomping around clubs from Cathouse to the Sunset Strip. So when the authors did the required book tour appearances, I had to check it out – even if the vibe was much more civilized than any Guns N’ Roses gig.

First stop, in the very tame interior of Barnes and Noble in Encino, former Rip Magazine editor Lonn Friend held court to promote “Life on Planet Rock” his best-of collection of memories from his days flying around on private jets and flashing backstage passes as the editor of one of the country’s biggest hard rock glossy magazines and later as a trial-by-fire A&R rep, crossing to the dark side of working for the record biz.

Now Friend has settled into his new title of author, answering questions about those good ol’ days of rock’s reign on the charts. Although the crowd that turned up on this particular night was more like a high school reunion than a rock gig, consisting mainly of Friend’s old classmates from Grant Valley High school, we did get a few rock tales as Friend told an emotional story about channeling Dime Bag after his on-stage slaying, and had a slight rant when posed the question “who of the people you interviewed and hung out with back then is still your friend?” To which he responded by saying everyone “kissed his ass” when he was the publisher of a rock magazine, now Aerosmith isn’t returning his calls and Tommy Lee hasn’t showed up to a reading after promising he’d be the first in line. Sorry Lonn, it’s one of show biz’s hardest lessons - the term “friend” is relative.

While Friend hoped to have some rock stars show up at his reading, I sat next to Vixen guitarist Jan Kuehnemund who turned up for Steven Blush’s Book Soup reading of his latest, “American Hair Metal.”

With deadpan documentation of the hair metal daze, Blush hits on some of the key points of the movement, from the opening page featuring a lone photo of Aqua Net hairspray to the worthy observations such as the rise of the Alpha Male, the flashy fashion sense, the objectification of women, and the egocentric self delusion as told “Decline of the Western Civilization the Metal Years”-style, through in-the-moment quotes pulled from magazines such as Circus and Hit Parader. Don’t look for any recent interviews or where-are-they-now updates however, Blush amusingly states they were attempted but didn’t glean much info because the rockers either didn’t have much to say, had put those times behind them, or were too embarrassed to admit to the antics of their hair metal years.

Flipping through the book it’s funny to see the period analyzed in the present tense, because it all really did seem to be a good idea at the time! Although I had to disagree when Blush talked about how it was damaging to be a punk who got into hair metal. I did it, and found many similarities in the energy of punk and glam metal - the anti-establishment attitude, the extreme look, and having a scene all its own with like-minded souls driven by the power of music. After all, it’s only rock ‘n’ roll and we love it!

Another rocker who made a profession out of documenting the stars is Neal Preston whose photo exhibit brought the crowds into the recently opened Morrison Hotel Gallery on Sunset. Live concert photos of such rock heavies as Springsteen and the Stones stand out, as Preston’s cred through the rock world has included touring with Led Zeppelin, Queen, and Billy Joel as well as being the official photographer for Live Aid and Amnesty International’s world tour, and special unit photography for feature films Almost Famous and Vanilla Sky. His showing was the perfect launch of this now bi-coastal fine art gallery, specializing in rock photography. It’s worth a stop by any fan to check it out!

I got my girly fix on by heading downtown to check out the perfume exhibit at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM) for the Fashion Makes Scents exhibit, which celebrated the opening of The Annette Green Perfume Museum. With a show of over 1,600 perfume bottles from collector Annette Green’s personal collection, the exhibit was a stunning display of sexy packaging and marketing concepts mixed in with designer gowns and style trends proving how scent, fashion and the culture of the times are interwoven.

There was also fun to be had in the gift shop which featured special fragrance-related novelties including a signature scent commissioned just for the exhibit from scent expert Neil Harris who created “Musée Femme,” a light floral with top notes of mandarin and ivy leaves and a hint of champaca flowers, heart notes of orchids, roses and violets and base notes of damascus plum, wood and blackberry musk. The limited 150 bottles are only available at the Museum for $50 a pop.

I stopped in for Tongue & Groove, a monthly reading event at the Hotel Café featuring local LA minds who wield a good pen. One recent event featured a Jewish twist with short stories and book excerpts that humorously dealt with stereotypes, classic Jewish guilt, and resisting the embrace of family roots and holiday traditions. Showcasing their works were David Ulin, author of “The Myth of Solid Ground,” Bruce Bauman, author of “And the Word Was,” Loren Kantor, Leda Rogers, Jeremy Deutchman and an acoustic musical performance by Rykarda Parasol. Hosted by Conrad Romo, who introduces his guests with a brief bio and posing the questions: What was the first album you bought and what was the first concert you attended? Telling details indeed.

Speak your mind,

October 26, 2006

There’s a chill in the air around Los Angeles as summer leaves us and falls settles in. There has been plenty going on around town despite the fact that I’ve become addicted to my new online movie subscription and just want to stay home and gobble up documentaries and independent films!

I did manage to make it out for a few good shows starting with embracing my inner Francophile by dropping in the new bistro French 75 in the heart of Burbank’s studio district. This restaurant/lounge is like stepping into a Parisian dream, dripping in decadently rich red décor, decidedly Parisian art accents and the sensuous aroma of indulgent French food and the clink of fancy cocktails. The only thing missing is an enforced dress code of men in fedora hats and women draped in plumage and smoking cigarettes from slinky stems in gloved hands. One woman who always dresses the part is Morganne, Hollywood’s own Canadian bred, world-traveled, cabaret jazz doll. With her jazzy backup band, she was the perfect fit for this swanky joint. Decked out in long gown, gloves and headdress, she cooed everything from French classics to jazzy originals. Most impressive was her catchy bebop French rap. And what is a night amongst the Hollywood studios without a star sighting? Special guest (and appropriately named) Paris from American Idol stopped in for a drink and seized the opportunity for a duet. I felt right at home in this lux place so I had to come back a few nights later for dinner and found the food absolutely divine as I treated my taste-buds to chicken and mushroom crepes and of course, fine wine. This place is worth treating yourself to a little ooh la la!

While Hollywood and Vine may be a famous tourist attraction, it’s always been low on the rock ‘n’ roll radar in terms of live music venues. Now amidst the construction of endless development, the Hollywood and Vine Restaurant opened an adjacent bar and stage called The Vine Street Lounge. I decided to check out some old pals: Clem from Blondie and Coz from the Romantics who rounded up a new side project called The Hard Agains for a Wednesday night residency. The intimate setting is great for meeting pals for a drink with its white leather couches, a touch of leopard print and plasma screens so you don’t have move from your choice spot once the band takes the stage. Busting out a night of classic bluesy covers from the Kinks to the Yardbirds, The Hard Agains, also features Eddie Munoz of the Plimsouls, Bruce Witkin and Rhett Frazier in a true working man’s band - or rather a band of working musicians! What better to do on a worknight. The band is on hiatus in October while touring with their “day bands.” Look for them to return in November.

Back in the ‘80s Los Angeles was truly happening, the hair metal movement was in full force. Every night on the Sunset Strip, the sidewalks were lined with multi-colored flyers and poufy-haired rockers out shopping their bands and picking up chicks. But in the midst of Guns ‘N Roses, Faster Pussycat, LA Guns’ hi-sleaze, cocked and loaded mania, there was one band that remained true to their punk roots and provided a lot of amusement poking fun at the “big guns,” while scoring gigs opening for them. That was Motorcycle Boy. Led by ever-charismatic singer/bass player Francois, and a rotating line-up of guitar players, you never knew what to expect from this band, or if Francois would even make it through an entire set without passing out drunk onstage. They managed to record a stellar album “Popsicle” in ’89 featuring catchy glam punk tracks produced by New York Dolls’ Sylvain Sylvain and drew a crowd with every show. If only I had a nickel for every girl who said she had a crush on Francois! He was the only guy in town who defied the flashy musicians of the time who played their fancy guitars by night and posed on their Harleys by day. Francois could be seen driving around a beat-up dirt bike and slinging around an even more beat up bass. Move over Iggy Pop, Francois was the real deal and Motorcycle Boy were set to become a cult classic.

But alas the years rolled on, like many bands of the era, Motorcycle Boy disbanded while the members went their separate ways and battled with various addictions. So when I heard they were reuniting for a show at Spaceland. I had to be there. With Francois at the lead, still lean and sporting a nest of jet black hair, he was backed by guitar players Eden and Mo and drummer Kenny Toy. I guess it’s true that rock keeps you young – these guys have hardly changed since 1989, aside from the good fortune of having Francois slightly more sober. They banged out favorites included “Swamp Stop”, “Get Around” and an encore of their classic anti-hair band anthem “I Hate the Sunset Strip.” With any luck there will be more gigs in the future. In the meantime you can catch up with the boys with an interview on “Rock n Roll TV” by clicking HERE

For those stuck at a desk job all day, there is still one way to get your underground rock fix. Pull up your web browser and dial into Little Steven’s Underground Garage and listen to actor/musician and all ‘round super cool dude, Little Steven Van Zandt rant about the week’s current events, pick his “Freak of the Week” (loved the freakster bio of Richard Hell!), celebrate milestones in artistic expression such as the day Alan Ginsberg unleashed the poem “Howl”, revisit classic interviews with underground icons such as Iggy Pop and do unprecedented moves such as give an untraditional New York rock serenade on the week of 9/11. This show will inspire you, rev you up and get you rockin’ for sure. I can’t even list the all the names of band discoveries I need to add to my collection from this show - The Shys, the Charms and the latest from classic faves such as Cheap Trick, Primal Scream and Jerry Lee Lewis. You won’t feel so bad workin’ for “the man” when you got Little Steven in your ear. Don’t miss out, listen HERE

I stopped by the Ace Gallery on Wilshire to check out an art exhibit my Mr. Easyrider himself, Dennis Hopper. While I expected this show to be just a sprinkling of what one of my favorite actors does in his spare time, I was surprised to find it to be an extensive body of work. Bursting with influences of abstract expressionism and pop art and documentary style photography the show was a mix of oil painting, experimental short films and priceless candid photos from the early 1960’s of pals Jasper Johns, Andy Warhol, David Hockney, Roy Lichtenstein and others proving that Mr. Hopper is indeed one well rounded artist. If you missed the exhibit you can still check out some of his work HERE

With the elections approaching, a recent LA Times survey showed that the #1 concern of Angelenos these days is Global Warming. I’m not surprised. With this summer’s heat wave roasting us (reaching 117 degrees in my little corner of tinsel town!) I never thought I’d see the day where I’d get used to weather man saying “Oh, it’s going to be in the 100s again” like it’s the new norm. It was a summer like no other. That’s only the start of the visible impact we are now seeing close to home. And in the midst of it, I escaped the heat to a cool movie theater to watch “Who Killed the Electric Car?” and boy did I get steamed! This extremely well done documentary tracks the last breaths of one of the greatest inventions that the big boys crushed (literally) to keep the oil companies vice grip on all of us.

I was thrilled to be a part of the feisty audience who vented their emotions at the screen – booing and hissing at the politicians who continue to flaunt their ignorance and arrogance of this obvious and urgent situation. Do whatever can to see this movie and check out some of the facts on their web site HERE

Another thing that gets me angry in our fair city is the constant redevelopment at the expense of gorgeous historic buildings and beautiful architecture. How many freakin’ luxury generic condos do we need? Nothing is sacred anymore. So I was stunned and excited to learn that one group of enthusiastic hep cat preservationists didn’t just stand around when landmark nightclub the Derby was tagged to be bulldozed to make way for redevelopment. They took action. I remember signing their petition last year thinking it was pretty brave to go up against City Hall. But they did it and on May 19th, the Derby was declared a Historic Cultural Landmark so that it can never be torn down. Hooray!

I attended a celebration party at the club, which hosted an array of supporters of the Derby from neighborhood club goers to famous faces of the Derby’s previous incarnations. Presenters included author Mark Willems reading form his limited-edition collectors book “The Brown Derby: A Hollywood Legend” sharing stories and photos of some of the Derby’s famous attendees, caricaturist Jack Lane, the who sketched the memorable famous faces that long hung on the Brown Derby’s wall, a surprise appearance by actor/announcer Gary Owens of “Rowan & Martin’s Laugh In” who reminisced with Lane about the good ol’ days at the Derby. Activist Rebecca Goodman of the Save the Derby Coalition who credited modern technology in their win of landmark status by using emails and the web for the ability to take fast action to round up support for their cause. Now the Derby can dance into future in style, because “it don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that swing!”

And while we’re on the subject buildings that should be declared a historic landmark, a big R.I.P. to CBGBs, which was forced to close its doors for good this month. Hey, Ho, I hate to see it go, I’m glad I got in a couple of good visits there.

Don’t forget, you can make your city cool.

VOTE this election!

Kastle

(photos of Morganne, The Hard Agains and Motorcycle Boy by Kastle, Andy Warhol by Dennis Hopper courtesy of the Ace Gallery)

July 9, 2006

Summer is here! Time for hot weather and taking vacations! While the absurdly high cost of gas has been on everyone’s mind lately, I found a great destination not too far outside of LA down at the Queen Mary. We booked a night in the Winston Churchill suite and upon arrival, dropped our bags to take a private tour and learned the history about this magnificent ship’s many lives. From luxury liner filled with royalty, to the “Grey Ghost” of WWII doing battle and transporting troops, Mary has served them all as a first class act. Now a hotel and entertainment complex on the water, the best part of this ship is its amazing art deco décor. We wandered through the shops filled with knick-knacks, mini museums filled with the ship’s mementos, and kept a look out for ghosts. (Rumor has it they’re most prevalent in the pool area and the engine room.) In the evening, we took in a fun show with Tibbies dinner cabaret and enjoyed the beautiful views from the deck. With so much going on, you need never leave the ship. Find out more on their web site. www.queenmary.com. All aboard!

Now from one queen to another, I went to check out the latest production of Hedwig the Angry Inch, this time featuring Donovan Leitch (Nancy Boy, Camp Freddy) playing rock’s favorite German trannie with the botched sex op. While Leitch seemed to be a suitable choice to take over the role, I have to say the performance didn’t have the dynamic energy of previous LA role lead Michael Cerveris (whose performance will be hard for anyone to beat!)

With the story told through lengthy monologues, Leitch’s performance dragged, he just didn’t have the comic timing to pull off the humor of writer John Cameron Mitchell’s vision. Plus, he needed to be an exceptionally dominant force to command the audience that gathered the Roxy (a concert venue rather than theatre) where people didn’t seem to get the notion that loud, drunken talking, taking cell phone calls, and text messaging during the performance is FREAKING ANNOYING to people around them who are trying to watch the show! However, Leitch rocked out during the music numbers, prancing it up in full glam glory, a role he is clearly comfortable in. But no matter who plays Hedwig, the story is a rock ‘n’ roll classic. For more on the making of Hedwig, read the interview I did awhile back with co-creater/songwriter Stephen Trask: coolgrrrls.com/hedwig

I went to a musical of a different tone as Burbank’s Falcon Theatre presented “Exiles in Paradise,” a virtual one-woman show created and performed by Contance Haumans that both examines and pays tribute to Europe’s exiled composers who were able to flee the horror of Hitler’s Holocaust and thrive in Hollywood. The show celebrates music and art set against the backdrop of the Third Reich’s invasion using 16 mm film, historical footage, and studio clips. But the stars of the show were the composers themselves, memorable works by Fredrich Hollander, Arnold Schoenberg, Emmerich Kalman, Erich Wolfgang Korngold, Eric Zeisl, Walter Jurmann, Ralph Bentsky, Hans Eilster and Kurt Weill, all performed by Ms. Hauman and a small classical orchestra. After the performance it was a treat to see the show’s presenter, mega-producer/director Gary Marshall (known for such hits as Happy Days, The Dick Van Dyke Show, Pretty Woman) greeting the audience in the theatre’s lobby.

One solo performer who can hold his own in a one man show is Richard Butler. The pop crooner best known as the singer for the Psychedelic Furs and later Love Spit Love, came to the Key Club to dust off his classic raspy croon. Promoting his recently released solo album, "Good Days, Bad Days," a gutsy swing at a darker side, Butler tackles some serious issues in his life -- the breakup of his marriage and the death of his father. Shielded behind tinted glasses and a music stand, Butler remained seated throughout the show, as he graced the audience with new songs and few crowd-rousing hits from the past. While I missed his old stage energy, this enigmatic Brit always did have some of the most sultry moves of the post punk/new wave era, Butler’s voice remains ever-charming. Some of the best pipes in pop, hands down.

Is it hot in here, or is it just me? Turns out, it might be Global Warming. I went to see the film “An Inconvenient Truth” Al Gore’s presentation on how our big ol’ earth is getting hot, hot, hot! How frightening is it know that if we don’t make changes to slow global warming, the world as we know it will change in the next 10-50 years. Yes, IN OUR LIFETIME! We’ve already seen the devastating affects from weather changes. Two words: Hurricane Katrina. Don’t believe it? Find out more at undoit.org. And take action! Here are a few small steps that can make a BIG difference.

- Buy energy efficient light bulbs. You will save money on your electric bill. They’re cheap, 3 for $9.99 and easy to order (with free shipping) from: The Energy Federation. Go to: energyfederation.org

- Recycle. It’s so easy. Drop your cans and bottles in the colored recycling bins if your neighborhood provides them. Or just put them aside in a bag and take it to your local grocery store once a week. Many stores such as Ralph’s have recycling facilities that will give you a coupon to save off your groceries! For more options go to: earth911.org

- While 162 countries have ratified the Kyoto Protocol to address global warming, The United States has not. Now, individual Mayors across the country are stepping up with the Climate Protection Act. See if yours has at: seattle.wa.us/climate. If your Mayor hasn’t signed on. Petition him!

- Adopt an animal from the World Wildlife Fund. Polar Bears are in danger of starving to death from global warming of the North Pole and Alaskan areas. So now I’m the proud new mom of a Polar Bear cub named Ziggy Snowdust. Adopt one yourself. (Ziggy needs a backing band!) Go to: worldwildlife.org

- Join the Virtual March! Make the pledge to help stop global warming. Go to: stopglobalwarming.org

- Go see “An Inconvenient Truth” and bring all your friends. It’s not only informative, it’s entertaining. Gore is a delightful and moving presenter. Plus, by selling out this film, we send a message that we are taking this issue seriously. For more info, including a theater locator, go to: climatecrisis.net. Also pick up Gore’s book on the subject.

Now for me, books are like albums, I collect them and the writers become like rock stars (only with a slightly more moderate style of dress!) I’m just as happy cranking up Bowie as curling up with Hemingway, and I was happy to discover that I’m not alone. Books are still very much in vogue for the massive crowd that gathered at the LA Times Festival of Books on the UCLA Campus, to check out book vendors featuring everything from mysteries to travel to Los Angeles-centric books offered at discount prices for the weekend. But the best part of the festival is always the panel discussions with acclaimed authors. I dropped in on the very entertaining “Hip Chicks Packing Heat” discussion featuring authors Harley Jane Kozak, Susan Kandel and Patricia Smiley who have cornered the market on the hip female detective novels as they talked inspirations for their main characters that come from culture, cars, dating and Los Angeles city life. Now those are a bunch of cool grrrls!

A large auditorium filled with those who came to see the world’s most famous Hustler, Larry Flynt, promoting his book, “Sex, Lies, & Politics: The Naked Truth.” Although we had to wait 10 minutes for him to appear on stage because the wheelchair-bound icon was stuck in a broken handicap elevator (guess that’s not up to code), Flynt’s interview was filled with memorable words:

“I’ve been called a bottom feeder. Yeah, but look what I found when I got down there!”

“If parents are paranoid about what’s on the computer, then they should throw out the computer. Nobody made them buy it. But instead they send lobbyists to congress to limit all of us when really they’re just being lazy parents.”

“Every war has been fought over religion. When so many people die over God, something is wrong.”

“Most of Hustler’s breaking stories came from tips from reporters who couldn’t cover it for their own publications. Then Hustler breaks it and the reporter gets to cover it.

“If you think I’m obscene, then complain to the manufacturer, don’t complain to me.”

I stopped by the NoHo Arts Festival for their annual promotion of the area’s art, theater and small businesses (those who could afford the pricey vendor booth, that is). But the real talk of the day was luxury loft buildings being erected in this quaint neighborhood. A quick survey found that rents start around $1,400 for a single. Excuse me, but isn’t this an artist district? I don’t know any artists who can live on their own paying that kind of rent. I say if you’re going to develop Hollywood, Downtown and NoHo because of the character built by the artists who lived there (because of the affordable rent), then keep your fancy buildings and make living space that everyone can live in rather than having the cool people pushed out.

The flyer invite read “Wake the Dead” and that’s what we set out to do for a screening of the documentary “Betty Blowtorch and her True Life Adventures” at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery – the final resting place of other such notables as Dee Dee Ramone, Fay Wray and Rudolph Valentino. But who we really came to see is Hollywood’s own Bianca Halstead, singer for Betty Blowtorch who was laid to rest there in 2001. The rain had been threatening to come all day. With gray skies overhead and a damp cool breeze in the air, the crowd, clad in leather and studs sprawled out on picnic blankets and lawn chairs in a grassy knoll amongst the tombstones. Circus clowns, stilt walkers added an oddity factor in this cemetery party to celebrate a band whose biggest mission was just to rock out.

I remember seeing Betty Blowtorch play the club scene and it was always a ball, with their flame throwing go-go dancers and Bianca’s rage – at 90 lbs, all tattoos and leather, she had a fierce primal energy onstage that came from deep within. I remember the shock when I heard she was killed in a car accident while on tour and how our circle of club scenesters were almost paralyzed with grief over losing one of our own.

The documentary, screened on a mausoleum wall, filled in the blanks of what happened to the band leading up to Bianca’s death. With a “Behind the Music” vibe, viewers are led through the band’s personal struggle with no glossing over. The interviews are honest, sometimes brutal. We get the details on the band’s ugly breakup while on the road, the obstacles they faced, and the personal world of Bianca, the keys to her irrepressible rage and spirit.

At the end of the film the rain came down. “God is crying for Bianca,” said director Anthony Scarpa into the microphone as he introduced the former members of Betty Blowtorch who were all in the audience: Sharon Needles, Blare N. Bitch, and Judy Molish. It was the first time the three had been together since the band’s demise. And Bianca’s stepsister boldly told Sharon and Julie that she was sorry they didn’t invite them to the funeral (a big issue discussed in the film). Somehow it felt like closure and the perfect way to remember Bianca and one hell of an amazing band.

From one Betty to another. Much ado has been made about cult icon Bettie Page lately. With a major motion picture, an underground film and a photo exhibit hitting LA at the same time, it was clearly time to celebrate this iconic pin-up queen of the 50’s. I had the pleasure of meeting Ms. Page in person about five years ago when she did an online chat for the LA Times. Now in her elder years, she prefers to keep a low profile. During the interview, she only allowed a handful of people to see her as was escorted into the building through a private entrance. She only wants people to remember what she looked like back in her modeling days. I can tell you, she still looks like Bettie Page! Yes, she looks older, her body isn’t quite bikini-ready, but she still wears the same shoulder-length, wavy hair and bangs (only gray in color.) Her eyes sparkle blue as sapphires, and she speaks through her trademark ruby red lips. She told us in a slight southern drawl “I don’t know what all the fuss is about me now, I was just trying to do my best poses for the pictures.” It may have been just a job for Bettie, but a legend was born!

Thus the reason behind the, “The Notorious Bettie Page,” a delightful film that takes audiences through Page’s rise to fame. Filmed in black and white, we see how Bettie, just a nice girl from Nashville, wound up posing for sexually risqué photos. With director Mary Harron’s meticulous care in capturing the time period, and a knockout performance by Gretchen Mol perfectly portraying Bettie’s look and innocent charm, we get a glimpse into Bettie’s troubled past of sexual abuse and see how she fell into hardcore bondage modeling. We also get a clear view of photographers Irving and Paula Klaw, ultimate professionals who were just trying to cater to what their clients wanted to purchase, though it eventually led to a disturbing and scandalous censorship trial that criminalized Page and the Klaws for pushing pornography. In contrast, some of the film’s sassier moments come during the fun-in-the-sun photo shoots with photography Bunny Yeager utilizing Harron’s clever choice to film this section in heavily saturated Kodachrome-esque full color. “The Notorious Bettie Page” is destined to go down as a notorious film, with full credit going to Harron’s vision, superb casting and respect for Ms. Page’s story.

In the same week, I went to go check out the Clair Obscur Gallery exhibit of the Klaw’s photographs. Blown up almost life size, we see Bettie in bondage and girl on girl catfights. While Bettie was indeed a beauty, it’s her apple pie face and sweet expressions that make these pictures accessible and enjoyable even to those who aren’t into the rope and leathers scene.

Another film portraying Bettie’s life is the independent release “Bettie Page Dark Angel.” While the acting leaves a lot to be desired, the film tells Bettie’s story in a series of vignettes with effective recreations of her black & white short films with perfected shimmies and shakes by actress Paige Richards. I also enjoyed the rollicking soundtrack provided by Blondie’s Chris Stein (Blondie) and Danny B. Harvey (Rockats). More highlights include the casting of former Haunted Garage singer Dukey Flyswatter as Irving Klaw and narrations by Barbara Niles, which are a close match to Bettie’s actual voice and innocent take on her behind-the-bondage thoughts. The two-disc set is loaded with extra’s including photo galleries, interviews and for some extra fun, a segment on “How to Pose Nude” by Bunny Yeager.”

Ready for my close-up,

K.

(Queen Mary and Richard Butler photos by Kastle, Ziggy Snowdust picture WWF-Canon / Martin Harvey, Bettie Page photo from the book Bettie Page The Life of a Pin-Up Legend)

April 11, 2006

I didn’t plan on starting this report with sad news but this week I learned of the death of singer/songwriter Nikki Sudden, known for bands the Swell Maps, the Jacobites, and his many solo recordings.

The Jacobites were one of those bands that made me stop in my tracks when I first heard them at a friend’s house around 1987. It was one of the those moments of “who is THAT?!” I was instantly hooked on their jangly, English blues ala the Stones with a kick of Johnny Thunders and the unusual harmonies of Sudden’s nasal Dylan-esque twang and partner Dave Kusworth’s sweet balladry. I scoured record stores until I amassed a collection of their recordings.

When Nikki came to LA to play a solo gig in 1998, I tracked him down to interview him for the Los Angeles Times and we got to know each other over drinks at the Cat ‘N’ Fiddle, the first of many cocktails we would share in years to come.

It was then that I learned the Nikki in person wasn’t much different than the person on those recordings and album covers. Always dressed in his trademark velvet and brocade suits, a long scarf tied around his neck, he basically lived out of a suitcase, going from city to city, a traveling minstrel, a vagabond poet, a tattered rock ‘n’ roll prince, spiced with hope and melancholy and an acoustic guitar to bang it all out.

Nikki never stopped thinking, never stopped creating. A prolific songwriter, he cranked out a new album nearly every year. Some might call him a workaholic, but for Nikki it was just his life, and his thoughts could not be contained. He was always “on”, whether it was jotting down lines of words, strumming his guitar, or having intense conversations with the many people he met along the way. “If you want to retain creativity, you’ve got to continue to be open to new things, keep that childlike naiveté. If you lose that, what else are you going to do – work in a bank?” he told me during our interview.

Nikki was a charmer for sure, but as easily as he appeared gentle and elegant, he could just as easily fall into fits of artistic stubbornness, his words often laced with cynicism and an occasional sharp tongue. Being in America often fed his cantankerous side, though his irrepressible wit always came through, and he made me laugh when he regarded all the food here as “Fatburgers.”

Our first encounter was a mere few months after his brother and Swell Maps partner Epic Soundtracks passed away, and Nikki remained forever haunted by the loss. But still he went on making music. He returned with the reunited Jacobites a few years later for a short tour starting with a gig in Orange County. I let the band crash in my apartment and it was then that I experienced the brilliant clashings that was the relationship of Nikki and Dave - a twisting tornado of cigarettes, Jack Daniels and general chaos that blows through town and turns everything upside down. I caught up with them on their last tour date in Las Vegas and watched their show in amazement, discovering that despite all the squabbling, the two always managed to shine once they hit the stage with their contrasting harmonies and romantic visions.

Sudden came around to LA again a couple of times after that, by this time he’d collected a following of friends that allowed him to hold court even in the dinginess of a club like the Garage. Still dressed in his ornate suits and scarves, guitar by his side, drink in one hand and smoke in the other, it’s an image that will remain forever.

The official word on his death is still sketchy. Reportedly, he collapsed following a show at New York’s Knitting Factory, I’m sure Nikki went out the way he wanted, after sharing his songs with his legion of fans, and dressed to the nines. I’m sure he’s holding court in rock ‘n’ roll heaven right now. Rest in peace Nikki, we’ll miss you.

For more on Nikki Sudden, go to the official web site at www.nikkisudden.com

I’m going to switch gears here and get on to what else has been happening in LA. Read on…

While theatrical musicals are all the rage in London and New York, they rarely hit the big time in Los Angeles. One ambitious company, Luna C. Productions, decided to take a shot at cracking tinsel town by staging, Quad a musical tribute to the Who’s Quadrophenia the movie. Since I have a good deal of mod floating my blood, I had to go check it out. Set in mid ‘60s London, this all-song interpretation follows the film’s story of teenage Jimmy (played by Steven Shareaux) in the throes of wrestling with his hip crowd of sharp-dressed mods, duking it our with the rough ‘n’ tough rockers, dealing with his parents and pining for the girl he loves. With incredibly well-done stage production (featuring giant scooter rearview mirrors, riveting screen and lighting affects, and a mock version of the Who in the background), the production does a good job of capturing the spirit and look of the period. However, with the story told through song alone and no dialogue, the plotline is muddled and difficult to follow. A little scripting could make the story really shine. But I have to say, the true star of the show is Shareaux, who trades off vocals with the other characters throughout the performance but in the end, proves he can belt out the numbers with a stunning voice and stage presence that brought the crowd to its feet during the finale “Love, Reign O’er Me.” For any fan of the Who or the mod scene, this production is a must see. To find out about upcoming performances, check out the web site: www.quadtribute.com

I dropped by the MOCA Gallery in Pacific Design Center and was lucky enough to catch a short-film exhibit by South African artist William Kentridge whose quirky black & white films mix his drawings and himself into charming, fast-paced reels that may leave you scratching your head at their mind-boggling antics. On this particular Sunday, Kentridge was giving a lecture on his work in the Design Center’s screening room where he spoke of his inspirations both artistically and politically and how the two are often blurred. You can find out more about William Kentridge in his books and don’t miss him next time he is in town.

While Los Angeles is working towards having some sort of workable mass transit system that is actually convenient for everyone to use (here’s a suggestion, more stations so you don’t have to take the bus to get to your final destination!) I decided to check out a few of the available rides by hopping aboard the Metro Art Tour. With a free all day pass, a docent takes you station to station where you’ll learn the history behind the art design of each locale – such as the N. Hollywood station which features murals of area icons including Amelia Earhart and western clothing designer Nudie; the Hollywood and Vine station with its nod to filmmaking and the “Wizard of Oz”; and the Hollywood and Highland station with its voluptuous metal curves that are sexy yet modern. The tour is free and a fun way to spend your weekend morning. You may even discover a rail that will get you where you need to go. Check it out at: mta.net/about_us/metroart

Too tired or too broke to go out rockin’ the town? Then stay in and get your fix with Rock ‘n’ Roll TV, an online TV show brought to you by rockin’ couple Share Ross (of the bands Bubble and Vixen fame) and husband Bam (of Bubble and Dog D’Amour fame). You’ll catch some cool bands and see clips of recent gigs around town, catch interviews and candid moments backstage, get the low down on cool underground happenings such as what’s for sale at the bazaar bizarre, meet a chick who specializes in sex toys, and see Share get a new tattoo at the Vintage Tattoo Art Parlour! So curl up on the couch and stay in with: www.rocknrolltv.net

And while you’ve got a date with your computer, head on over to www.youtube.com where you can type in almost any band name and find someone has posted live footage of them. I’ve been having great fun digging up old Ramones footage, seeing promo clips of London’s death rock club The Batcave, and watching the notorious Sex Pistols interview on the Bill Grundy show! And if you never got a chance to see Nikki Sudden live, you’ll find him there as well. (youtube.com/watch?v=Qnaz56JdJG4). This site is downright addictive. See some great concerts – without ever leaving your house!

Sieze the day and rock it any way you can,
K.

January 19, 2006

Happy New Year! With all the holiday cheer the past couple of months, I took a little break from my column. But I’m BACK with lots to report from my adventures! First off, I managed to get in a little weekend getaway by cruising up to Solvang.

This quaint village, nestled in the Central California Valley, is home to charming Dutch-style architecture and surrounded by some of the West Coast’s finest wine country. The area also served as the setting of the vino-loving characters in the movie “Sideways.” You can read all about my indulgence into the land of Dutch bakeries, knick-knack mania, and winery hopping HERE.

I did a little rockin’ at Kiss or Kill night at Zen Sushi on Sunset to check out Silver Needle with their agro pop and the Killdevils featuring Eden of Motorcycle Boy, Terri of Texas Teri’s band and Harry from the Cramps. The grooving crowd included members of Bubble, PissAnt and Juarez Crime Scene.

Boy Howdy! Ronnie Mack’s Barndance is back, kicking up its boots again! Now at El Cid in Silver Lake the 1^st Tues of every month, I hitched my wagon to a night with the Dime Box Band a band of purty ol’ gals from bands Cheap Chick and the Neptunas. Their sweet country sounds sent all the fellas a flutter as a good time was had by all. They were followed by the hearty country of Sam Mellon and the Skylarks and hosted by the tallest man in the music scene, Ronnie Mack who looks like he hasn’t aged one bit in the decades he’s been putting on roots rock showcases as various venues around Los Angeles. Nice to have you back Ronnie!

When you’ve got journalism in your blood, you can’t help but leap at newscasts of breaking stories, or check out work by well-known reporters. So I had to go to the Getty’s “Pictures for the Press” exhibit featuring stunning moments captured between 1944 and the mid-1970s including the D-Day invasion of France's Normandy coast in World War II, evacuation of Saigon, the assassination of John F. Kennedy and Lee Harvy Oswald

Next door, an exhibit “Scene of the Crime” by quintessential photojournalist, WeeGee gave a look at this Austria immigrant’s history-making work as he roamed the streets of the Lower East New York during the 30’s and 40s capturing gangsters, fires, murders and candid moments of New York life. Born Arthur Fellig, Weegee got his name for his uncanny ability to be the first on the scene, as if he had a Ouija Board.

These and other exhibits make the Getty a worthwhile trip. Check out upcoming events HERE and plan to spend the day there as the beautiful, European-inspired grounds, and magnificent views are a nice escape from the city.

I got stylish with a fashion show put on by the Art Deco Society featuring a priceless display of authentic antique pieces by Los Angeles-based designer Peggy Hunt. Collected and presented by Hunt’s granddaughter Jacqui Hyland, the showcase traced the history of Hunt’s designs including her glamorous lacework and illusion necklines of nude net-structured cocktail gowns of the ‘50s, through to swingin’ ‘60s. Her work became so popular in that era that it caught the attention of the movie industry which prompted her to design for starlets such as Bette Davis, Mary Pickford and Marlene Dietrich. All I can say is I need to go vintage gown shopping – those dresses were gorgeous!

The runway location of the El Rey Theatre also provided a special significance to the event as it is one of LA’s Art Deco Historical Landmarks. Hosts, the Art Deco Society of LA stressed the importance of preserving these cool buildings. I couldn’t agree more, especially after I recently passed by The Ambassador Hotel, the legendary former 1920’s hotel that once housed the famed Coconut Grove nightclub and the Academy Awards, as well as the site where Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1968, my heart saddened to see it is now being demolished. I realized LA is losing its character! Do what you can to preserve this city’s rich history and personality, check out a few organizations helping to save what’s left:

Art Deco Society of LA: www.adsla.org

LA Conservancy: www.laconservancy.org

ModCom: www.modcom.org

And if your New Year’s Resolution is to do some good in the world but you can’t afford to empty your wallet for the cause, don’t just Yahoo or Google next time you search the web, do a “Goodsearch!” Through this site (started by a brother and sister who lost their mother to cancer,) every time you search the net, you are giving to your favorite cause, which you choose. (Mine is the Lance Armstrong Foundation for Cancer Research and Patient Support.) Check out www.goodsearch.com and make this year a little better than last…

Get your kicks in 2006!

October 12, 2005

Summer has turned to fall in a blink in Hollywood but not without the grand finale of the season, Sunset Junction. This year’s festival fell on one of the hottest weekends of the year but that didn’t stop hundreds from venturing out to checkout the vendors, bands, rides and foods of this lively fair that takes place every year along the Silver Lake strip of Sunset Boulevard. I went after the blazing sun began to set to catch headliners New York Dolls (who made the hefty entrance fee of $10 a little easier to pony up.)

Though Johnny Thunders, Jerry Nolan, and Arthur Kane have all since passed on, the ever-charismatic presence of David Johansen and Sylvain Sylvain were enough to carry the band through all the classics (with a little help from former Hanoi Rocks bassist Sami Yaffa.) Lanky, gaunt David Johansen looked cooler for the wear of over 30 years of rockin’ as they turned Silver Lake into their own version of the lower east side with all the classics, "Trash," "Personality Crisis," and a touching tribute to their lost members with "Can’t Put Your Arms Around a Memory." I’m looking forward to their new record, due out on Roadrunner records next year.

I got my groove on when two of my favorite now-defunct clubs, Clubs Shout and Café Bleu, reformed for a one night stand at the El Rey Theatre with full playlist of shimmy-worthy mod and soul. It was a blast to see the sharp-dressed crowd with their dancing shoes on, and a row of tricked-out scooters outside as I worked myself into a fever to the sounds of Ike and Tina, the Who and the Jam. Who needs the gym when you can dance all night like this!

The Rocky Horror Picture Show celebrated its 30^th Anniversary at Hollywood Bowl which the largest audience participation screening in its history. I embraced my inner "Magenta" and headed down for the action.

Openers Louis XIV officially made their way to my top five bands of the year list with their cheeky, big stomp, sexed-up rock ‘n’ roll that reminds me of a mix of Sweet and Velvet Underground. While the daylight of the early show didn’t do them justice, especially with most of the crowd distracted by the parade of Frank N. Furters and stripped down Janets streaming into the Bowl, I would love to see them tear the roof of a smaller theater. Mistress of ceremonies Jane Wiedlin of the Go-Go’s did a cameo as a backup singer on "Finding Out True Love is Blind" before bringing a bit of naughty humor to her MC duties before the movie began.

I took the opportunity to run to the merch booth to grab a Rocky Horror prop bag for $1 that consisted of a newspaper for the rain scene, a bag of rice for the wedding scene, a couple of cards, confetti and more. But it wasn’t ammunition enough for those brought their own heavy duty props to make the rain scenes a little too realistic by shooting super soaker water guns and pelting everyone with Scott toilet papers and real toast. Dammit Janet! (By the way, if you have to ask what’s all about, you obviously haven’t been to audience participation "Picture Nights" at Midnight Madness, so get your butt down there!)

Thank goodness some of this city is keeping its kook flag flying, because lately I’ve been driving around Hollywood noticing the sea of Gaps, Bed Bath and Beyonds and Banana Republics, I never thought I’d see MY Hollywood follow the path of the rest of America and start to turn into one big mall! But it’s happening and I was shocked when I went to one of my favorite lingerie stores, Frederick’s of Hollywood for a naughty shopping excursion to find it moved from its notorious Hollywood Boulevard location down the street near the Highland intersection into the path of more tourist foot traffic (and car traffic for me, grrrr!)

The new Hollywood-based Frederick’s now matches its mall chain versions. Gone are the girly purple awnings out front and the fascinating lingerie museum inside stocked with sweet nothings of decades past worn by the women who put the va-va-voom on Hollywood’s big screen. Their collection that used to mix unique, show-stopping titillations with more practical styles, used to be the key to Frederick’s charm, now has a generic department store feel. Clearly they are trying to tame their risqué reputation in favor of a more mainstream-friendly image. All I can say is that is BORING!

So I turned for a fashion fix elsewhere by playing supermodel for a day when I was asked to pose for a book on knitting. Now, who knew this little craft could ever be considered cool but put a couple of crochet needles in the hands of Bubble’s lead vixen Share Ross, and you have some way-out handy work! With her new label Punk Knits, Share’s not only making rockin’ gear for the masses, she got a book deal to show off her wearables. Look for the book, which will feature other local rockers including Coyote Shivers, Texas Terri, Blair Bitch, Pam Neptuna and others, due out in 2006.

(Punk Knits photo by Bam. Kastle is modeling "Faithfull's Gauntlets" knit arm warmers, named after Marianne Faithfull from the upcoming book "Punk Knits" published by Stewart, Tabori & Chang, due in bookstores Fall 2006.)

Finally, I joined some of my rocking pals at the Dragonfly to mourn the loss of our friend J.D. Terziu who was killed in car crash on August 21st. As Dragonfly co-owner and partner with Taime Downe in the long-running and fun-filled Pretty Ugly Club, J.D. was the type of guy everyone loved to say hello to. Every Wednesday I could count on seeing him at the soundboard, a smile on his face, distributing a roll of drink tickets to his friends, enjoying the bands, and wishing everyone a good time. He was someone you always looked forward to seeing. To celebrate his life and friendship, bands Faster Pussycat, Motochrist, Coyote Shivers and others rekindled the Pretty Ugly fire for a tribute to a true rock ‘n’ roll spirit. He will be terribly missed.

Life is short, live it up,

August 24, 2005

It’s summertime in the city and I got to take a mini-summer vacation by jetting off to New York City for a quick long weekend where I got lucky with the "Sex and the City" tour, got wicked with "Wicked", visited Joey Ramone Place, played fashionista with Chanel, and relaxed in Central Park in some perfect-for-walking weather. See more on my trip HERE.

We had our own taste of New York in LA when scribe Steven Blush came to Book Soup to read from his latest book ".45 Dangerous Minds," a collection of the most intense interviews from his famous underground magazine, "Seconds." Steven has long been a fixture on the music scene and I first met him after the release of "American Hardcore: A Tribal History," his definitive book on the testosterone-laden, post-punk thrash movement. Pick up his latest, which features outrageous quotes from Ron Jeremy, Ed "Big Daddy" Roth, Allen Ginsberg, Wayne Kramer, David Bowie and more.

Another New Yorker, artist Basquiat, has been packing them in at MOCA recently with select paintings from his a brief six-year career before a drug overdose took him in 1988. The exhibit spans his work that evolved from graffiti art to endearing, if-not-obsessive, displays of pop art that reflects his love of jazz and boxing, and his concern for African-American issues, as well as his much talked about work with Andy Warhol. Take the curator-led tour to get a real feel for where Basquiat was coming from and don’t miss the rare interview footage screening downstairs.

I became a punk rock couch potato while the Indie Film Channel aired Punk Rock Week with such gems as "Sid and Nancy," "The Filth and the Fury" and the crown jewel debut of Don Letts’ "Punk Attitude," featuring fantastic then and now footage and interviews with the pioneers of punk including Siouxsie, Paul Simonon, Legs McNeil, Jello Biafra and more. I have to say, watching how anger over the social political climate of the ‘70s spawned musicians to make their stand with music, led me to thinking, with our world such a mess today — where’s our movement? Anyone? Anyone? Long live punk rock!

Another punk worthy film release is Iggy Pop’s latest live DVD, "Live at the Avenue B," which screened at Knitting Factory. I have to say hands down, the Iggy show at the El Rey a few years back was one my top three concerts of all time. It was great to see someone capture the spirit of his 1999 show in Belgium and watching it on the big screen was almost like being there (I repeat, almost!)

I was lucky enough to be invited to rock out to Billy Idol (thank you Budgie!) for a sold-out, two-hour set, "undiluted by an opening act" as stated on the Wiltern Theatre web site. And it was full of Idol’s classic bravado, raunchy gestures and fist pumping action with all the hits from his ‘80s heyday including "Dancing With Myself," "Flesh For Fantasy" as well as a few memories as he announced, "Picture this - it's 1982, I’m in the Danceteria, and I'm f*cking Madonna…" just before belting out "White Wedding." Ah the memories! But I have to say, his new material was just as smokin’ as was his look — pushing age 50 with a full head of spiky blond locks, rock star swagger, and lean, ripped body, which he seemed to enjoy showing off to the ladies. "Ready, Steady Go" indeed!

When I wasn’t out ‘n’ about, I spent much of July tracking the Tour de France and watching Lance Armstrong "living strong" every moment. After being turned on to cycling last year, not only do I love watching the beauty of the athletes racing through the spectacular European scenery, but I’m just thrilled watching Lance thrive following his battle with cancer. And he didn’t just survive; he did something to help others. I’ve utilized his LiveStrong web site because my own family has been stricken by this horrific disease, and the support it supplies is priceless. If you or your loved ones are battling cancer, go to www.livestrong.org and take control. Thank you Lance — you rule!

Live every day like it’s your last,

July 6, 2005

Summertime in the city, I've been ushering in the hazy hot days with a wealth of adventures! My first stop was Huntington Gardens where I made it just in time to catch the annual blooming of the roses – an impressive court filled with roses in every color that makes for a spectacular floral rainbow every year. I also found myself there during the Shakespeare Festival where actors dressed in period attire performed bits of Shakespeare's most famous works. While it seemed like a natural compliment to the very English-looking garden setting, it was rather odd to see an abundance of men in velvet frocks and tights prancing about during our peaceful stroll through the nearly 150 acres with sweeping lawns and vistas. If you haven't been to the Huntington Gardens before, it's worth a visit, be sure to check out their web site to see what's blooming: www.huntington.org

Since hearing their self-title album about a year ago, New Orleans rockers Supagroup have been on regular rotation in my car stereo. So I had to go check them out with they came around Spaceland, with their hair flailing, guitar slinging AC/DC inspired garage rock that got the crowd revved up, though it was a modest attendance, probably due to the mid-week, late-night time slot. It got me thinking more people should know about this band – they're worth losing sleep for!

I got an exciting peek into a historical landmark when I attended at writer's party at the famous Friar's Club in Beverly Hills. Known for their infamous celebrity roasts and holding a private membership roster of such notables as George Burns, Frank Sinatra, Steven Allen, Carl Reiner, Bing Crosby, Red Buttons and more, this posh place pays homage to them with a lux lounge loaded with enormous shrine-like framed portraits throughout. While we drank martinis in the "Milton Berle Bar," regular members came dressed in their finest to dine on the Monday night buffet in the private dining room. I managed to sneak upstairs to find a hallway of framed photos celebrating the famous roasts with timeless images of luminaries such as Bob Hope, Connie Stevens, Jimmy Stewart Liza Minnelli, Don Rickles and Barbara Eden. I also poked my head into the private card room where a group of seniors from the old school comedy world were smoking cigars and playing poker.

I went back to my own rockin' roots to take in the Mick Rock Photography Exhibit at the Lo-Fi Gallery. Exquisite photos of my idols such as Bowie, Iggy, The Ramones, Debbie Harry, and Johnny Rotten lined this tiny gallery and it was truly awesome to see them up close and bigger than life. Known as "the man who shot the '70s," Mick Rock's career started with Bowie in 1972 and continued to define the genre of live and studio rock photography. If you missed the show, you can see more of his work on his web site: www.mickrock.com

I got my earthy, crunchy organic groove on for Memorial Day weekend at the Topanga Days Festival. Peace, love and good times were the vibe for this three-day fair held up in the blissful hills of Topanga Canyon with a variety of vendors courting hippie style garb, jewelry, all natural beauty products and more. Plus, the music was non-stop with a collection of folk and blue grass bands and an enthusiastic crowd of square-dancing moshers. That's a new one!

I stayed up late to "Feel the Shake" at the "Hollywood Rocks" record release party at the Key Club. Celebrating the collection put together by Cleopatra Records, the label known for its nod to '80s metal and goth formed by former band manager and one-time Vinyl Fetish co-owner Brian Perera, "Hollywood Rocks" is a 4-disc box set celebrating a decade of one of LA's most famous rock scenes. The early '80s disc features acts such as Hollywood Rose, Candy and the Joneses. The mid '80s disc features acts such as Poison, LA Guns, Rock City Angels and Seahags. The late '80s disc features bands such as Junkyard, Salty Dog and Bang Tango. And the early '90s disc features acts such as Electric Angels, Saigon Saloon and Darling Cruel.

I'm proud to say I saw most of those bands "back in the day" and it was an amazing time in LA. It was great fun to relive a little taste of that with the party featuring reunions by Blackboard Jungle, Fizzy Bangers, The Zeros, Spiders & Snakes, Odin and the gems of the night, Jetboy, who looked amazing and sounded fantastic. Frontman Mickey Finn had freshly shaved bleach blond mohawk just as he did in the band's 1988 hey day and took off his shirt to reveal and ultra-fit bod and full ab tattoo on his six-pack. Whoa! Nice to see the rockers aging well! And while we partying like it was 1989, it was also good fun to see there are still those in the crowd sporting the big teased black hair and studded belt look.

Rock on!
K.

(Supagroup, Topanga Days Festival and Jetboy photos by Kastle, Huntington Gardens photos courtesy of the Huntington Gardens web site, Bowie by Mick Rock from the Mick Rock web site.)

April 27, 2005

Spring has sprung – I've been feeling fresh as a daisy after one heck of a gloomy, rainy winter. My season so far has included a bouquet of treats including, hanging with gal pal and fellow cosmetics maven Yana Chupenko of Tony & Tina Cosmetics who blasted in from NYC to tear up the town for LA Fashion Week. She called up her West Coast mates to come hang in her sprawling suite at the Chateau Marmont, the legendary Hollywood hideaway whose motto is: "If you must get into trouble, do it at Chateau Marmont." We helped it live up to that slogan with a late-night party that included musician Rolan Bolan and Jun