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Notes
from Austin Volume 2 #35
LODGER's Notes
Including thoughts on Hobble, Nina Simone, Halloween at
Charlies, The Atomic Cafe, Normal Ohio, The $treet and more...
Last Monday, I went to see Hobble at the 710. By chance, I met
Oriah, the lead singer, on the way into the club and he was
kind enough to slip me a CD sampler of some of their newer and
older stuff that he made for me. Oriah and I chatted for quite
a bit and I got to learn some pretty interesting things about
him including the fact that he was once the P.A. on a TV show
called "Going to Extremes." This was a hour long thing from
the producers of "Northern Exposure" put on during the heyday
of that popular show. It was shot in Jamaica.
Oriah also told me that he is from Utah and a lapsed Mormon.
I told him that the two best boyfriends I ever had were Mormons
and we had a great joke about how cool it is when Mormon boys
go evil. It was funny.
Oriah and the guys, of course, put on a wicked set early
in the night even though the place was far from crowded. Zeke
were playing at Emo's and Oriah was even looking forward to
going over there and catching their set. I was happy to catch
Hobble again and be reminded of why they are the best little
band in town. I guarantee you will not get more entertainment
bang for your buck than you will at a Hobble show.
One of the many things I discussed with the front of the
band is the recording process that the group undergoes in
the studio. While "Wreckid," their debut CD, is an interesting
and solid outing from the band, "Blackmassking" seems to give
a distorted picture of the quartet. Even the "Austin Chronicle"
misread the guys and seemed to think them violent and abusive.
Hobble is, in fact, one of the most fun and entertaining thrash
metal bands in town. "Blackmassking" is quite hard and far
too sterile for my tastes. Although "Backward DJ" and "Suicidal
Blunder" are performed as well as you will ever see the band
do the tunes live, the spark of the band, namely Oriah's performance,
is nowhere near the energy or buzz of a live show. This is
the key element, that undefineable X, that stands in the way
of the band achieving any sort of real commercial success:
How to make a CD sound as kick ass and fun as a live show.
I have oft mentioned that part of the band's greatest asset
is the kick-ass musicians who allow Oriah to be Oriah. Whether
live or on CD, the band is one tight little unit. They rock
consistently. On the CD sampler Oriah gave me, new songs like
"78 Speed" and "The Cowboy Song" are far better at capturing
what it is that makes Hobble so astounding. Perhaps it is
because these are (presumably) demos and "underproduced,"
therefore the songs come across as much more raw and powerful
than their other studio outings.
On the new songs, the lyrics come out to be much more important
as well. Here is where Oriah can often come across as harsh
and angry. On the cold written page, the lyrics for "A Killing"
or "You and You and You" (both on "Blackmassking") seem angry,
bitter and violent. I was surprised when I read the lyrics
to these songs. Oriah never comes across as violent but his
lyrics certainly are. On stage, these songs take on a air
of release and passion. Oriah comes across not as angry, bitter,
or even as a victim, but rather as a showman who makes the
most out of his wanton desire to pure every ounce of energy
into the moment as it happens. Oriah is a sweat-drenched madman
by the end of Hobble's set and he seems, more than anything,
willing to literal exhaust himself for our pleasure. He is
a giver-God. A pure performer.
With the new tune "78 Speed," Oriah's sense of poetry and
romantic cynicism seems much more playful and far less bitter
than his prior songs. "If I could pick anything to be," he
tells us, "I'd be a guitar with one string." He continues
by suggesting that this is what his intended would want him
to be so that she could "play (him) day," and "play (him)
night." Here we understand Oriah's more playful side. Although
he is somewhat frustrated by the whole idea, he puts on a
happy tone, gently mocking his lover's intent. Portrayed as
a frustrated, romantic underdog, we adhere to him because
we feel the same and/or we feel we can be the one to save
him from this doomed and pitiful relationship. In the next
verse, he sings to a lover who wants to simply play him as
a record over and over (records are strong symbols in Oriah's
lyrics). The lover only hears the one song on the old 78,
that's all she wants, over and over. The lover doesn't realize
that the 78, i.e. Oriah, is singular and rare and precious.
We do. She wants nothing more than the same song over and
over while we see him as this rare oddity, a 78rpm record.
Woiw. After his rage erupts and ends the song, we feel like
we are the ones who could rush in to to comfort him. Finally,
he realizes this lover is not interested in him truly as the
unique entity he is, but rather as a comfortable and familiar,
unchanging tune. There is no anger here but rather frustration
and a hunger for understanding. We understand.
On another new tune, "The Cowboy Song," Oriah sings that
he "used to be in movies back when I was gay" but the lyrics
aren't insulting or derogatory. Rather he's a confused symbol
of masculinity, with a bravado so false that he himself does
not believe in it, trying desperately to connect with anyone
or anything. Unfortunately, again as an antihero, his field
of options seems as barren as an dessert plain in the old
West. When isolation and disinterest are all that greets the
barbarosa, he gets drunk, angry and then moves on into the
sunset unsatisfied. Again, we can't quite figure out why no
one sees the worth in him and allows such loneliness to continue.
The most beautiful and indicative ideals of what makes Oriah
a great frontman are expressed in the song "Creeping," which
may or may not be an old tune. I've never heard the guys do
this one live and it is very slow, quiet and haunting. The
song, which recalls Alice in Chains at their very best, shows
us Oriah as a "voyeur" into our world who watches from a distance
as we dance and play in the moonlight. He wants to join us
but seems unable to. More to the point, he seems to enjoy
it when we shun him, becoming a true alien masochist who finds
it beautiful when we "push (him) down." Forever an outsider,
Oriah wants to join the party but can't seem to figure out
exactly how to do so. We can relate easily.
Cold and seemingly unable to connect with anyone or anything
passionately, Oriah's true self finally emerges in the throw-away
hidden track "Nighlight" where he sweetly begs us to come
over and spend the night. He wants to listen to our records,
sing songs with us and dance on the lawn with us, but only
if no one sees. Needing a nightlight to keep darkness (and
pain and fear) away, Oriah wants just this "secret" night
and he will move on. We are only more than happy to oblige.
Oriah lets us into his secret heart but only for a moment.
His wounded heart and troubled soul opens up to us as dark
desire but only for a moment, and then, spitting us out, he
disappears at sunrise.
What many mistake for anger and bitterness and violence,
which lyrically rears it's ugly head on Hobble's "Blackmassking,"
is in fact fear, isolation and awkward angst. Only through
the ritual of a live performance is Oriah able to exorcise
these demons and "hook up" with his audience. After all, we
are just like him, outsiders, losers, loners, looking for
a God in a Godless world and finding only an alien soul who
seems to know exactly how we feel. He may spend the night
but he leaves while we are still asleep and we vaguely see
his outline in the sunrise as he moves on... Much to our dismay,
we do not have what it is he needs.
I went to the "Lucky Numbers" premier on Tuesday but didn't
stay to see the film. I did see Harry and Jay Knowles there.
Christine, the Paramount rep, is also the Artisan rep as well.
And she is a P.A. on "Austin City Limits." She gave me some
tickets to check out a taping the next night but I couldn't
find anyone to go with. I know Dar Williams was one of the performers.
I tried to call Xanna but couldn't get ahold of her. I must
e-mail her.
Speaking of Artisan, some of the "premiere" regulars, an
annoying bunch really, went to the "Blair Witch 2" sneak.
Everyone said it sucked. Well, everyone except Harry Knowles.
Did you see the weird quote from him in the Artisan ad for
the movie in the Chronicle?
My friend Kelly came by recently and borrowed some CD's to burn.
My new pal Josh stopped by the other day too and borrowed my
vid copies of "Pink Flamingos," "Nowhere" and Warhol's "Women
in Revolt." Josh is awesome wicked and we talked about movies
for hours. I'm really digging him and I hope we get to know
each other better. That reminds me too. Josh turned me on to
"At the Drive In" and I heard their song on 101X the other day.
They sound much like Rage Against the Machine" but not as angry.
I dig them lots. I want their CD and, now that I think of it,
the new U2 CD as well.
John Christensen had a Halloween party over the weekend and
it was way crazy. John Marshal, Zaphod, Bob Dude Bob, Trish
the Dish and several of the original clique were there. Patrick
and the Lube TV Arkestra stopped by for a bit and did some weird
performance art piece. These guys are always so trippy and weird,
they don't know what to say to me. Nor I them. Ryan, whom John
met on the set of "Miss Congeniality" was decked out in a Roman
toga. Some guy John met on the set of "American Outlaws" was
there too. He plays the bartender in the film. John was dressed
up like a glam rock Judy Jetson, complete with purple wig and
he looked really good. Zaphod came in drag and looked like a
bad "Frank N. Furter" impersonator. By the end of the night,
he was reduced to bikini undies, fish nets, high heels, make-up
and a wig. We were having a blast! Oh yeah, Tim the Wonder Horse
came by as well. But his girlfriend would only let him hang
for a couple hours. He missed the party when it was getting
truly weird.
This past Monday, I went to the Bass Concert Hall on the UT
campus to see Nina Simone. A black jazz singer who is getting
on a bit in years, Simone was a radical in the 60's and 70's
before giving up on the USA and moving to France. Like Josephine
Baker before her, she was much better appreciated abroad. Simone,
who is a classically trained pianist, played with a five piece
combo. The woman must be 70. And while she was far too fragile
to be on stage and performing, it sure was awesome to see her
live, even if it did cost $50. Was it worth it? Well, the concert
was only a few minutes over an hour (with a bit of a long intermission
and drum solo), but I'd much rather have paid and went then
to have sat at home and wondered what I might have missed.
Simone was shaky from the start with her opening signature
of "Black is the Color of My True Love's Hair," sounding ragged
and unrehearsed. Her voice was not quite warmed up. Simone
and the band tooled through many songs, including a version
of George Harrison's "Here Comes the Sun," seeming like a
group of friends who were just jamming, trying to improvise
and follow the singer. At times it was a poor substitute for
a concert. But often, after this initial fragility, Simone
took flight in song. "Mississippi Goddamn" and a song about
MLK were particular standouts. "See Line Woman" could not
have been better performed if it were 1970. Simone often,
in her grandmotherly condition, wobbled to center stage to
sing on a microphone placed there. She sang at the piano,
sang acapella, encouraged the audience to sing and clap and
told stories as well. When the audience was not responsive
enough (and it was mainly a bunch of rich white assholes in
the crowd), Simone whipped a grass whisk in the air to stir
us up! In this 65 minute show, she won over an audience hungry
for her beauty and her knowledge. Sure, her records will always
stand as a reminiscence of a time in African-American culture
which found much hardship and growth. Her negro spirituals
and modern classics placed side by side bring forth an experience
of America that can be found nowhere else in the arts. Simone's
personal songs, especially the breath-taking portraits of
"Four Women" (which, sadly she did not perform), are insightful
and important moments in cultural American history. Paying
$50 to see her live now, aged and far too old to perform up
to par, was still money well spent. The concert was a seeming
final love letter to fans, a friendly reminder of the importance
of the woman. She cannot be forgot.
The concert at Bass Hall was in many ways like spending
an hour with a beautiful old grandmother who sang songs, reminisced,
and played piano for us. She entertained her grandchildren.
But Grandma's tired now. Hopefully our applause and cheers
were a goodnight kiss to a grand lady of American art, a loving
thank you for a career that continues to leave an indelible
mark on our collective American consciousness. Nina Simone's
experience is the African America experience given voice and
wings. At times, on Monday night, that voice was as loud,
as brilliant and as resonant as it ever was. I was lucky enough
to be their at her skirttails, listening, in awe, wide eyed,
and in love.
God Bless you Grandma. I will hold you in my heart.
Halloween night I went to Charlies, a gay bar here in Austin.
I had never been before and a guy I work with invited me to
go out. On a whim, I called Xanna and she agreed to go to. Her
wife Ann was working but getting off at midnight and some other
friends of theirs, Suzanna and Amy, were going to pick Ann up
and meet us there. We were also going to go check out Atomic
Cafe.
Usually on Tuesdays at Charlies, they apparently have dick
dancers and lots of young guys in attendance. This night,
Halloween, was crowded with all sorts of guys and all sorts
of queens. It was a blast. I wore my cheap Monk's robe that
I got a few Halloweens ago and put some weird black make-up
on my face, sort of an evil Friar Fuck. The robe made me look
fat but I figured what the heck.
Also on Tuesdays Charlies does a cheap beer blast where
you can drink draft for a quarter after buying your first
beer. I only spent about $8 on Tuesday which is definitely
the cheapest buzz I've had since I moved to Austin.
I saw my friend Eric, who dressed up like Superman as well
as my friend Lindsay, who now lives in College Station. He
was on vacation and had been in Dallas for the past few days.
You always meet interesting people when you hang with Xanna
and before too long she had met a guy named Bill from Temple,
who was originally from Boston like Xanna herself, and his
snooty boyfriend Ken. Ken must have been in the bathroom or
something when Bill met Xanna and invited us to sit with him
because when Ken arrived at the table he looked at me and
X like, who the fuck are these weirdos.
After Suzanna, Amy and Ann arrived, we drank more and talked
about going to Atomic but kept getting drinks. Everytime I
turned around, Xanna and Ann would be talking to the cutest
guys in the place. What is it about lesbians that attracts
men? Even gay ones? I met a cute young guy from San Antonio
named Ashton who works for The Gap. I thought he was really
attractive and wanted to talk to him but, of course, never
had the balls. Finally, somehow, we were in line waiting for
beer together and I said something to him. Or maybe he said
something to me. Either way, we started to talk. Now usually,
when I see someone cute and actually get to talk to them,
they turn out to be assholes, but Ashton was sweet and genuine
and nice. I really liked him.
Ann was talking to some little hottie who turned out to
be named Tim. For some weird reason, he was trying to talk
Ann into getting into radio even though he himself isn't making
it in the biz and is working as a waiter. Tim was from Houston
but when I quizzed him on the people he knew in radio there,
he seemed to have all the right answers. I thought he was
kinda hot, he wore his shirt unbuttoned and had a really nice
chest, but he was also drunk and a bit of an ass. I think
Ann thought he was an idiot.
We were going to Atomic, but Ann ran into some of her co-workers,
so we ended up hanging out at the front of Charlies for another
20 minutes. I got to give Ashton a hug when he left and also
said goodbye to Lindsay.
We went to Atomic and Xanna talked to some of the guys there
including Lowell. I thought Lowell owned the place but apparently
his deal fell through, now he just hangs out there/works there.
Lowell was dressed in some leather coat and a fishnet shirt
and looked hot as fuck which pissed me off because he is kinda
an asshole and I don't want to think he's cute.
They have a bar-back at Atomic, I think his name is Noah,
who was wearing jeans, no shirts, and boxers. He was drooping
like crazy and looked so goddamn awesome. I never saw a more
hot site than this boy taking out the trash. Jesus. I thought
I was going to spluge!
Anyway, Lowell talked to Xanna about how the place is now
doing Ladies' Night on Wednesdays but he kept referring to
it as a "Ladeez" night, as if that was some sort of illiterate
euphemism for a lesbian night. I'm not sure what kind of crowd
they are trying to attract there, but on Wednesdays, it's
going to be $3 cover for females and $25 cover for males.
They are also going to have some sort of retro DJ there.
I danced a bit with Ann, Suzanna and Amy and had a pretty
good time. Got home at 4:30 completely worn out and exhausted.
Wednesday, I chilled at the crib and watched TV. "The Simpsons"
Halloween special was even lamer than last year. The new John
Goodman gay show "Normal, Ohio" was so loaded with gay jokes
and references that even I got sick of it. It was just gay,
gay, gay, gay, gay. But only mildly amusing. And there was absolutely
nothing new or unique or interesting about it. What a poor excuse
for entertainment. Finally, I caught the premiere of "The $treet,"
the new Darren Starr show set on Wall Street. The show stars
Tom Everett Scott, apparently riding in on the coattails of
last year's "Boiler Room" film and, one of my faves, Adam Goldberg.
The storyline with Goldberg has him hooking up with a Xena impersonator
and it is implied that she puts on a strap on when they go to
bed. Later, he comes to see her again, implying that he was
okay with this. The previews for the next episode had her trying
to talk him into having a 3-way with another guy. Hmmmm... I
may be watching this show for a while. Even if the rest of the
show is stupid, typical pap, Goldberg seems primed to play a
character discovering his bisexuality. That would be something
new and interesting. Let's hope the show explores this area
and doesn't just turn it into a passing fancy.
That reminds me too. When I went over to Xanna's the other
day, she had a "Star" magazine that had a cover story about
"Susan Lucci's Gay Shocker." When I asked Xanna what that
was all about, she told me that Erika Kane's daughter, Bianca,
is apparently going to be a lesbian. Wow!
I also got to catch the episode of Lube Tv where I cohosted
with Mark Brauner while John Christensen was on the set of
"American Outlaws." I know I'm an egotistical asshole - but
I cracked me up. We filmed the segments over a month ago,
so it had been some time since I saw them. I laughed my ass
off at some of the things I said.
And that's a wrap for this time. Talk to you later. Lodger2000
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