Testing my iPhones ability to build a decent mobile post. Like it? Expect more!

I may technically live in the city of Los Angeles but OFFICIALLY I am a citizen of West Hollywood, CA which has been it’s own entity since 1984. I think the city planners could forsee that LA was set for collapse or realized eventually Sarah Palin would become president and knew us freaks and wierdos would be herded into internment camps for our deviant lifestyles and decided that we should just have our own city so it would be easier to decide where to put the razor-wire fences. Honestly, I can’t see myself living anywhere else or being stuck with a better group of freaks.

Sometimes the wild nights take a couple of strange turns and the next thing you know you’re devising a way to not only destroy your liver with alcohol and your lungs with smoke but we may have collectively devised the largest timebomb you can possibly send down your gullet. I’ve already told you about The Real Sunset Strip, a show that comes live from that famous WeHo drag via USTREAM hosted by Scheff and The Hawk whom each have their own regular “narrowcast” channels. Here is a clip that was streamed live recently where the hosts along with myself and photographer Andrew Herrold took a trip to Duke’s Coffee Shop* (between The Whisky A Go-Go and The Cat Club) and had them bring to reality an epicurean idea hatched next to a “street meat” cart in front of The Roxy minutes before the stream began.

The Real Sunset Dog:
1/4lb. Hot Dog wrapped in Bacon, Dipped in Batter and fried (w/Bun).
Optional Condiment Suggestions:  Cholula Hot Sauce, Ketchup, Mustard
Estimated Calories: 700-1,000+

*Sunset Strip History: The current site of Duke’s Coffee Shop used to be a club called The London Fog, which is where The Doors had their first regular gigs in West Hollywood before becoming the house band next door at The Whisky A Go-Go. Jim Morrison in his later years would probably have eaten The Real Sunset Dog without flinching. He was The Lizard King, he would probably eat anything!

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“Weezer is playing a sorta secret show @ The Roxy, u in?” was the text message that woke me up Monday morning. What a glorious way to start the week!

With little prompting I was invited to check out the show which ended up being an 8 song session which goes up Yahoo! Originals (similar to Sessions @ AOL) for Guitar Hero 5 Fridays. Mixed into their 8 song set were 2 new tracks, the current single “If You Are Wondering If I Want You To (I Want You To)“ and “I’m Your Daddy” from the upcoming album produced by Butch Walker. For those unfamiliar, Butch Walker was the focal point of late-90′s breakouts The Marvelous 3 and in the decade since has been writing and producing albums for some of the biggest hit-makers in the world (P!nk, Katy Perry, Avril Lavigne) while releasing brilliant solo albums revered by his rabidly dedicated fans…myself included.

As a fan of Weezer since 1994′s “Blue” Album (Released the Day before my 14th birthday …on Cassette!), and really, who wasn’t? I’ve been disappointed in most of what has been released after 2001′s “Green” (Released the day after my 21st Birthday). But fans of the old sound, take heart! If the 2 new songs from yesterday’s set are any indication of a paradigm shift in Weezer’s sound then I am happy to announce that Butch Walker may have finally cured Weezer of their bad case of queso that plagued most of their 2000′s singles. “Troublemaker” makes my stomach physically ache.

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You know how I know that The Sunset Strip is BACK? Because I’ve seen sooo much amazing live music this week! Between The Sunset Strip Music Festival and all of the other fantastic shows that happen on the regular out here, as a live music fan I don’t think I’ve ever felt more at home.

And of all this amazing music I’ve seen lately (honestly 4-5 nights a week), the best act I’ve seen in a while to really, genuinely impress me has been the “Indie Gospel” that comes from NICO VEGA. I’ve seen them 3 times this week alone and everytime feels completely new; but this is not a new band by any stretch. Dan Expand (drums), Rich Koehler (guitar+) and Aja Volkman (vocals) have certainly been making a name for themselves in the indie scene around Los Angeles for years now, but I think very soon this will be a band that will illuminate a lot of peoples’ worlds. Their Self-titled album has been available on Myspace Records since February and what absolutely mystifies me about it is how versatile the sound is while at once being such a cohesive collection. Each song is so different yet such a complete part of a sonic narrative. And an expansive narrative it is for one that comes from just ONE melodic instrument onstage! The way that dancing maestro Rich mixes his guitar sound through Octave and Delay pedals is that of a psychedelic mad scientist whose found the cure for having a bassist or synth player to clutter Aja and Dan’s stage. And believe me, there may never be a big enough stage to hold Aja; within the first minute of seeing them live, you will be in love.

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Typically, when you put 4 blonds together in West Hollywood, hearts will be broken.

So when you put 4 blonds together in a band that can actually fucking play? Hearts will burn!

The phoenix of the Sunset Strip is hopefully on the verge of another rise with the help of all-female supergroup The Chelsea Girls. And if you aren’t familiar with the personnel involved then you might have missed out on the last 10 years of live music. Drummer Samantha Maloney has played with the likes of Peaches, Hole and even kings of The Strip Motley Crue. Bassist Corey Parks stands above 6-feet-tall and used to command the bottom end of  Nashville Pussy. Allyson Robertson is my personal favorite female guitarist ever and was formerly known as Donna R. (if you haven’t guessed her band then I’ll just shake my head at you in sadness). And honestly she may just have the greatest hair in Rock and Roll. Finally the singer and glue of The Chelsea Girls is Tuesdae, a former opera singer and deejay who has graced the pages of Playboy and fronts on par with Michael Starr of Steel Panther/Metal Skool. Another act they are sure to draw comparisons to in style and genre, much like Camp Freddy. Tuesdae knows her shit, has the pipes to cover Judas Priest with the greatest of ease, dresses to kill and melts every heart in the joint.

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I checked out Candlebox at the Roxy tonight and I’m a little depressed right now. During the show the lead singer started talking about how L.A. seems dead, how expensive the rents are getting and how shot the economy is… man, I really don’t want to hear about that. I thought shows were there so we could escape the day to day?

But actually my D2D has been pretty rad lately (thanks for asking). I’ve been enjoying the sunshine, I get to go to a Bar-B-Q at noon tomorrow and I’m making progress with my Motorcycle (still need to get the timing checked out).

Another thing that kind of bummed me out about the show were the cougars running around. I remember when Candlebox came out, I was into music a little before most of my class so I wasn’t even old enough to drive but in my mind it doesn’t seem like it was that long ago but really it was over 15 years ago now! Let’s say that some of their fans haven’t stopped partying. I felt worried for them… and maybe myself.

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Its been a Long Weekend. It’s fairly safe to say that I packed the most between 7:30 Friday when I got off work through 5am Monday morning when I went to sleep that I possibly could. I absolutely destroyed myself and feel great. Well, I felt pretty good this morning at least. Then work kicked my ass again. :sigh:

I managed to drink probably a gallon of whiskey. I’m not bragging, I’m just telling you thats whats up. I didn’t try to do so, I just went out every night. I was a little sluggish Sunday morning but no hangovers! Friday I hit the strip, I hadn’t in a while and was by no means disappointed. Rainbow, Barney’s Beanery and some sushi bar near the Viper Room (irony?) that had snake venom shots. It was this “vodka” that tasted like sake (it might’ve just been sake) and it had a whole dead snake in it. The sushi bartender had to pour it through a filter as to avoid filling the drink with scales. And the night ended well enough for me to not make it home until the following afternoon. Saturday I went to breakfast and actually got some excercise in the afternoon and topped it off with lots more drinking at On the Rox, Free drinks at another Sushi Restaurant and finally the Snake Pit. Sunday’s slow start allowed me to not get much cleaning done in my apartment and then surprise², I went out and drank. I hit up Cinespace and checked out a band that I’d seen a couple times before and have to say their show has improved quite a bit. 3 free Kentucky Breakfasts in the VIP area later and the night ended in conversations about Tony Danza and the Joe Dirt script in Greco’s Pizza. On top of that I watched Blade Runner, The Decline of Western Civilization and finished the Program design for Hastings High’s production of “Honk!” So yeah. Now I’m tired. And I’ve spared you the rigorous and juicy details. Somehow, I want to once again be paid for doing what I’ve done this weekend.

So on the job front I have to announce that an Ad that I designed will be making its way into Playboy, Rue Morgue and Fangoria next month (or the month after, I’m not sure). I said this before when I had a Sex In The City ad (not in the horror mags) that got shot down 5 minutes before I was going to upload the Mechanical. I announced it and then It didn’t happen. I counted my chickens before they hatched and the eggs were full of snakes. But this time. I don’t care. The Ad they chose was once again mine (with elements borrowed from one of the Key Art Comps) but it has the STUPIDEST quote as the headline so I’m not taking full credit. I still wrote a bit of copy in it and I’ve toiled too many hours on it so I guess now I’m kinda proud of it. Even if it looks fucking cheesy. Oh well, the movie that It’s for is cheesy, too.

To wrap this up I wanted to share with you a bit of a moral dilemma that presented itself to me at the end Zombie Jesus Day as I was arriving at Cinespace. I was crossing Hollywood Blvd at Ivar and I noticed these 3 loud cunts dropping N-bombs while 2 of the 3 were white. A second later I notice them starting to assault the man who was walking behind them. He was in his 70s. They roughed him up a bit, he pushed one in the face somewhat and they knocked off his hat and probably stole it. It was sad. I turned around to help him and looked at the hipsters in front of the club and none of them seemed to share my need to help the poor bastard. I also realized that these 3 hoodrats could probably stomp me (but not if I had another dude helping) and I was also fearful that these cunts would call the cops and say that WE assaulted them. So like an asshole I stayed out of it. As I walked into the club the door guy(6’5″ 225 lbs.) said, “Only in Hollywood, right?”. “I guess” I said, wondering why he didnt abandon his post to help (there was someone else there that could have watched the door).

So I pose this question to you. What would you do in the same situation?
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