I am just going to post some correspondence about our former friend and musical collaborator, Jackson. I mean there is no way he could just be a sideman, and I can't call him a band mate. He was something definitely special, hideous, beautiful, laughable and damned.
The first time I met him - I didn't know who he was. He was just a slobbering drunk at the Mabuhay, drooling all over me. It wasn't until much later that I remembered that foolish creature and matched it up with the charismatic guitar madman that I knew and loved.
Back to that later, for now, here are the recent letters from former band mates of Jackson:
From: 391

http://www.myspace.com/391band
Date: Mar 25, 2007 7:32 PM
Flag as Spam or Report Abuse [ ? ]
Subject: RE: Oh so Cruel
Body:
Jackson and I were friends long ago. The last I heard from him was in '89 and he was back in SF. If he is still around, maybe he'll see this site.

Thanks
----------------- Original Message -----------------
From: Ivy and The Eaters
Date: Mar 25, 2007 5:33 AM


Thank you so much for getting in touch.
This is Ivy of Ivy from the band that Jackson joined when he was marooned in LA.
He is a legend to me - more than anyone else from that scene. It makes me desolate to think that he is forgotten. I am sending this on to Charley - from the Eaters, who might have more to ask or say, but in the meantime - thanks for finding our connection.

Sorrowfully,

Ivy
<< Previous Next >>


From: 391

http://www.myspace.com/391band
Date: Mar 29, 2007 5:45 PM

Subject: R.I.P..........
Body: If you go to Punk Globe.com, there is a column on the left titiled: Where Are They Now. On that page there is a list titled: No Longer With Us. Jackson is on that list.
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but thought you might appreciate the closure.

R.I.P. Jackson Weir III

----------------- Original Message -----------------
From: Ivy and The Eaters
Date: Apr 3, 2007 6:32 AM



Dear 391,

Thank you for letting me know. I have been in denial, but already wrote a song about it. I do not know who you are exactly and you probably don't know me, Ivy, although you might know Charley.

I have really enjoyed listening to the tracks you uploaded. we are in Amsterdam right now, but when we return we will upload some photos of the band with Jacksonl We have a great live phot from the Whiskey!
Talk to you soon,

Ivy
From: The Horri..

http://www.myspace.com/horribleflowersband
Date: May 6, 2007 1:45 PM

Subject: RE: So - More news of the dead loved one
Body: Jackson and I went KC in the Spring of '82. Cliff (the drummer) had OD'd early that year and took us back to his home town while he recovered from his hospital stay. We started playing shows and turned that city on it's ear. The whole Summer unfolded like a dream
Unfortunately the more people we got to know, the seedier things started to become. In the end I was planning on leaving for NYC (which I did), and they tried to keep it together only to watch Cliff OD again, this time for good.
Jackson went back to SF and we stayed in touch for quite a few years. I formed a band called the Cheepskates and then released a solo album in the late 80's called Herrera & the Handouts. On that album I performed two of Jackson's tunes, and another that he co-wrote in the Horrible Flowers.
I completely lost touch with him during the 90's and recently found out that he was diagnosed with AIDS during that time. From what I understand, he passed away sometime in 2002 or '03.

David

From: Ivy and T..

http://www.myspace.com/ivyandtheeaters
Date: May 6, 2007 2:12 PM

Subject: RE: RE: So - More news of the dead loved one
Body: Thank you for filling me in. It is so terrible. We lost touch totally with Jackson - and we were VERY close. He had been living with us in LA, ever since Danny Machine went back to San Francisco.
We had known Jackson for years, a weird friendship formed back in San Francisco and the Mabuhay days - and always were astonshed by his charisma, talent and artistry. The rampant drug use and abuse of every portal of his body was unrelenting. Still somehow, I'd hoped he had survived, cleaned up and was living somewhere in Marin County.
We were so destroyed by the LA scene that we just got out totally and I couldn't face going back to San Francisco after that experience.
Some of the gigs we played with Jackson were the happiest moments in my life. Except when he was destroying us, he was the truest friend in the world. What a strange destiny.
I hope you can find some connections to the stuff he did in San Francisco. We have loads of photos of our band with Jackson, but we haven't uploaded them yet. Also loads of studio and live tapes - even Videos of our shows! someday we will get them up. We have always missed him - both Charley and I.
thanks for getting in contact and letting us know more of the sad story.
Yours,
Ivy

WAR IN IRAQ? "FOLLOW THE MONEY"

This is an interesting distillation of what is meant by the wise advice to "Follow the Money".

It is Ivy's opinion that if you want to understand world politics, you should keep this in mind. The other key is to ask yourself, "who is benifitting by all this?", but "Follow the Money" will lead you there anyway.

If you thought the USA was in Iraq for any other reason then naked greed, just read this:

These Numbers are from Defense Department auditors reviewing the performance of private contractors hired to aid the military or help rebuild Iraq:


Total questioned and unsupported costs, one-sixth of all contracts reviewed to date:
More than $10 billion

Value of Iraq contracts reviewed to date:
$57 billion


Amount the Pentagon has agreed to withhold:
$632 million


Value of troop-support contract awarded to Halliburton subsidiary KBR, of which $2.4 billion is questioned or unsupported:
$22.1 billion


Value of two Halliburton oil-field restoration contracts, of which $333 million is questioned or unsupported:
$3.6 billion


Value of reconstruction contract awarded to Parsons, of which $90 million is questioned or unsupported;
$2.2 billion

Costs to taxpayers of war, to date:
$351 billion

Sources: Defense Contract Audit Agency; House Oversight and Government Reform Committee