Paul had a bit more to say to THE JEWISH/NIGHTFACE:

I fondly recall your rendition of "Your'e Sixteen" ("you're pregnant & your mine."). So, of course you are an influence. Can't you hear it (i.e. THE JEWISH songs on our myspace page)?


OOPS, I meant to straighten you out on that. You missed the punch line.

It's "You're sixteen, you're pregnant and IT'S mine"

A little funnier that way. Comedy is in the details, y'know. And NEVER EVER, lose the funny.


Paul

Fans,

We have been accused of a lot of things in our career. Some good...mostly bad. The one accusation that I often hear muttered from the lips of the menagerie of "normal" or "legitimate" acts out there bottlenecking the information superhighway is that Nightface and I are "snobby" or "elitist". Take for example our list of influences (and non-influences). Several people have accused us of listing exceedingly obscure references just to make their band look boring. We can't help it if we're more stimulating than you. Oh you TOO have heard of and are influenced by The Monks?!?!? Unbelievale. My mind is blown. Now go back to your little holes and try again.

People have even gone as far as claiming that some of the influences in our list are ficticious or "made up". This ammuses us. You are playing into our hands. All of the influences are very real. Case in point. The Harris/Penta Goodtime Express. 'Face grew up seeing these guys in Cape Cod. I've heard the tape I've heard the stories. Imagine how amazed and delighted we were to involve ourselves in the following coorespondence (thanks Myspace) with "Penta"...Paul Penta a man refreshingly devoid of the classless greedy insincere tendencies of 99% of most rock stars.

Enjoy.

-KP Nov. 25, 2007

Hi,

When I have nothing else to do I play around with Google. For the hell of it I Googled "Harris & Penta", seeing as how I'm "Penta".

Imagine my surprise when I saw our "Goodtime Express" on a list of your influences!

I hope it was a good influence and I'm curious as to how we did so.

Anyway, Happy Holidays.

Paul Penta
The Harris & Penta Goodtime Express

Should you choose to reply, please use my aol account.
paulpenta@aol.com

Hi Paul!

Well, my mind is completely blown!!! 'Tis the glory of the world wide web, that I should be rubbing elbows (or at least exchanging emails) with "the" PAUL HARRIS of "the" HARRIS & PENTA GOODTIME EXPRESS. Even more earthshattering (perhaps soulshattering really) that you should only have ONE friend on your myspace page. What about GOOD ol' HARRIS??!!! O.K. enough of the FELIX UNGER-esque critique! Hopefully you'll embrace the beauty of myspace & accept a friend request from my band THE JEWISH.

I am pleased as punch that you stumbled onto THE JEWISH myspace page. Dancing on the ceiling to say the least! So here's the story of how it came to pass that your incredible band, THE HARRIS & PENTA GOODTIME EXPRESS, became the proverbial touchstone of my musical career:

My family used to vacation on Cape Code in the early to mid 80's (West Yarmouth/Hyannis area). I guess my dad DISCOVERED you guys at some HOLIDAY INN type place (methinks it actually WAS a HOLIDAY INN). In any case, Dad used to drag my older brother & I out to see you. In fact, he had a somewhat creepy obsession with you guys. Essentially, you WERE & probably still ARE his favorite band. So much so, that (on one occassion) he actually taped one of your sets (don't worry -- never got a chance to bootleg it in mass quantities). I inherited & cherished that tape (alas 'tis long gone: my mother disposed of a treasure trove of my precious cassette jewels years ago). I fondly recall your rendition of "Your'e Sixteen" ("you're pregnant & your mine."). So, of course you are an influence. Can't you hear it (i.e. THE JEWISH songs on our myspace page)?

Anyhow what's the skinny on THE HARRIS & PENTA GOODTIME EXPRESS? I mean the real low down, a la BEHIND THE MUSIC stuff. Please don't sugarcoat it for me either; I want all the juicy/gory/dirty/tasty business (i.e. all the backstabbing, infighting, mind games, what-have-you...). I mean, do you even still play the showbiz' game? Are you still slogging it out on the circuit? Is there any hope of a REUNION or does the sheer mention of the word utterly disgust you? I'd really & truly like to know the scoop.

I actually did some GOOGLE'ing of my own & found, to my shock/surprise, that you guys made a record. I'd sure love to get my hands on one (perhaps one for my dad especially). I don't know if you are aware of this, but someone had one on EBAY for $10. I was curious if you had any copies lying around you could sell me?

In closing, perhaps you could impart some precious showbiz sagely advice to my band?
We'd truly appreciate it.

YOURS TRULY,
DOUG AKA NIGHTFACE

P.S. Check out my great BKLYN record store www.myspace.com/eatrecords

Hi Doug,

Well your kind words are greatly appreciated, thanks.

I guess we need to straighten out the name thing first. "Harris and Penta" are Dave Harris and me, Paul Penta.

We were together for five meteoric years. From your description, I can tell you that at the time you, your brother and Dad saw us, we were at the Holiday Inn in Hyannis. Glory days indeed. We just were at the right place, at the right time with the right product.

Dave handled the business side of the group and I was in charge of the music. Dave is a wonderful businessman and engineered it so that we were only on Cape for six weeks at a time, twice a year. During our winter engagements at the Holiday Inn, folks were lined up in the lobby of the hotel waiting to get in to see us. And we worked Tues-Sat, in the middle of the winter. Unheard of these days.

Toward the end of those five years, you could say we developed "creative differences", but the truth is we let our egos get in the way of not only our business relationship, but our friendship too. When you've got two front men in the group, inevitably "fans" take sides and start to whisper in the performers ears as to how the other one could never make it without you. Wives also get involved and that added to the fatal curve that ended one of the most popular groups in Cape Cod history. There was an organization of Cape Cod nightclub industry folks who used to give out the Cape Cod Entertainer of the Year Award, and Dave and I were the last ones to win that trophy.

We didn't even speak for about a year. One night, my phone rang and it was Dave. His dad was in intensive care at a hospital in Rhode Island. I could tell he was upset even though it was the first conversation we had in about a year. It was a no brainer. I told him to get his coat ready and that I'd be right over. I picked him up and we drove from the Cape to Rhode Island to see Dad. That one incident revitalized our friendship, but getting back together was not in the cards. By that time we had each established our own, separate careers and there was no reason to revisit the Goodtime Express.

A few years later we did a reunion gig and sold it out, repeating it once more a year later. After that, we would occasionally do stuff together but nothing "official". That was my idea, actually, even though Dave did want to reassemble the group. Too much time had passed and I came to realize that the further back in time The Goodtime Express fell, people's recollection of us would be that we were better than we really were. There was no way we could have lived up to that reputation, so we left folks with their memories of us intact rather than let reality spoil them.

Dave lives in Florida now and I live in Texas. He had gone back to a day gig and did very well for himself, working long enough to get a good pension. I think he drives a truck now for pocket money.

I stayed in the business longer, eventually going to work for the Delta Queen Steamboat Company as lounge entertainer on an overnight steamboat going up and down the Mississippi River. At the moment, I await a call back to that gig but in the meantime I'm a government contractor here at Fort Hood. So I'm not "really" out od the business, it's on hold.

Anyway, I went to eBay and bought that album and when it gets here, I'd like to send it to you so you can give it to your dad as a "thank you" from the Harris and Penta Goodtime Express. It was folks like him that kept us going for those five wonderful years and the opportunity for me to "give back" would make me feel good.

So send me your snail mail address. When it gets here, I'll open the package to make sure all is kosher. I won't be able to tell what kind of condition it's in since I don't have a phonograph. There initially was a picture of the album when it was for sale by a different seller and I was able to see that our autographs were on it. I'm not sure if this is the same copy, but even if it is, I'll autograph it again for your dad if you like. Just send me his name, too.

The last time there were any copies of it in bulk was at Dave's house. He was using them for insulation in his attic :O)

I did not make that up.

As far as "advice" goes. Never lose the fun in what you do. Don't take yourselves too seriously. Don't ever lose whatever friendships that will evolve in the group. They last longer than the band. Trust me.

Take care,
Paul

I must be getting old.

"If you take the game of life seriously, if you take your nervous system seriously, if you take your sense organs seriously, if you take the energy process seriously, you must turn on"

Dear John,

It's been a turbulent last few months in the life of your favorite band. We lost our manager Stein. We got denied a record contract. And Nightface has Ass-Herpes (again). We've also been eschewing a lot of trash talk claiming we're a no-talent "novelty" act lacking the grapes to "really rock". Most of this comes from the mouths of the jealous (a rival band from Queens). All this got us thinking. Were they serious? Do people really question our grapes? What are our grapes? Either way, we took it as a challenge. So this Saturday we're serving up a set of jamz that is certain to end this discussion once and for all. The Jewish will play an All American Rock 'n' Roll Revue!!! No filler!!! No ballads!!! No fat chicks!!! If that weren't enough, we're also debuting a new bassist and security guard/manager. Looks like another one for the ages. Bring Boogie Shoes!!!

The Jewish at 9:00
famous gypsters Cass McCombs and Arboretum play after

Saturday May, 5 2007
at DON PEDRO'S
90 Manhattan Ave @ McKibbin St
Brooklyn, NY

Dear fans,

As some of you might have noticed, The Jewish have been playing a lot of theme-shows lately. First we did the "Repo Man show". Then we brought our old friend Smokey from San Francisco to revisit some of our pre-Jewish material. The set was almost entirely gay-themed music. That was fun.

The reasons we've been trying these thematic one-offs is…
1. We're determined to distinguish ourselves from boring lazy bands overtaxing their unchanging pointless set lists.
2. We like to challenge ourselves musically. What other bands (except The World's Most Dangerous Band) can you name that try a completely different set for each show?
We care about our fans. Nightface and I create a unique and unpredictable experience every time we play. We owe it to you. You're putting your money down on us…you deserve to be entertained.
3. We're desperately trying to capture the attention of anyone that will listen to us.

These are all great reasons to try these experiments. But this Thursday night January 11th 2007 we're going to be playing an entirely new set list of ALL-ORIGINAL MUSIC (an Iraq War-themed operetta composed from scratch in less than a week) for a much more important reason...
The Jewish declare that The War Is Over!!!!

We are going to end the Iraq War once and for all this Thursday night!!! This is not a joke!!! We even offering a cash reward of $10,000 if any audience member can prove the war is still raging after our set closes. Come be part of this historic happening. You probably won't regret it. No Refunds.

Thursday, January 11th
The Cakeshop
152 Ludlow St. NYC $6.00

Is this thing on?

The Jewish are playing this Friday night (tomorrow). I know, that doesn't sound particularly exciting in and of itself. I also know that there's a lot of enticing entertainment in the NYC area that might be vying for your time and entertainment dollars this Friday*.

Additionally, I realize that we force you to deflect or ignore these groveling emails on a bi-monthly bi-curious basis. Sorry. BUT THIS TIME IT'S DIFFERENT. I can't give away any secrets but I can say that Doug and I have planned something VERY UNUSUAL for this show. These past few weeks we've been working very hard to offer up a set of music that is guaranteed to challenge and entertain even the most jaded and boring music fans dotting the NYC nighttime landscape (ourselves included). ALL NEW SONGS!!! Now again, I know that this promise would only entice you if you were already....

a. Sick of our old songs (which is doubtful considering none of you have returned to see us more than once)

b. Remotely interested or intrigued by our band in any way. (also doubtful given the general disinterest exhibited by our audiences thus far.*)

c. The type of live music fan that really "cares about songs". Because let's face it...the only time any of us go see live music is when we feel so guilty for ignoring our friends terrible bands that we finally cave in. Or when we pay real money to see good bands congesting the oldies circuit. Both are usually a bit of a let down anyway.

The last reason you might want to come see us is that we're playing at a venue that is refreshingly free of the prevalent post-millennium post-Giuliani post-good times crackdown on fun i.e. NO SMOKING-NO DRUGS-NO SLAM DANCING-NO SKATEBOARDING-NO PUNKING-NO FAT CHICKS etc...... So, even if you hate us and all of the other entertainment offered up tomorrow you can at least feel free to express your dwindling personal "freak flag" freedoms in as superficial and predictible ways as you see fit. Which is something you really can't do at the Mercury Lounge.

So, we'll see you there? Thought so.
The Jewish
This Friday
At the Happy Birthday Hideout
we go on at midnight!!!
338 Flushing Ave., bet. Classon & Taaffee

Dearest Patrons of the Arts,

THE JEWISH are scheduled to perform at a truly gala event…FINALLY! As you know THE JEWISH have been practically ignored by the NYC music scene (and by most of you) for the first year of our existence. Our band is so pleased to FINALLY be accepted into what appears to be a very exclusive teir of the contemporary arts cognoscenti. I think maybe we've found a home. We personally can't wait to rub elbows and schmooze with some of the greatest artists alive on the planet!! We'll be the first to admit that we don't really know much about art itself BUT if there's one thing THE JEWISH have learned about the NYC art scene is that it's home to some of the most GENUINE and down to earth folks around. It's a world refreshingly free of the kind of nepotism and charlatanism that runs rampant on the music scene. Moreover, these people are basically just HANDING us a giant pile of money to do what ever we want!!! That would NEVER happen at a rock club (trust us).

If THE JEWISH were lazy, pretentious and shamelessly self-indulgent WE COULD just get up there and do something totally boring, politically obvious and devoid of any entertainment value whatsoever and still get paid. We considered that, but then we remembered something very important….fans. Besides, that type of bullshit would never work in New York. People are way too discriminating here. Take for example the multiple mediums/video/performance/installation artist Sharon Hayes who will be performing last on the bill. Check out a description of her act http://www.shaze.info/my%20fellow%20americans.html. As you can see this is going to be a lot of fun.

There is also FREE BOOZE (not sure about snacks). So don't be thrown off or intimidated by all this confusing art stuff. If you just want to show up, party and maybe smoke out a little it's totally fucking cool.

Word has been spreading about our last show where THE JEWISH performed THE ENTIRE REPO MAN SOUNDTRACK. Check it out… http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.myvideos. So, as you can see when we tell you we're doing an "all new" set WE'RE NOT FUCKING AROUND!!! Some fans have asked us to reprise The Repo Man thing. Not gonna happen. You snooze you loose. So what do we have up our sleeves this time out?

We are going to feature an old friend and former bandmate of ours from the old days. His name is Smokey. Now I know that name might not mean anything to anybody reading this, but he's been an invisible muse/silent advocate of our music for about 20 years. Really, he's been THE WIND BENEATH OUR WINGS. Anyhow, since ol' Smokey has rolled into town we've taken a good hard look at ourselves & our MUSIC especially. Smokey's return has made us realize that we've changed…a lot! I guess it's not like those first four years when 3 young guys bought a houseboat in Marin County and tried to take on the world! Awe hell!!! Three caballeros on an endless siesta!!! Anyhow, Smokey was pretty P.O'd that we weren't jamming on any of our old shit. He called THE JEWISH "weak" and "obvious". It hurt, but only for a minute. Smokey, frustrated and bitchy, figured rather than BEAT US he'd JOIN US!! So off we went!!! For the past10 days we've secluded ourselves in a sweaty little practice room. We've been revisiting some long-forgotten pre-THE JEWISH chestnuts and also written a couple new tunes too!!! This has really been like a rebirth for us. Smokey has been working our asses really hard and even though we're getting pretty tight…he's also totally loosened us up. He's amazing. So strong. This whole transformation has got us wondering…is this still THE JEWISH or SMOKEY'S PLAYTHINGS? Hmmmmmm? Come find out for your self.

THE JEWISH (?)
JAH DIVISION
DJ SPENCER SWEENEY
And performance "artist" Sharon Hayes

Thursday, December 14, 2006

6:30–9:30 p.m.

P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center

22-25 Jackson Ave. at 46th Ave.
Long Island City, Queens

We're generously posting the lyrics to our newest hit "They Like Disco" you're free to interpret the lyrics on your own but we see it as the most relevant Anti-War anthem of peace since "Still in Saigon". Enjoy.

We don't have to love each other
We don't have to score
But we are all party people
And that you can't ignore
Now listen to me brother
And just hear what I say
If you want to dance tomorrow
Then stop the war today

CHORUS:
I don't see why Mohammed and Mike can't do The Bump
Throw down your M-16s and shake your rumpity rump
Get on up move on out and dance across the floor
If we can dance The Boogie baby we can stop this funky war

Slip right out that birka baby
An put on that glitter gown
Just unwrap that turban daddy
And follow me downtown
There's an all-night discoteque
In the basement of a mosque
My buddy Habib works the door
There ain't no cover cost

MIDDLE:
They Like Disco--We like Disco too
They like Disco
Muslims Christians and Jews--Put on your Disco shoes

You don't have to pray to Allah
Or bow down to Christ
We don't want to plan a robbery
Just a disco heist
You just have to grab a partner
From across the enemy line
Pull him on the floor now baby
And have a funky time

It's Friday night in Baghdad
It's midnight in New York
Now we're on the floor together
Let's get down to work
We're just people preaching love
Tryin to do our thing
Disco brought two sides together
We taught the world to sing

Jennifer from Royal Trux got asked to add her 'top 10 records list' to a book of 'top 10 records' lists. All the contributors are somewhat famous names in the music industry. The editor seems to be a humorless French guy. I guess Jennifer found the request too daunting and after a year of procrastinating and dodging his desperate emails she turned the task over to me. Why? I'm not totally sure myself. But I think my reputation as an irreverent bitter smart-ass with nothing but time on his hands had something to do with it. I picked the albums and ghost-wrote the reviews for her. She turned the piece in "as-is". The reviews were supposed to only be 3 to 4 lines. Immediately below is a VERY long list of ONLY SOME of the other contributors. "Jennifer's" top 10 is at the bottom. Enjoy.

Andy Bell (Ride Oasis)

Pete Bassman (Spacemen 3 The Darkness)

Bob Bert (Sonic Youth Pussy Galore )

Ade Blackburn (Clinic)

Ernie Brooks (Modern Lovers)

Chris Carter (Throbbing Gristle)

Billy Childish

John Darnielle (The Mountain Goats)

Jad Fair (Half Japanese)

Bob Fay (Sebadoh)

Danny Fields

Pat Fish (The Jazz Butcher)

David Grubbs (Brise Glace Gastr Del Sol)

Paul Haig (Joseph K)

John Holmstrom (Punk Magazine)

Peter Hook (New Order)

Hugh Hopper (Soft Machine)

Jenny Houston (Erase Erata)

Ivan Julian (The Voivoids)

Jonathan Kane (The swans)

Kramer

Damon Krukowski (Galaxie 500 Damon & Naomi)

Mac McCaughan (Superchunk)

Glenn Mercer (The Feelies)

Roger C Miller (Mission of Burma)

Bob Nastanovich (Pavement)

Buzz Osborne (The Melvins)

Jean-Hervé Peron (Faust)

Bettina Richards (Thrill Jockey)

Michael Rother (Neu!)

Jon Savage (England¹s Dreaming)

John Sinclair (White Panther - MC5)

Sonic Bomm (Spacemen 3)

Tobin Sprout (Guided By Voices)

Ian Svenonius (The Make Up)

Mayo Thompson (The Red Krayola)

Wharton Tiers (Fun City Studio)

Uli Trepte (Guru Guru)

Nik Turner (Hawkwind)

Ari Up (The Slits)

Tony Visconti

Dean Wareham (Galaxie 500 Luna)

Mike Watt (Minutemen Firehose)

Steve Wynn (Dream Syndicate)

Doug Yule (The Velvet Underground)

Peter Zaremba (The Fleshtones)

1. Glen Fry-Strange Weather MCA 1993

Throughout my career much has been made of my association and usage of illegal drugs. This largely exaggerated reputation has preceded and effected the critical reaction to every single step of my musical development. It used to really bother me but now I've just learned to live with it. One thing that practically no one knows is that years after my rehabilitation I encountered a drug that had a vastly more profound effect on my approach of music. PCP. In 1998 I was rummaging through a box of cassettes in the glove compartment of my stepfather's Pontiac Fiero. I found the Glen Fry record Strange Weather on a factory cassette and thought I'd put it on for a lark. When I opened up the J-card (to read the lyrics) all of this white powder spilled out. I thought it was coke. It wasn't coke. Right as the dust kicked in, the tune Part of Me, Part of You was reaching its climax. Previously, I'd thought all of that nonsense about being able to "find god through rock" was just empty promises from dried up hippies. I immediately had an amazing series of hallucinations all involving Danny Devito, Rhea Pearlman and this talking caterpillar (no shit). Words cannot describe, but this odyssey was PERFECTLY choreographed to these recordings. It was god!! I just sat there listening to this tape over and over again in the front seat of the Fiero until I finally came down. Say what you will about Disraeli Gears, but I consider this cassette the ultimate "Drug Record" and challenge anyone to prove me wrong.

2. Jerry Lewis-Just Sings Decca 1957

A lot of people consider Bob Dylan to be the absolute being and most important voice of American music. Other critics bow to different totems (see Robert Christgau's essay about James Brown, Fela and Billy Ocean as the essential African triumvirate) For me; the only man that I can put equal to god (musically speaking) is Jerry Lewis.

3. Jonny Lang- Brakin' Me [Cassette Single] Interscope (2000)

Blues is a weird genre for me. It's so varied that I have a hard time figuring out what's good. In the 90's a lot of my contemporaries (Jon Spencer, Ian Sevonius etc..) were looking to older black men for inspiration in "finding the blues". That route seemed so obvious to me. John Lee Hooker and Robert Johnson never spoke to me. It was all too old..too black. I looked elsewhere and found a strain of blues I consider far more soulful and pure. NAMBLA Blues. Picking between the giants of this genre (Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Jonny Lang, Chris Duarte, Ralph Maccio and J. Evan Bonifant-who portrayed Buster Blues in Blues Brothers 2000) is like picking between siblings. But I would nominate this blues cassette-single as a great place to start.

4. Joe Pesci- Vincent Laguardia Gambini Sings Just for You 1998 Sony

Being an east-coast girl, it's been very hard for me to relate to the "mellow vibes" of California. A lot of critics have pointed to Springsteen, Sinatra or Grandmaster Flash to musically convey the grit and intensity that is the east-coast urban experience. Whenever anyone asks me what it's really like to live in a big cold city near the Atlantic, I invariably dub him or her a cassette copy of this record. It has ballads, rock anthems and even hip-hop. It's perfect.

5. Iggy Pop-Brick by Brick 1990 Virgin

Most of the readers of this book are probably more than familiar with (maybe even sick of) the work of Iggy Pop. Called by many the Godfather of Punk for good reason..he makes musical offers that you can't refuse. 1996's Naughty Little Doggie taught us that this 71-year old bad boy could still deliver the bare-knuckled hard rock that made him famous. The brilliant Avenue B from 1999 displayed a more introspective Croce-esque (though shirtless and clean shaven) singer-songwriter. All are classics, but I really prefer his older stuff. That's why I always find myself reaching for my Brick by Brick cassette (one of his first and best), which contains the infectious track Butt-town.

6. Ned's Atomic Dustbin- One More No More (Live) Gig Records 2001

It's well known that "The Trux" loved all of the rave bands that came out of Britain in the early 90's. Ned's was our favorite. This was a long-awaited live reunion album from 2001. They hand in serviceable renditions of "Stuck" and "Happy" as well as other classics. As an update, the album title proved to be false advertising -- Ned's Atomic Dustbin played many subsequent reunion shows after this one. I should know..I attended every one.

7. Ryan Adams-Heartbreaker Bloodshot 2000

In one review a critic called one of my performances "postured", "affected" and "lacking any soul whatsoever". I was so naïve I didn't really know anything about those terms. I set out to find the true masters of these musical forms. That's how I discovered Ryan Adams.

8. The Jewish- Fantasy Stalker (unreleased) 2006

This is by far the most important band of the new millennium. The Jewish, (whose recordings can only currently be heard on myspace) are fronted by visionaries Jeffrey Jensen and Douglas Pressman AKA the Lennon and McCartney of my generation. I envy the label who snatches them up first.

9. Guadalcanal Diary, Let's Active, Fetchin' Bones, Drivin' n' Cryin', Scruffy The Cat, The BoDeans, the Del Fuegos, Los Lobos

I love mediocre college rock from the mid-80's. I'm not too cool to admit that I used to mouse my hair and wear bolo ties with my paisley shirts. If I ran across a time machine this is the era I would travel back to. Any one of these bands will change your life.

10. The Velvet Underground- The Velvet Underground and Nico Verve 1967

What more can be said about this seminal cassette that hasn't already been covered ad nauseum in the pages of every pretentious expensive magazine, rock history book and unnecessary compendium of record reviews? I can't say. I've honestly never heard it. Seriously. My stepsister taped over it with The Red Hot Chili Peppers Uplift Mofo Party Plan, which is a pretty cool tape.