I didn't take enough photos of the Blakes on Friday night. I think I was overcome by their sheer hotness and my excitement over the set of music I knew would rock Humboldt Brews' patrons' collective socks.

It didn't take long for sweat to overcome me and for me to lose what remained of my voice after the English Beat show on Tuesday, singing KSLG hits like "Two Times" and "Don't Bother Me," plus the new song, "Basket," which is on The Blakes' new album that's due out on October 13th, called "Souvenir."

All that aside, here are a few shots I did get... all of Keim brothers Garnet and Snow. Bob Husak, the drummer, was hiding behind his kit and none of those shots turned out worth a darn.

Garnet


Garnet and Snow


Garnet


Snow

I got kind of a sneak peak at Music for Animals, the out of town opener for The Blakes, as I wrote the preview article on them for the Times-Standard. I knew they'd be fun, danceable, and goofy in an very '80s-influenced way.

They were a blast.

Word has it, Music for Animals may be trying to come back through Humboldt toward the end of October/early November. You can bet I'll be there, as will a pile of folks who came out for the Blakes and fell in love with these guys.

I feel like I'm getting close to catching up on some of these show photos! What a feeling!

This is The Common Vice. This local band started out as a trio, with the goal of playing a "Victorian rock opera"... it was an interesting concept, with props, costuming and all, but I'm kind of glad they moved past it. They added a fourth member and started playing good ol' rock music.

Also, both the singer Bret Bailey and bass player Brian Gibson were in Que La Chinga, in the past few years. They moved into The Common Vice, and the rest of the guys moved over to Side Iron and Dragged by Horses... because this is a small town with a rather incestuous rock scene.

This past Friday night, The Common Vice opened for The Blakes at Humboldt Brews.


Bret Bailey


Felix


Gibby


Clinton


Felix and Gibby

I think the first time I saw Bay Area ska band Monkey was in 1997, or right around there. It was when third-wave ska was hitting the big time and there were ska shows (all ages, imagine!) a couple nights a week, locally. I was in high school and going to as many of those shows as possible, skanking my booty off. Really, after I got my driver's license, dancing was my main form of exercise.

I specifically remember Monkey playing at Club West as part of this Bay Area Ska tour, along with Slow Gherkin and a bunch of other bands with silly names. I loved it. Last time I saw 'em, they played a really poorly attended show at Six Rivers Brewery in the last few years.

This time... it was great. Being an opening band is especially hard. People were there for the English Beat, but luckily, ska music puts people in a great mood and the crowd seemed to really dig Monkey.

Here are a few pics:

My voice ran away on Tuesday night... has anyone found it?

I blame it on The English Beat. In short, for those who might remember the Beat from the late '70s/early '80s, the band was known by the shorter name all over the world, except in the US, where another band with a similar name existed, therefore they had to add "English" to their moniker to avoid litigation.

25 years later, Dave Wakeling (original Beat singer, and now California resident) was in the UK for a Beat reunion, talking with Ranking Roger (the Beat's "toaster," aka the guy who does the spoken work/raps) about how both had been having issues booking shows under their current band names, at the time, because all the venues wanted to tie them back to The Beat. They made an agreement that Roger would continue The Beat in the UK, and Wakeling would carry the name The English Beat in the US. And so it is, that at any given moment on a Saturday night, The Beat's music may be played by original members of the band, on two separate continents.

Wakeling and The English Beat carry an amazing lineup of kick-ass musicians who play some of the best ska I've heard live. Along with Bay Area band Monkey, a band I've listened to since high school, and the band that opened for The English Beat at Nocturnum on Tuesday night, I was reminded why I was so much skinnier in 1997. God damn, I miss dancing my butt off to live ska bands, multiple nights a week.

Here are some shots from that night. With the minimal stage lighting (at least it was blue, and not red, a photographer's nightmare), I was only able to get good shots of Wakeling and Antonee First Class, the English Beat's toaster.

Dave Wakeling


Antonee First Class, a.k.a. Two Tone Tony


Dave Wakeling


Dave Wakeling


Dave Wakeling


Antonee First Class

Barely over a week ago, the B-52s (yes, without a misplaced apostrophe... only took 'em 30 years to fix that grammatical oops) played to a very enthusiastic crowd at the Van Duzer Theatre. In the days before, I'd been lucky to talk to guitar player and main songwriter Keith Strickland, one of the band's original members that is still in the group, about the group's songwriting process (hard to believe that "Rock Lobster" was the product of vocal improvisation, no?), and what the group's been up to for the past 16 years. The resulting article is here.

The show, last Friday at the Van Duzer Theatre at HSU, was a blast. My friend Tiffany and I rocked out in the first couple of rows of seating, though that wouldn't have mattered since, by the end of the first song, dancers had left their chairs and made a home in the aisles and in front of the stage. The band played all of its hits and the crowd sang along dutifully. I only heard one complaint about someone who had to leave because of the strobe lights, but I only noticed the presence of the strobes for one song. *cough*Suckitup*cough*

Anyway, here are some pics from that night:

Kate Pierson


Keith Strickland


Keith Strickland


Fred Schneider and Kate Pierson


Cindy Wilson, Kate Pierson and Fred Schneider


Kate Pierson and Cindy Wilson

Saturday, day 2, was a crazy rush. Started out super stressy, with the BART train we came in from Hayward on slowing to a stop multiple times along the route, without explanation. Then the shuttle bus we were supposed to take from the BART station to the festival showed up late, took forever to load, and took the most round-about way to the Park. Why did I care so much? Because I had a 1 p.m. appointment with Tom Morello, the guitar-deity from Rage Against the Machine, who was playing in his current side-project, with Boots Riley, called Street Sweeper Social Club ("We're more than just a band. We're a social club."). I was supposed to get a KSLG ID from him, and so help me, if I missed that appointment, someone was going to pay.

Luckily, he was also running late, so I was able to catch him as he exited the press area, just before he boarded his shuttle to the stage he was playing. I got a couple of IDs from him and asked if I could get a real quick silly picture with him. He took my camera, got the photo, and was ushered off to play. The rest of the day was a blur.

Despite getting pics from Jason Mraz, Dave Matthews Band, TV on the Radio and others, that day, I figured Street Sweeper Social Club deserved its own blog.

Tom Morello and I (photo technically taken by him)



Street Sweeper Social Club



Street Sweeper Social Club



Street Sweeper Social Club



Street Sweeper Social Club



Street Sweeper Social Club



Street Sweeper Social Club


Street Sweeper Social Club

What a weekend. Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival is amazing... three days of music, over three separate fields, six stages and a tent. By my approximation, the span of the festival from major stages at one end to the other is about the distance from the Plaza in Arcata to H.S.U.... all by foot. I'm currently a hobbling mess, but my back is SO happy to no longer be wearing my camera backpack and other gear.

Anyway, let's see how quickly I can sort through these photos. There are hundreds... about 7-ish Gigs worth.

Starting with day 1, Friday, and sets by Silversun Pickups (singer Brian Aubert, mostly, since that's what I could see well from my spot in the photo pit) and Incubus (mostly Brandon Boyd). Hope you dig.


Silversun Pickups



Silversun Pickups



Silversun Pickups



Silversun Pickups



Incubus



Incubus



Incubus



Incubus

I was stoked to get the Chris Isaak assignment for this week's Northern Lights section of the Times-Standard, which will come out this Thursday, August 27.

As with any other performer I write about, I wanted to contact Isaak for an interview... worst he could do was say no, right? So I went searching for contact info and came up empty. Dammit. I e-mailed my friends at CenterArts to see if they had any leads, and was told not to bother. "You'll get nowhere," I was told... I took it as a challenge (I hate being told "No"... you should know this about me, by now).

In the end, I followed some links to some other links and sent a message to Isaak's management folk. I got a response within three hours, telling me to e-mail in some questions, and they'd send 'em along. I held my breath, typed up what came into my head and hit Send, just hoping that I'd get responses back in time.

For the record, e-mail interviews are my second-least favorite situation (least fave being no interview at all, ala Joan Baez). I like dialogue. I like bringing a couple of ideas to the table and letting the musician's responses guide the rest of the conversation. I'm not a straight-forward Q&A kind of girl. Luckily, Chris Isaak gets it (maybe because he does an interview show of his own?).

Anyway, when I got the e-mail back from his management yesterday, when I was done jumping around like a goofball and actually sat down to read his answers to my questions, I was so amused that I almost let the article be a series of his zingy one-liners. I thought better of that plan and decided, instead, to blog the Q&A, for your amusement.

I'm truly bummed that I won't be able to catch Chris Isaak's show at the Van Duzer this Sunday (I'll be at Outside Lands in SF... I'm not complaining! Just wish I could clone myself!).

Hope you like this even a portion as much as I did:

1) A friend mentioned that for a long time, you played on an old Sears guitar. Can you tell me about that guitar, why you moved on from it and what you play now?
I used to box in Stockton, and the pawn shop was right around the corner from the gym, so I would look at the guitars before practice every day. I got my older brother Nick to do the deal making when I finally had the money for a guitar. He always was a better horse trader than me. I still have it, a Sears Silvertone. I named my band after it and I still have that guitar. I started playing Gibson guitars when I started traveling on tour all the time. The Gibson sounds great, and it holds up day after day. A lot of guitars sound good in your kitchen, or if you don't mind fixing them all the time, but when you play every day and you live on a tour bus you need a guitar that is bulletproof. The Gibson can take a lickin' and keeps on tickin'.


2) Growing up in Stockton, did you ever come up to Humboldt County, as an up-and-coming musician?
Yes, I think I have played every county in California. I even played on Catalina Island, so maybe I hold the record for getting around. With an act like mine you gotta keep moving!!


3) I've been loving watching The Chris Isaak Hour, online and loving it. Something about a musician interviewing musicians adds so much insight. Is there anyone you've had as a guest that surprised you with how awesome they were? Anyone you've got lined up for the future that you're really excited about? (If this show ever comes out on DVD, you better bet I'll be buying it.)
I had so much fun with the guests. I think they could sense that I was a fan and I was on their side. I just wanted them to be able to do their music the way they wanted and to be able to tell their story. I was surprised every time we did a show.
Cat Stevens talking about his charisma with the ladies...Wow! And he sang to my dog. You gotta like a guy for that.

Stevie Nicks was wonderful and surprised me in every way. In the interview she was MORE than candid about her troubles in the past with drugs. She laid it out in a way that most people just dance around, and I think her being candid and brutal was great and for a reason. She was giving a warning instead of making light of her past problems. Then when we sang together, I love that she picked a song to do that she had never sung before. She is a bold and classy lady.

If I had to look to the future...hmm...I would love to talk to Paul McCartney. I have been a fan of his since his first band...remember them? I'd like to sing some Buddy Holly tunes with Paul, I think we could be a good duo. Actually Paul and ANYONE is a good duo...


4) "Mr. Lucky" was your first non-Holiday studio album in ages... what was the occasion? Are you Mr. Lucky?
I had done a Christmas album, a greatest hits, and a live album from Australia, but I was always working on songs for this album. I think I have a good mix of rock and ballads on this album. It's good for a long drive or a hot bath. As far as me being Mr. Lucky, yes, I think I'm very lucky. I have been singing in a rock and roll band for almost twenty five years with the same band. They are great guys, and when you live on a tour bus it's like living on a submarine. If someone is a jerk you know it. And I can say the guys in my band are really good men. They are funny, and they work like crazy to give a good show. We all rely on each other and we love what we do. We get to travel and play music and they give us free T-shirts. I think of how hard my Dad had to work his whole life driving forklift, and then always working a second job after work. I am definitely "Mr.Lucky"!


5) If you ever actually have any down time, what do you really enjoy doing with it?
I like to draw cartoons and sketch. I did the artwork booklet that comes with the CD. I started drawing when I was a kid. I remember getting sick and put in the hospital for a year when I was young. The only thing you could do was watch TV or do something in your room, so I started drawing. And I love to surf if I am back in SF. I'm not a great surfer, but I have as much fun as ANYBODY! I love to be in the water. And I do love old movies. Anything in technicolor. I think heaven is probably going to be in technicolor and Veronica Lake will greet you at the pearly gates.


6) You're playing some dates (including Arcata) with Kristina Train. How did you get hooked up with her?
In showbiz, you need flashy costumes and talent. I have the flashy costumes, Kristina has the talent! She is really an amazing singer. I am a fan like everybody else who hears her voice. If you come to the show please do yourself a favor, come early and get settled so you can hear everything Kristina Train does, because you are gonna kick yourself if you come in a minute late. She is that good. I have heard people come back to see the show twice because they missed the beginning.

I am so proud of our show! And I love our stage, we have a huge fourties looking TV monitor behind us and a white sparkle tuck and roll stage. I love the music, and I love putting on a show that gives people something to look at and keeps them going "I can't believe they are going to do this!".

People always ask me how much my "suit of lights" (it's covered in over seven hundred and thirty seven mirrors) weighs. It weighs 33 pounds, but I never notice it when I'm on stage. I love what I get to do. I get to sing and have a ball with my friends. That's my job! I am "Mr.Lucky"!


Monica [eeeee! He said my name!!], I hope these answers are helpful to you and will not in any way bring negative attention to you or your position. "Monica, after that Isaak interview we have decided to put you on pet obituaries as a probationary move..." Please feel free to clean up any spelling or punctuation errors, and you have a story that involves a police chase and a stolen puppy returned to his rightful owner in a childrens hospital just in time for a dramatic get well that left medical science scratching its head...well add that right in!             

Thanks, written from a moving bus,
Your singing pal[that's right... my pal!], Chris

Flogging Molly's bass player, Nathen Maxwell, has a side project, a roots reggae band called The Original Bunny Gang. Read about them here.

They played last night (Monday) at Humboldt Brews in Arcata, and they were awesome. Here are some of my photos:

Nathen Maxwell



Matt Hensley



Pepe Wall and his silhouette



Matt Hensley and Mike Peralta



Guinness and guitar equipment



Father and son: Nathen Maxwell and his dad, maxwellvision, on drums



Nathen's dad, maxwellvision



Matt Hensley



Nathen Maxwell