¡Live from MIA!

I was down in Key West with the Sp*m Allstars last weekend  ..

and happened to run across a group of Amish (Mennonites? from Sarasota?) waiting for a trip on a glass bottom boat, named Fury!

Great time had by all, and the Green Parrot was packed … again! I think the Key West Art Festival (l*me) was going on too? oof.

For a good time - click here ->

I went down to Key West with the Spam Allstars …

.. who were playing at the Green Parrot. Always a great time (Fri/Sat), loads of good folk in a great place down for good times. Ladies & Gentlemen (on the way back) - Alabama Jacks!

… with a (real patriotic) dance-floor swinger! A traditional stop is required on any r/t journey to Mile Marker 0.

This pair was on the beach when I got back on Sunday (4pm+/-) …

… hang ten!

May 12, 2012 – I once had it, within my reach, but unfortunately the “staff” (Richie, Spencer, Aimee, Peter … random new hire?) at the store had been quickly ordered/instructed (lawyers) to pull this particular Negativland/”U2″ LP/CD – that day – that moment – just when I had decided to zip down Newbury St. (from Visual Research & Design (?) – w/a Don Gove – “worst” Boss in history/the wolrd.) and see if it had hit the Newbury Comics vinyl (yep, “record”) bins yet. I saw it. There it was, behind the counter and within view, a box with ALL the freshly sealed U2/Negativland 12″ (& cd’s?) ready to be shipped - BACK - to the distributors/record label?!?! I think I had made a quick, but useless plea. nada.

The “song” had been getting local play on college radio, so folk were aware of its release (an it’s humor), and I, for one, was looking forward to it’s purchase (I can be a record-geek sometimes, but nothing compared to some I know). But, the evil powers that exist in the music biz, began to buzz. Word on the street was that the U2′s lawyers/record label were a little miffed that someone would mess around with their (mondo money-making) hit – and went to work quickly pursuing the culprits – Negativland – the folks who had the gall to bastardize their merch!?! Have a wee … listen!

August 20, 1991: SST Records releases a single by Negativland called “U2″, a tape-collage parody of U2′s “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” (video here) featuring sampled and scrambled portions of the U2 song itself and a found tape of radio personality Casey Kasem losing his cool. As part of the joke, the CD packaging features the title – the letter “U” and the numeral “2″ – largely and prominently with the attribution “Negativland” in much smaller letters below it.

I saw them play once in Boston/Somerville (’92/Johnny D’s?+/-) where they had toasters on the sides of the (small) stage, the show began – then someone started to make the “toast”, which started to burn, creating smoke … etc. After that it was just fun seeing them perform the stuff I had listened to on WZBC (and WUNH, KFJC, WVUM, WBUR) during the 80′s.

*Special thanks to Le Spam for procuring this “rare” little item for me and also ending my obsessive search for it.

MIA

… I’m having fun with the new “creative” direction (ripping off old postcards!) for friends, the Spam Allstars.

ORL

YBO

It all – vintage-FL/miami-historic & vibey – kinda, seems to snap into place.

GEN 

*Special thanks to – D. Ser & S. Bramson (who has the largest collection of Floridiana in the WORLD!) – *My new favorite word: Floridiana (Florida Memorabilia). A small sample of some of my other design work, available here. 

April 13-15, 2012

Went down on Friday with the Spam Allstars to Key West, FL …

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A gig at the Green Parrot – always a good trip.

Good folk, great place. *AJ (Pilot)/Ash (Co-pilot)

So … I guess we all, did, slowly recover from Ultra, WMC, Fashion Week, (Some?) Film Festivals, WWE, Etc., phew. Spring – so far so good, last Friday (3/30/12) was an event packed day – Gold Dust Lounge at the Standard (happy hour 4-7p/band 5-8p). Did a live digital (DR-100) recording for them, which works out as a good cover for drinking Stella out on the deck – with a killer view.

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Then a lil’ roadie work with the Spam Allstars (load in/out at Purdy Lounge. f’n mic stnds?!?). Then I discovered South Beach Music Exchange, a cool little local music shop with lots of analog (and digital) gear, acoustic guitars too. I think they offer music lessons as well. Then Snow Patrol (w/ Ed Sheeran) over at the Gleason (thx WD/Bela) – they were kinda a mushy, but I was in a minute minority when I say that. (let’s just say) everyone else enjoyed the show. Next …

… stay tuned.