Trick or treat, Springfield style

For her first Halloween, Eloise is dressing up as Homer. The belly and (lack of) hairdo were already present; we just needed to track down the gear and sew a felt donut. Wendy was going to make a Duff beer can, too, but Eloise will need one hand to hold onto her loot!


Me? You can kind of tell in her picture that I'm sort of going as Jimbo. I'll have to refrain from stealing any candy.

Five days

I know, I know: If voting could change anything it would be outlawed. But if one can help move the U.S. in a good direction--even a couple inches--it's something he or she should feel obligated to do. This year there are three boxes that I feel especially strongly about marking.

OBAMA/BIDEN. His populist outlook, diplomatic presence, leadership abilities, and Pan-Asian background are only some of the reasons I support Obama, and seeing Republican bigwigs like Gen. Colin Powell and Asst. Surgeon General Samuel Lin give their votes to him is further indication of his readiness for the Oval Office. The most relevant specific instances of his superior judgment to McCain include but are not limited to his heady reaction to the current financial crisis, sensible and flexible treatment of the war in Iraq, and choice of Vice-Presidential candidate.

YES ON PROP 2. While animal lovers, vegans, and vegetarians (like me) will undoubtedly support this proposition intended to limit the cruel treatment of farm animals in California, I think omnivores should be its biggest fans. If my daughter winds up eating meat, I wouldn't want it to be full of antibiotics, hormones, or disease. The retrofitting process will cost the producers and consumers, but it's neither radical nor unprecedented. Such changes in the egg industry have already taken place in the EU.

NO ON PROP 8. In California, this expressly takes away the rights for same-sex marriage. Not only is the hate and fear mongering promoted by its supporters despicable, but the idea that gay marriage will be taught in schools is an outright lie.

That's it for my time on the soapbox, but I'm sure there will be plenty more on the radio, TV, newspapers, and Internet between now and Tuesday... Don't let it get you down and and don't let it dissuade you from being heard--which ever way you vote.

Halloween comes early at The Crosby

Trick or Treat! Did Pucca get free dessert? I had the pizza with alfredo sauce, artichoke hearts, and orange cherry tomatoes (hold the shrimp) and it kicked ass over CPK. The music was tastier, too.

The Crosby
400 N Broadway
Santa Ana, CA 92701
(714) 543-3543

Board Meeting

Yesterday, I drove past the ramen spots in Torrance, beyond the Vietnamese sandwich places in Westminster, and right by the 99 Ranch Market in Irvine to visit my friend Paul at Element. I met him through Ray Barbee at the Lance Mountain shoe release event a few weeks ago, and called his bluff on checking out the skateboard company's world headquarters.


The Element complex is huge because the company aims to equip skaters from head to toe. Do Mike V. and Bam wrestle to see who sits at the head of this table?


Chad, Charlie, and Paul with a pile of GR mags and a wall of shoe samples. Evidence supporting what Thurston Moore says in the live portion of the Dirty Boots EP from 1990: "Irvine shreds!"

Happy Family

Wendy, Eloise, and I took my mother-in-law to Happy Family vegetarian restaurant in Monterey Park for a birthday lunch on Sunday. The appetizer? Lettuce cup with minced squab. Super light, kind of crispy, subtly sweet, and perfect for a warm afternoon.


Our main dishes, which actually arrived before the lettuce cubs, were the chicken nuggets and mustard green with bean curd sheets. Something a little salty and slightly bitter. After tearing off the fried exterior, we fed the mock chicken to Eloise and she was into it.


So far, so good. We also ordered one dish that was new to us: crispy oyster. Ever so slightly coated, the insides were squishy and warm--maybe like Chinese gnocchi. Eloise liked the non-fried parts of this dish, too. No dipping salt for her.


Whether Eloise has a vegetarian diet is ultimately up to her, but I'm stoked that she's already digging the mock meat. Happy Birthday Popo!

Donuts vs. Robots

Tonight's mission was a late one. I didn't pick up my friend Ken until after 10:00 p.m. First stop: Donut Man in Glendora. Despite the fact that it is neither fresh strawberry nor peach donut season, it was more crowded than I've ever seen it. Look at that mob--mostly college students.


The donut of the moment is pumpkin (top right). It's not glazed and has a pumpkin-pie like topping in addition to cream cheese in the center. Really light and really good. I also picked up a Tiger Tail for the road and some donut holes for Wendy.


Chino Hills seems far, but it's only 20 minutes from Donut Man. We arrived at the outdoor mall around 11:30 and it was pretty desolate. Whatever bands or crowds were there for the free Meeting of the Minds festival were long gone. So Ken (below, with arms crossed) and I hung out in the car and ate the rest of our donuts before Free The Robots came out.


The guys went on promptly at 12:30 to an audience of about two dozen. By the time their 30-minute set ended, there were about 8 left. It was great--what the Descendents would call a hallraker--and worth every penny. Check them out when you can live or on Obey Records.

Daniel Castillo in GR56

So many good articles in GR56, but what do you know about Daniel Castillo? Can you even tell from his skating that the Chocolate/Grind King manny master took a gunshot to the femur? Here's the Culver City-based Venice homie in a recent "Mess Around Monday" courtesy of Almost.



And back-in-the-day footage from the legendary Love Child...

Free stoner rock and robots

When I was a kid growing up in Anaheim Hills, my dad would joke sometimes about it "smelling like Chino" when the wind blew just right. Back then, there were a ton of slaughterhouses in the area and it literally smelled like manure. Allegedly, it was the site of a Bandini Mountain. But these days there are a bunch of suburban homes there, and on Saturday it's going to smell like something else when the Meeting of the Minds festival takes place.

Most of the bands I'm not familiar with, but Tee Pee bands Ancestors and Earthless are gods of stoner rock space jamming that I can't wait to see live. (If the former is Mötörhead, the latter is Hawkwind.) And great name notwithstanding, the Obey-approved Free The Robots busts out of the DJ box to play a live set. I'm a big fan of their jazzy beats and unpredictable mixes (Specials, Blonde Redhead, and Dead Kennedys anyone?) and can't wait to hear what they do with a live percussion section and more.



Free and all-ages, so you have no excuses-except that it's out in the boonies.

Lychee green tea with ginseng

Found a new variety of Hawaiian Sun today--at least new to me. The lychee flavor is pretty good and very subtle, closer to the flavored jelly candy than the syrup of the canned fruit. It's not perfumy or overpowering at all. In fact, the fruit, tea, and ginseng are equally mellow, making it very chuggable. Perhaps too chuggable. Now it's gone and I feel phantom lychee strings between my teeth.

Meet Stella

Over the years, I've corresponded only sporadically with artist Stella Lai. This morning, I finally paid a visit to her Chinatown studio.


Her new work in amazing--on display at the F2 gallery in Beijing now--and seeing pieces online or in print doesn't do justice to the size or colors. So it was great to see one of her paintings not only in person but in the works.


Here, Stella points out one of her cats! Born and raised in Hong Kong, attending art school in San Francisco, and now living in L.A., my new friend's art is very Chinese, loaded with detail and thought, and totally worth checking out.

Beyond Proposition 2

I was listening to NPR on the way home today, and it seems that Proposition 2 (which provides guidelines to limit cruelty to farm animals and create a healthier system to make food for humans) is actually treating the symptom (the separation of livestock from farms) of a larger problem (the government rewarding farms for growing wheat, corn, and soy used for industrial purposes instead of food for humans). Cal professor Michael Pollan has written an open letter to our next president outlining reasons why the country's food system needs to be overhauled--among other things fuel, energy, security, and health. Listen to the eye-opening interview on Fresh Air.

I'm still for Proposition 2, but it's clearly only the first step of a much-needed major overhaul in they way the American government treats food production...

Konrad Ng in GR56

We're proud of every article in GR56, but are especially stoked that it has an essay by Konrad Ng--aka "the Asian guy" from Barack Obama's big night in Denver--with art by our own David Choe. The Democratic Presidential nominee's brother-in-law and longtime GR reader has been in high demand during the election season, and our magazine was the only one to get a piece of him. Check it out at the GR shops now, coming soon to better newsstands.

It was a good weekend, it'll be a good November

GR factory worker Emilio celebrated his birthday by going to the Happiest Place on Earth and got a big ole box of tall-boy koozies that he had made for the Alternative Press Expo.

If you're going to the Bay Area to attend APE, look for Emilio's work at the Panelists group art show at GRSF on Saturday night alongside pieces by Jeffrey Brown, Matt Furie, Hellen Jo, John Pham, and a ton of other talented friends of GR.

Factory Farms on Oprah

I was flipping around channels looking for sports highlights and started watching a late-night episode of Oprah that put a spotlight on factory farming--one reason I don't eat meat and only buy cage-free eggs. Most Americans never even think about where their food comes from, and hopefully the power of Ms. O will change that. Check it out here and, if you can stomach it, follow up with PBS's take on Modern Meat.

Why is the topic on Oprah's show? Californians vote on Proposition 2 on November 4, which would regulate conditions for farm animals to prevent cruelty. Whether you're for or against factory farming, this is your chance to be heard. I won't tell anyone what to think or how to vote, but I can say that I'm voting yes.

This day in history

Sunday, October 19 - 12 days until Halloween, 16 days until Election Day.



1 day after Carlos' birthday, 12 more days until Green Corn Tamale Season ends at El Cholo.


And finally, today Ben and Kim had their first baby, Isabella. No pics yet, but we're totally happy for the excellent photographer and great friend of GR.

Paper cuts, punks, kids at GR2

Tonight's show was full of excellent artwork, intense voter registration, and special guest appearances by... a ton of kids. Actually, the demographic fits Nikki's artwork, which has recurring themes of home, family, nature, sustainability, and responsibility.


Left to right: Wendy (GR designer and my wife) with Eloise, Nikki (my friend and paper cutter extraordinaire) with Finn, Amy (The Evens, Ted Leo & The Pharmacists) with Carmine. Below: Christina (Slant 6, Casual Dots) and Cosima.


Check out more pics and artwork on GR2 soon...

Autumn at the Getty Center

Is there a better place to be in L.A. than the Getty Center this time of year? Above, the cactus garden with views of downtown (left), Century City (center), and Palos Verdes (right) in the hazy distance.


Also, actual foliage. Proof that seasons exist independent of the Dodgers, Lakers, or Donut Man flavors.


The docent who gave the garden tour said the water maze just finished blooming, but it still looked pretty good to me.


The Getty Center is always a nice place to visit-and I don't even really look at the crusty old art--but this month and next month may be the best time of all. Unless you're an 9-year-old boy, perhaps.

They're here

Not only Sasha and Abby, but advance copies of GR56 have arrived on Sawtelle.

GR56 drops

Advance copies of GR56 made it to GRNY and GRSF today. What happened to Sawtelle? Stuck in Memphis for "customs." Did the curvy, subtly Arabesque lines of Kami get us profiled? I don't know, but the original Giant Robot store and GR2 should have mags tomorrow.

Here's what's in it:
* Cover story on Japanese god of street art Kami
* King of urban paper art, Shin Tanaka
* Lovefoxxx from CSS
* Homeless in Tokyo
* Designer Tadanori Yokoo
* Barack Obama's brother-in-law Konrad Ng
* Fuck Buttons from England
* Grindcore/thrash master Jon Chang (GridLink, Haiyano Daisuke, Discordance Axis)
* Chocolate skater Daniel Castillo
* Daniel Wu does Beijing
* David Choe on the loose
* Taiwandering
* Bamboo bonanza

Brand new start

Dropped by the house today and saw that the foundation has been poured. Now the plumbing is being installed, electricity is being wired, and dirt is being piled back into the holes so the slab can be poured.


Project manager Rody answers to Michelle and John, who were geting their feet dirty while inspecting the site. Mud wrestling, anyone?

Nikki McClure at GR2

I had already seen Nikki McClure in concert a few times (opening for Kicking Giant), but the first time I met her was in Washington. I'm pretty sure it was 1997, and I had a day job at McGraw-Hill, who flew me up to Seattle for a conference about computers and education. After doing my work, I rented a car and drove to Olympia to meet my friend Tae Won Yu, who showed me around town. We visited K Records, where I got a personal tour from Calvin Johnon. On the streets, I bumped into Lois, Slim Moon, Becca Albee, and L.A.'s own Emily's Sassy Lime . At Yo-Yo records, I met Kento who invited me to ICU's second show ever. Eventually, we wound up visiting Nikki, who was baking a fresh apple and blackberry pie. Delicious.


Ten years later, Olympia is no longer the epicenter of indie rock and Nikki no longer records or performs music. However, her art career has really taken off, going from album covers and community art projects to a much-loved calendar (now in its ninth iteration) and gallery shows around the world. All of it is done with an X-acto knife on paper. She still pays attention to her hometown, though, recently designing a manhole cover!


So I look forward to reconnecting with her on Saturday at GR2 (where Vote For Survival, her new art show, will be opening), as well as checking out her latest works.


In keeping with the art show's title and theme as well as the artist's ongoing platform of social and ecological responsiblity, a booth will be present to provide first-time voters with another chance to register in time for the November 4 election.

Third from the left

Ian MacKaye is about to hit SoCal for a bunch of Q&A sessions. The DC punk icon is not just a great, influential musician (Evens, Fugazi, Minor Threat) but a specialist in spreading DIY ideals and humanist energy, and these talks should be no exception.

Sun Oct 19
Riverside Art Gallery
Riverside CA
7:30 PM, $5

Mon Oct 20
UC San Diego Price Center
San Diego CA
7:30 PM, $5

Tue Oct 21
UC Irvine Humanities Hall 178
Irvine CA
8:00 PM, $5

Wed Oct 22
Ventura Library
Ventura CA
7:30 PM, $5

Wed Oct 22
Mary Pickford Auditorium
Pitzer College
Claremont CA
12:00 Noon, free

Thu Oct 23
Sunken City Skates
San Pedro CA
7:30, $5

Sun Oct 26
Hollywood High School
Hollywood CA
6:00, $5 (Hollywood High students free with i.d.)

Below: Ian S. vs. Ian M.

Ready to bolt

I received a box from Puma with sneaks for 2009. This isn't the type of shoe porn you'd expect to see in a blog--no limited edition, collabos, or Swoosh--but these are runners are brand new and hot.


At first glance, you can tell that 2009's Complete Concinnity III has ditched its predecessor's "crooked" shoelace style. It was a sound concept but probably too weird for most consumers--kind of like the tongueless ASICS from the '80s. Sometimes, it doesn't pay to be different.


These shoes are super light and meshy--practically transparent. Check out the stripe; it's like Colorform and doesn't detract from the weight or breathability.


On the other side, you can see that the heel of this everyday running shoe provides plenty of cushion and support. That's good since I'm temporarily living away from the crushed granite path around the Silver Lake Reservoir and am now logging miles on the sidewalk.


The materials are reflective, textured, and interesting, giving the trainers a second life as shoes for lounging. This is a pre-release edition, so keep your eyes peeled.


I also got a pair of 2009 Road Racer IIIs. Intended for race day, these have a snug fit (no socks) and less cushion (even lighter). Each shoe is only 5 oz. That's just one ounce more than a floppy.


Check out the soles--sleek and simple with just one surface that's slightly gummy to reduce slippage.


Like the Concinnity IIIs, these are a pre-release edition and not on shelves yet. If you and I were to race, I'd totally kill you with these.


Enough blogging. Time to hit the pavement.

Killing it

Finally got the pics off my camera from Thursday night's Killing Joke show. What's with the House of Blues? It's totally expensive, they practically strip search you on the way in, and you can't even bring in cameras. The only thing more phony than the "love all" murals inside the venue is the fake rust on building's faux Bayou exterior.


But Killing Joke were great--even if their name was spelled incorrectly on the marquee. Opening with "Requium," the original lineup blew through almost two hours of old and new songs. Everyone knows "Eighties" (on the Weird Science soundtrack) and "The Wait" (which Metallica covered), but perhaps the strongest song was "Love Like Blood," dedicated to the band's late bass player Raven.


The band's dark, pounding, and sometime dubby brand of post punk holds up well today, and so do the political overtones of songs like "Money Is Not Our God" and "Wardance." They influenced a ton of musicians, and we saw Dave Grohl rocking out in the audience. Check out the beginning of their biggest US hit and compare it to Nirvana's "Come As You Are."



The band was probably hotter when I saw them at the John Anson Ford Theatre in 1990, but seeing them in a smaller venue without seats but with all their chops and
energy was pretty amazing. Still releasing great albums, still relevant, still underrated.

Blew crew

I'm glad there's an off day before Game 5 of the NLDS. Last night's game was too brutal of a loss and I need a day to come to grips with the bleak situation. The momentum actually began building on Sunday when my brother Greg rode up from San Diego to hang out with Eloise during on Monday day and then attend the game with us that night.


Coming off a big win in Game 3, the playoff atmosphere was electric. As we walked up Stadium Way, through the parking lot, and to our cheap seats, we were surrounded by Dodger fans--from the blue-haired Brooklyn faithful to tattooed vatos. For most of the game, we thought the home team was going to even the series at two games a piece. It was awesome. Then a pair of 2-run homers by the Phillies in the eighth inning crushed that idea.


Was it Joe Torre overcoaching the pitchers? Or was it the usually reliable bullpen's fault? More likely the Dodgers inability to get hits when it mattered. But it really doesn't matter--for the L.A. team to get to the World Series, they'll have to scratch out a win tomorrow night. At the very least, prevent the Phillies from celebrating in Chavez Ravine, and hopefully put pressure on them to win in Philly. It's not going to be easy, but it's not impossible. Just ask Manny--or Gibby on the 20th anniversary of his historic walk-off pinch-hit homer on Ecks in Game 1 of the 1988 Fall Classic.

Gallery on Bakewell

Of course, no visit to San Diego is complete without visiting my brother Greg and his family. Greg and Kelly have some awesome artwork in their front bathroom including a selection of signed postcards from GR2. Clockwise from top left: Brian Ralph Gocco, Jack Long show postcard, David Choe Gocco, Jordan Crane postcard, Pete Fowler postcard (x2), David Choe postcard, Bigfoot postcard.


On the facing wall, there's original art by Ron Rege Jr., a Gocco by Souther Salazar, and more original art by James Kolchalka.


But Kelly and Greg have an in-house artist, too. In the dining area, you can see some portraits drawn by their daughter Saoirse at 2. If you know her extended family, the likenesses are uncanny--especially of Mochi the cat.


This penguin landscape was done more recently by the artist, who turns 4 in December. The arrangement of snowflakes and snowballs is very designy...

SDAFF or bust

On Saturday we took the scenic route to San Diego, where I was scheduled to moderate a panel for the San Diego Asian Film Festival on Sunday. First we had to swing by Culver City to check out Ai Yamaguchi's show at Roberts and Tilton, which was opening that night.


Ai was being interviewed by Cosmo when we arrived, but her husband Singo was present with the person we really wanted to see--their son Rei.


Rei has great hair, Ai makes amazing art, and we were glad to see everyone--if even for just a little bit.


We were running way too late to visit my brother, so we decided to take our time and pull over in Solano Beach to give Eloise a snack and check out the sunset.


Eloise had never been to the beach and was fairly mesmerized by the whole scene. She was also amped about the swings, but you'll have to visit her blog to see those pics.


Part of me wanted to stop at a 'Bertos, but Rubio's was probably a better introduction to San Diego Mexican food for Eloise. She dug the beans, the avocadoes, and the aquarium.


The Town & Country was pretty swanky resort with a '60s tiki vibe.


When we checked in at the hospitality suite the next morning, we bumped into the grand poobah of the SDAFF: Lee Ann Kim. Wendy and I marvelled at how she holds down a gig as a news anchor, oversees the festival, and raises two awesome kids and a husband.


The panel itself went really well. There were probably 50-60 people in attendance to hear Jim Lee and Greg Pak's discussion on Hollywood and Comics. After they gave brief rundowns on how they started and what they're up to, we addressed topics including panels vs. storyboards, good bad adaptations from the '70s, why this is a golden age of comics, whether or not comics is really a sausage party, how Hollywood helps comics and isn't sucking it dry, what it's like to work for The Man, and how well the Korean American comic creators would do in a comics survivor.


Even thought there were only two panelists, I was a bit apprehensive about moderating them since they work for arch-enemy companies Marvel and DC. But they were great. I think it was Jim who said, "But we're both Korean!" The SDAFF isn't over yet, so it's not too late to Google the scheduel. And when it is over, the programming goes to Riverside. That means Jeff Soto and members of the BellRays can see Dirty Hands, Chocolate, and all the other great movies in their own backyard.

Tonight at The Smell

That's Molly and Dustin from Ponytail, a band I like from Maryland. Tonight I got to meet them, and Ben was kind enough to snap their pictures (below). Sweet.


Also on the bill were the red-hot High Places from Brooklyn and L.A.'s own Abe Vigoda (below).


A totally solid bill including bonus encounters with John from HEALTH and Michell from GR! A good night.

Roadsigns (Lance Mountain, C.R. Stecyk III, and Nike SB)

Before going to the show at The Smell, Jeff and I attended Nike SB's release party for the Lance Mountain Vandal shoes with a C.R. Stecyk design and accompanying film project. It was at the Montalban theater on Vine, right between Sunset and Hollywood.


We got there a little after the doors opened, and the first thing we saw was the men of the hour autographing prints that were given to attendees. Nice.


That's Kevin, my friend/idea man at Nike SB who got me in. When he sends an invite, you should never say no.


Nike SB team skaters Danny Supa and Daniel Castillo, who I've interviewed for the mag. Good to see them again.


Two non-Nike skaters: Element/Vans rider Ray Barbee, who says the Mattson 2 album will come out on Galaxia sometime next year, and Paul Kwon, who designs shoes for Element.


Bret Banta of Ipath, Rasa Libre, Modern Amusement, Hero Design, and Banta fame.


Jeff and I didn't win shoes at the raffle, but I was stoked to introduce him to so many friends, see the short film on the big screen, eat movie munchies on Phil Knight's tab, check out Lance Jr.'s band, and score a free print (versions are seen on the wall).

Jeff 8 LA

Whoa, there's a burger down there somewhere! Yesterday I hung out with Jeff, my friend from UCLA days who lives in Portland. Last time I saw him, I was selling T-shirts for Damon & Naomi and Boris on their Oregon stop! This time, I met him at The Basket in Eagle Rock. I had never heard of the burger stand, probably because I don't eat meat, but it's almost right across the street from Auntie Em's.


Jeff's pals Jay and Meg ordered him a dish that was called something like "heart attack light" and it was no misnomer. I think it was about 8 bucks if you are up to the challenge. The omnivores were pretty happy with their burgers and beers, and were only disappointed that the radio couldn't get 103.1 so they had to miss Jonesy's interview with Killing Joke--the band that Jeff had flown down to see.


Meg left the sausage party, which made a "brief" stop at Amoeba. After that, I though Jeff needed to check out a fruta fresca stand. They weren't around back in the late '80s and they definitely aren't in Portland. We ordered everything with a little extra limon. A $5 dollar bag with three forks was good for a snack.


Coffee came afterward, as well as some a chance for the dudes to meet Eloise. Intelligentsia is the shit these days but I think too much posing goes on there. Casbah Cafe is more kick back and you don't feel like you have to sit up straight and suck it in when you're hanging out there. The coffee was fresh, good, and fairly priced.


As is the norm in L.A., we had an actress sighting. Okay, Jeff and Jay aren't indie, Asian-American, or sci-fi cinema buffs, but Jacqueline Kim introduced herself. It turns out she and I have a ton of mutual friends, including my old pal Cliff. She was just visiting him in New York and knew that he and I share the same birthday!


The guys went back to the crash pad before we reconvened for the Killing Joke show--more on that later, but it was almost 2 hours long, the set dug way back, and the band was totally on--and followed up with one more stop for food. This time it was the taco wagon outside Vons in Echo Park around 1 a.m. I had a veggie burrito and they had tacos. I think Jeff ordered al pastor and Jay had carne asada. Maybe some cabeza or lengua? I don't recall, but Meg showed up and ordered a chorizo quesadilla, trumping everyone. Booya!

Tonight, Jay and Meg have to work so it's up to me to make sure Jeff's vacation keeps cruising along. I've got some plans... Wonder if he's hungry?

Panel-frame panel

On Sunday I'll be moderating a talk about comics and film at the San Diego Film Festival. The panelists will include artist Jim Lee and writer Greg Pak. These guys are very respected for their works, and I guess one might expect that sort of quality from Princeton and Yale graduates––if not their chosen field.


Although I don't read many mainstream comics these days, I'm amped to do the talk. My obsession with superhero comics began when my brother and I bought our first issues off the rack (I got Fantastic Four 182, Star Wars 2) and ended when we bought our first LPs (The Clash's London Calling, The Three O'Clock's Baroque Hoedown). During that time, I amassed a load of Silver Age and Bronze Age comics, witnessed the development of direct distribution and the introduction of indie labels, and saw the San Diego Comic-Con grow from the El Cortez to the old San Diego Convention Center to the new behemoth of a convention center that has already been outgrown. And let's put it this way: Although my albums and CDs are in storage while the house is being renovated, my complete run of Fantastic Four 19-416 (including all annuals) is with me in Mylar bags.


I think the panel will be a good chance to get some insight from two Modern Age comic book giants and be a lot of fun for anyone who enjoyed The Dark Knight or Iron Man over the summer. If you're in San Diego, come by, check it out, and try to throw me off with ridiculous questions. Just kidding. Lee and Pak are smart, interesting guys, and all I'm doing is helping them to do their thing. (Stick around to watch some movies, too!)

http://www.sdaff.com

Killing Joke

Not the Batman story, but the band. Tomorrow night my college friend Jeff is flying down from Portland to L.A. to hang out and catch one of the group's rare shows. I could have sworn I saw Killing Joke with him in 1990 at the John Anson Ford Theatre with Swans opening--and what better way to start the decade than with the band that sang "Eighties"--but he says he attended the SF show on that tour. Oh well. I'm still amped to catch the original lineup in action, and reports say that the gigs have been great.

If you don't know what I'm talking about, check out the clip below. Yes, Metallica covered it on their Garage Days EP way back when.



That Pope image on top? I had that T-shirt when I was in high school and the funny thing is that if I wore it today I'd probably get shot. Even so, it's another case of "Damn, I wish I still had it"...

My Bloody Valentine last week and now this. Awesome, but it's probably time to balance things out by checking out some newer, not-reunited bands.

Here comes the Sun

Lakers rookie Sun Yue should get some good playing time in tonight's preseason match. For you Los Angelenos, the game is at 7:00 on KCAL--perfect for killing time before the NLCS begins on Thursday.

Food blog #16

In his Dining with 'Dré blog, Los Angeles Dodgers' outfielder André Ethier does what a lot of us do by taking pictures of his food before eating it. His commentary is a lot more interesting and humorous than what you might expect from a jock.

What's also unusual is that he's been blogging a lot more in the last week or so. You'd expect him to slow down during the postseason, but he's blogging more often. Less about food and more about behind-the-scenes stuff like Manny in the locker room and text messages from friends from ASU. He also writes about going out to get sushi with Saito and joking around with Kuroda.

Check it out here. Think Blue!

Delayed response

So the mag at the printer and I'm trying to catch up on what's been going on over the last few weeks. One item to check out is the Ted Leo EP inpired by RNC-related bullshit in St. Paul. Two new songs, two covers, two good causes: Democracy Now and Food Not Bombs. There's more info at Ted's site and you can buy the EP from Touch and Go.

Eloise's Top 5

1. Dodgers fleece blanket (Hollywood star edition)
2. Charley Harper ABC's book from Saelee
3. Footy jammies from Kumquat
4. Hak gwai pongyau from David and Sun-Min
5. GR56 being at the printer so I won't be a deadbeat dad anymore

Proof rock

We've uploaded hi-res PDFs of our pages onto our printer's system. Now we're printing proofs for one last run-through before signing off on them... In 12-13 hours, LGM will be turning them into a magazine.

Thinking Blue

Look at what I got in the mailbox. The last playoff game I attended was the Dodger's only post-season win in the past 20 years prior to this year's campaign. That was a couple years ago when Limatime gutted the soft-hitting Dodgers into a win against the Cards at Chavez Ravine. The current squad is running hot thanks to hot pitching, maturing youngsters, and the additions of Casey Blake and Man ram. So I'm amped to see them in the NLCS... Bring on The Phils or Brew Crew.

My bloody eardrums

What does payback sound like? A lot like tinnitus. Last night I left the office during deadlines to see My Bloody Valentine play the Santa Monica Civic. My friend Wayne bought me a ticket months ago, and he offered to pick me up after he and the Ella sisters had dinner. Perfect: Leave at 9:30 or so and get back in 2 hours or less, right?

We got there just after the second opener finished. I would have like to have caught Spectrum, but I was satisfied just to bump into friends on the way in. A bunch of people from UCLA were there (Gaby, Jens, Ajay...), the fabulous Lana Kim, and one of my favorite artists Shizu Saldamando, too. Man, I should get out more!

And the show was incredible. After a long buildup of mellow music and darkness, MBV came out with dizzying strobes and the loudest fuzz ever. You've probably already read about it in music blogs, etc. The music sounds as gorgeous and powerful as ever (if you don't have Loveless burned into your brain, go get it now.

An online video can't possibly do justice to the band's live show, but here's a sample from their latest tour anyway:



The actual volume was shocking. I could feel my skin ripple. The final song included 10-15 minutes of white noise that was like being outside at an airport. I think that's the song that did the most damage.

Right after the show, I went back to the office to do some work and Eric told me that I was talking really loud and not responding to his questions, which he asked numerous times. Crap!

Despite wearing plugs, 24 hours after the show, my ears are still ringing like crazy. Talking on the phone is really difficult. At least I can kind of hear bass again and treble sounds don't crack up mid-air. The weird part is that when I was listening to the radio or watching baseball this afternoon, I could hear what sounded like tinny music coming out of someone else's headphones echoing from the opposite side of the room. Are my ears too sensitive now?

But that show was worth it. You can't replicate the feeling with a bootleg because your speakers just aren't that loud. You can't feel the lightness in your chest--the sort of feeling you have when you're sleep deprived or in love. Amazing.

The only other times my ears have been this worked were after seeing the Butthole Surfers at the Roxy (circa Locust Abortion Technician, I think) and Sonic Youth at Iguana's in Tijuana (for Goo). Those times, my ears healed up in a week. If this one lasts longer, I'll probably go to see a doctor. By then, the mag will be in solid hands at the printer.