Giant Robot Store and GR2 News
It isn’t easy for the casual fan to acquire tickets to Comic-Con. Once you get in, it’s an ordeal to squeeze past the movie studio palaces with their big screens and giveaways. But if you are willing to put in the work, Comic-Con is still pretty awesome.
Preview Night. I don’t think I’ve ever seen preview night so crowded. Of course, the first place I went was the Giant Robot booth to see my great friend and conspirator, Eric Nakamura (top right). If you looking at the GR site, you know what I mean. Also there was ace cartoonist John Pham (top left) Why is it that I see certain L.A. friends only at San Diego? One more reason to go, I guess. On the bottom row are the two other places where I lurked. Not working the GR booth anymore, I can be that guy who hangs out at other people’s booths until it becomes uncomfortable. At Super 7, we talked with Brian and Scott more about hardcore shows than toys. And then there were Tom and Peggy of Drawn & Quarterly with Peter from The Beguiling. No bow-tie on Tom yet because the table was still a work in progress, without banners flaunting their world-class roster of indie, international, and classic comic artists.
If you ever listened to Bob Forrest’s radio show, you know he doesn’t give a fuck about social media. Yet I’m compelled to gush about last night’s screening of Bob and The Monster, Keirda Bahruth’s 2011 documentary about him. It wasn’t exactly in Sensaround, but there was a pre-screening Q&A with the director/producer, the L.A. punk/addiction specialist subject, and fellow treatment specialist Andrew Spanswick, moderated by KPCC’s health editor Stephanie O’Neill. Really compelling and important stuff, mostly about treating drug addicts, and you will eventually be able to stream it on the Pasadena City College radio station website.
I didn’t know much about It’s Casual until just a couple of weeks ago when I caught the duo on a killer bill with Negative Approach and DYS at Alex’s Bar. I knew what to expect from the hardcore legends from Detroit and Boston, but holy shit. The local skate rockers not only held their own but totally ruled with their full-on aggro (yet smart) blasts of metalic (yet fun) brand of SST-informed hardcore. I confirmed my suspicions a week later when they played a furious in-store at Vacation Vinyl to promote a rad limited-edition split 7″ single with Early Man.
Meanwhile, Eddie and I chitchatted after each show and he began responding to some of the photos and reviews that I was posting online. One thing led to another, and here’s a (yup) casual Q&A with one of my new favorite bands and dudes. If you make it to the end, there’s an exclusive MP4 waiting for you.
Upon returning home to Hong Kong from the Drummer’s Collective in New York City, ace musician Jun Kung began his career as a rock musician. Despite winning the 2000 Hong Kong Commercial Radio Music Award for New Artist, Jun was quickly disillusioned by the local music industry. Instead, he became the most demanded drummer in Canto-pop and went on to collaborate with the likes of Jacky Cheung, Eason Chan, and Faye Wong. It wasn’t until 2010 that he returned to making his own music with Jun K, released on his friend Daniel Wu’s Revolution label. Upon the release of its hard-rocking follow-up, Playback is a Bitch, I got in touch with the Hong Kong-born and Macau-raised artist and asked him some questions about his new EP, his dabbling in acting, and working with Dan.
MW: Is it difficult to squeeze in your more rocking personal work when you are so busy with Canto-Pop gigs?
JK: I am very blessed to tour with big-name singers and I am very comfortable on the road, hanging and touring in amazing cities in China. That’s my full-time gig.
I also have a production team based in Hong Kong called Mofo Music Ltd. We are a one-stop music production team. I believe in being flexible and capable, and that’s our attitude when we work with clients.
When it’s my own project, it’s really whatever feels good. Hence, my latest, Playback is a Bitch, is a feel-good album.
MW: When you are recording an EP like the new one, what is your goal? To get played on the radio, develop songs to play live, work with friends…
JK: For many years, my whole idea of making music has been to just get in a studio and record my songs. I haven’t cared about airplay, because it’s way more complex than one thinks.
Working with friends is a must, because most of mine are in the band. Even though I can play all the instruments, I have certain musicians in mind when recording. The new album, in particular, was written, arranged, and recorded on the spot. Very organic and natural–I wouldn’t do music any other way.
MW: In some of your new songs, I hear Guns ‘N Roses, Funkadelic… What are some bands that you are into? Do you listen specifically to drums when you hear music?
JK: Bands that I’m into… Pre-concert music in recent years would be anything from Pantera. I love loud hard stuff! And definitely Guns. I am a big fan of Slash’s recent solo projects, too.
I co-wrote the first cut on the new album, “Damn,” with a good friend of mine, Adrian Da Silva (of the legendary underground Hong Kong group, Audiotraffic). He does a mean Axl Rose impersonation, and I had to beg him to do a verse about “hot chicks with issues.” I am sure we can all relate to that.