Giant Robot Store and GR2 News
It was our first time setting up at the LA Art Book Fair at the Geffen MOCA. I thankfully had a “home field” advantage with JANM being next door and it helped. The event itself is a happy event that features both publications that are puzzling and ones that reflect the world in and around Giant Robot. Comics, zines, and indie art publications are packed in the “zine” area. Although we were set up in a more art publisher room, it was a great experience. We featured David Horvath from Uglydoll, Luke Chueh and Shizu Saldamando signing their books.
I met Pat Hoed when he was playing bass for Down By Law. It was after the Chemical People moved on as Dave Smalley’s backing band, and I recall that lineup playing at Jabberjaw as well as releasing a pretty great double 7 inch. Actually, I interviewed them for Flipside, too, and I fondly recall having pato and chips with Pat and Jaime Piña at Jaime’s pad after a Chems show… Since then, our paths have continued to cross. Way back when it would be at the Hollywood Book and Poster booth at Comic-Con and then at underground wrestling events (where Pat did commentary as Larry Rivera) in the alley behind Mondo Video A-Go-Go on Vermont. Afterward, it was at Brujeria gigs (the Satanic drug-dealing Mexican death metal band in which he donned the bandana and sang as Fantasma, whom I interviewed along with Pinche Pinch for Giant Robot) and punk movie premieres (We Jam Econo, Filmage). But what came to mind as I was setting up the next Save Music in Chinatown show was him playing vintage punk and hardcore records as Adam Bomb, his alias for the famous KXLU hardcore show, The Final Countdown. I can’t believe that my old friend and L.A. punk mainstay (who was in Nip Drivers, Left Insane, and a ton of other bands) said yes. Really stoked that you’re contributing to our benefit! Did you go to punk shows in Chinatown back in the day? Hello, glad to be a part of this! When those Chinatown shows were happening, I wasn’t able to drive. The Hong Kong Cafe seemed so far away. And out here in Los Feliz, I was alone on punker island. None of my friends wanted anything to do with this strange music so I was confined to shows at Baces Hall and the Other Masque that was on Santa Monica and Vine. Good times, man! Last time I saw Adam Bomb in action was the closing of Track 16 with Middle Class and Meat Puppets. You played a great set. Do people ask you to come out and play records very often? That was a great show and I thank Jordan and Dave of We Got Power for the opportunity to have played that one. I don’t get too many invitations these days. I also still play bass in quite a few bands so I think it’s hard for people to distinguish my true aim: bass or DJ? It would be nice to pick up some more DJ action but with so many people doing it these days, it’s tough. Maybe I need some “representation.” How many bands are you in currently, anyway? Right now there is The Golden Rulers, Black Widows, The Probe, and The Rush Riddle Orchestra. I’ll let you know if anything else comes along. I’ll never get tired of bass! Do most people on the street know you as Adam, Pat, or Fantasma? All three! I don’t mind it–but don’t forget Larry Rivera! Anything else...
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I met Pat Hoed when he was playing bass for Down By Law. It was after the Chemical People moved on as Dave Smalley’s backing band, and I recall that lineup playing at Jabberjaw as well as releasing a pretty great double 7 inch. Actually, I interviewed them for Flipside, too, and I fondly recall having pato and chips with Pat and Jaime Piña at Jaime’s pad after a Chems show… Since then, our paths have continued to cross. Way back when it would be at the Hollywood Book and Poster booth at Comic-Con and then at underground wrestling events (where Pat did commentary as Larry Rivera) in the alley behind Mondo Video A-Go-Go on Vermont. Afterward, it was at Brujeria gigs (the Satanic drug-dealing Mexican death metal band in which he donned the bandana and sang as Fantasma, whom I interviewed along with Pinche Pinch for Giant Robot) and punk movie premieres (We Jam Econo, Filmage). But what came to mind as I was setting up the next Save Music in Chinatown show was him playing vintage punk and hardcore records as Adam Bomb, his alias for the famous KXLU hardcore show, The Final Countdown. I can’t believe that my old friend and L.A. punk mainstay (who was in Nip Drivers, Left Insane, and a ton of other bands) said yes. Really stoked that you’re contributing to our benefit! Did you go to punk shows in Chinatown back in the day? Hello, glad to be a part of this! When those Chinatown shows were happening, I wasn’t able to drive. The Hong Kong Cafe seemed so far away. And out here in Los Feliz, I was alone on punker island. None of my friends wanted anything to do with this strange music so I was confined to shows at Baces Hall and the Other Masque that was on Santa Monica and Vine. Good times, man! Last time I saw Adam Bomb in action was the closing of Track 16 with Middle Class and Meat Puppets. You played a great set. Do people ask you to come out and play records very often? That was a great show and I thank Jordan and Dave of We Got Power for the opportunity to have played that one. I don’t get too many invitations these days. I also still play bass in quite a few bands so I think it’s hard for people to distinguish my true aim: bass or DJ? It would be nice to pick up some more DJ action but with so many people doing it these days, it’s tough. Maybe I need some “representation.” How many bands are you in currently, anyway? Right now there is The Golden Rulers, Black Widows, The Probe, and The Rush Riddle Orchestra. I’ll let you know if anything else comes along. I’ll never get tired of bass! Do most people on the street know you as Adam, Pat, or Fantasma? All three! I don’t mind it–but don’t forget Larry Rivera! Anything else...
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It’s no secret, there’s a bunch of us at GR who play kendama. We’re all newbs and pretty much suck, but the fella who started us out is Krom sponsored pro, Matt Ballard. He makes videos super well, and this is his latest about a kendama player from Japan named Iijima Hiroki who mixed kendama and dancing. You won’t see any of us do anything like this, including his tricks. He’s quite great. Iijima Hiroki : Portrait of a Kendama Samurai from Matthew Ballard on Vimeo.
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It’s no secret, there’s a bunch of us at GR who play kendama. We’re all newbs and pretty much suck, but the fella who started us out is Krom sponsored pro, Matt Ballard. He makes videos super well, and this is his latest about a kendama player from Japan named Iijima Hiroki who mixed kendama and dancing. You won’t see any of us do anything like this, including his tricks. He’s quite great. Iijima Hiroki : Portrait of a Kendama Samurai from Matthew Ballard on Vimeo.
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