Goodbye 2008

Well another year winds down. The snow is finally melting in Seattle and my facial swelling is going down. Seems appropriate. At Christmas dinner I was chewing on a piece of our Traditional Christmas Salmon Dinner when my tooth popped and started aching. Had a hard time getting to sleep as the pain increased through the evening. The next day I had to pick up my Niece at Sea-Tac Airport and my face was on fire! I took some left over high powered prescription Tylenol from a previous tooth ache- which got me through the day. By Sunday I knew I had to see a dentist, but being a small business owner my wife and I have no dental benefits. I ended up going to a clinic which netted me a prescription of antibiotics. As I was watching the Clint Eastwood Marathon on AMC a big infection blister on my gums popped and I ran to the bathroom spitting out gobs of infectious puss in the sink. Lovely. Didn’t get too much work done this last week. Finished and uploaded The Invisible Surfers CD artwork and did a little to the Special Features Disc for version two of Hot Rod Girls Save The World. Lets see what happens next year...

And More Snow...

More snow yesterday. Our cars are trapped behind a three foot snow bank created by recent passes of the Snow Plows. So my wife and I went on foot to Safeway last night to buy the kids their stocking stuffers and rent a few movies. We rented the new Death Race- an excellent film, but it should have been called Twisted Metal Armageddon Prison. It had nothing in common with the original Death Race 2000 plot wise, other than the main characters pseudonyms of Frankenstein and Machine Lots of cars with guns action and even a cameo Mopar Billboard sign. Looks like Ford and Chrysler sponsored the film. I also started work on my new D.A. Sebasstian & The Inner demons CD. This one is a Punk, Blues and Surf mix that should be out sometime next year. I intend on using some of the tracks for my next film that we hopefully shoot next summer.

Winter Wonderland

Another night of snow in North Seattle- around seven solid inches of the white stuff. These two pics were taken from just outside my Recording Studio. Also got some time in on the new KsK music video for Killing Machine featuring vocalist Super Amanda. This song is featured prominently in Hot Rod Girls Save The World and the music video will be on the Special Features Disc of the Second Edition version of the film.

The New Invisible Surfers CD

The Invisible Surfers CD cover art with the lovely Melinda Miles on it is finished. Photo by the ever talented David Hickey who also shot the Wild Ride! CD covers. The music is a blistering mix of surf, rock, punk and a little metal. Very original stuff. "Till That Day" comes out March 2009 on Go-Kustom Rekords.

Another Snow Day In Seattle

Another heavy dumping of snow in Seattle. Nothing like other parts of the U.S., but Seattle doesn't have the infrastructure to scrape and salt the roadways and all major roads get heavy travel- so three inches of snow quickly turns to pure black ice. When I was living in Maryland, the winters were much more snow laden and I don't ever remember this kind of ice on the roads. Plus Seattle has massive hills so even 4x4's occasionally slide sideways and backwards into oncoming traffic. Fun.
Heard some dire predictions by Gerald Celente on Coast To Coast AM last night. America in a total Depression bigger than the last one, with a possible American Revolution and the break-up of the U.S. into smaller nation states. Everything he said makes complete sense and I guess only time will tell. Hmmm...the North West America (N.W.A.) Kinda like it. Oregon, Idaho, Washington, then maybe B.C. could break out of Canada and join. Celente's reasoning for America to break apart would be a total melt down of our central government from lack of money to pay the bills. Thus people seek help in State Governments and Coalitions. Do the States really need the Federal Government? Who would get the Nukes? Like when the Soviet Union broke apart, Russia and Ukraine got the bulk of the nuclear weapons. Interesting scenario.

Let it snow!

Another wave of snow hit North Seattle. This one is now on top of the ice from the last snow fall. Most people got a snow day. We took the dogs for a long walk and hung out.

Hot Rod Girls Save The World Original Movie Soundtrack

Just sent off KsK - Hot Rod Girls Save The World Original Movie Soundtrack to the CD pressing plant. This one is set for a Feb. 2009 release date.

Hot Rod Girls Save The World Now On Amazon

Amazon has just added Hot Rod Girls Save The World to the DVD & Movie sales pages. It costs a little more than buying direct from us, but they have great (for the most part) customer service. Amazon HRGSTW Page

Snow

Last night Seattle just got a little dumping of snow. We were sliding all over the icy roads on the way to picking up our Christmas Tree from Ye Olde Home Depot. Also watched a cool flick last night called Six String Samurai. Starts slow, but ends nice. This film would be a good double feature with Hot Rod girls Save The World.

America The Complacent

Help me!!! Help me!!! cried the greedy fat cats on Wall Street. And so the misguided American Taxpayers gave (not willingly) the banks and predatory lenders who had wrecked the worlds economy- big BIG money so they could have a good Christmas bonus after all. But that was not enough.
Help me!!! Help me!!! cried the mismanaged American Car Companies. But this time the Senate & Congress were a little less willing. They had seen the money they had given to the financial institutions had been spent on vacations and bonus packages. But then the lame duck American President gave the Auto Makers the money anyway.
Have you ever given money to a street person- damn well knowing that they were gonna spend every last dime on booze or drugs? Are you really helping that person? By the same means are we we really helping the economy? Not at all. We are only prolonging the inevitable collapse. We are in deep shite. We all know it- but want things to stay the same. Like keeping the cable on when you can't put food on the table. Like making retro cars when you can't think of anything new to build(don't get me wrong- I like the new Challenger and Mustang but much more is needed to make a viable car business). Like building SUV's and creating marketing campaigns to make people think they need one. Why? Because the mark up is greater, the profit is bigger for the Automaker. The larger the car, the more money there is to be made. It also becomes a safety issue. When one third of the cars on the highway are Trucks or SUV's that can crush a small car on impact, we all want one just to protect our family. Personally I feel safer driving our giant GMC 15 Passenger van than our Dodge Caravan. Especially when I'm in our Dodge and a fat chick with cell phone and latte in hand driving her Suburban or Escalade cuts us off laughingly at 70MPH! So everyone gets the SUV, everyone pays for the extra gas and when the credit crunch comes and the gas prices sour to $5.00 a gallon (because of quick fortunes made in oil futures trading) people can't buy the SUV or make the payments on the one they already have. Stumble. The American car companies can't make an affordable, gas miserly well built little car. Ohh well. Capitalism is still what we claim as our birth right. So now the hung over Big Three saunter over (in Corporate Jets no less) to Uncle Sam's house to ask for a quick handoput- "Just to tide me over for a few months Unc...then I'll be good. Trust me man, just trust me."

In 2005 our bought used 1987 Dodge Caravan (not the one we have now) was ready to go. Our mechanic had just fixed the water pump and said it was time for a new ride. Being a Mopar guy and wanting to test drive a new Dodge Magnum, the family headed over to our local Dodge Dealer to look- not to buy, just to look at a few cars. The seduction began the moment we touched the Dealership Parking Lot Pavement. After driving a fully loaded Magnum AWD SXT with the big six we knew we wanted one, but were shocked by the sticker price. $38,000! This wasn't even the high performance R/T. No DVD player, no nav system. We started to walk. Then we got handed over to the closer. "Just take it home for the night...leave your Caravan here. We will cut you a deal. How about a Lease?" After trying to leave twice, but still heavily under the Magnum's hypnosis (they are excellent cars) we signed onto a lease agreement. We went this route as the Dealership Financial Guy told us that if we ever needed to return the car under the lease we would only have to pay a "small fee" and all would be good. We quietly examined the paperwork and all looked as he said. Some predators are very good at exploiting their preys weaknesses. Fast forward two years. When our small school business started to have a downturn, we just couldn't afford the Magnums $680.00 a month in lease payments. As much as we loved the car we had to returned it. Chrysler Financial quickly informed us that we had to pay $11,000 to do so! I scoured the paperwork and could not find any mention of "paying the complete vehicle cost upon return." This was the last nail in our personal bankruptcy's coffin lid. Thank you local Dodge Dealership! Thank you Ma Mopar! That's what I get for brand loyalty and buying American!

Footnote: That particular Dealership lost it's Dodge franchise when Chrysler consolidated it various brands. Now it's a used car lot! Hallelujah! Chrysler Financial is in deep shite and had to stop doing their signature predatory lease deals. Karma can kill!

I say let the all lyin' bastards die! We need new blood, new car companies, new politics, new political parties (at least three more real contenders) and a new American attitude. Turn off the cable and buy some friggin' food for your family! For God's sake! Sacrifice- American was built on it. Go back to your communities. Pull your money out of the big corporations and put it into small, local banks and businesses. That is the only way we can survive this mess completely generated by high level, closed door greed and corruption. I think the only real out of the Auto Mess is to encourage the UAW to buy the big three, fire management and move forward. But that won't ever happen. Otherwise GM needs to file bankruptcy, Chrysler needs to partner with Nissan or Volkswagen and Ford...who knows, their complete financial situation seems to be a secret.

I know guys who build their own cars using parts from junkyards and Schucks. They are called Beaters and Rat Rods, they run decent and get their owners to work everyday. I know guys who make their own gas- out of old french fry grease and yard waste. Baby steps. Walk before you run. Back to the basics. You don't deserve that big house anyway, not when your neighbor is starving just two doors down bro. If you wait too long and let him suffer too long, he will get a gun and then take your house away from you. It is the American Way.

Hot Rod Girls Save The World DVD

Sold out of the first run of the Hot Rod Girls Save The World DVD in one week! More are coming in. Also finalized the KsK Soundtrack for Hot Rod Girls Save The World. We should have them in and ready to ship by middle of next month.

Hot Rod Girls Save The World First Review

First review for the Hot Rod Girls Save The World DVD. Also R.I.P. Miss Betty Page. You were the Goddess of the Pin-Up World Thank You Daniel Strohl! See below.

HEMMINGS eWEEKLY
Volume 4 - Issue 52 12/11/2008

Street Rods and Hot Rods
Hot Rod Girls Save the World comes to DVD
Hot Rod Girls Save the World has just been released on DVD. Maybe it should be seen on a drive-in screen, or maybe it should be broadcast on a public television station over rabbit-ear airwaves late at night to a late 1960s TV set that gets awful reception. Either way, if you intend to watch Hot Rod Girls Save the World, don’t expect your typical film viewing experience.


We mentioned more than three years ago in this space that D.A. Sebasstian, producer of the underground Seattle television show, Go-Kustom TV, was working on a B movie that featured female street racers, aliens, zombies and rockabilly music. Sebasstian, through his Go-Kustom Films, has now released Hot Rod Girls Save the World on DVD.


As Sebasstian notes in the press release, “We are a small film company (and real car guys) without a big Hollywood budget,” and the film follows along the same formula. If you prefer actresses who seem to have spent more time in a garage than a theater department, if you prefer gratuitous rockabilly scenes tossed into movies, and if you prefer your movies dance around genre lines between horror, sci-fi, mystery and just plain raucousness, then you’ll enjoy this film.

At least there are hot rods in it. For more information, visit www.go-kustom.com.
- By Daniel Strohl

Busy Weekend

I sent off four Screener DVD packages to Film Festivals for our new film Hot Rod Girls Save The World. One to SIFF (Seattle International Film festival), AIFF (Ashland International Film Festival), The Backseat Film Festival (Philly) and SXSW Film Festival. Ordered some more posters for a store display I am setting up for the film and printed out cards for DVD counter top display stands (the nuts and bolts of owning a film company). I also screened several great short films for my own Hot Rod Monsters Film Festival I'm putting on in Seattle July 2009. They were In The Event Of A Zombie Attack, Rock Zombies, The Cleaner and The Blind Date Of Coffin Joe. I also finished an article I'm doing for CK Deluxe about making Hot Rod Movies on the cheap.

Hot Rod Girls Save The World Presale DVD!

The first ever Kustom Kulture Hot Rod feature length film is now available as a pre-sale through the Go-Kustom Films website at http://www.go-kustom.com/presaledvd.html
The pressing plant has promised us we will have the discs in our store and ready to ship December 2nd, 2008. Buying one now insures you will get a copy for X-Mas.
This film features live performances by bands Dragstrip Riot, The Wages Of Sin (with Jesse of the The Spectres), The Bad Things (with Austin of the Spectres), Traditional Hot Rods (Rat Bastards & Dive Bombers Car Clubs) and cameo appearances by pin-up models Trixie Lane and Hot Rod Heidi. You will be able to see Hot Rod Girls Save The World in Festivals and Theaters next year, but you can get the DVD right now (well in two weeks).

Buy American or Die GM Die!

So our American Automakers are in deep deep shite. And now they want us American Taxpayers to loan them $25,000 billion to what- keep them afloat for another six months? A year? GM is burning through one billion a month and can't seem to figure out how to sell a car anymore. Boo fucking hoo. They even were talking about buying Chrysler to get at their cash. Now- I love American cars, especially Chrysler products and seriously would not want even my most loathed auto brand, Chevrolet, to die. I love the competition between the big three, I love hating Chevy!
I DO BUY AMERICAN.
Recently we leased a 2005 Dodge Magnum and had it for several years. It was a wicked ride- turned heads all the time. Little hip hopsters and old folk would come up top me saying, "Cool ride!" or "What kind of car is that?" During the Seattle ice storms the AWD never failed and we drove that bad boy on two inch thick solid road ice for twenty miles to take a student to her stranded Mom. The big six got decent gas milage and I could actually haul smaller Home Depot purchases in the wagons back. But with payments of $700 a month, we had to give it back, when our Art School business took a big downturn. Of course the Dodge dealer had lied to us about returning the car and paying a small fee to do so. In the end Dodge wanted $10,000 to return the car! After we had put thousands down and made a total of $19,000 in payments. Ouch! However- I would still buy a Dodge (especially a new Challenger), but most people would rather have a Nissan, Toyota or Honda. And for good reason. American made automobiles are inferior. I hate to say that...but it is the truth. There was a time when American engineering, style and manufacture was the envy of the entire world. Now we are the laughing stock. Big bloated car companies that beg for cash at every recession. Pathetic. Granted business credit is tight right now, but that's what rainy day and slush funds are for. The problem is the American Corporation. Management of these company's are more concerned with stockholders and their bottom line than with the actual products they make. By worrying too much about Wall Street instead of making the best and right product, they have shot themselves in the foot- actually both feet.
LET THE AUTO UNIONS OWN THEM
I heard a very interesting proposal on Coast To Coast AM last week when an economic guru (name?) suggested that the UAW buy GM. Toss the Management and let the people make the cars and the decisions. How fucking cool is that! I think it could work. Apparently the UAW has enough in pension fund capital to make the purchase. I really don't think the workers are overpaid as some Management types suggest. I think that good product and pride in that product make a successful foundation for any company. We schooled the Japanese on this fact after the big WWII. Now we should attend a few of their company product/pride classes.
IS THIS THE END OF AMERICAN AUTOMOBILES?
No. Even if the big three die it is not the end. Remember Tucker? Packard? Hudson? Studebaker? Car companies come and go. Out of the current big threes corporate ashes- new life will emerge. Small companies making cutting edge autos. That could be the American way once again. Hennessy, Saleen and other small cottage and aftermarket auto performance car manufacturers could rekindle the business by making complete high performance green and fuel efficient vehicles. Hmmm...maybe I'll jump in. How about the new 2014 Sebasstian GT33?

An Incredible Night

What a night! Thanks so much to everybody who came out last Saturday to 911 Media Arts Center for our first private screening of Hot Rod Girls Save The World! Sorry to all the people who couldn’t get tickets. I really didn’t anticipate selling out the 75 seat theater in a week and a half! After nearly five years of work- it was an incredible feeling to see a room packed with people cheering, laughing and clapping to my little hot rod film. One of the best nights of my life! Judging by all the comments and e-mails I’ve received since the showing, and given the cross section of viewers who were there- I think we have an indie-hit on our hands! I won’t count the chickens just yet, but it was a very good sign.
I am hard at work right now authoring the Hot Rod Girls Save The World DVD. It takes 18 hours for my computer systems to compress and encode the movie files each time. If it’s a bad burn then I have to do it all again. I am really trying to get it out for potential Christmas purchasers. It will be up on Amazon in several formats, sometime next month for $19.99. This is the first edition and will have no special features on the disc. You will be able to buy or download the movie as purchase or rental. Hot Rod Girls Save The World will be available both on the films website http://www.hotrodgirlssavetheworld.com and on Amazon.com. Look for it on Netflix sometime next year and at select rental store in the greater Seattle, Los Angeles and New York areas very early next year.
I am also working on a VLV screening and a “How To Make A Hot Rod Film” article for Car Kulture Deluxe.
Thanks again people!

Why is Rockabilly & Psychobilly the music of choice for the Kustom Kulture crowd?

Seriously I am not an such an avid Rockabilly fan (so what- right?). I do love Johnny Cash, Eddie Cochran, Carl Perkins, Patsy Cline, Jerry Lee Lewis and Roy Orbison from the early days. Cramps and Reverend Horton Heat from the not so early days. Being a bassist- I really dig upright bass and I can appreciate the revival of the instrument, but I also use drum machines and computers to make my music (not always) and prefer Double Bass in Be-Bop Jazz most of all. My band Kill Switch...Klick was thrown into the "Industrial" genre bins back in the 1990's and pioneers from that genre like Public Image Ltd., Killing Joke and Ministry are some of my all time favorites, I mean "Jesus Built My Hot Rod" from Ministry has got to be one of the all time best drivin' song ever written! Al Jourgensen produced a fair amount of Reverend Horton Heat's music- so I guess there is a connection between Psychobilly and Industrial. I also understand that Hot Rods and Rockabilly got a cultural foothold in the1950's so that is their link culturally. But what about Blues and Be-Bop? Rat Fink seemed more Beatnik (or Beat for you purists) than Rocker. Where is all the Cool Jazz and Be-Bop? I would really dig going to a Kustom Car Show and hearing a Be-Bop Trio or hard edged Cool Jazz Combo for a change. I am hearing more Surf bands at events- which is definitely cool. I've got nothing against any Rockabilly or Psychobilly bands Mad Sin, Tiger Army, Wanda Jackson, Roy Kay Trio, etc. rock harcore- this is more an open question. I guess as the scene morphs into something else the styles will change and open up. I think what I have a problem with is the "Packaged Deal." You know, "Hey everybody- I got a new car (Rat Rod I bought on eBay), a new haircut (I saw in a magazine), a new girlfriend (I found on Craigslist) and bought all these new CD's! I am now a scenester!" What the f'n crap is that? The difference would be the guy who discovers Eddie Cochran, cuts his hair cause he likes the way Eddie looks, finds his girlfriend on an Eddie Cochran Tribute Website, etc. That's the discovery, not the "Packaged Deal." And then again what about X, Misfits and Social Distortion? That's more where I come from, but that's Punk. You can't go wrong with Hardcore, but it would be hella hard for Chicas to mosh in their Poodle Skirts.
PROJECTS - Took delivery on a Fretless Squire (budget Fender line) Modified Jazz Bass today. Got it through American Musical Supply who has an excellent payment option, where you can use you debit or credit card to get equipment in 1/3rd installment payments. For example, I got my bass, that costs around $300 with shipping, for $100 down and then two more monthly payments of $100. You can't beat that with a stick! The bass has excellent build quality and is my first full scale electric fretless, so it's going to be challenge to get the fingering perfected. I wanted a more earthy bottom end for the Hot Rod Girls Save The World soundtrack.
HOT ROD GIRLS SAVE THE WORLD - Re-cut a key scene using a variation from the intro theme of the movie. The HRGSTW theme has various components. The main keyboard line that bounces from Eb to Bb, two different guitar hooks and a blues based rhythm guitar line. The guitar hooks will appear at various scene change points to remind the audience of the theme. The new variation is based on the main rhythm guitar line with an added minimal percussion back beat.

Another Friggin' Elections

People Lemme Tell Ya!
Well this year was an easy one (at least election counting wise) and I actually picked a winner this time around. I have been cursed ( I knew I shouldn't have cut that damn gypsy lady off in the grocery store all those many years ago) since I first started voting back in the 80's- I'm 44 now. My track record is Dukakis, Perot, Perot, Nader, Kerry and now Obama. The curse is broken! Unless that lawyer cat (name?) I heard two nights ago on Coast To Coast AM wins his court case. Seems he thinks Obama does is not a naturalized citizen, does not have a birth certificate and is not eligible to be president. He has taken this to the Supreme Court. Check this http://www.clevelandleader.com/node/6524 I hope not. At least the f'n Republicans lost big time in many many races. I told my kids become anything but a Republican when you grow up. I'll visit you in jail for any crimes you commit, but won't give you the time of day if you become one of "them." In Seattle we have this jackass talk show host on KVI (I listen to KVI because of Coast To Coast AM- I can't stand Fox News owned radio stations) named Kirby Wilbur http://www.kvi.com/onair/kirby He was so sad on the radio. That made me smile. This guy is so "off" on everything he says- it was refreshing to hear him in that state. Realistically though we are in deep shite thanks to all the greedy fat fk's at/on/in/around the Wallstreet. Now what. Yes we can. Wait and see?

Killing Machine Review

A really good review for Killing Machine in Ol' Skool Rodz #30.

Foot In Mouth

Ever stick your foot in your mouth and then as your trying to pull it out you stick the other one in there too? I should start a club. The guys with two feet stuck in their mouth club. Danger Will Robinson Danger! Pull your feet out of your mouth Will Robinson Danger! I love Robbie The Robot. Back to reality- setting audio levels, consolidating audio effects and making slight changes to Hot Rod Girls Save The World in the timeline of Final Cut Pro. The film clocks in at 2 hours15 minutes right now with opening and end credits. I may cut a few scenes out or down to get it at the 2 hour mark. I send out HRGSTW to several Film Festivals next Monday. They said they will preview the film on DVD with the audio unpolished. So it begins. I am also looking at Video Projector to tour the film to colleges, clubs and small venues. With all the bands in the film- setting up band/film nights should be easy..

HOT ROD GIRLS SAVE THE WORLD - FINAL CUT!!

HOT ROD GIRLS SAVE THE WORLD - FINAL CUT!!!
Last night at 11:31 PM PACIFIC I completed the final edits to my indie-film Hot Rod Girls Save The World. I have put 100 % of my heart, soul and finances into this project for the last five years- including nearly every evening and weekend, a second mortgage on my house and anxiety medication for when I hear them there voices (Oh yeah baby!). I have had massive support from friends, family and sometimes total strangers. I never dreamed it would take this long to finish...but here it is- over two hours worth of Campy Dialog, Cat Fights, Hot Rods, Aliens and Zombies!
We will start sending out to Film Festivals (over 250 of ‘em) next month after all the audio is sweetened and music polished. This film will not be on DVD until mid-late 2009 as we want to make a full festival run and tour of the film. First screenings are tentatively set for Seattle, WA Philadelphia, PA and Olympia, WA.

I just want to say thanks for all your support and see you at the f’n movies!

D.A. Sebasstian

P.S. Extra special shout outs to Jones Soda, The Rat Bastards, Chrysler/Mopar Performance and CK Deluxe Magazine! .

Shaved My Head

Shaved my head. Nice in the Seattle heat. Hair is kinda a vanity thing...so say the Buddhist Monks (not the band- the religious practitioners). 

Jack Kerouac, Repo Man and Model Cars

Rented The Source from Block Buster Online- a film about The Beats and Beat Generation. Very well made. I'm on a Jack Kerouac trip again. To the right is a case I built for some of my Model and Die-Cast Cars. The walls of my recording studio and bedroom are covered with 1/64th scale Hot Wheels, Johnny Lightning and Matchbox cars as well. Is this a treatable disease? Also caught the end of Repo Man on Starz Channel this morning. They have the same kinda Biohazard Guys in that film that I have in Hot Rod Girls Save The World. I must have inadvertently borrowed the idea- as I saw Repo Man right when it came out in the 1980's. Still I didn't remember the Biohazard Guys until I saw it again today. HRGSTW is definitely the same kind of Dark Comedy that Repo Man is- maybe if you mixed Clerks with Repo Man and a little Dawn Of The Dead you'd come up with a recipe for the attitude Hot Rod Girls Save The World. I don't know...I'm just talkin' out my ass. I need to get back to the editing.

Hemi Charger, It & All and Hot Rod Girls

Soooo- got the Hemi Charger E.P. Shipped off to the pressing plant, as well as Discs 1 and 2 of the KsK - It & All Box Set (man...that ones gonna be expensive for 7 CD's per Box Set!). The It & All cases are cool. I ordered them from US Plastic and look like a DVD case with page leaves that hold the discs like plastic book pages. Scene 9 from HRGSTW is almost finished. These animated scenes take forever in rendering time. You make one adjustment and then have to let the computer render all night. If the change looks wrong- you have to do it all over again!

Happy Easter Hemi Charger!

Happy Easter Peoples! The Mrs. and I filmed at Slims Last Chance in Georgetown last night. The Pin-Up Angels put on a Burlesque, Pin-Up Contest and rock show with Mercury Four (excellent Seattle surf band) and Billy Dwayne & The Creepers (local rockabilly faves) performing sets. The place was packed! I also finished rough arrangements and mixes of the tunes Hemi Charger (new KsK) and House Party (new D.A. Sebasstian & Inner Demons). Busy as always....

Go-Kustom Goes Surfin'

Vetala Hawkins finished the cover for the next surf compilation called Go-Kustom Goes Surfin'. Miss Piper is on the cover.

Go-Kustom TV

We did a multi-part interview with Hot Rod Heidi and Co. for her multiple-endeavors. She is an active Pin-Up Angel (supporting the troops with care packages), owns a Vintage Clothing Store and with her husband owns Sunken Ship Tattoo in Everett. Look for these interviews on the our You Tube Pages and on the Best Of Go-Kustom TV 5 & 6.

Hot Rod Girls Save The World

Ironing out the intro sequence for Hot Rod Girls Save The World. This is a tough one because I am trying to have a cohesive back story running against the opening credits. Also the disc recovery service says they have retrieved all my missing files. Seasonal allergies kicked in as well. Argggghhhh. I'm trying acupuncture this year along with over the counter meds and tons of Vitamin C.

Seattle Roadster Show

Had fun promoting Hot Rod Girls at the Seattle Roadster Show. We gave out hundreds of Promo Postcards, CD's and Buttons. Had an excellent response to the little console TV (we found the day before sitting by the roadside- score!) running various scenes from the movie- that we had set up with the Rat Bastards Hot Rods display. Thanks Tony and The Rat Bastards!

Go-Kustom Releases

Finished the covers for two new Go-Kustom Rekords Compilations Wild Ride! (a Hot Rod Surf Compilation) and Pent-Up Boxed-In (a Rockabilly & Psychobilly Compilation). These are two of the four CD's Go-Kustom is releasing in '08. The other two are the KsK boxed set It & All (see below) and Go-Kustom Goes Surfin' (which is almost ready to go) but needs a cover. Love that surf music!

Hot Rod Girls Save The World Editing

Finally finished Scene 75 for HRGSTW.

Hot Rod Girls Save The World Editing

Still pluggin' away at Scene 75. I had alot of issues with continuity between takes. I think I made it work though.

Lap Dancer Mentality

I recently pulled the Go-Girls pages from this website for several reasons. One was I was getting inundated with queries from young ladies wanting me to make them into a pin-up starlets, many of whom had no experience and only amateur pictures with no inclination to pay a real photographer to take some decent ones. The other reason has to do with a realization of a growing Lap Dancer Mentality among many young (and not so young) women. What gave me this realization was during a routine coffee stop a few weeks back. I was driving a different way one morning and pulled into a little parking lot drive thru coffee hut. This coffee stand was under new ownership and I hadn't been to it for years. As I pulled to the window I was shocked to see a very pretty stripper type girl in only short shorts and pasties! My first thought was, "this can't be legal- can it." The guy side of my brain was instantly arouse (she was very pretty with very large store bought boobies), but the paternal side was like- "What the fuck, what if an unsuspecting family pulled in here. Now don't get me wrong, I think the human body is incredible and there are too many laws about nudity (especially on beaches) that don't always make sense. I also feel our American children are taught (through current media) that nudity is wrong and killing someone is OK (bass ackwards or what?). Anyway as I bought my coffee and drove off I noticed how the barista's smile seemed forced and how she seemed vaguely uncomfortable. She would thrust her chest out, talk loudly and then kinda sink into a more subdued tone. Like an actress who couldn't remember all her lines. Strange- maybe it was because it was hella cold outside and even with a heater blowing up her panties, she still had gooseflesh on her arms. Maybe she just didn't feel comfortable standing in a coffee hut being ogled by two lanes of guys in pick-up trucks. I don't know. I hope she got shit loads of tips though. But what really bothered me was the exploitative factor of the situation. That Lap Dancer Mentality. Be nice to the guys, show some flesh, get the cash and get away. SO it was these thoughts rolling around in my head that led me pulling the Go-Girls pages. I will eventually put the Go-Girls links back up and we will have some scantily clad (but tasteful) gals on CD covers (I'm sure). I just want to make sure we keep on track as a Film and Rekord company, and leave the full on titillation to Playboy..

KsK - It And All

Took a two day break from the film editing so I could lay the ground work for the KsK Box Set entitled "It And All." Six CD's- including all the major Kill Switch...Klick recordings, plus the KCMU Live Room Sessions of 1994 and never before released oddball tracks. Should be out in a few months.

Chargers

Put the finishing touches on two Chargers models I have building in the evenings at home using basic Charger kit bashed with various other model kits. One is a flying Charger the other is a Charger done Monster Truck style. What can I say...I like '66-'67 Chargers.

Other Cars Non-Mopars

Besides my Mopar fanaticism (not spurned by the recent Barrett-Jackson Mopar desirability factor- my first car was a 1970 Dodge Challenger back in 1981), I also dig other underdog makes like AMC (technically now Mopar) , Mercury and Pontiac. All had great '60's racing programs and some awesome cars and drivers. Above is a '65 Mercury Comet Cyclone. I am also a sucker for the 1960's styling trend of stacked headlights (Fury, Galaxie, GTO, Marlin).

New Year

Happy New Years Day. This is also (God Willing) the year my first indie-feature film Hot Rod Girls Save The World hits the big screen.