Monday, November 24, 2008
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.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
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).
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?
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?
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
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!
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!
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
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.
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.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
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?
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?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)