p.s. RIP: Alex Chilton. Hey. I was going to say welcome back, but it's welcome back to me, I guess. Things are good. Since I have three days' worth of comments to catch up with, I'll just go ahead now, and I apologize in advance for any speeding along that comes with trying to get through everything in a single morning. ** Monday ** David, Hey. Good question about the pesos. I was thinking it was probably a bargain, but I'm not sure where or why I came up with that inference. ** David Ehrenstein, Hi, David. 'Horse Sense' was/is really nice. ** Mark Gluth, Hope that drive didn't wipe you guys out too much, and I sorely wish I was your host again tonight. Do give a scene report if you can. ** Bill, Hey, Bill. So great to finally get to meet you and start the real world part of our friendship. ** JW Veldhoen, Hey. Brah is self-taught, I guess, although he spent some years living in a ashram in India under the tutelage of Guru Ma, I think her name is. How was the photo printing ultimately? ** Killer Luka, Well, that just incredibly fucking sucks and is very disappointing to hear. I mean, really, wtf?! I don't understand that at all. I mean, it's not like you need some school to develop your art or anything, but the change and the focus of the schooling would have been nice. I think it'd be really good if you can get yourself out of where you are right now and live in a place where your work can be discovered in a more immediate way, whether that means NYC or LA or Europe or wherever. You know practical me: what's the new idea/plan? I think the thing is to take this as the removal of school from your immediate options as an artist, and a new way forward is what's important now. I mean, listen Luka, you're an incredible artist, hands down, no question about that whatsoever, and if the institutions you applied to don't see a way to fit what you do into their plans, that's nothing but a sign of their restrictive thinking and aesthetic. Sure, the no's are a blow, but try to see them as the light breezes they truly, ultimately are. ** Empty Frame, Hey, man. Happy preparing, my friend. ** Stan_cz, Great seeing you indeed. Cool, send me your number, and I'll send you mine if I didn't give it to you the other night. ** Kier, Goodness, what was with the burst of darkness, my pal? ** Sypha, I'm not completely sure what to make of him either, but he is sincerity incarnate, I'm pretty sure. ** Creative Massacre, I hope your stomach has calmed down since you left that comment, and that the talking with the girl is still increasing the liking. ** Math, Hey, Math, Super wise and true words to the Killer. ** Justin, Goofy costumes and multi-part period epic porn productions was a speciality of the Man's Best company back in the late 90s. Amazing, weird stuff with what were essentially street prostitutes cast as noblemen, royalty, military generals and the like. ** Chris (British), A blog gang meet up in NZ sounds swell to me, and if it's just you and me and maybe a silent reader or two if we're lucky, no problem. It's just the getting there, darn it. ** Misanthrope, I didn't see the Ramirez thing so much. When I think Ramirez, I think long, horsey, sepulchral skull. If I ever come across a review of DrBeaverBoy, I'll build a Varioso around it. ** Blendin, Hey, man. I forgot to get Eugene's book the other night, but I will see you and buy it shortly, I hope. ** Oscar B, Hey. Readings were good, I think, not that I'm the best judge of course, but they seemed to go pretty okay. Yeah, 16 degrees, nice. It's 30 degrees here: Kiddiepunk weather. When do you guys head off to Sicily again? ** Rigby, Jesus. Really? What were you doing in a burning building in the first place? They do smell nice, it's true. I have seen that Big Paris thing, or, rather, I saw something about it. I'll go play with it. Gracias. ** Dynomoose, Hey, Adrienne! Oh, it's good to see you, my dear pal. I read/saw about the house via the 'miracle' of Facebook, and that's so awesome. Will you post pix? Maybe you already have. I'll go check. Lots and lots of love to you! ** Bollo, I hope you get to see the Sturtevant HoH ride too. It's a bit of the sublime. I don't think the retrospective is traveling, but I heard the HoH might get bought by some museum and toured. Good, nice thoughts to Killer Luka, man. ** Tomas, Hey, T. Duvert bio? April 1st? And me with my shitty French? It's a tragedy. You'll have to tell me everything. ** Alan, Howdy, Alan. ** Statictick, I think they did knock them out. I'm pretty sure. ** Changeling, Hey, sir. Wow, that translation service can really do that kind of aesthetically reconstituted text remaking? I just bookmarked it. Very interesting. Thanks, C. Um, yeah, the photos match up with the texts originally. Sometimes I pick and choose among the images in the profiles and use the most flattering or weirdest. And on extremely rare occasions -- maybe two, three times in all -- I've cropped the photos. ** Tuesday, Wednesday ** Dorna, Hey, Dorna! Give me a buzz when you have the time and feel like it. ** David Ehrenstein, Greetings again, Mr. E. Oh, I'll pass along the Bill's blog greatness without further ado. Everyone, please read, listen to, and follow the mighty David Ehrenstein's clarion call and suggestion. In his words: 'And now, directly from Bill's Blog IT'S KAY THOMPSON! Here for your listening pleasure is Kay's complete "Let's Talk About Russia" album. Kay invited some of her neasrest and dearest over to her place (Bill has the skinny on who they were) and recorded her casual musings on a trip she'd taken to Russia. It's a perfect album for shut-ins. Or shut-outs. If you've got nothing going on in your life, just grab a fifth of you favorite libation and click on Kay. VOILA! You have a sophisticated New York Party right in your own hovel!' The cover of that album is insane! I'll be giving Ms. Thompson's voice a spin today. Thanks, D.** Bacteriaburger, Hey, man. What's the latest on the book? Any progress? Oh, I think it's totally cool to coopt that quote. Or let's say I hope so since I've swiped no small number of such tidbits myself, let's say. ** Patrick Rock -- Autsen/MK -- Director/Curator, Hey, welcome to this place, and thanks for being around. You're doing some really interesting seeming stuff. I wish I could attend. Say more. ** JW Veldhoen, Good questions. ** Kiddiepunk, Sir, greetings. Enjoying the warming, are you? You'd like the 30/86 degree weather here more than I. Not that I'm cowering or anything. Miss you, pal. ** Camedmonson, Hi, welcome. Who are you? Tell me. ** Heliotrope, I hope your head has mellowed out by now. I'll be calling you in just a little to find out and see you asap. A ton of love until then, and, well, after then too, obviously, but ... you know what I mean. ** David, Speaking of space opera's kinship with westerns, you ever watched 'Zachariah'? I keep wondering if rewatching it would be a mistake. Or 'Greaser's Palace' for that matter? ** Chris Goode, Hey, Chris. I like that all over the map response in theory. Don't you? Is that not the ideal? Have I been kidding myself about my own feedback all these years? Oh, nice about the Cork gig, and with the wonderful Paul Hegarty, no less. So if you can make it to Ireland, can Paris lag that far behind? No, right? I think I'm oneof maybe two or three people in the world who think 'Hello Goodbye' is one of the Beatles' most sublime, genius songs. ** Creative Massacre, Yeah, earthquakes are cool, intense. It's that first few seconds when you're thinking it could be the legendary giant one that is going to cause LA to sink beneath the waves that I don't like. I love when they stop, but who wouldn't? African food, cool. Like what? I'm good. Are you back to feeling good? ** Paul Joseph, Hey. Concreteness, yeah. I love stats. I used to buy ... Harpers (?) Magazine just for that stats column they'd do every issue if they're not still doing it, The SF event was cool. I'll be posting pix next week of those who came to it and the LA version too. ** Sypha, Hey, man. ** Vivisalive, Hey! Yeah, it was great to finally meet you too. And thanks a lot for the book and for the story by your student. I really liked the story a lot. Please tell her for me. Take care, man, and, yeah, it'd be gret to see you around here more if that works in to your schedule and desires. ** Misanthrope, Well hello. ** Tosh, Thanks a million, Tosh! ** _Black_Acrylic, It's almost Yuck 'n Yum time again. Righteous. April 2nd? I can handle that. ** Empty Frame, All's pretty well, yeah, and you? ** Tonyoneill, Hey, T. I love the Cahuenga newsstand too. I miss the one that was forever over near the Scientology Center on ... Hollywood and Las Palmas Street? ... How's stuff? You headlong into 'Neon Angel' promo? ** Paul Curran, Oh, yeah, happy belated St. Patricks Day. It passed me by, but that would explain why the paranormal TV show I usually watch was in search of leprechauns rather than ghosts last night. They didn't find any, if you're curious. ** Bollo, Yeah, St. Pats must be mega where you are. Is it just drinking and all that like it is here, or do you exchange gifts or ... I don't know? ** Trees, Hey! Yeah, it was really nice to meet and talk the amount we did. Much more of that in the future, yes? Oh, so that was the legendary Tunnel Boy? I understand the appeal, yes. 'The Swans Rag' is beautiful. I read it on the plane. Thanks, man, and definitely give an alert when that blog is up, yeah? ** Steevee, Oh, that's sad about Mary Ann's. I saw it from a taxi window when I was there for 'Jerk' and found its stability so comforting. Alas. ** Puella Aeterna, Hey. Thanks much about the posts. I'll get the Liz Young one fixed finally today now that I'm back with computer again, and I'llget part 3 in its future place as well. Let me pass on your find. Everyone, here's a tip from Puella Aeterna: 'Roaming around the internet (I think I got there from a Ballard-fan site) I found this call for submissions for publication (in a journal, I think) here on a site called Transgressive Culture which may, or may not, be of interest to dls, lurkers and otherwise here...' Thanks for that. I'll check it out myself. Oh, yes, Wednesday afternoon on the 31st should be just fine for the interview. Great! I'll send you my phone info in just a bit. ** Inthemostpeculiarway, Hey! You're back! How superb! I'm really sorry to hear you've faced some dark days, and I'm obviously awfully glad that you're rousing yourself. Now, that was a butterflies producing Bendy report worth waiting for, as I surely don't need to tell you. I think the cleaning thing is universal, not that I'm an expert whatsoever. I remember 'Go Ask Alice'. Wasn't there a sequel, like, 'Go Ask Alex' or something? I might be tripping. I did see the Gaga video, and, yeah, it's a pretty cool video, and I still can't get excited about her music. My friend Joel told me last night that she might star in the next Tarantino film? Don't know what I think about that. Well, I don't have the memory or brain to reconstitute my whole LA trip this morning, but I'll try to do the last couple of days albeit swiftly since I'm doing three days of comments and my head is starting to fog up a little at this point. Uh, okay, on Tuesday at 10 am Mark Gluth, his wife Erin, Jim Greer, and I drove up to San Francisco. Actually, Erin drove. She wanted to power through the trip, but, luckily, Jim and I both smoke, so stops to replenish our lungs and eat truck stop microwaved burritos and the like took place. We got to SF around 5 pm, checked into our decent-ish, inexpensive hotel, and chilled or whatever until show time at 7 pm. The turn out for the reading was really nice. Lots of pals and friends from here and elsewhere showed up, including my buddy John Waters who I haven't seen in ages, and other folks whom you'll see in the pix I'm going to post next week. Reading was pretty good, from what I could tell. I read some 'Ugly Man' squibs, and then Mark and Jim read chunks from their books, and everyone seemed kind of the opposite of bored, which was, you know, really good. Then a selection of us went to eat at this restaurant Cafe Macaroni. The waiter talked like Robert Begnini or whatever his name is. Sounded fake, but probably wasn't. So that was, you know, really nice, and then d.l. Steven Trull drove me to my hotel where I zonked out. Next morning I cabbed it to SFO for my return to LA flight while my LHotB pals drove onwards to Portland. Flight was nothing much, although this boy recognized me and talked very loudly during the whole flight to his companion about how I was Dennis Cooper, and that was weird. Got home, did whatever, and I had dinner with Joel and my pal the writer/critic Bruce Hainley at my beloved Mexico City where I ate nachos and cheese gorditas, and then, hm, I watched some paranormal reality TV before passing out. Kind of a colorless report there, sorry, but I'll get the rust out and get better 'again'. Now, you? ** You-x, Dude, I'm so blown away that you and Kyte came down for the reading. That so far beyond the call of duty, and eternal love is yours whenever you need it. The SF reading was pretty darned okay, I think, as far as I can tell. How are you? ** Blendin, Hey. Big hit, your post. Thank you, squire. ** Put The Lotion In The Basket, Things are pretty good, yeah. Weatherwise, I think it's kind of Spain-like here maybe. Roasty in the good sense. How are you, Nick? What's new? Tell me. ** Oscar B, Hey. Oh, the Pompidou finally put up a new show? Hm, I don't really know what I think of Lucian Freud, I guess. I'll go see the show and figure it out. Don't go see everything before I get back. Save a show or two to attend with me. Love, love. ** Math, Hey, Math! ** Heliotrope, Oh, I know. So, so sad about Alex Chilton. Heartbreaking, really. Sigh. Yes, let's talk shortly, okay? ** Okay, I got fried and inattentive towards the end there, sorry. Here's a new post featuring ... well, the headline, etc. explains it. Hope it's of some interest. See you guys tomorrow.