So it’s time to catch up on the April Fool.
shelly and az backstage @ type o negative 4/9/2007
March 31 ‘07
So the mighty CroBar experience was behind us and we forged ahead on another gray and overcast less that seasonably warm weekend. But it’s never like there’s ever nothing for us to do, though sometimes I like having nothing that I HAVE to do or SOMEWHERE I HAVE to or an REQUIRED to be.
We were looking forward to the following weekend. “Grindhouse” was coming out and then TYPE O NEGATIVE were playing Chicago live for the first time since they cancelled a Halloween show a Metro several years back do to some personal issues with their singer Peter Steele, which will come out once Jenny is finished transcribing the interview.
The day after CroBar we did some book shopping and walking around and I picked up a couple items for my brother Blue whose birthday was April 3. I have done my best for some 30 some years to never forget his birthday. And the older I get the closer we become not only as brothers but as best friends. We found a really cool bookstore on the northside after eating at a quiet Mexican place right off of Lawrence and Broadway. And I found for him 2 very appropriate gifts.
Friday April 6 came with mucho anticipation. I had been waiting since I heard of it’s inception to see “Grindhouse” and the projected numbers looked overwhelming as much as the hype, the press and all the advertising. I had made plans for Sinderella Pussie to meet us for dinner at “Heaven on 7” along with her husband to be, JT. I bought their tickets for the movie as a gift to celebrate her new job. (She has since recently announced her pregnancy and Shelly and I knew back then even before this night at week 8. Last Friday she officially announced she was at 12 weeks and soon will officially become a MILF)
However, in her typical manner she was 2.5 hours late to meet us for dinner and we were finished and waiting as they rode the elevator up to the cinemas at 600 N Michigan. At least she didn’t pull another no show.We had to sit near the front being that the theatre was nearly full. But not yet at capacity. And it didn’t reach capacity but for the next 3 plus hours we enjoyed a rollercoaster ride of gore, sex, violence, extreme vulgar dialogue, girls, zombies, maniacs and cool cars. Rodriguez and Tarantino are my 2 favorite directors and they work even better together. There is also a grand finale to this story which comes near the end of this entry that will happen in July.
The night ended with us all just saying goodbye, kind of like that scene on Seinfeld where they all get off the subway and go their separate ways. They drove home and Shelly and I took a cab home and when Sindy called, she was surprised that we actually went home and not out. But that’s how much my life has changed. I value my time with this one and it keeps me out of trouble, or at least from stirring a little reaction up when I head out.
“Grindhouse” ended up bombing bringing in only $11M. It didn’t even make the top 3. People just don’t get art. They just don’t get the fact that this was an homage to movies of an era from the days of Drive Ins and double features and that there’d be flaws. Flaws that were purposely included. Clocking in at just over 3 hours I guess it was a little much for the ADD generation. Fuck em’. I thought it was nothing short of brilliant, a true masterpiece. Chris Curry summed up the second half, “Only Tarantino could make a goddamned movie out of a car chase.”
The next day I took Shelly to get her nails done and I waiting in Ranalli’s and a whole new scenario was to begin. But we’ll skip that part for now if not forever. It was just a long and weird day and we had to be up early the next day for Easter and head into the backwash of Indiana to her grandparents farm for the holiday.
We rose early on Easter Sunday and make the 3 plus hour trek to her Grandparents house only there were no “over the rivers or through the woods” really.
There was a Wild Cat Creek or something and a lot of bleak cornfields with dilapidated and abandoned houses and near ghost towns. We got to our destination which was a well kept farmhouse, lots of land a big garage or storage structure and a handful of cars. When we had arrived, her father’s side of the family were pretty much there, and I found her Grandmother to be especially charming, particularly when she went out of her way to set up the coffee machine and make coffee for me. Overall it was pretty quiet. The food was good but the conversation was very light. It seemed very divided but that’s just my opinion. It was nice to meet Shelly’s brother Ryan an obvious athlete and college student with an above average GPA, after all the great things I’ve heard about him, but her sister who has many credits in athletics and scholastics seemed less than enthused to meet me or even communicate with her big sister. Which made it a bit awkward for me. Overall the people were hard working and decent, had manners and were not the typical rural Indiana types I’ve gotten to know in the past. So in hindsight, in many ways, I was impressed, especially with the people that took the time to converse with the two of us, who had traveled such a long distance to spend the afternoon. Mostly it seemed that it didn’t matter that we were there at all, but Shelly seemed very happy to see her Grandparents. So as it got late in the afternoon we departed, Chicago traffic is bad enough, but Chicago traffic on any given holiday, especially on the return home is a nightmare.
And it was.
We were close to home and ½ way through the Skyway Toll Road when traffic came to a halt. I turned off the music and found the local 24 hour news radio station 780 AM WBBM to see if there was some sort of back up, which there obviously was. There was indeed an accident, a traffic fatality that had traffic backed up for miles. I for sure was going to miss this season premiers of 2 of my favorite shows Sopranos and Entourage. We had it timed perfect and would even have time to dye my lady’s hair, before the programs would begin. Thus it would not be the case. We listened about the accident, got into the lanes that would move more swiftly and even more so if others had tuned in and cared enough not to wait till they came upon the accident to move to the unblocked lanes. Finally after almost 2 hours we got passed the wreckage and were on our way home. By the time we got home I was exhausted. Overall it was a nice and peaceful visit but the wear and tear on us, and Shelly in particular from all the traveling to Indiana and back was starting to take its toll.
And I knew 2 days later we’d be going back. But we had Type O Negative between this night and that day.
So it was Monday the 9th and I still had no idea what time my meet w/ Peter Steele was to be. I got a call from his PR at MSO in the mid afternoon and she said look for Meg the tour manager and it would take place about 6:45 PM. DAMMIT an early show. Also on the bill were my old pals from upstate New York Brand New Sin with whom I’m developed a friendship with since I first met them about 3 years ago when they opened for Motorhead. A recently rejuvenated Celtic Frost were also on the bill.
As Shelly spent most of the afternoon getting ready, my friend Jason Meudt showed up a little early as we had planned on walking to Metro, which is just a few blocks away. So we picked up a bottle of bourbon at Thelma’s and had a few cocktails prior to what we though was about to be a walk. But it as we walked outside we saw that it was snowing, so we got a cab, as oppsed to walk in the snowy weather, since Shelly was dressed so nice and her hair was as she wanted it to be.
Now there is a bit of a back-story here, and I feel the need to insert. Type O and I go back to 94 and they were the reason why I decided to start my own magazine. And for years we’ve forged a friendship as well as a mutual respect. When I first came across Shelly some 4 years back now she was listed as one of those cool new people on myspace. At the time Myspace was fairly new and I was a new member to it at the time. After clicking on her profile, I read that she lived in Ft Wayne, I admired her profile picture, and even more so her taste in music. She mentioned in her profile, that there were 2 people she’d like to meet, and it read Peter Steele and Glen Danzig, so I sent her a quick email and told her I knew both of them and her reply basically said, in a nice way that I was FULL OF SHIT. I prompted her to check out the MK Magazine , and basically was not too long later she realized I was in fact telling her the truth. And furthermore I believe we hadn’t communicated any more than 3 or 4 times in as many years, till we met in person through her ex Jeffy aka “Bubba”, introduced us at my birthday party. A few weeks after we became a couple we went to get my mail and I had received that day an advance of the new Type O CD, 2 months prior to its actual release, and shortly after that day, the Chicago show was announced. I told her on the phone as she was still living in Indianoplace that she’d soon be meeting the “man of Steele”.
And that’s how we arrived at this particular day.
At approximetely 5:00 PM and a $5 cab fare later the 3 of us had appeared to the door of Metro and are whisked backstage where all of the BNS guys yell out loud AAAALLLLLEEEXXXXXXX . Johnny, Josh and Kenny from Type O were hanging out while Pete was still on the bus contemplating where our interview would take place. So we all hung out and had some beer and shot the shit and caught up on jokes and I made introductions.
shelly, peter, and az catching up
I had brought along my Celtic Frost book, “Into The Pandemonium” with me that my good friend Ron Marks sent me years ago. He had also signed the inside front page. Ron was in the band at their heyday and his photo is in fact included on the back cover. Ron is now working on his 4th the solo project known as Subsonic. I figured I could get the singer and author Tom to sign it as well. However as it turned out and after ½ of my life working in the music business these guys pulled larger than life rock star attitude with me. BIG TIME and not only me but everyone. They were nothing short of pricks, jerks, and assholes to anyone that tried to talk to them. At one point one of the members said, “We’ll be nice after we play our set.”
They never did become nice.
To make a long story short, I was only able to get my book signed by handing it to a member to hand to Tom through the door, he signed it, and not even personally to me and closed the door. He didn’t even meet me in person even though at that time I was having fun with all of the bands, after the show. I was more than happy to share the experience with Ron once I was able to contact him over the phone to which we shared laughs.
It was showtime and we went up to the VIP area and got to see the first 30 min of Brand New Sin’s set. They have a very strong and loyal following in Chicago, and this city is one of their favorite places to play. So after ½ hour we met Meg and Peter downstairs and did the interview along with Jason to take pix at 6:45 PM. We had a quiet room in a cozy section of Smart Bar which is under and adjacent to Metro. Peter met me with a hug, it had been quiet a few years and though I had seen Johnny a good many times over the years as a member of Danzig during his time off from TON, it had been years since I saw Peter. He had a bottle of wine and I had a can of beer and my tape machine and girlfriend Shelly. Peter was impressed. Not only does he have a preference (addiction) to red heads he likes smart women and well, and Shelly was the most lady like significant other I have ever had at a concert, not to mention backstage. During the chat I sat on one side and she sat on the other and in between Q&A’s he complimented her several times and kissed her hand like a gentleman several times.
Jason and Peter, “Hey man, I remember you!”
Shelly was happy and I had made one of her wishes come true, and that was even more important to me than seeing my old friend of 6’7 250 lbs of pure testosterone. He is and remains to be a very decent and good man.
(the contents of the conversation will be posted soon after it has been edited by myself)
When it came time for Type O to play we took our places back in the VIP section. I was able to get Grego into the much coveted area, as well as my friend Kelly who I latter bestowed upon the BNS guys. Kelly is also a TON fan and ended up going to see them a few nights later in Milwaukee. We had an outstanding view in the private part of the balcony as the band ripped through over 14 years of material from all of their releases. And they did the thing that once upon a time they refused to do and that was an encore. It was naturally Black # 1.
shelly, peter, az
When the show ended Jason, Shelly and I went backstage and I managed to get Grego and Kelly in and we all hung out and joked with the band and then ended up at the bar next door that I hate and never seem to have a good time while I’m there spending money. We would not have been there if it were that over the last several years the area 1 mile in circumference around the Metro is all sports bars. Oh, how I long for the good ol’ days. We stayed till we couldn’t stay any longer and we were out of there and back home only to get up early again and travel to Indiana, this time to Anderson via Russiaville or wherever it is that Shelly’s friend Jared was keeping care of Shelly’s dog till we could get her to her new home.
This would not be easy. And I have to say here that I am pretty upset with some of the people that my girl has been surrounded by. Especially her former landlady who had 4 dogs and 5 kids to 5 different guys (I think the math is correct) and who at the time she moved in’ told Shelly she could have her dog, only to be told later that it had to go. Then after Shelly decided to move to Chicago the dog was moved from place to place and after finally meeting the dog in person, figured out #1 why the pet meant so much to her, and #2 why it was something so hard for her to let go of. And only a few people seemed to even give a damn.
So we got to the place where Schnappsy was for a weekend and took her to her new home, tha of an older lady who was in a wheelchair who about cried when she saw how beautiful the animal was. And as nice as the woman and the home were, it took it’s toll on my girl. And leaving wasn’t easy, not at all.
My good friend Jason had given Shelly free classifieds in the papers he works for and it was a long weird and difficult process but we finally made it happen.
Thanks bro.
Afterwards we grouped with Jason and Linny at the paper where Jason works and waited for him to get off work for teh day. This was to be my very first visit to their home since they met. So we went into his job where I was told that the lady sitting next to him had to do a double take because she thought I was Gene Simmons.
NOW TAKE NOTE YOU PEOPLE THAT WATCH TOOO MUCH TV: WHEN KISS WAS DOING THE REVENGE (1992/93) ALBUM AND TOUR THIS WAS A COMPLIMENT! HAVE YOU SEEN HIS HAIR? HIS FACE? THIS IS AN INSULT AND BESIDES I’VE LOST A LOT OF RESPECT FOR THIS MAN I ONCE IDOLIZED.
az w/ gene 1993
az as gene 2001
Okay, now this was Anderson IN and it’s a far cry from Chicago and the people making up the office pretty much looked like what I thought they would, and there in the middle of them, long black hair and covered in tattoos is one of the nicest guys I know in his blue tinted glasses. Talk about not fitting in! They surely didn’t fit in w/ him.
On the way to their apartment where we would get a chance to stretch a little, I insisted on driving through Rally’s on the way. I just love the burgers there and we have nothing like it at all in Chicago where the last Checkers was leveled more years ago than I can recall. And when we got to their complex and inside, I was amazed. I loved their apartment and it was comfortable. AND IT WAS SPOTLESS. We would have liked to stay but it was after 6:30 PM and we had a long drive home. A long quiet drive. And we got home…..late.
The next week was busy. I was back at work, and Shelly was preparing for her schooling which would take us away from each other from tax day April 15 till May 19. A long time for two people whose romance is still in bloom. And of course there was still more bullshit from her landlady that just never seemed to end. That is Shelly’s business, so I won’t share it. Other than say that this beast of a woman is a total disgrace to the female gender, the Mexican/American race and a human being existence in general. An ugly brutal law breaking filthy piece of trash. The total definition of the word, “scrote”.
And after the ordeal with the dog and money and a lot of other things she was prepared to make any time Shelly and I could share together before she left to Tennessee for Air Force training classes tha would last for a month, had to get one more dig in. And to top it off, I managed to park the car in the wrong place on Cubs game day and $4 in bus fare, and after a $25 cab ride paid an additional $160 to get it out the day before my chickie had to leave for the airport.
After the towing incident and admiring the space that Jason and Linny share, I made a decision that no matter how convenient and nice my neighborhood is, the cost for a 2 – 3 bedroom and dealing with drunk loud and obnoxious Cubs fans was no longer worth staying in Lakeview/Wrigleyville. And with the lease up in August, we’re outa there.
The next morning after a long night and dinner ordered in from Leona’s I was taking Shelly to O’Hare where I haven’t seen her since, and won’t for 18 more nights. And when I thought I could take the time to write and create I found myself bummed. And uninspired and to top it off……………BORED.
Friday April 20: I had promised my neighbor and filmmaker and above all friend Jenny that I would attend a video installment/demonstration for a company she recently got hired to work for called FIG Media Group, Inc. It would be a little formal and I was promised amazing Mediterranean food. (which it was) I brought a change of clothes to work and at the last minute my friend Kendra agreed to join me. So directly from work we took the train to the Granville stop where the event took place. I shook hands and met a few new people and was recognized by a couple of others, apparently from some of my TV/Film work which is very limited. But these are artists and artists especially of this genre and medium, know each other.
It started to get boring and some stranglers were beginning to filter in. I was supposed to be interviewed by Jenny but Kendra and I decided that we had enough of the event as we showed our support. Our aftershow intentions were to hit the Heartland Café one stop north, but I decided at the last moment that since I hadn’t been at The Spot since Shelly first came to my 2nd party given to me for my last birthday one which she came alone and thought that after the long cold winter it’d be nice to drop in.
I had been seeing ads for this Burlesque performance called “Talk Dirty To Me” by a troupe called The Flaming Daes,which celebrated the “now funny” side of late 80’s LA hair bands, and lo and behold it was happening that night. We had some calamari and then was joined by my friend Alicia who was making birthday rounds and the revue comped me and gave them 2 for 1 to the now sold out show, so that I could give it my journalistic opinion.
I have to admit that since Blue Men Group I had not been this entertained by a play/performance/burlesque in years. Other than a liver band playing a concert nothing had impressed me as much as the Flaming Dames. I was ecstatic with laughter. And I was overjoyed to the point that I decided I would return the following week.
The next day Kendra and I planned to go over to Wicker Park/Bucktown. Her to check it out and myself to get a new feel for my old neighborhood. When I called she tried to back out, she was tired but it was a beautiful day. Too nice after such a dreadful long and cold winter and rainy and overcast bleak spring that I insisted. And we were hungry. So I got her out, we walked around the streets for awhile before heading over to one of my favorite Mexican restaurants, one that Al Jourgensen suggested to me on Cinco De Mayo some years back. Tecalitlan at 1814 W Chicago Ave. We ate there and Kenra had an entire 3 pound burrito before we stopped by Ranalli’s to say Hello to Jenny. We sat outside a bit and Kendra went off on her date and I hung for about an hour before going home and planned on falling asleep to a movie.
I got home and checked my email and found a letter from an old friend and neighbor Jon. Jon was a great friend and a really funny guy. Funny to the point that I even included him on my radio show for a few months after MK ULTRASOUND became syndicated. And Jon was also smart, and obviously still is to pull in the kind of dough he does now. I last saw him at a very low point of my life in 2001 outside of an Ogre concert at Metro. I was down and out but was too proud to let onto anyone that I was in the predicament I was. People who I thought were my friends had ripped me off, I had a lousy job and at the time continuing w/ MK seemed pointless. It wasn’t and I’m never one to give up easily. But that was the last time I saw him. And I called him around noon and we reunited at Holiday Club for some Sunday Brunch Bloody Mary’s. Six years not communicating with someone who was one of your closest friends meant a lot of catching up. And we had both been though highs and lows and finally seemed to have reached our peaks. Like myself he never gave up on his dreams no matter what anyone told him. We beat the odds and here we were, older AND wiser.
We hung out most of the day and that was it. It was back to the grind and oh what a grind it would be.
On Tuesday April 24th , the 28th anniversery of my very first concert, CHEAP TRICK, my boss took me to lunch and we caught up on my relationship and her forthcoming wedding. The last time we had lunch as a duo, which had to be November, I was single and I had no idea that she had a fiancé. That would not come up till my birthday lunch a month later, just before I met Shelly. And at that November lunch I explained how, and to her and many others disbelief, that I was ISO someone that read books. I had recently been inspired after watching “Henry and June” (the true tale of two controversial, banned at one time, but legendary writers) for the first time in well over 15 years that I missed that kind of communication and relationship. Lunch was at Bandera 535 N Michigan Ave which seems to be her favorite restaurant in the area. We talked over relationships, reading and well what a great first quarter the firm had just completed. Now that is good news for a guy that will get his quarterly bonus, just about the time he leaves on vacation. And that was that. It was back to work.
Two days later at our all company meeting after going over numbers and strategy they handed all of us an envelope and for the 25th anniversary of the firm, and I’m sure after having a record breaking quarter, as we all opened our envelopes, and it read that we were all flying to Las Vegas to celebrate and stay at one of their finest resorts. I was as was everyone else in complete awe. A few people looked at me as I showed no emotions. I’ve only been to Sin City 2x on pleasure the rest has been on business. The “Other Hollywood” related business. Talk about appreciation!
So Alex, why do you go to bed so early and not come out to concerts 4 nights a week and party w/ bands? Hmmm, I wonder.
Friday the 27th I went to see the Flaming Dames again after cleaning house for 2 nights. John aka Full Throttle from my favorite Chicago band, I LOVE RICH was coming along, as was my long lost pal Jon. it just so happeed that the week before I was made a little part of the show, this week they made several references to my attendance, but overall it was a better time than before.
John went home and Jon and I went to the local country and western bar before heading back to our respective homes. It was a good night.
On Saturday I had committed to an interview with some grad students at the University of Chicago. They are doing a study on Sin Industries/Businesses. Alcohol Sales, Casinos, and The Adult Entertainment Industry. I guess over the years I’ve earned my place as the Chicago expert on the subject, and if not the expert, certainly one of the more visible. Just as rock bands do when they come to town, the porn industry does as well. I have as they have, been good friends to one another. It was interesting to say the least and above all I felt it is my duty to dispel many of society’s beliefs on the industry as well as expose their hypocrisies. AVN had provided me with current numbers. Charts and graphs to detail the revenues and the breakdown of the people who spend their earnings on such entertainment. Those of you who read this already know those truths, the people in denial that would never find themselves on this site are what the mass majority of those number s represent. If a school as accredited as the U of C were going to do a scientific study, I was going to make sure they had the facts. All of them. And I made sure to conduct the interview at the very same table where I was filmed as part of an episode of Showtime’s “Family Business” Seymore Butts reality show.
When it was over and done, I had a beer and went home… the long way. I decided to walk. I stopped by the Twisted Spoke and then to the new Bombay Grill to take home some tendori chicken and I was asleep by midnight. Another exciting Saturday night in the life of AZ.
On Sunday the 29th I spent outside, I rode my bike for the first time in 2007 and as bad as it was on my knee, I loved it. I got a lot done.
Spiderman 3 comes out next weekend, on May 4, and my younger brother had committed to seeing it w/ me 6 months ago. For monetary reasons he is unable to fly here opening weekend so he’s coming the weekend after. I am greatly looking forward to it. It’ll be a short weekend but a fulfilling one for sure. It always is. We go grab some good Cajun grub, see the movie; stop somewhere for a drink or just bring it back to Casa Diablo and then see a band the following night. All this as I count down the final week till the 19th.
So instead of cheating my brother and sneaking off to se the latest installation of the Spidey saga, I’m going to take much needed inventory of camping gear and set up my tent in the park.
Then it’s off to the great southwest for 16 days under the skies, in the desert and the canyons and to the Baja Peninsula leaving at months end.
In the meantime I’m working at setting up a major music event in Indianapolis. It it a pre show MK Koncert for Horrorhound Weekend July 6-8th featuring The Creatures of Crystal Lake Tour: First Jason, Freak13, and Bunny Wabbit, with DJ J-SIN. (First Jason features Ari Lehman who played the original Jason Voorhees in the first “Friday The 13th” installment)
More on that later. Right now I need to desperately get this ranting posted.
