One more time in the big time!

RIP Travis Criscola of The Cute Lepers

2009-03-30T21:19:13Z

Wow. I just learned that Travis mixed pills and alcohol at a tour stop in Ohio and it cost him his life. Wednesday night, Trav and I had a couple of awesome conversations that really lifted me when I was sad about things that suddenly seem unimportant. RIP buddy.

I'm not shitting you...

2008-11-05T00:26:23Z

when I say this is the best front man I have ever seen. It is as if Ian Curtis has returned from the grave and made his new home in Denmark. He has played with Greg Carbonas' nose and shoved a microphone in a girl's eyehole in front of my very eyes. And he's started a riot that made me bleed.

At least I was here when this happened:

2008-08-10T23:17:34Z

http://www.popeater.com/music/article/soul-legend-isaac-hayes-passes-away/126811?icid=100214839x1207259867x1200402293

Fringe Binge eve

2008-08-01T01:55:34Z

It's going to rock your face off.

More Carbonas than ever before

2008-06-21T22:22:01Z

http://7inchatlanta.blogspot.com/

I'm still pumped about Friday at the Star Bar

2008-04-30T17:10:40Z

The Beat Beat Beat shirt is a nice touch, and makes since both bands are Rob's House Records label mates.

When me and Smokes take over Atlanta...

2008-04-28T06:01:14Z

these ladies will rule alongside us.

The Coathangers are already becoming a big deal. In fact, Spin magazine gave away their lastest single online.

I saw them several times before I vanished from the scene, and since then they have released a full-legnth album and played a slew of shows accross the East Coast.

My goal, other than to marry at least one of them, is to unite them with The Heart Attacks. I envision it as being sort of like when Motorhead and Girlschool teamed up.

HeadGirl. CoatAttacks.

Blood Car!

2008-04-25T14:47:25Z

I love Alex's observation about flea markets.

Local market, individuals part of movie
By Bobby Moore
Staff Writer
Posted: Friday, April 25, 2008 1:17 AM EDT
Email this story | Print this story

Douglas countians who watch the independent film “Blood Car” are likely to spot a local business during the film and a familiar name or two during the closing credits.

The horror-comedy film, the first feature length production by Atlanta-based Fake Wood Wallpaper Productions, has political undertones. In the story, an environmentally conscious school teacher named Archie Andrews (played by Atlanta native Mike Brune) accidentally invents a car engine that runs on human blood while trying to find a solution to gas prices that are nearing $40 per gallon.

The film features Lithia Springs High School graduate Alex Orr as director, writer and producer and Douglasville Main Street Manager Stephanie Aylworth as costume designer.

“Blood Car” is Orr’s directorial debut. The Georgia State University graduate’s resume includes work as first assistant director on several independent features and Miami Ink, a reality television series aired on TLC.

While growing up in the area, Orr spent a lot of time around his dad’s business, Bill’s Flea Market on Bankhead Highway in Lithia Springs.

The flea market makes several appearances at the film, as it served as the location for the vegetable stand run by “Lorraine,” played by “My Girl” star Anna Chlumsky.
“I never imagined making movies until I was in college, but when I was there I always knew my dad’s flea market had a really cinematic quality to it,” Orr said. “It is a unique place in the world of Targets and Wal-Marts.

“As a kid, it really taught me that things are what you make them,” Orr continued. “Anything can be obtained at the flea market, and you can use bartering, haggling or any other means of wheeling and dealing to get it. I don’t think many Americans get to experience that sort of an open market situation, which is sad because it is such an American thing.”

Aylworth, a former employee of the theater department at the University of West Georgia (UWG), made her film debut with “Blood Car.”

Though she only had theater experience in her eight years as a costume designer, Aylworth searched the Internet for a chance to work on a film without driving too far from home and found the Atlanta-based project.

After Orr and the crew from Fake Wood Wallpaper hired Aylworth and she began work on the film, she was pleasantly surprised by its script.

“I thought it was going to be a straight horror film, but it was politically-driven,” said Aylworth, adding the film’s topic “fits into the political atmosphere.”

Prior to this film, which required Aylworth to design modern clothing, most of her work involved making period pieces for historic or Shakespearean plays.

Aylworth said her collection of period piece clothing and underwear is so large after years of designing costumes for productions it fills her basement.

According to Aylworth, reproducing period clothing began as a hobby. She applied her talent to theater when a friend working for Shakespeare in the Park in California became pregnant, opening the door for Aylworth’s first costume designer role.

Orr described Aylworth as having “ability to pull of amazing things with little or no funding.”

For Aylworth, being involved in a film was rewarding, but she is unable to work on another feature film at this time because of her busy schedule. In addition to working full-time for the city, she is also working on her thesis for a master’s degree with a public history concentration from UWG.

To work on Blood Car, Aylworth had to take two weeks vacation time in December 2006.

Orr said spending half a month filming scenes at various locations around Atlanta was worth it after he saw the finished product.

“It is really obvious who enjoys the long hours and hard work of movie making, which to some is boring or not worth it,” Orr said. “But to myself and Stephanie, when you see your work adding to a great or, in Blood Car’s case, a fun film, it is very gratifying.”

Since its release, the film has had a run of success at film festivals throughout the world.

Along the way, it has been named best narrative feature film by both the Atlanta and Chicago underground film festivals and was awarded best feature film by the First Glance film festival in Philadelphia.

No Tears for Caesar

2008-04-19T04:39:53Z

That was awesome. My potential way out of my quarter-life crisis is better, but more about that in a day or two.

The greatest of all time, final chapter.

2008-04-01T04:00:46Z

Ric Flair wrestled his final match Sunday night. I really believe that.

Of course, wrestlers usually don't really retire until they are dead. Terry Funk has had more retirement matches than KISS has had farewell tours, dating back to when he retired in Japan in the early '80's. He's nearly 70 and practically has no knees. Yet he is only semi-retired. And broke.

Flair was not what he used to be in the ring, which is why I'm hoping he's really retired. He had that one great match with Triple H on Raw about five years ago, and since then he's had a moment or two, but otherwise has not been his old self.

I didn't watch it, but the reviews make it sound like his match with Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 24 was great. I hope that's the case, and he got to go out with one last five-star classic. That way, I won't have to wish he had gone out on top after Starrcade '93, where he had an amazing match with Vader. Or after he closed out the last Nitro in 2001 with a match against Sting.

Most of my knowledge of Harley Race involves him having an awful match with Junkyard Dog at Wrestlemania 3 and getting injured by Hulk Hogan a few weeks later, but old-timers say he was the best ever until he passed the torch to Flair. I'm not convinced Flair ever really passed the torch to the right person. David Von Erich died too soon and his brother Kerry had too many issues. Steamboat was strictly a face in a time when a heel champion was needed to travel to territories and battle the top face. Why Barry Windham didn't get the to run with the ball is beyond me, and I'm sure there are dozens of other examples.

He, of course, helped Sting and Luger along the way, but by that point the cable TV era had fully taken over. And he interfered during Undertaker's first title win. And was defeated for Bret Hart's first world championship. And ended up dancing in one of those backless hospital gowns in a mental institution and feuding with Vince Russo over who was a better father to David Flair. Right, those last two things are forgettable.

It's probably not fair to ignore the mid-90's, when he had one last great feud with Randy Savage. Or the late 90's, when he developed a habit of elbow dropping inanimate objects. Or his last run in WWE.

To tie all these loose ends I'm creating together, Flair was the best ever, both in Southern wrestling and in the bigger picture. The South produced the Rock and Roll Express, Midnight Express, Arn Anderson, Tommy Rich, Bill Dundee, Jerry Lawler, and numerous others who reached some fame but did not go up North, take their title, and later came back like he'd never left.

I'm sure I could go on all night, but I think you all know who Ric Flair is and what made him so great. Only a handful were better in the ring, and no one was better on the stick. For example:

"That's why I get to wear an $800 sports coat, and Schiavone wears a $200 sports coat. I'm not sure what you paid for that, David Crockett. I'd be ashamed to wear it."

"When Sting is finished talking to all the 14-year-olds in training bras, he can ask all the 21-year-olds why they call me the 60 minute man!"

Magnum T.A. (he didn't get the torch because he wrapped a sports car around a tree in Atlanta): "I don't come out here wearing nice suits!"
Flair: "We're well aware of that, pal."

That last quote is especially great. Back then, it was common for an expensive suit to be ripped to shreds on any given Saturday night on the SuperStation.

Out of sight is out of mind. But my memory ain't so kind.

2008-03-22T21:05:06Z

* Have you ever wanted to selfishly write off a person more than once, yet everytime you wanted to they found a way to remind you why you stuck your neck out in the first place?

* I wish there were monthly basketball tournaments consisting of teams I by-and-large ignored throughout the months-long regular season. It'd give me a mindless distraction every Saturday afternoon. Oh well, at least baseball is starting soon.

* Rude people are always more rude on the telephone. Alcohol is overrated, because It's phones that give weaklings their courage.

* Heavy Sand looks like it's going to be a great book. Too bad I haven't started it yet.

* I caught my first fish today, so to speak. And to think, I almost pouted and went back to sleep.

One more time in the big time...

2008-03-21T16:26:53Z

that is, if a site hardly anyone uses can justifiably be called "the big time."

I think keeping a journal (not a blog, that's what people paid well enough to not be a journalist write) will be good for me, regardless of if it's worth a read for others or not.

I'm quite different this time around, or at least I would like to believe that. The last time I used this site, I was probably griping about a girl or talking about some band I wanted to latch onto just for a sense of acceptance/ a way to justify my continued existance. Now, I teach a 3rd grade boys Sunday School class and am actually on the doorsteps of graduating. I'm not sure which one of those would have sounded more unlikely to me a year ago.

Living by myself is still a drag, and it seems like many of remaining college friends are moving off soon, so there's still plenty to lament. But I think I can talk about those things in a less delightfully tacky way.