Explosive PR

Charles Bukowski Landmark Hearing Rescheduled: Will the Nazi Accusations Fly?

2007-11-20T12:00:00.000-08:00

For immediate release

November 20, 2007

Charles Bukowski Landmark Hearing Rescheduled: Will the Nazi Accusations Fly?

http://5124delongpre.org/

LOS ANGELES- Thursday, November 15th, was to be the day when the Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission decided whether to landmark poet and novelist Charles Bukowski's former East Hollywood residence at 5124 De Longpre Avenue. This is where Bukowski wrote "Post Office" and "Factotum," where "Women" was set, and more importantly, the place where he willed himself into being as a writer.

But the CHC hearing was postponed, due to an extension filed by the property owners' attorney. The attorney does not deny that Charles Bukowski wrote much of his important work at De Longpre, but intends to challenge the landmarking on two counts: that Charles Bukowski was a Nazi sympathizer, and that he was a person of low moral character. This flurry of character assassination is the last minute method chosen by the property owners, who have ignored past attempts at discussion by the CHC, to block the landmarking process. These Nazi sympathizer accusations stem from discredited claims by Ben Pleasants, a former friend of Bukowski's who published a collection of anecdotes about the writer in 2004. Verifiable Nazi sympathies appear nowhere in the many biographies, the documentaries or in Bukowski's highly confessional work, and have been refuted by many of the writer's friends, lovers and colleagues.

A new hearing date has been set for Thursday, Nov. 29th at 10 am in room 1010 at City Hall, during which the landmarking applicants will speak, followed by the landlords' attorney. All interested parties are urged to attend to show support for the landmarking of the longtime home of this seminal Los Angeles writer and to protest these offensive allegations, which have been made in order to clear the way for the landlords to sell this important literary residence as a $1.3 million tear down, as previously advertised on Craigslist.

All updates will be posted on the Delongpre blog at http://5124delongpre.org/

Charles Bukowski home preservation activist Lauren Everett and Bukowski bus tour host Richard Schave of Esotouric are available for interviews. Contact Lauren at mydarlingclementyne@yahoo.com, (310) 699-1142. Contact Richard at schavester@gmail.com, 323-223-2767.

Celebrate Great LA Noir Fiction With Esotouric's December Literary Bus Tours

2007-11-20T09:26:00.001-08:00

For immediate release

November 20, 2007

Celebrate Great LA Noir Fiction With Esotouric's December Literary Bus Tours

LOS ANGELES- In December Esotouric, the eclectic bus adventure company whose tours reveal L.A.'s secret history, rolls out a quartet of tours in honor of the city's great noir authors living and dead: James Ellroy, Raymond Chandler and James M. Cain. The days are getting shorter, and the nights colder, and it's the perfect time to curl up with a classic LA book—or to get on the toasty Crime Bus.

On December 22 with a repeat performance on December 29—both of which sold out within a day of being announced--James Ellroy hosts "James Ellroy Digs LA," a new tour through the city that haunts his dreams and inspires his art. Passengers will gather at Arnie Morton's downtown bar, then accompany the author in a luxurious coach class bus on an uncensored time travel journey to tony Hancock Park, where he stalked his teenage classmates and later broke into houses. . . to the Hollywood flats to explore some of the heinous 1950s murder cases that fascinated him as a youth and continue to feed his obsessions. . . and out to El Monte, where his mother Geneva was murdered, the unsolved crime that runs through all his work, from "The Black Dahlia" to "My Dark Places." James Ellroy says, "I dig L.A. because I'm from here. My parents hatched me in a cool locale. I'm desperate to impress people, I'm a good talker, I know a shitload about L.A. and I want to share it. On this tour, you'll get L.A. crime and social history on an unparalleled AND intimate scale."

On December 15, Richard Schave hosts "Serenade: James M. Cain's Southern California Nightmare." In his best known novels (each one also made into a classic film) "The Postman Always Rings Twice," "Mildred Pierce" and "Double Indemnity," Cain painted a jaundiced portrait of a Southern California that was in stark contrast to the orange groves and mission bells sold by the city's boosters. Cain's LA was full of loose women with murder on their minds, lust-drenched cads who'd destroy their lives for a dame, rotten kids, suckers and saps. The tour explores Cain's life and work and how both were transformed when he reached the Southland, as well as the artisans who transformed Cain's tales into movies, including Billy Wilder, Raymond Chandler, Joan Crawford and Lana Turner.

And on December 8, Richard Schave hosts "Raymond Chandler's Los Angeles: In A Lonely Place." The tour spans Chandler's L.A. from downtown landmarks that appear in thinly disguised form in his fiction to his favorite Hollywood haunts, and includes some off-the-bus-adventures, including a stop in the Barclay Hotel lobby to talk about the ice pick murder from "The Little Sister" and a visit to Scoops for complementary Chandler-themed gelato. From his pre-literary career as a failed, fired oil executive in boomtown 1910s downtown to his glory years penning pristine magazine pulp to the creative conflicts that dogged his highly paid, miserable years as a screenwriter and the boozy whirlwind that pulled him into the grave, the tour is a complex portrait of a compelling, brilliant and haunted soul.

It's a noir December in Los Angeles, and Esotouric is there to provide the backdrop. Get on the bus this month to see the unexpected and learn why the editors of the Downtown News named Esotouric "Best Downtown Tour."

Upcoming Esotouric bus tour schedule:
Sat Dec 8 - Raymond Chandler's LA
Sat Dec 15 - James M. Cain's So California Nightmare
Sat Dec 22 – James Ellroy Digs L.A.
Sat Dec 29 – James Ellroy Digs L.A.
Sun Jan 15 - Vroman's Bookstore presents The Real Black Dahlia

For more info on Esotouric, please visit http://www.esotouric.com

James Ellroy is available for interviews, as are Esotouric's Kim Cooper and Richard Schave. Contact Kim at amscray@gmail.com, 323-223-2767.

Spend Xmas With the Demon Dog on the James Ellroy Digs L.A. Bus Tour

2007-11-13T12:27:00.000-08:00

For immediate release

November 13, 2007

Spend Xmas With the Demon Dog on the James Ellroy Digs L.A. Bus Tour

WHAT: Esotouric presents "James Ellroy Digs L.A."
WHEN: Saturday December 22, 1pm-5pm
COST: $60
WHERE: departing from Arnie Morton's Steakhouse, 735 S Figueroa St., LA 90017

LOS ANGELES- Best-selling crime novelist James Ellroy has built his career digging deep into the underworld lore of L.A., drawing connections between his personal experience and the complex real world histories of cops, killers, victims and journalists.

Now James Ellroy teams up with Esotouric, the eclectic bus adventure company whose tours reveal L.A.'s secret history, to debut his personal guided tour through the city that haunts his dreams and inspires his art. Riding shotgun and curating the experience is Kim Cooper, creator of the 1947project time travel blog and host of Esotouric's true crime tours, including The Real Black Dahlia.

Passengers on "James Ellroy Digs L.A." will gather at Arnie Morton's downtown bar (opened specially for our party), then accompany the author in a luxurious coach class bus on an uncensored time travel journey to tony Hancock Park, where he stalked his teenage classmates and later broke into houses. . . to the Hollywood flats to explore some of the heinous 1950s murder cases that fascinated him as a youth and continue to feed his obsessions. . . and out to El Monte, where his mother Geneva was murdered, the unsolved crime that runs through all his work, from "The Black Dahlia" to "My Dark Places."

James Ellroy says, "I dig L.A. because I'm from here. My parents hatched me in a cool locale. I'm desperate to impress people, I'm a good talker, I know a shitload about L.A. and I want to share it. On this tour, you'll get L.A. crime and social history on an unparalleled AND intimate scale."

So get on the bus at Arnie Morton's in downtown LA on December 22 and spend your holidays with the demon dog of American literature, on what's sure to be the coolest ticket in town. Seats are extremely limited on this special event tour; and sorry, no discounts or Esotouric season pass tickets will be honored.

Upcoming Esotouric bus tour schedule:
Sat Nov 17 – Pasadena Confidential tour
Sat Dec 8 - Raymond Chandler's LA
Sat Dec 15 - James M. Cain's So California Nightmare
Sat Dec 22 – James Ellroy Digs L.A.
Sun Jan 15 - Vroman's edition, The Real Black Dahlia

For more info on Esotouric, please visit http://www.esotouric.com
For info on this tour, visit http://www.esotouric.com/ellroy

James Ellroy is available for interviews, as is Esotouric's Kim Cooper. Contact Kim at amscray@gmail.com, 323-223-2767.

Charles Bukowski's Literary Legacy: a preservation challenge

2007-11-06T08:02:00.001-08:00

For immediate release

November 5, 2007

Charles Bukowski's Literary Legacy: a preservation challenge

WHAT: L.A. Cultural Heritage Commission votes on Bukowski home landmarking
WHEN: Thursday November 15, 10 AM
WHERE: L.A. City Hall, Temple/Main Streets, room 1010. Press and public welcome.

LOS ANGELES- On Thursday, November 15th, the Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission will decide whether to landmark poet and novelist Charles Bukowski's former East Hollywood residence at 5124 De Longpre Avenue. Bukowski lived there during his watershed period when he went from civil servant postal employee to internationally-acclaimed poet. It was at De Longpre that his novels "Post Office" and "Factotum" were written and "Women" was set. Also here, he achieved cult status in the Los Angeles underground press with his "Notes of a Dirty Old Man" column in the "Open City" newspaper.

But the literary significance of De Longpre is far greater than the works which Bukowski wrote there. For this was the place where he willed himself into being as a writer. Over the course of many late nights, between the tap of his typewriter keys and countless cigarettes and beer bottles drained, he transformed himself from just another working class stiff with a soul to an internationally acclaimed, and uniquely Angeleno, author.

The challenge before the Cultural Heritage Commission is how it can landmark a site of obvious literary significance. In the past the Commission has simply designated structures for their architectural significance. But in Los Angeles, there is no precedence for how to recognize a building purely because important creative work was done there. Do they focus on the structure as it was in the 1960s, when Bukowski moved in? The 1920s, when it was originally constructed? Do they focus on Bukowski's bungalow alone, or the entire row of little houses? What best reflects the building and the writer's work? These are some of the challenges facing the Commission members as they decide their votes.

And once this decision to designate as a landmark is made, what then? Once named as a landmark, the buildings will need a long-term preservation plan that pays appropriate tribute to Bukowski's literary legacy. The Jack Kerouac House in Florida and L.A.'s Schindler-designed MAK Center in Mid-Wilshire offer two possible solutions, artist-in-residency programs administered by non-profit agencies. But what agency will step in to run a Bukowski Arts Colony in East Hollywood?

The CHC will hold its hearing on the Charles Bukowski landmarking on Nov. 15th at 10 am in City Hall, room 1010. Your attendance and coverage is appreciated.

Charles Bukowski home preservation activist Lauren Everett and Bukowski bus tour host Richard Schave of Esotouric are available for interviews. Contact Lauren at mydarlingclementyne@yahoo.com, (310) 699-1142. Contact Richard at schavester @gmail.com, 323-223-2767.

Esotouric's Pasadena Confidential Crime Bus Tour Explores the Crown City's Dark Side

2007-10-10T19:37:00.000-07:00

For immediate release

October 10, 2007

Esotouric's Pasadena Confidential Crime Bus Tour Explores the Crown City's Dark Side

WHAT: Esotouric Bus Adventures presents the Pasadena Confidential Crime Bus Tour
WHEN: Saturday November 17, 1-5pm
COST: $55, which includes snacks and beverages (or get a four-tour season pass for $190)
WHERE: Departs from Fair Oaks and Arlington Street, South Pasadena.

LOS ANGELES- On November 17, Esotouric, the eclectic bus adventure company whose offbeat tours expose L.A.'s secret history, offers its infreqent and popular Pasadena Confidential tour, a true crime bus adventure delving deep into the weird and horrible past of one of L.A.'s most exclusive suburbs.

Making a special appearance on this tour: Crimebo the Crime Clown!

Crime fiends will enjoy a four-hour guided luxury coach tour to the darkest recesses of Pasadena history. From celebrated cases like the RFK assassination, "Eraserhead" star Jack Nance's strange end, black magician/rocket scientist Jack Parsons' death-by-misadventure and the 1926 Rose Parade grand stand collapse, to fascinating obscurities, the tour's multitude of murders, arsons, kidnappings, robberies, suicides, auto wrecks and oddball happening sites provide a alternate history of Pasadena that's as fascinating as it is creepy.

Crime Bus passengers will tour the old Millionaire's Row on Orange Grove, thrill to the shocking Sphinx Murder on the steps of the downtown Masonic Hall, wonder about the unknown fiend who sneaked past a little girl to poison her father's beer, thrill to the misadventures of one very poorly-behaved (but beautifully dressed!) chimpanzee and discover why people named Judd should think twice before moving to Pasadena.

Riders on this eye-opening, funny and informative tour will forever see Pasadena in a new light. It is highly recommended for natives and newcomers alike, crime and history buffs and anyone who likes to seek out the unexpected.

Upcoming Esotouric bus tour schedule:
Sat Oct 20– The Real Black Dahlia tour
Sun Oct 21 – Where the Action Was (rock history tour)
Sat Oct 27 – Haunts of a Dirty Old Man: Charles Bukowski's LA
Sun Oct 28 – Hallowe'en Horrors featuring Crimebo the Clown
Sat Nov 10 – Hotel Horrors and Main Street Vice tours
Sat Nov 17 – Pasadena Confidential tour

Tour hosts Kim Cooper, Nathan Marsak and Crimebo the Clown are available for interviews. Contact Kim at amscray@gmail.com, 323-223-2767.

For more info on Esotouric, please visit http://www.esotouric.com
For more on the 1947project crime a day blog (current year 1927), see http://www.1947project.com

November 10: Hotel Horrors and Main Street Vice historic downtown LA bus tours

2007-10-10T14:40:00.000-07:00

For immediate release

October 10, 2007

November 10: Hotel Horrors and Main Street Vice historic downtown LA bus tours

WHAT: Esotouric presents Hotel Horrors and Main Street Vice
WHEN: Saturday November 10, 1-2:30pm (Hotel), 3:30pm-5pm (Main)
COST: $25 for one tour, or ride both for $45
WHERE: Both depart from Cafe Metropol, tours cover downtown LA's historic core

LOS ANGELES- From the founding of the city through the 1940s, downtown was the true center of Los Angeles, a lively, densely populated, exciting and sometimes dangerous place. After many quiet decades, downtown is making an incredible return. But while many of the historic buildings remain, their human context has been lost.

That's why Esotouric, the eclectic bus adventure company whose tours reveal the secret history of L.A. through crime, culture, literature and architecture, is offering two new downtown tours meant to bring alive the old ghosts and memories that cling to the streets and structures of the historic core. These tours were launched in September to thank the downtown community and Downtown News for voting Esotouric Best Downtown Tour earlier this summer. This is the second time they have been offered, after a sold out debut.

Hotel Horrors and Main Street Vice are both are hosted by Esotouric founders Kim Cooper and Richard Schave. The 90-minute tours begin at Cafe Metropol (near the old Santa Fe train terminal at Third and Santa Fe, better known today as SCI-Arc) and meander through downtown, with a one-hour snack and conversation break between them. On each tour we'll visit the scenes of crimes and interesting happenings, and share vintage photographs of the scenes as they appeared up to 100 years ago.

Tour #1 is Hotel Horrors, a true crime and oddities tour featuring some of the wildest, weirdest, goriest and most memorable happenings in historic hotels like the Alexandria, Rosslyn, Barclay and Cecil. Get on the bus to find out where Night Stalker Richard Ramirez liked to stay and the hotel that saw a visit from the Skid Row Slasher, plus which hotel was the choice of Columbian drug mules with cocaine in their platform shoes, what lobby hosted a small scale anarchist riot, where two traveling chocolate salesmen laughed so hard they fell backwards out a window to their deaths and the truth about the myth that Beth "The Black Dahlia" Short was last seen alive at the Biltmore. We'll explore the fiery curse that repeatedly leveled the St. George Hotel and thrill to the litany of stars who stayed at the long-lost and truly grand Hotel Nadeau (now site of the L.A. Times building) including actresses Sarah Bernhardt and Lily Langtree, Henry M. Stanley of “Dr. Livingston, I presume” fame, singer Nellie Melba, Mark Twain and Hawaiian King Kalakua and Queen Liliuokalani. Also included are some light hearted stories to help the blood and gore go down.

Tour #2 is Main Street Vice, a celebration of the ribald, racy, raunchy old promenade where the better people simply did not travel, but kicks were had by all who did. Burlesque babes and dirty picture parlors, mummified old west outlaws and old time tattoo parlors, wax museums and pawn brokers, "professors" offering sex lectures and magazine peddlers with nudie Marilyn Monroe calendars under the counter, sophisticated steak houses and nickel donut dives -- these were the pleasures and the people to be found along Main during the first half of the 20th century, a street that every Angeleno knew offered more (yet less) of what could be seen anywhere else. On this tour, we'll visit the scenes of some more unforgettable debaucheries and share stories of crime, smut, passion and commerce. The tour runs primarily along Main Street, with a few detours to explore similar entertainments offered in the vicinity of Main.

Upcoming Esotouric bus tour schedule:
Sat Oct 20– The Real Black Dahlia tour
Sun Oct 21 – Where the Action Was (rock history tour)
Sat Oct 27 – Haunts of a Dirty Old Man: Charles Bukowski's LA
Sun Oct 28 – Hallowe'en Horrors featuring Crimebo the Clown
Sat Nov 10 – Hotel Horrors and Main Street Vice tours
Sat Nov 17 – Pasadena Confidential tour

For more info on Esotouric, please visit http://www.esotouric.com
For more on the 1947project crime a day blog (current year 1927), see http://www.1947project.com

Hotel Horrors tour hosts Richard Schave and Kim Cooper are available for interviews. Contact Kim at amscray@gmail.com, 323-223-2767.

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2007-06-06T20:42:00.000-07:00

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Crimebo the 1947project Crime Clown Brings Morbid Fun To Special Events in L.A.

2006-07-26T20:56:00.000-07:00

For immediate release

July 26, 2006

Crimebo the 1947project Crime Clown Brings Morbid Fun To Special Events in L.A.

LOS ANGELES- Afterwards, the guests had to admit the party had been dragging a little, when Crimebo the Crime Clown pulled up in his windowless murder van (with the passenger side doors disabled) and emerged clutching his Big Book of Terrible Crimes. With a hearty "Hiya Mr. Birthday Boy, wanna learn something bad about your special day?," Crimebo launched into a hilariously disturbing litany of murders, kidnapping, arsons and high weirdness, winding up with the declaration that only someone pretty twisted would have the foresight to be born on a day like that, handing out some Crimebo Fan Club Cards and racing off into the night "to do bad stuff."

Crimebo the Crime Clown is not your ordinary party entertainer. Armed with his Big Book of Terrible Crimes, this witty and sinister fellow brings to every birthday party, wedding shower or office bash a window into an alternate, ultra-creepy history.

Was someone kidnapped, murdered or tarred and feathered on your special day? Do you share a birthday with a serial killer? Is your wedding day also the anniversary of a notable execution? Crimebo the Crime Clown has the skinny, and he'll share it with his unique brand of morbid glee.

If you're truly twisted, or love someone who is, then Crimebo is the perfect addition to your next celebration. With research provided by the acclaimed true crime bloggers of the 1947project, Crimebo knows when all the famous bodies were buried, but also about the utterly strange, forgotten happenings that are calibrated to blow minds.

Crimebo will be making a special public appearance on the next 1947project Pasadena Confidential Crime Bus Tour on August 6, and is available with one week's notice to appear at events throughout the Los Angeles area. A personal visit from Crimebo costs $150. Telephone greetings are also available.

Crimebo is currently portrayed by Michael Perrick, host and creator of the popular Jew Night celebrations at Mr. T's Bowl and otherwise known as Fucko the Clown.

To schedule an interview with Crimebo or 1947project blogger Kim Cooper, contact Kim at amscray@gmail.com, 323-223-2767

For more info on the 1947project blog or Pasadena Confidential Crime Bus tour, visit
http://www.1947project.com

Actor Michael Madsen and Zippy the Pinhead say "Save the 76 Ball!"

2006-06-14T12:37:00.001-07:00

For immediate release

LOS ANGELES- ConocoPhillips, the Texas-based energy company that took over the historic California Unocal refineries and gas stations in 2002, recently commenced a campaign of design terrorism, ripping down the hugely popular orange and blue "76" branded ball signs in favor of a generic flattened "tombstone-style" red and blue disk.

Dismayed by the disappearance of a favorite piece of urban furniture, the authors of L.A.'s acclaimed 1947project crime and history blog launched an online petition begging ConocoPhillips to reverse their redesign policy and show proper respect for the beloved 76 ball brand. More than 2200 people have signed the petition and pledged to only buy gas under a 76 Ball sign, drawn by news coverage on the BBC, KTLA Morning News, Brandweek, Los Angeles Times (a cover story), Los Angeles Business Journal, KFI radio and PR Week.

The 76 Ball has a new champion in actor Michael Madsen, star of "Reservoir Dogs" and "Kill Bill." Madsen told the BBC, "There seems to be this driving force to tear down everything that's a little old. These are things that were landmarks, it's a symbol that I remember from childhood. What's the point of smashing them and putting up flat signs?"

Next month, cartoonist Bill Griffith will turn his incisive eye to the threat facing the 76 Balls. Readers of more than 200 daily newspaper comic pages will see Zippy the Pinhead communing with one of the classic "meatball" signs, just as he did with the threatened Doggie Diner signs that have since been preserved.

Kim Cooper and Nathan Marsak of the Save the 76 Ball, campaign are seeking a dialogue with ConocoPhillips, in hopes of preserving at least some of the 76 Ball signs and turning a potential PR disaster and national boycott threat into something positive. Cooper and Marsak are asking ConocoPhillips:

1) to work with them and with the Los Angeles Conservancy to select some historically significant 76 stations that will retain their balls;
2) to allow collectors to purchase 76 balls rather than storing and destroying them;
3) and to make a gift of spinning 76 ball signs to American signage museums so future generations can enjoy them.

Visit http://www.savethe76ball.com to learn more about the campaign to preserve one of the 20th Century's most successful and enduring design icons, and to see films of threatened 76 balls hard at work in Hawaii and California.

Save the 76 Ball campaigners Kim Cooper and Nathan Marsak are available for interviews, as is Michael Madsen and Bill Griffith. Contact Kim (amscray@gmail.com). See the petition at http://www.petitiononline.com/76ball/petition.html

Fall In Love With Rick Nelson All Over Again

2006-06-08T16:01:00.000-07:00

June 8, 2006

For Immediate Release

Over 20 years have passed since rock legend and country-rock pioneer Rick Nelson died in a tragic plane crash. Nelson, a much beloved musician and cultural icon, still knocks on the heart-and-soul of fans today. Just one listen to “Young Emotions” and how could anyone not fall in love? "EASY TO BE FREE: The Songs Of Rick Nelson" (PSRCD-046) asks you to fall in love all over again, and warmly celebrates the life and music of a truly great musician. EASY TO BE FREE offers up 20 tracks and gathers artists from around the globe to highlight Nelson’s legacy. Included are the sure-fire hits of “Travelin’ Man” and “Poor Little Fool,” with a complimentary spotlight on Nelson’s own tunes, “Garden Party,” “How Long,” and “Are You Really Real?”

Some early reactions to the tracks have been, “Amazing,” “Wow” and “Very Well Done.” The compilation has captured the admiration of the artists who perform Rick’s songs handled as art, crafted sincerely and from the heart -- for 20 songs you are lost in a Rick Nelson time capsule. Bob Dylan says it best, "[Rick] sang his songs calm and steady like he was in the middle of a storm, men hurling past him. His voice was sort of mysterious and made you fall into a certain mood."("Chronicles, Vol. 1"). And the song “Life,” preformed by Astropop 3 creates such a mood. So much so, that the track on an advanced CD single from EASY TO BE FREE has even found its way onto Nelson’s son’s myspace page. “Wow!”

EASY TO BE FREE is a must have for Rick Nelson’s fans. But even more so, it’s a must have for music enthusiasts everywhere, where the craft of sensible-song-writing is held somewhat sacred. Some of today’s finest emerging talents recognize this Pioneer’s triumphs, from Liz Durrett and Dolorean, to Nic Dalton & The Gloomchasers and The Primary 5. Even members of Rick’s own band, Denny Sarokin and John Beland, make their appearance, and Brian Wilson’s guitarist Jeffrey Foskett and 1960s pop legend Marshall Crenshaw contribute their favorite Nelson song.

John McEuen of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band says regarding this project, “it is an honor to be on a tribute album about one of the nicest guys and purest singers I've met... and although met only once, he treated me like he had seen me on the other side of the TV all those time I watched him growing up.”

One of Rick’s band mates, John Beland says, “working with Rick was one of the major highlights of my life. During the time I toured and recorded with him, he and I became very close friends and shared many personal and professional moments together... I hope Rick would be pleased."

A Record Release party will kick off this amazing album’s release in New York City at The Sidewalk Café, Ave A and 6th Street, 8 PM, June 17th, 2006: Jeff Mellin joins Planting Seeds’ artists The Voyces and Linda Draper. This event also doubles as a fund raiser for CancerCare. More info at: www.plantingseedsrecords.com/tourdates.html

Track Listing:
1. The Primary 5 “One x One”
2. The Voyces “Poor Little Fool”
3. Jeff Mellin “Garden Party”
4. Oed Ronne “Take A Broken Heart”
5. Linda Draper “How Long”
6. Nic Dalton & The Gloomchasers “Alone”
7. Jeffrey Foskett “Young Emotions”
8. Astropop 3 “Life”
9. Denny Sarokin “One Night Stand”
10. 1888 “Travelin’ Man”
11. Dolorean “Are You Really Real?”
12. Michael Barrett “Nightime Lady”
13. John Beland “Young World”
14. John McEuen with Jim Ratts and Runaway Express “Believe What You Say”
15. Jeff Larson “Legacy”
16. Marshall Crenshaw “Don’t Leave Me This Way”
17. Liz Durrett “Try (Try To Fall In Love)”
18. Allen Clapp “Lonesome Town”
19. The Autumn Leaves “Easy To Be Free”
20. Aaron Booth “Hello Mary Lou”

$1.60 from the sale of each record will be contributed to CancerCare.

For review copies or more info, contact Neil DelParto / Planting Seeds Records at mailbag@plantingseedsrecords.com.

LINKS
RICK NELSON: www.ricknelson.com
CancerCare: www.cancercare.org
Sidewalk Café: www.antifolk.net/sidewalk.html

For sound samples check out:
www.myspace.com/plantingseedsmusic ASTROPOP 3 “Life”
www.myspace.com/jeffmellin JEFF MELLIN “Garden Party”
www.myspace.com/oedronne OED RONNE “Take A Broken Heart”
www.myspace.com/allenclapp ALLEN CLAPP “Lonesome Town”

Best-selling "Living on the Earth" author Alicia Bay Laurel has a jazzy new CD

2006-06-07T08:31:00.000-07:00

For Immediate Release

Announcing the release of Alicia Bay Laurel's CD "What Living's All About: Jazz, Blues and Other Moist Situations"

LOS ANGELES- In a turn as unexpected as her book's New York Times Bestseller status in 1971, Alicia Bay Laurel, author/illustrator/designer of the psychedelic sustainability cult classic "Living on the Earth," has released an equally original, shocking and self-produced CD of her own jazz, blues and gospel songs (plus two jazz standards), featuring avant garde guitar hero Nels Cline, jazz upright bass legend John B. Williams, multi reed player Doug Webb and other luminaries from the LA music scene.

Platinum-selling singer/songwriter Joe Dolce says, "This is a very creative record with a lot of wonderful ideas and performances and some pretty extraordinary playing, and endearing vocals all over the place. I like it a lot! A keeper. Good work."

Opening with a rollicking trad jazz tune about a girl who runs off with a piano player, "What Living's All About" careens next into "America The Blues," a wildly produced leftist political rant featuring Cline and a seeming cast of thousands. Before she is half way through the CD, Alicia has checked off the joys of hippie life, conjured a predatory LA night scene, praised sun and sea with a gospel choir, and incorporated an orgasm into a jazz tune. Without pause, she rejoins her gospel cohorts to exhalt patience with life, improvises "Nature Boy" with Williams, romps through a walking blues about New Age social mores, decimates the publishing industry in a stylish rendition of "I Could Write a Book," avenges a bad affair in a jazzy blues freakout spotlighting Cline, and closes with a gospel love ballad complete with Baptist preacher and a duet with a soul singer from Liberia.

Equally delicious are Alicia's cover art, design and liner notes. All three of her CD covers feature women in ecstatic union with nature; this one is a moonlit, wet, soft-edged image from the school of fantastic realism.

Just as Alicia embraced the low tech life on the commune and communicated it in a style destined to influence countless graphic designers, Alicia learned on the job how to produce a CD, created three in six years, and writes about the process on her popular blog at http://www.aliciabaylaurel.com. This project is her most collaborative, working with Oscar- and Emmy-winning film composer Ron Grant as co-producer and Grammy-nominated producer/audio engineer Scott Fraser, who recorded, mixed and mastered the CD.

For review copies or to schedule an interview with Alicia, please contact her at alicia@aliciabaylaurel.com or by phone at (808) 936-5365. A hi-res photo can be downloaded from http://www.aliciabaylaurel.com/highresprphoto. MP3s of the album tracks are available for preview at http://cdbaby.com/cd/ablaurel3

Anton Barbeau Sparks An Unexpected Return of Pop Legends The Loud Family

2006-05-10T15:07:00.000-07:00

For immediate release

Six years after hanging up his guitar, brainiac pop genius Scott Miller has been lured back to the studio by Sacramento singer/songwriter (and Bevis Frond collaborator) Anton Barbeau for a new Loud Family album. Released this week on 125 Records, "What If It Works?" is a perfect coda to the band's five acclaimed albums of the 1990s, and the Game Theory classics that came before.

Early press reviews rave "stunning. . . excellent. . . rank[ing] right up there with these guys' finest work" (Amplifier Magazine) and "a most welcome and overdue return" (Scram Magazine).

While never a household name, Scott Miller has many famous fans. Aimee Mann gushed he's "the best songwriter out there right now," and the Magnetic Fields' Stephin Merritt praised Scott's "gloriously catchy hooks" and personally selected the Loud Family as his opening act. During the 1990s, members of the group's passionate fan base were known to travel thousands of miles to catch a show. But after "Attractive Nuisance," their final disc for Alias, the Loud Family called it quits. Their return has generated a rising buzz in the indie pop world--happily the new album meets all those expectations.

The self-produced "What If It Works," recorded in Sacramento and at Scott's Palais de Good Thing in San Mateo, features nine deliriously catchy originals from the pens of Scott Miller and Anton Barbeau, and dynamic covers of the Rolling Stones' "Rocks Off," the Zombies' "Remember You" and Cat Stevens' "I Think I See The Light."

Anton Barbeau says, "It was easier than I imagined to collaborate with Scott. I'm a bit sloppier in my approach: throw lots of mud against the wall and see if it sounds like David Bowie. If it doesn't, then scrape the mud off, make a cup of tea and start banging away at a piano. Scott is much more thoughtful and quite meticulous. He seems to conceptualize his parts before he picks up the guitar. My approach was fine for us both. I can generate ideas fairly quickly, which I'd then turn over to Scott for fine-tuning. It made for a best-of-all-worlds scenario, spontaneous rockery turned into well-crafted craftery."

And Scott adds, "It was fantastic to get back into the studio, especially with Anton, Joe, and Kenny, who really did great on this. We even have cameos from Alison and Gil. Anton and I had some pretty intense discussions on theme and I came to be carefully adhering to this lyrical concept where the first song puts across a completely dysfunctional sexuality and then the
songs progress toward "What If It Works" which is the hopeful, together, enlightened one. It was only very late in the process that I referred to this supposed pattern and realized Anton didn't know what the hell I was talking about!"

Scott and Anton plan a tour of select American cities this summer. For review copies, or to schedule an interview with Scott Miller or Anton Barbeau, contact Sue at 125 Records via email, info125@125records.com or by phone 510-558-1823. Hi-res photos available for download at http://125records.com/loudfamily.html

Bubblegum Achievement Awards DVD Honors Archies, Ohio Express, Lance Link

2006-04-26T10:26:00.000-07:00

Bubblegum Achievement Awards DVD Honors Archies, Ohio Express, Lance Link and Dr. Demento

For immediate release

April 26, 2006

What: Bubblegum Achievement Awards DVD, available exclusively from http://www.bubblegum-music.com. Cost $22 postpaid (US), 71 minutes, region 1.

LOS ANGELES- Last October, the editrix of Scram Magazine and the book "Bubblegum Music is the Naked Truth" spearheaded an international celebration of bubblegum pop music and culture, with documentary screenings and events in Austin, Vancouver, Chicago, San Antonio, Sydney, NYC and Berlin, and culminating in the gala 2nd Biannual Bubblegum Achievement Awards in downtown Los Angeles.

Incensed that the great bubblegum stars continue to be ignored by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, editrix Kim Cooper and her cohort, performance artist Kelly "The Bubblegum Queen" Kuvo, have built a Bubblegum Hall of Fame, and packed it with the hit makers of sixties pre-pubescent pop.

The 2005 Bubblegum Achievement Awards Show DVD is now available, featuring the inductions of Archies singer Ron Dante ("Sugar Sugar"), Ohio Express singer-songwriter Joey Levine ("Yummy Yummy Yummy"), chimp-rock TV band Lancelot Link & the Evolution Revolution producer Steve Barri, and radio legend Dr. Demento. The DVD includes live duets from Dante with fellow Archie Toni Wine and Joey Levine, Canada’s outrageous, fringe jumpsuited Canned Hamm, child safety advocate Abram the Safety Ape, Bob Baker’s Marionettes and the Bubblegum Queen herself.

Hosts Kim Cooper and Kelly "Bubblegum Queen" Kuvo are available for interviews, as are Canned Hamm, Ron Dante, Dr. Demento, Joey Levine and Steve Barri. Contact Kim at amscray@gmail.com.

For more info, visit http://www.bubblegum-music.com. Review copies are available by request.

Nightmares of Bunker Hill Crime History Tour Highlights a Sinister Downtown L.A.

2006-04-04T13:43:00.000-07:00

For immediate release

April 4, 2006

WHAT: Nightmares of Bunker Hill Crime Bus Tour, Sunday 4/16/06, noon-5pm. $47 includes snacks, beverages and five-hour luxury coach tour.

LOS ANGELES- Traditionally, Easter Sunday is a day for family, faith, feasting and reflection. But this year, it's also a day for shocks, scares and hilarity as the 1947project debuts its newest historic L.A. Crime Bus Tour, the downtown-themed Nightmares of Bunker Hill.

Featuring lively tales from the 1880s to the 1970s, Nightmares of Bunker Hill reveals the weird, old L.A. that's not there anymore and the badly-behaved people who didn't make the city great, but sure made it more interesting.

Crime Bus passengers will tour the old Italian/Mexican district (near modern day Chinatown) and visit the scenes of grisly bar fights, tragic suicides, opium dens and rumored hordes of buried treasure, and discover a mysterious local ghost story that's as elegantly spooky as any in England.

Then it's into the heart of the historic business district, where early Angelenoes go toppling into open sewers, toss bottles of acid at former lovers, torment their dentists, attempt to speak to the dead, find severed limbs in their backyards and spit tobacco juice on the backs of ladies' ball gowns.

Passengers on this eye-opening, funny and informative tour will never look at downtown in the same way again! It is highly recommended for loft dwellers, crime and history buffs and anyone who likes to seek out the unexpected.

For more info on the blog or Crime Bus tour, visit
http://www.1947project.com

Tour guide and 1947project blogger Kim Cooper is available for interviews. Contact Kim at amscray@gmail.com, 323-223-2767.

Neutral Milk Hotel and Pixies 33 1/3 authors read at Vroman's, 3/25

2006-03-07T14:17:00.000-08:00

Neutral Milk Hotel and Pixies 33 1/3 authors read at Vroman's Pasadena,
March 25

For immediate release
March 7, 2006

WHAT: Kim Cooper reads from "Neutral Milk Hotel's 'In The Aeroplane Over The
Sea'" and Ben Sisario reads from "The Pixies' 'Doolittle'"
WHERE: Vroman's Bookshop, 695 E. Colorado Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91101. Free lot
parking.
WHEN: Saturday, March 25, 2006, 4:00pm

LOS ANGELES- Two authors of Continuum Books' acclaimed 33 1/3 series of
little books about great albums read together this month at Vroman's in
Pasadena, CA. Kim Cooper's book on Neutral Milk Hotel and Ben Sisario's on
the Pixies examine two of newest albums in the series, and put two legendary
indie bands into context.

Published in November 2005, Kim's book sold out its first printing in just
six weeks, and has been receiving excellent reviews. Ben's book is
officially released in April, but the Vroman's audience will get an early
chance to buy copies fresh off the presses.

ABOUT NEUTRAL MILK HOTEL: The highly influential Neutral Milk Hotel broke up
in 1998, not long after the release of their masterpiece, "Aeroplane." The
album continues to sell 25,000 copies a year mainly by word of mouth. Kim
Cooper's book explores the deep friendships that fed the band's evolution,
its role within the Elephant 6 creative community. previously unpublished
information on recordings, songwriting and touring, and explains some of the
reasons why band leader Jeff Mangum felt compelled to retreat from public
life just as his band was taking off.

ABOUT THE PIXIES: A bedrock alternative band of the late '80s, the Pixies
cast a wide shadow over '90s rock with songs that are just as ugly and
aggressive as they are catchy. Based on exclusive interviews with Frank
Black and others, Ben's book is an exhaustively researched look at the
band's finest moment, 1989's "Doolittle," tracing its themes and examining
the band's legacy in light of the Pixies' triumphant reunion in 2004.

Kim Cooper edits Scram, a journal of unpopular culture, and co-edited the
anthologies "Bubblegum Music is the Naked Truth" and "Lost in the Grooves."
In addition to her musical writings, she blogs historic L.A. true crime
daily at 1947project.blogspot.com.

Ben Sisario covers music and culture for the New York Times and writes for
Blender, Rolling Stone and other publications.

Authors Kim Cooper and Ben Sisario and series editor David Barker are
available for interviews. Contact Kim (amscray@gmail.com, 323-223-2767), Ben
(sisario@bellatlantic.net, 917-455-1699) or David
david@continuum-books.com, 212-953-5858 x118). For review copies or more
information about the 33 1/3 series, contact Ben Sampson,
ben@continuum-books.com. Contact Vroman's (626) 449-5320

This is an Explosive PR mailing. For removal, email explosivepr@gmail.com
http://www.explosivepr.com

Car Owners and California History Buffs Cry: Save the Union 76 Ball!

2006-02-08T12:42:00.000-08:00

Car Owners and California History Buffs Cry: Save the Union 76 Ball!

February 8, 2006
For immediate release

http://www.petitiononline.com/76ball/petition.html

LOS ANGELES- In 2005, ConocoPhillips, the Texas-based energy company that took over the historic California Unocal refineries and gas stations in 2002, commenced a campaign of design terrorism, ripping down the hugely popular orange and blue "76" branded ball signs in favor of a generic flattened red and blue disk.

To give the public a chance to be heard, an online petition has been
launched by the authors of L.A.'s 1947project crime history blog. Signers are declaring their intention to boycott if ConocoPhillips doesn't reverse their redesign policy and show proper respect for the beloved 76 ball brand.

Petition co-writer Nathan Marsak, author of "Los Angeles Neon," says "Our urban fabric will lose a groovy, sexy element of its attraction with the disappearance of this turning orb‹an orb that still speaks "progress!" and "fun!" as opposed to its replacement, which resembles some sort of giant tombstone."

The 76 Ball is one of the 20th Century's most successful and enduring design icons. It has its origins in 1932's "Spirit of 76" advertising campaign promoting Union Oil's 76 octane fuel. The orange globe first appeared in 1947, with the familiar version of the design launched in 1967. That was the year Unocal launched their wildly popular car antenna ball promotion, distributing 2,500,000 million of the miniature 76 balls in 1993 alone, and creating an antenna-top marketing revolution.

Here's what some of the petition's signers are saying: "I actually buy 76 gas because of their historic branding and am proud to have a 76 ball on my vintage 1963 car." (Mary-Margaret Stratton). . . "I used to buy from a 76 station only 2 blocks from my house. The day ConocoPhillips changed it to red and blue, I stopped patronizing it." (Guy Kudlemyer) . . . "It's like McDonald's dumping the arches. Just wrong!" (Sean Russ). . . "How can you destroy such a trusted icon?" (Kyle Barnes). . . "Please stop destroying American history." (Steve Tepperman).

Petition co-writer Kim Cooper muses, "If ConocoPhillips' intention was to lose any goodwill their customers feel towards the 76 brand, they're off to a great start. In 2004 they withdrew fuel sponsorship of NASCAR--killing off the longest such relationship in the history of the organization--and in late 2005 began chopping down the big orange pumpkin balls that cheer our urban landscape. Since my local station had its orange ball removed, I've started filling my tank elsewhere, and from our petition it sounds like many others are doing the same."

Petition authors Kim Cooper and Nathan Marsak are available for interviews. Contact Kim (amscray@gmail.com, 323-223-2767). See the petition at http://www.petitiononline.com/76ball/petition.html

From Hippie to High-Tech: 70s "Living On The Earth" Guru Alicia Bay Laurel Launches Cutting Edge Website and Award

2006-01-17T12:03:00.000-08:00

January 17, 2006
For immediate release

http://www.aliciabaylaurel.com/

LOS ANGELES- In 1971, 22-year-old commune dweller Alicia Bay Laurel became a international superstar when her small press back-to-the-land manual "Living On The Earth" was picked up by Random House and became a bestseller in the US and Japan.

Alicia's distinctive blend of line illustration and handwritten text was adopted by "The Moosewood Cookbook" and Shoebox Greetings cards, and has become a landmark in modern design. Alicia went on to write more books, record several jazzy folk albums, and run a successful wedding-planning business in Maui for a decade.

Recently relocated to her hometown of Los Angeles, Alicia is writing a sequel to "Living On The Earth," featuring the next generation of organic, sustainable, off-the-grid pioneers. As part of this project, the new media consulting team Dumplingfeed has revamped her existing website using the latest "Web 2.0" social networking tools to create a zone where ideas can be freely shared and connections made.

Alicia says, "It's time to make a new site, with a more constant and inclusive blog, to integrate the colorful, peaceful, sustainable, creative, and politically aware world in which I float. I'm learning from Dumplingfeed how to connect on the 'net to other bloggers who are living the colorful life, that I might enhance the global network for peace, justice, sustainability, creativity and diversity."

Dumplingfeed's Kim Cooper says "In the sixties, Alicia was at the forefront of the DIY movement that inspired punk and the creation of the World Wide Web, so it's a thrill for us to help her learn the new skills necessary to reach a new generation of bioneers."

Alicia's new site uses such tools as del.icio.us bookmarks, technorati tags, last.fm reviews, 43things lists and odeo podcasts to seek connections on the web, and includes tutorials to show her visitors how these tools can enhance their online experience. The site will highlight nominees for the First Annual Living On The Earth Award, honoring individuals and groups who further the values of peace, sustainability and creativity celebrated in Alicia's classic book. The winners will be announced on the Summer Solstice, June 21.

The site also aggregates posts from other bloggers who are living off the land, bringing many voices together in a central place. The goal: social and political change, and the better world that she envisioned when she wrote "Living On The Earth" at age 19.

Author Alicia Bay Laurel and Dumplingfeed's Kim Cooper and Richard Schave are all available for interviews. Contact Alicia (Alicia@aliciabaylaurel.com) or Dumplingfeed (schavester@gmail.com)

Neutral Milk Hotel book outsells Bowie, Springsteen, Reprinted in just 6 weeks

2006-01-10T11:58:00.000-08:00

January 10, 2006

For immediate release

NEW YORK- The latest volume in Continuum Books' eclectic 33 1/3 series of little books about great albums may not feature the most famous band in the world, but fans of indie rock legends Neutral Milk Hotel have snapped up nearly every copy of Kim Cooper’s book, requiring a surprise reprint just six weeks after it went on sale.

Series editor David Barker says, "It's fantastic to see Kim's book off to such a great start, and outselling our books about Springsteen and Bowie. The story is clearly resonating with a lot of fans. The book's success is also a tribute to clued-up independent and online stores--since it's basically unavailable in 95% of regular bookstores in America."

The highly influential Neutral Milk Hotel broke up in 1998, not long after the release of their masterpiece, "In the Aeroplane Over The Sea." The album continues to sell 25,000 copies a year mainly by word of mouth, and was recently given ten retroactive stars by Pitchfork.com. The album was reissued by England's Domino label in September.

Kim Cooper's "Neutral Milk Hotel's 'In the Aeroplane Over The Sea'" explores the deep friendships that fed the band's evolution, its role within the Elephant 6 creative community and previously unpublished information on recordings, songwriting and touring, and explains some of the reasons why band leader Jeff Mangum felt compelled to retreat from public life just as his band was taking off.

The reviewers say: "Cooper's 'Aeroplane' volume might be [33 1/3's] biggest hit yet. " (Rob Harvilla, East Bay Express). "Compelling" (Brian Heater, NY Press). "Some of the other 33 1/3 books have been too much about the ego of the author; Cooper disappears into her narrative, and her book is infinitely better for it. " (Hayden Childs, From Here To Obscurity).

Author Kim Cooper and series editor David Barker are both available for interviews. Contact Kim (amscray@gmail.com, 323-223-2767) or David (david@continuum-books.com, 212-953-5858 x118). For review copies or more information about the 33 1/3 series, contact Ben Sampson, ben@continuum-books.com.

The Willowz Featured in Yahoo’s “Who’s Next?” Competition

2005-12-16T12:14:00.000-08:00

For Immediate Release
December 15, 2005

LOS ANGELES-Anaheim’s own Willowz are among four bands now competing on Yahoo’s “Y! Music” portal in the “Who’s Next?” promotion seeking “tomorrow’s music today.” The month-long, Saturn-sponsored competition pits four emerging bands against each other in a battle for fans’ hearts and minds. Only one will win, and the fans will decide which.

The Willowz and fellow nominees Limbeck, BarlowGirl and Morningwood each provide downloads, videos, bios and photos for potential fans to explore, and then cast a vote for their favorite band. The winner will be prominently featured on Y! Music’s main page next month.

Winning is in the air for the Willowz, whose latest disc was named one of Rolling Stone magazine’s year-end top 50 releases (#46). They just finished some dates with Tom Vek, and now they’re on the road with the Vacation.

This Spring, The Willowz will again hit the road with Vacation, play South By Southwest, tour the west coast with the Greenhornes, and see the release of a DVD featuring interpretations video directors’ interpretations of all 19 songs from the new “We Talk In Circles” CD, live footage and two videos from album number one. Featured videographers include Michel Gondry (who famously used Willowz music for the underpants dance scene in “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”), Joe Rublecaba, Artificial Army, Emmy Collins and John Michael McCarthy. Half of the filmmakers are affiliated with Commondeer Films, among them 23-year-old wunderkind Ace Norton.

Visit Yahoo’s “Who’s Next” and cast your vote for the Willowz, who truly play “tomorrow’s music today.”

http://music.yahoo.com/promotions/whosnext/

For more info, hi-res photos or interviews, contact: FOLLIN ARTIST MANAGEMENT
follinartistmgmt@gmail.com, (646) 221-8504

Your static web page is obsolete. Dumplingfeed can rescue you from your webmaster and Google limbo.

2005-10-12T11:57:00.000-07:00

For immediate release

Dumplingfeed home http://www.dumplingfeed.com
Paperback Hero band site http://paperbackhero.dumplingfeed.com

LOS ANGELES With the rise of search engines like Google and Yahoo,
it's not enough to build a web page and hope it gets noticed. Search
engines are hungry, and demand a constant diet of data to keep your
project on the first page of results. Stop feeding them, and you can
sink like a stone.

New tools like RSS, blogging, mob blogs, wikis and syndication can
create a virtual feedback loop, constantly adding new information that
points directly to you. But these "Web 2.0" ideas are complicated and
confusing for most people. And just because something is "new" and
"cool," that doesn't mean you need it. How do you sort through the
jargon to find the perfect tools for your needs?

This is where Dumplingfeed comes in. Dumplingfeed is a new media
consulting team that blends new and traditional media into
custom-built software tool suites for their clients. This dynamic web
portal updates itself constantly with information the client chooses.

With Dumplingfeed's tools, you can create and publish content that
creates a compelling narrative about your product, increasing sales
and visibility, making it easier and more interesting for customers to
connect.

And unlike other geek factories, Dumplingfeed offers top-notch
editorial guidance from partner Kim Cooper, publisher of Scram
magazine and editor of several acclaimed pop culture histories.

Visit L.A. rock band Paperback Hero's Dumplingfeed site to see how a
band and their fans, working together, have launched a perpetual data
machine that feeds those hungry search engines something fresh every
day. No webmaster, just client-picked content. http://paperbackhero.dumplingfeed.com

For more information on Dumplingfeed, visit
http://www.dumplingfeed.com, or contact Richard Schave at
schavester@gmail.com or by phone (310) 995-4591.

Fine art from chewed bubblegum? That's the grand raffle prize at the Bubblegum Awards

2005-09-19T17:37:00.000-07:00

For immediate release
September 19, 2005

Los Angeles- Two lucky guests at the Bubblegum Achievement Awards this October 7 will be going home with a most unusual keepsake: a work of art crafted not in oils or acrylics, but in multi-colored, pre-chewed, icky, sticky bubblegum!

The Gummy Awards celebrate the silly, double entendre-laden music made by studio bands in the late sixties and marketed to pre-adolescents. Presented by the editors of the book "Bubblegum Music is the Naked Truth," this year's ceremony honors Archies singer Ron Dante ("Sugar Sugar"), Joey Levine of the Ohio Express ("Yummy Yummy Yummy"), Steve Barri (Lancelot Link & the Evolution Revolution) and beloved novelty DJ Dr. Demento. There will be free Bazooka bubblegum for all guests, the west coast premier of a new bubblegum music documentary, live performances from Canned Hamm, The Bubblegum Queen, Abram the Safety Ape and Ron Dante, and an exclusive marionette spectacular by legendary puppeteer Bob Baker.

Every guest will receive one raffle ticket, with the option to purchase additional ones. The prizes, provided by the event's many sponsors, range from books ("Bubblegum Music is the Naked Truth," "Vanilla Pop," "TV A-Go-Go," "Lost in the Grooves," "The Monkees: The Day-By-Day Story," and volumes from the 33 1/3 series), retro-look t-shirts from Y-Que and Art of Bleeding, collectable Garbage Pail Kids and Wacky Packages cards, Twink box sets, Bazooka bubblegum and free artist memberships at CDBaby.com.

The twin grand prizes are a fine art print of Britney Spears in bubblegum on plywood by Jason Kronenwald from the Gum Blondes series, and an original, small scale bubblegum portrait of Lancelot Link Secret Chimp by Bubblegum Society artist Ben Harben. Both artists riff on the ironic connections between disposable celebrities and cheap and trashy chewing gum, while producing compelling, provocative and very beautiful art.

Bubblegum artists Jason Kronenwald and Ben Harben are available for interviews, as are the honorees, performers and event organizers.

For more info on the Bubblegum Awards, visit http://www.bubblegum-music.com

For photo or interview requests, contact Kim Cooper, amscray@gmail.com, 323-223-2767

ONO fuses classical music and rap in a unique and powerful blend

2005-09-16T11:19:00.000-07:00

The man who calls himself ONO (for the One N' Only) is part of the post-hip hop generation of artists who grew up with the music, but now see it as irrelevant and self-indulgent. Where does hip hop go next? If 17-year-old ONO (birth name: Jake Bhattacharya) has anything to say about it, the answer is back to the concert hall, with a fusion of live, classical instrumentation and highly personal lyrics. No gangsta posturing. Minimal sampling. And a message of hope, rage and personal affirmation.

On his self-released debut EP "Accomplishment," ONO collaborates and co-produces his original songs with Jason Petz (Triton keyboard/piano) and Yu-Min Cho (viola/violin), aka The ONO Crew, and even throws in some ukulele on closing ballad "Bad Experience." The results sound like nothing that has come before.

But then ONO isn't your typical teenage hip hopper. Born in California to Bengali parents, he was raised by his mother and her sisters after his folks divorced. It was a loving home, but with little supervision as his mother struggled to support her family. As a young teen, ONO fell in with a tough crowd, and was tempted into being an accomplice on a liquor store robbery. Seeing that he was growing alienated from his gangster friends as well as his family, and worried about his safety, ONO's mother shipped him off to military school, an act that may have saved his life. It certainly kick-started his creativity and discipline: soon he had a notebook full to bursting and a dream of expressing his emotions through rap. Inspired by Dr. Dre and Eminem's "Forget About Dre," ONO starting turning his poetry into lyrics.

ONO's songs became more personal and angry after a relationship ended badly, and it's these emotions that are at the center of "Accomplishment." The girl told him he'd never make it in hip hop, and he heard similar messages from friends; ONO set out to prove them wrong. He went to his mother, who by now was a successful CEO of a public company, and said he knew she wanted him to become a doctor, but that he hoped she'd support his musical dreams. She agreed--provided he put every ounce of his drive and passion into music. So now ONO had a lot of people to impress. And at the start of his senior year, he started work on his record.

The melodies on "Accomplishment" are entirely ONO's. He whistles them for his partners, who then play them back on piano or violin. By fusing classical instruments with raw, contemporary lyrics, ONO wants to make music that's accessible across the generation gap.

ONO will be appearing live on December 11 at the Burbank Hilton competing against a pool of other talent search winners. And as he starts college this fall, he’s also beginning work on a full-length album to be titled “The World Will Listen,” again with the ONO Crew, and lining up live appearances. He’s looking for singers, rappers and producers for collaboration, and a record label to help fund and market the disc.

ONO's music has been heard at Club Diesel in Anaheim, at Disneyland on his grad night, and at his myspace page, http://www.myspace.com/onorecordsmusic.
Tune in there to hear the new face of hip hop, and help ONO prove to his mother and everyone who doubted him and did him wrong that when you follow your passion, you can change your own world, and the one outside. He remains deeply family oriented, and devoted to the people who supported him.

ONO's "Accomplishment" features the songs “Accomplishment,” "Ride Or Die" and "What Pain A Traitor Brings." Review copies are available by request and hi-resolution images are on the myspace page. ONO is available for interviews in the San Bernardino area, or by phone or email. Email Deepfriedboy@aol.com or call (760) 908-4160 for more info.

Master puppeteer pays tribute to bubblegum music with Halloween marionette spectacular

2005-08-30T09:21:00.000-07:00

For immediate release
August 30, 2005

Los Angeles- On October 7, four legendary artists will be honored for their contributions to the under-appreciated genre of bubblegum music at the 2nd biannual Bubblegum Achievement Awards. The ceremony honoring Steve Barri (Lancelot Link), Ron Dante (Archies – "Sugar Sugar"), Joey Levine (Ohio Express – "Yummy Yummy Yummy") and novelty DJ Dr. Demento will be preceded by a spectacular new marionette show written and performed by master puppeteer Bob Baker, who for more than 60 years has amazed the kids of Los Angeles--and their parents--with his inventive and exquisite creations, but who rarely performs at his own theater.

Bob Baker’s puppets have performed for hundreds of film, television and commercial clients, working with stars like Elvis Presley, Judy Garland and the Three Stooges. For the Bubblegum Awards show, Bob Baker dug deep into his massive collection of rare record albums to find the perfect soundtrack to express the horrors of Halloween and the giddy, silly pleasures of bubblegum.

Every Bob Baker puppet show has a show-stopping number, often using black light to startling effect. For the Bubblegum Awards show, Bob is creating a program that’s nothing but show-stoppers, calibrated to keep the audience gasping from start to finish. Among vignettes featured are a bubblegum-powered dance of the gumdrops, an Asian-themed umbrella ballet, a visit from a wacky spaceship brigade from Venus, and an outrageous Monster Rally starring all of Bob’s beloved ghoul, goblin, vampire and skeleton marionettes.

This special edition Bob Baker show has never been seen before, and is being exclusively created to accompany the 2005 Bubblegum Achievement Awards, on October 7 at Bob Baker’s Marionette Theater in downtown Los Angeles. Other featured events include the premiere of Kier-La Janisse’s documentary based on the book “Bubblegum Music is the Naked Truth,” the presentation of dozens of valuable raffle prizes, free cake and Bazooka bubblegum, and live appearances by Canned Hamm, the Bubblegum Queen, Abram the Safety Ape and the Archies’ Ron Dante.

See Bob Baker’s stellar credits at
http://bobbakermarionettes.com/Credits.html

For more info on the Bubblegum Awards, visit http://www.bubblegum-music.com
For photo or interview requests, contact Kim Cooper, amscray@gmail.com, 323-223-2767

The Bubblegum Achievement Awards are sponsored by Art of Bleeding, Bazooka, Bubblegum Society, CD Baby, Chicago Review Press, Continuum, Feral House, Gum Blondes, KRTH, Routledge, Thunder Bay Press, Topps, Twink and Y-Que.

New “L.A. Noir” blog feed launches

2005-08-22T12:47:00.000-07:00

For immediate release

RSS version (for blog readers) : http://app.feeddigest.com/digest3/MB0TAXN45L.rss
Web version (for bookmarking): http://app.feeddigest.com/digest3/MB0TAXN45L.html

LOS ANGELES – Two of Los Angeles’s most sinister blogs have joined forces with the release of a new joint feed called “L.A. Noir.” By blending their syndicated feeds into a single source, the editors of 1947project and 8763 Wonderland give their readers a one-stop shop for new and historic information on their sun-soaked city’s darker side.

1947project blogger Kim Cooper says “Although our subjects are separated by more than 50 years, Rodger’s ruminations on contemporary crimes and human depravity illuminate a very similar Los Angeles to the one Nathan and I blog about. Los Angeles has always attracted edge-dwellers, and when they decide to kill each other, they’ve always done it with panache. We look forward to adding other noir-themed blogs to the L.A. Noir feed, and are excited to offer this time-traveling, virtual anthology.”

Half of the blog posts come from 1947project (http://1947project.blogspot.com), a daily recounting of historic true crime and offbeat human interest tales, each retold 58 years from the day they happened, often featuring visits to the crime scenes as they are today. The work of idiosyncratic architectural and social historians Cooper and Nathan Marsak, 1947project has been featured in the LA Times Magazine and at LAist.com, which said “We can't imagine our daily routine without it."

8763 Wonderland (http:// www.8763wonderland.com) is the online home of award-winning journalist, author and documentary producer Rodger Jacobs. Wonderland, says Jacobs, is a dark blend of fact and fiction with a decided emphasis on exposing the underbelly of the L.A. terrain. "I love L.A.," he says, "but day by day and story by story I'm deconstructing the myth that Los Angeles is the most pleasant place on earth to live. Tell that to Sharon Tate or to the millions of aspiring screenwriters and actors destined to die in obscurity and poverty, unknown to anyone outside their immediate families."

For more information about the LA Noir blog feed, or to suggest another blog that might be added to the mix, contact Kim Cooper at amscray@gmail.com or (323) 223-2767, or Rodger Jacobs at rdjacobs@concentric.net or (818) 983-4428.

Royalties languish overseas as performers and songwriters do without.

2005-08-13T17:42:00.000-07:00

LOS ANGELES - One of the great mysteries of music publishing is the concept of "Neighboring Rights." Most artists have no idea that every time they perform in a European club, they earn revenue quite apart from what the club owner paid them after the show. Typically that money just sits there, waiting for them, and is never recovered simply because they don¹t know how to ask for it.

Similarly, when an artist gets a song in a film or on TV, they're often thrilled to get royalty statements from ASCAP or BMI - unaware that a big chunk of their earnings, the payments from overseas, never made it into their hands. What too many artists don't understand is that while they just get a flat synchronization fee in the US, in the rest of the world they get paid every single time their song is played, in a movie theater, on radio, in a club or on TV. One prime placement can equal thousands of dollars for the artist who knows how to get it. Artists who handle their own publishing rarely do.

Lost in the Grooves is a new sub-publishing agency founded with one aim: to reclaim the money that independent artists don't even realize they're missing. Working closely with sub-publishers on the ground in Europe, they have the experience and moxie to shake Euros out of the most reluctant pockets.

Founder Phil Drucker spent many years in the music publishing trenches, administering the catalogs of the Doors, Beach Boys and George Benson. Currently working as an intellectual property lawyer and professor, he forgot about publishing until one of the songs he wrote decades ago in the influential post-punk band Savage Republic was used in the remake of "The Manchurian Candidate." Aware of the windfall that awaited him in Europe, Drucker asked around until he found an excellent sub-publisher, obtaining an impressive payout.

Once his own song paid off, Drucker started thinking about all the other artists who had similar windfalls waiting for them, but might never know to ask. Working closely with Scram magazine editrix Kim Cooper, a longtime independent publisher with deep ties to underground labels and indie artists, Drucker knows that with Lost in the Grooves he can help other artists like he helped himself, and uncover unknown treasure that will help support their creative and everyday lives.

For more information about Lost in the Grooves, visit

http://www.scrammagazine.com/subpub.html
or contact Kim Cooper at amscray@gmail.com or (323) 223-2767.