Drive South was a Southern California country band I played in during the early 90’s. It was a transition group between two other bands. Bob Gross – Bass Guitar. Peter Klimes – Electric Guitar. Jono Brown – Drums. Vocals – Jolene. Keyboards – Conrad Askland. I’m on the top left.
I kind of like this photo. Was taken back around 1993 or so.
Received this from a friend at our Brigadoon show yesterday. A photo from the orchestra pit and a poem:
“Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take –
but by the moments that take our breath away.”
I do not have information on the writer of this quote – seems a bit of a mystery with several different stories about it….
Cabaret Flambe
October 12-13 Lincoln Theatre, Mount Vernon, WA
October 24, McIntyre Hall, Mount Vernon, WA
With New Orleans style music and cabaret performers.
Muahaha! My friend from the Great White North just sent me this. Now you need to realize that I recently posted an entire gallery of Happy Bunny graphics, and also conducted Brigadoon (including bagpiper) wearing a kilt – So this is all that craziness combined. Thank you!
I guess I am simple minded when it comes to the inspiration for why I am in the arts. I have had several conversations with various people in the recent past where they told me the deep seated motivation behind their work in the arts. Concepts from educating the public on social issues to, shocking people into the reality of the state of our world; and many other noble concepts.
Shallow as it may seem – it is entertainment to me. The arts are a way for us to transcend every day living and go somewhere else for a while. A place to be happier, darker, lighter, heavier than we could ever be in the real world. I used to have a t-shirt that said “Art is more important than life.” It certainly is better than everyday life.
I’m proud to be part of that, but have no grand social statement to make through art.
Why am I so superficial about my life’s work? Because it happens on it’s own. In the cracks and crevices of what we attempt to create; things are created that acheive their own social statements without our help.
If you call me up to go to a show and say “This is a social commentary on the state of our world”, I’ll only go begrudgingly. I would much rather see Mary Poppins. I am part of the general audience too. That general audience sometimes referred to as “the masses”, “the uneducated”, “the stupid”. And I want to feel something that moves me.
My experience has been when we try to steer with grand things to say – we fall flat of our intentions. But when we just let art flow and do our thing – a great many people are moved in ways we could never have anticipated.
That is the reward. And one we do not control.
I ran across these photos taken back in 1985 in Seattle, WA. At the time I was heavy into the underground music scene in the Seattle area and Capitol Hill. Being from Bellevue, WA which was widely regarded as the preppy, snobby and uppity suburb of the Seattle area – I would play that up and went to most of the underground clubs wearing suit and tie. Very fun times.
Other person in the photos is Michael Shropshire. At the time he was often mistaken for the lead singer of the Cure. And that was always fun too.
Click on images for full size resolution, if you dare.
