Not to be confused with room with a sheep er some junk. Ha, clever play on words.

Are you guys excited about where this is going?

I know I am.

R.N.C. funnies en route!

Cheers

-R-

Dude. Billy Mays is my hero. If I could convince him to sell my stuff I’d…I’d be as popular as ORANGE GLO! Fuh reelz.
This is also what one might consider to be a bit of a story arch, so stay tuned same barista time same barista channel! 

Ps

I’m going to be posting some politically charged comics in the spirit of the holidays.

Don’t be deterred my sweets, I blame the R.N.C.

-R-

Hells yeeeah.

I dig this retro regurge of a picture from a previous comic.

I do enjoy it mucho.

cheers

-R-

I didn’t think I’d like The Blues, right? It all sounds sort of the same and the quality isn’t great and modern blues artists go against my beliefs that there is anything good made past 1989.

Few exceptions to the rule but I make deals. Alriiiight.

So anyhoo, when I was in college I took a class for my humanities credit called female artists through out history, and one of the papers that were supposed to write was women in music. I picked female blues artists from the 20’s and 30’s. Sweet hell was that a tough one but it exposed me to a type of music that I had been relatively indifferent about until I played some tracks by the empress Ma Rainey. Damn it was awesome, and her  story was pretty bad ass too.

But I digress.

It was inevitable bumping into Robert Johnson and when I did I was hooked. Officially. When I get hooked I like to look up all thier influences in search of the feeling you get when you know that this is the song that this great artist listened to and it made them write some great freakin songs. Makes the hair on your arm stand up.

So I did some research and I found this record company called Yazoo, and they specialize in all kinda blues and Jazz. I found Back to the crossroads, the roots of Robert Johnson.

Holy fucking crap.

If you can get down on the blues than you will poo yourself if you bust out the tracks on this disc…unless of course you already have it then shit dood, you know what I’m talking about.

Now don’t get me wrong I like all the songs but I just wanted to pick a few to give you all an idea as to why I think that if you’re interested you should check it out or at least wiki some of these people for the interesting lives they had. Just sayin is all.

13. REV. E.W. CLAYBORN,
Your Enemy Cannot Harm You (1926)
I can play this one like 3 times. I love this track, it sounds like 2 guitars but it’s only one. Also the subject of  the song is so fucking apt it hurts. Your enemy cannot harm you but watch your close friends. Badass, misery that comes with having friends and not being able to trust nobody no way no how. Awesome.

14. JOHNNY TEMPLE,
Lead Pencil Blues (1935)
This song is cool because its totally about some dude who can’t get it up and him and his woman are both pretty fuckin depressed about it. LOOOOONG before the days of E.D. right? Ha. Hilarious.

20. HARLEM HAMFATS,
Oh Red (1936)
This one is kind of vibin on the edge of Rag, I think that it could still get any crowd hoppin and the horns, hell yeah! The fact that its about some dude pissed off at a bartender for gettin his woman so drunk that she passes out before the party is over speaks to me for some reason, especially the part where she wakes up with a headache…I don’t know why…

So there it is. If you’re interested check it out. I think its worth it and it makes for a comfortable ambience if you’re pullin shots.

Cheers

-R-

EDIT!

Since I think that no one really reads my news posts I figured I’d just edit this and give you guys some news on the home front.

I had my first official art show on Saturday and was welcomed with open arms. Which was shocking since my stuff was so outta place it hurt, I got wasted on fancy wine and beer and champagne and made networkin relationship goodness with some heavy hitters in the art community. People I thought would think that my sailor mouth humour was lame or unbecoming ate it up with a spoon, and I was invited onto the board or some junk to pass or fail ideas and the like in line for the west end of St. Paul. Wicked cool is what I’d call that. 

Also Barista Girl was infact mentioned at Convergence during a discussion panel by actually accredited artists, you know the type of people that can actually sustain themselves with thier art…that made me scream like a little girl. Mad ups to that kid that mentioned it here. Glory glory squishyness. Anyhoo were getting closer to some big deal stuff and I’ll be sure to keep all of lovely beauties appraised like antiques roadshow of all my wheelings and dealings…

Also there will be a lot of editings here and there since I’ve been having so much stuff I’m getting involved in, be patient and just wait til I get my totally wicked awesome nay JAWSOME scanner.

Much love to you all and don’t let the man get you down.

Cheers.

-R-

Yeah. I went there.
No worries.
NO ONE IS SAFE!
Don’t think I won’t be making fun of every possible combo
of subculture available.
If you can’t laugh at your self than…thats too bad for you.
-R-

Scene-and-be-Seen at the Pilney Building, 1032 West Seventh Street at Randolph, in Saint Paul’s West End neighborhood.

7/12

6pm

free but donations are greatly accepted…especially if thier expressly to me.

DONT STOP READING YET…

Thats right ladies and gents, this is my first official art show exhibition, so I’m asking all you kids that live in the twin cities to come on down and help me kick off the opening day. There will be all kinds of other artists being shown and all kinds of cool art far superior to my silly pictures.

We can go out for  drinks down the road after.

It’ll be a good time and I hope to see you guys there!

Cheers

-R-

Ah youth.

How cute.

-r-

I know I spelled analog, but I didn’t like how it looked like

anal agony. NO. I haven’t had taco bell in forever!

Ha. Sigh.

They can’t all be gems.

-R-

http://www.youtube.com/theyliveofficial

How the hell I know these guys? BACK STORY!

Minneapolis…well…affluent Richfield band “They Live” members used to come to my work all the time trying to grift me out of cookies. The only time I actually gave them cookies thier buddy got collared for theft. Sons a such n such.

Anyhoo, vainly attempting to “trade” with me They Live would oft times give me fliers to all of thier shows. At which time I was busy every fucking time they were playing so I had yet to figure out if they were even actually a band or just some kids with a drum kit.

Narrowly dodging thier misplaced arrogance I agreed to write a music review for them. In return I would get a free CD of thier stuff and I could formulate a fair and even handed opinion of them.

Myspace band that they are I wasn’t expecting much.

Seriously. Myspace. Blech.

I got the trade, “No Escape”, and stuck that sucka in my CD player and listened to the lads on my mind numbing bus ride to work.

And lo and be fucking hold I was astounded. It hurt. They Live. Is really good. As far as Danzig influenced punk rock is concerned. But I like Danzig. So it works out well for me and my tastes. As the bile was rising in my throat I couldn’t get over thier sound. Not to toot the cliche terminology used in every review but if I were to apply it here I’d say these guys play straight forward dark-ish punk rock. I hate when people mix genres and then say how something is “straight forward” But I’m gonna allow it this time. An exception to the rule, which is apt for these guys.

This was right on the money as far as what I was looking for at the time. Making my dreary out look on local rock a lil more sunshiny, minus the “No escape from the reptile rape” sticker they gave me. Clever.

These guys are good. They Live gives me hope for the possibility of good music. Despite my  inability to understand why they feel they’re entitled to be so…GAH! Sadly though they do have the right to be snooty. They’re good. Damn it all. If you’re tired of listening to The Misfits (WHEN THEY WERE GOOD! PRE MICHAEL GRAVES!) and you know all the words to every Black Flag song, these boys would most certainly be what you’re looking for. With a hint of some sort of samhain inspired haze over thier melodic guitar intros.

Just, if you see them in person, ask them where they got thier cheese cake.

Casey Boyd-guitar/vocals

Greg Johnson-drums

Brandon Strate-bass/vocals