Friday, February 11, 2022

On The Road With Al And Ivy: A Literary Homeless Chronicle - Feb. 2022



"And as you learn the magic, learn to believe it. Don't be 'surprised' when it works, you undercut your power."

- Diane di Prima (Revolutionary Letter #46 - 1968)

The earliest known incident that referenced the Code Of Chivalry was recorded on a copper leaf fragment from the Lost Gospel Of Murgatroyd. Internet experts have estimated the date of origin to be 11,000,987 B.C. in Ancient Sumeria, and it was unearthed in 1998 by an treasure hunter using a metal detector on the Chicago side of Lake Michigan. 

Some critics assert that the fragment is actually a piece of a copper bracelet featured on a TV shopping channel that was claimed to have a therapeutic effect on carpal injuries suffered while attempting to complete online customer service forms.

The treasure hunter posted the discovery on social media, which have stringent policies in place to combat fraudulent claims thus the Sumerian origin of the fragment can be considered authentic by normal Internet standards of accuracy.

The fragment relates that a noble knight named Enki McDougal stabbed his opponent in the back while the referee was explaining the rules of the duel. He then commissioned an epic poem by Inanna Beethoven that described the heroic combat which lasted several hours, and of the foxy Princess who promised really hot sex to the winner.

The story was later recounted in an 18th Century chivalric romance by noted poet and plagiarist William Lyrpantsonfre called, "The Noble Quest Of Sir Bacondip" which chronicled the brave knight's arduous and dangerous journey to find the rechargeable electric drill that Jesus used as a carpenter.

...some expert testimony...

Professor Ivy of Shitzu U, who has a B.S. Degree in Speculative Internet Theory, states that "while it may seem that 18th Century writers were creating Chivalrous Mythology to differentiate European slaughter from that of Barbarian cultures like the Mongols, Huns, or French; it was in fact an attempt to motivate mankind to aspire to greater levels of ethical conduct in the exploitation and extermination of Natives, women, and men without mustaches."

Heady words indeed! It's no wonder that Chivalry mainly exists in the realm of literary arts and motion pictures and not in real life. When such ideals are brought into the temporal sphere, it would descend to the banal level of preachers who cheat on their wives, corruption of government officials, and Social Media Influencers.

...basic tenets...

The basic tenets of the romanticized version of Chivalry was utter fidelity to the King, good character, observance of the Sabbath, lifelong military service by the wealthy in wars that involved an actual risk of mutilation or death, mercy to the defeated, and respect for women.

It's not surprising then that a revival of Chivalry would be a nonstarter in the United States, though perhaps some sort of version could be worked up with no penalties for failure to live up to such lofty standards. I believe the modern term is "self-regulating."

There's similar lip service in pro sports, organized religion, politics, nutritional science, and in the financial sector, so it's doable, but it might only have a narrow utility in online war games and dating site profiles. [citation needed, lying like a dog on a dating profile might be legal in several states]

...the modern age...

It goes without saying that my description is a bit on the flippant side. 

Chivilaric concepts have survived into the modern age. The idea that two men settle a quarrel by stepping outside and having a fair fight, either with fists or in Western lore a gunfight is basically medieval trial by combat where the assumption is that God protects the righteous or the idea that a woman is under a man's protection, which goes back to ancient property law.

The percentage of medieval men who adhered to such principles is probably about the same as it would be in modern times, which is sorta kinda mostly true, more often than not, but maybe and maybe not.

Every woman who's been exploited, abused, assaulted or killed was technically under the protection of a man who would give his life to save her, or at least kick the poltroon's ass. It's not doubting the protector's love, sincerity or power to protect to say that Chivalry only works most of the time at best. It's an ideal that as with religion or ethics, men fall well short of perfection.



...White Company and Sir Nigel...

Arthur Conan Doyle wrote two books, "The White Company" (which originally ran as a serial in a magazine) and a prequel, "Sir Nigel" that were set in the Hundred Years War era.

Unlike romance novels like Sir Walter Scott's "Ivanhoe," or King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table, Doyle's two books depict the wide gap between mythology and reality. Doyle's Knights and their peasant or mercenary infantry companies talked the talk, but often didn't walk the walk. 

Sir Nigel's White Company made no pretence of fighting for honor, even if their leader did. They intended to fight and accumulate as much loot as possible. One of the main characters, an archer named Sam Aylward, makes it clear in a recruiting pitch that booty (both kinds) was a primary reason to serve the King.

In one scene where Sir Nigel and Company go after pirates, it's made clear that no quarter was to be asked for or granted, which was actually how ancient naval warfare was fought. The losers, unless high born and could offer ransom, were thrown overboard during or after the battle. Chivalry was conditional.

I should note that one exception was in galley warfare, where the losers would often be pressed into service as rowers or sold as slaves. You've all seen the movie " Ben Hur," it's like that except only the newest slaves would have tans.

...Sir Nigel...

In The White Company, Sir Nigel is portrayed as an elderly "Don Quixote" type, always trying to pick fights but issuing challenges in language dressed up with chivalric phrases. A good parallel is old Japanese samurai movies where the ronin are constantly fighting each other to gain employment or reputation. The chivalry described here is more like "professional courtesy," and applied only to the nobility.

Doyle was certainly aware that real medieval warfare was brutal and often a business concern, but takes a middle course where the knights espouse the ideals, but describes the different reality like with Sir Nigel's obsession with finding more honor through duels.

A reader has to take into account that Doyle's intention was to entertain, so a lot of the contradictions described are definitely tongue in cheek. One running gag is that many of the characters are carrying what they think are authentic religious relics, such as a nail from the Cross, and other odds and ends that purport a connection to The Savior. All have been obviously swindled, and even Sir Nigel, the cultured and educated knight treasures his relic.

...a homage...

Both books pay homage to medieval romance literature, with what can seem like overly long descriptive passages of people (that can run over two pages in an ebook). Reminds me a lot of James Fenimore Cooper books, with lots and lots of exposition.

Arthur Conan Doyle felt that the historical novels were his best work, and whether that's true or not, each reader has to decide for him or herself. I think his best was "Micah Clarke," which had the same theme about a trio of characters who go through a great adventure but not as episodic as White Company, with funnier satiric passages than the Sir Nigel book.

However, if you like an author, why choose? They're public domain books so read 'em all. Even the most uneven, The White Company, has plenty of brilliance to enjoy and in spite of it's flaws, I've reread it several times over the years.

As one critic said about Doyle, "The man never wrote a boring word," and whether or not he was at the top of his game in every work, the man was a stone writer to the core, and always worth reading.

...book trailer now on Electric Fog Factory on YouTube!

Book Trailer for "The Quitters" by Al Handa, a Serial Novel on Kindle Vella.

The trailer geatures 60s, EDM Dub, and punk music from DJ Boogie Underground, Mark McGraw and Handa-McGraw International on YouTube.

https://t.co/I1xT4IVPuD

...desert island discs for 2016...

I mentioned in an earlier blog entry what music meant to me in 2016, when living in the car. Though it didn't "save my soul," that doesn't mean it was useless or without value. Music certainly entertained, elevated or depressed my mood, and provided some context to what was going on.

The biggest shock was that most of the time, I didn't want to hear any music at all. It was depressing to listen and the reason was mainly because I couldn't play it. I could, if I was willing to expose an easily fenced guitar, but the only thing dumber would have been to let people know you had drugs, firearms or large amounts of cash (none of which I had). You risked becoming a target. 

As it was, I was regularly cased, and there were attempts to break into my car. I let it go without calling the police because at least the thieves might spread the word that I didn't have anything worth stealing. I also avoided acting protective or secretive (except with Ivy, but nobody faulted that with a pet) for that reason. 

...in brief...

In short, playing an instrument in public wasn't a good idea. Particularly during the six weeks the car was inoperable, and couldn't leave the area. It's more complex than that, but in a nutshell, if I couldn't play, it affected my enjoyment of music. But there were times I enjoyed listening and certain songs do stand out even now so this list of "desert island music" is a good companion piece to past blog entries that talk about music.

I should note, for those who haven't read my earlier blog entries, I eventually found that the remedy for not wanting to listen to music was to write. That saved my soul.

One note about the review format. I'll mainly talk about my impression of each song, and not provide descriptions of how the songs sound. Such detail might have been useful back in the day when one had to get a physical copy of the song but these days, any that I talk about can be easily accessed through a music service or YouTube. Saves you from having to read florid streams of consciousness of how the song exemplifies the struggle to blah blah blah...

My 2016 Desert Island Discs (in no particular order).

Best Kept Secret: Case/Lang/Veirs 

This was what I called a "coffee house song," a tuneful alternative piece with a nice spunky rhythm section and strings. Which was what I first heard. It took maybe three listens before I realized it was a pop-folk piece due to the noise level in a crowded Starbucks. Although it wasn't very inspiring in the middle of a four hour hike in 90 degree weather, most flavors of coffee tasted better when this song was playing. It has staying power, and is still on my playlists and ipod.

Just Do It: Copacabana Club

A pop-funk song with killer hooks. This type of number tends to cut through crowd noise and ended up as another keeper. Like "Best Kept Secret," it's a good Summer song and it's world music flavor was an additional reason to like it.

Never Be Mine: Angel Olsen

Angel was one of the hottest Alternative artists in 2016, and this mournful paen to unrequited love was a great torch song. Her emotive voice made the song too depressing to listen to in a car at night (when that's your home). It was definitely a coffee house tune. I keep it on my playlists and ipod, though once the book is completed, I may put it to rest along with other memories of that time.

...Ipod Songs...

Once I ran out of high blood pressure medicine (and didn't realize any drug store would try to get it refilled for you), the only alternative was to exercise as much as possible. When the average temperature was 90 degrees, that meant hikes and walks rather than jogging, which for most of the distance involved carrying a 13 pound Ivy, water, and a basic backpack of around five to ten pounds.

In this case, music was essential, particularly "workout" type stuff. That meant my iPod as that didn't require a subscription. The problem with workout music is that at high volume, it can be as tiring as heat, so I'd listen for maybe a couple of miles, and then just coast the last mile or two. By that time I'd have to let Ivy walk a bit anyway, though she didn't seem to mind being carried either.

Slang (live ver.) Def Leppard

This was generally the song I started hikes with, though AC/DC's "Highway To Hell" was a close second. I was a Def Leppard fan before becoming homeless, but it was really the beat which was ideal as a pace setter.




 Fijian Sunset: Ali Campbell UB40

Summer means Reggae music is on my iPod, though this song came to my attention when reading about the split that occurred with UB40. The main singer, Ali Campbell formed his own version and this was be of the songs the new lineup recorded.

One interesting thing, and it's in my book, is that other than Dave Davies (Kinks), this group was the only celebrity act that communicated with me and used their social media accounts to help. Though it was mainly their media staff, it still helped my morale when Ali's UB40 told their fans to read my blog and contribute to my GoFundMe, and even more touching, urged me to keep playing music.

Fijian Sunset had the perfect beat for the middle of a hike, when the heat and weight started to have its effect on me.

Spin-O-Rama: The Primitives

One of my favorite 80s groups was the Primitives, and several of their cuts are still on my playlists and iPod. By 2016, they were primarily seen as former stars that still had a strong cult following. This cut was a archetype power pop song that could have been on any of their 80s albums and been considered a great song.

Lord I Want To Be A Christian In My Heart: John Fahey

John Fahey is the artist who got me into playing guitar. One of his eccentricities was that he was very anti-church, but played hymns that clearly were a big influence on his style. This was a favorite during the time I still had a guitar as it's a good "porch picking" number, that is to say, it can be played casually and still sound good. I've said that music didn't save my soul out there, but Fahey's music certainly fed it.

She Moved Through The Fair: Bert Jansch

One of the legends of folk guitar who's influenced everyone from Jimmy Page, Neil Young, to alternative artists. His fusion of folk and jazz is hard to duplicate because his timings were idiosyncratic, often moving from one idea to another as opposed to keeping a steady tempo. The most obvious reason is that his guitar was keyed to the vocal line, which like old style blues, doesn't lend itself to a pure instrumental approach. This was the Jansch song I listened to all the time back then. It's a melancholy piece that actually soothes, which is the mark of an artist who can communicate angst, but also humanity and warmth.

Vagabond Moon: Willie Nile

The 1980 live version, from the Bottom Line in NYC was a perfect song for sitting in a car at night, observing the area to make sure it was safe to sleep. It's a romantic tale set to a folk rock backing, but I pictured it as a song where Ivy and I could look out into the night and see something beautiful. It helped put the fear that was often present in my mind into the background.

Special Streamline: Booker White

Also known as Bukka White, he was one of many great blues artists from my favorite era, the 20s and 30s. The catchy hypnotic rhythm and tough slide guitar riffs sounded good during a hike. His music was created in the hard living and heat of the South, and I'm sure it lifted spirits back then as it did mine in the hot and humid days in Gilroy, Ca.

Bill Cheatham: Leo Kottke

Kottke is often mentioned in the same breath as John Fahey, as well they should. Their early albums on Takoma helped created the American version of concert guitar. Like with Fahey, I could name a couple of dozen inspirational performances, but this cut is the one I seemed to listen to the most.

Forty Years: Let's Active

A fine number from Mitch Easter, who produced those great early R.E.M. albums. It's the song I imagined myself playing the most out there, which tied in with what I thought would be treasured once the homeless period ended, which was to be able to play instruments again. I was wrong, but that was no fault of this very wistful, evocative song.

Dishy: Candypants

A very dirty but witty uptempo pop song that evokes the mid-70s Kinks sound. The album got a lot of good reviews, but was the only release by this band. I keep it on my playlists and iPod and even after my book finally comes out, I'll still be listening to it.

Fireworks Music: Handel

This piece is one of the few I mention by name in the book because it goes back to my childhood. My first instrument was the violin and once past the basic exercises, my teacher set us to learning Handel. The English master is like a musical God because for a couple of years, his baroque compositions were a major part of my musical world. For reasons I elaborate on in my book, childhood events had a large bearing on my homeless experience.

Actually, once I started this list, a bunch of others came to mind. Maybe a part two in the future...



Now live on Kindle Unlimited 















...impressions of Vella...

"The Quitters" has been on Kindle Vella for about six weeks now, long enough for me to have some initial impressions. I won't delve too deeply into what Vella is, as the technical details can be easily looked up on the net. Although it's relatively new, there's been plenty of opinion posted on the service both good and bad, which is well worth examining.

Keep in mind that I'm talking about my own experience with Vella, and make no claims about how you should feel about it, or if it's something everyone should do.

I have to say that so far, I like the experience. Unless you have a fan base that'll follow you to Vella, it's not a place where a writer can count on getting new readers, but the site dashboard and upload features are a good environment to get used to Amazon KDP and exposing your novel.

...built-in house...

Vella doesn't seem to have much of what musicians call a "built-in house," which means an audience that comes to Vella to find new books, unlike Radish or Wattpad, which  have large followings. I personally think that it might take another year or two to reach the level of those two established services.

A new writer can get a better deal from Vella in terms of pay. If you produce regular chapters (called episodes on Vella) and have some activity, it's possible to qualify for a bonus which will easily be more than your royalty rate. The Amazon bonuses make this a good option for a new writer, and it helps morale to be paid while working on building an audience.

I read one opinion on a discussion board that dismissed that and said that Wattpad paid more, and Radish had more income potential. However, you become a paid writer by invitation on Wattstack, and Radish requires a 30 page manuscript or writing sample to even apply. That may change due to competition with Amazon, but right now, Vella is the easiest to get started on.

As far as publishing a free serial novel for exposure (like on Wattpad), that's not an option for me. If I wanted to publish free chapters for maximum exposure, I'd just include those on each blog entry, which has an average monthly visit rate of 40,000 to 50,000. Most of you reading this probably have blogs with a larger audience than what you'd get starting from scratch on a free fiction site. 

...radish...

Radish is another matter. If you study the site (always do that before any submission), and feel that your work will appeal to that audience, then it could be worth your while. The site has a definite following, and seems to have a good idea of how to promote their product. Your serial can be on both Vella and Radish, so starting off with Amazon can be a nice way to develop a story that can be accepted on the latter later on. 

The Vella interface is simple and functional. I've been able to go back and revise parts of the book and change even the title without hassle. I've seen my chapters go live within a couple of hours (though the waiting period is officially 72 hours).

Also, the format is very flexible and a book can be revised on the fly. On Feb. 16th or so, I'll be taking the original three opening chapters and compressing those into two, the current chapter four will be moved and become the new chapter three. That gives the free chapters more substance. The prevailing wisdom was to go small on the free chapters, but six weeks in, my preference is that readers get a fuller experience right away. The new alignment will provide a better balance of action and character development.

...accept no substitutes...

In the music world, there's no substitute for playing live or releasing recorded work to the public as far as developing your skills. A person can practice everyday for years, and find that the live or recording environment is very different. The first chapters in "The Quitters" deal with that, how live work differs from the practice studio.

It's the same with writing. As I write this blog entry, I'm always conscious of the fact that people will read it. After a few years of publishing it, I've had to learn to ruthlessly edit myself, to be aware of how even casual phrases and passages will read to others. There's a difference between amateur and professional level work.

If you're a new writer, and can upload up a chapter a week (or whatever you can manage), putting a serial novel on Vella is a good first professional step. Having a new book that can be seen in your Kindle should have the desired effect of keeping your mind on getting the next episode out. Until an audience develops, work hard and earn the bonuses and you'll feel like a pro writer. When the book is finished, you can wait 30 days and have an ebook to publish to boot.

One perception problem that Vella might have is that because it's part of the Amazon empire, that the site should already be successful and making everybody rich. It's really just a well capitalized start-up, and well behind the competition in terms of audience. Money can buy a one time audience to a well hyped spectacle, but it won't buy an audience that'll keep coming back to a book site geared towards mobile devices. Now that it's on Kindle, it could morph into a wider experience, but until then, Amazon can get people to look, but the writers are what's going to keep them there. 

If the writers complain and nit pick the site, that's a problem that Amazon would need to address. By the same token, if everyone crabs about Vella and it gets wide coverage in the media, then writers are helping to kill that market. Unless you create your art in a garage for personal satisfaction, there's going to be the business side.

Amazon has the responsibility to make Vella an environment that'll attract authors, who'll have to come in with both eyes wide open, but cognizant of the fact that after that, they're on their own. There's a decent enough royalty rate in place, much better than with music streaming, so the writer has to has to produce a book that people will buy (in parts). After that, there's promotion, and more writing. The way it works in the entertainment business, only a small percentage will become big, but there's plenty of niches and of course, the satisfaction.

One common denominator that's present in the big success stories, most worked very hard to get there and we're ready for an opportunity. That's an element that every writer can control. A new site like Vella may not be the route to success, but a real writer won't discount any avenue to show their work. You never know where that opportunity will come from.

I've made it sound simple because it is. Other factors such as audience, royalties, how long it'll take for Vella to attract a large paying fan base, and whether or not the book makes money are all things to consider, but Vella is a legitimate outlet for your work and backed by one of the richest corporations and publishers in the world. It's going to be around for a while, and having a novel on the site might be a good thing if Vella finally takes off.

Of course, if you have something better in mind, go for it. 



Chapter Overview With Samples:

With eight chapters live, those who've read the book can see that the various plot and character arcs are starting to really develop. The first three chapters, which describes an audition gig in real time, has bits and pieces along with the action passages that begin to flesh out the personalities involved.

As you can tell from the chapter titles, this isn't going to be a mythological bad boy punk story where everyone wears ripped t-shirts. If for no other reason, SF Punk wasn't like the press photos and canned interviews. There was a definite intellectual or anti-intellectual atmosphere in the scene, and plenty of tongue-in-cheek talk. There's a definite strain of black humor (and slapstick) in the proceedings. You really had to have a sense of humor in that scene.

Also, how Nym's personality and musical skill develops is important later when the scene shifts to Southern California, with it's considerably larger and more diverse music scene.

Chapter 3 and 4 are a break from the fast paced action, and gives the reader a glimpse of Nym's world, of the motivations and aspirations, introduces a new character, and creates a more complex picture of Jesus Guy, who comes off a really weird dude in the earlier chapters.

The idea is to give the free chapters more substance, and insert a new one that I was going to write later, but decided needed to be earlier in the story. Most readers who visit Vella will get 200 free tokens, so the changes don't affect my chapter plan. That many tokens will get you through most of the book.

The new Chapter 3 will follow Nym after the gig. This will give the reader more insight into Nym's personality. This new chapter will be live around Feb. 17th or sooner if it's completed before then.

Chapters 5 and 6 pick up the pace, though each features more character development. Both Ross and Stew show flamboyant public personas which turn out to be more interesting and detailed in Chapter 8. 

Chapter 7 focuses on Marly, the promoter who's infamous for his tough comedy routine to clear the Club before closing. As you go deeper into the book, it'll become obvious that a large part of the Punk scene is part of his long range plan that mostly succeeds, but also has the seeds of future discord and division.

Chapter 8 is a personal favorite (along with 4 and 6), as it gives me a chance to put many of the characters in one place and able to talk casually. There's a hint of future controversy that'll create a lot of turmoil in the later chapters.

The chapter 9 excerpt is from an episode that isn't completed yet, but Nym's personality is fleshed out further, both in inner dialogue and as seen by a couple of other characters.

...Chapter Excerpts...

Chapter 4: Nym’s Cool World

"It's a crisp August evening in the sin section of Broadway Street. The summer crowds are gone, and the sound of cars and busses are replaced by the shrill, desperate pitches of strip joint barkers now fishing in depleted waters.

Night is the best time, there's less detail, and the world’s simpler. It's easier to be me, enjoying the feeling of knowing I’m coming back to play again.

I’m skipping the third band, and just workin' on my Punk 'tude outside the pinball parlor next door. I'm puffing on a French cig, which adds cool and helps me resist the rich smell of Phillipino food from the restaurant section of the club. My macaroni and cheese dinner with a coke chaser is starting to wear off."

Chapter 5: The Negatives: A Punk Action Movie In Real Life

"The crowd’s colliding like bumper cars, so Ross jumps and twists in the air, giving the tourists a picture of wild, chaotic energy. 

It's like a modern art painting in motion! The Negatives' show has something for everyone! 

I'll have to ask Ross how he manages to get so much of his tongue hanging out like that. Whenever I try, I start gagging.

The fourth song, "Planet Toe Jam" is slower, which cools down the slam dancing. They want the crowd to just stand there, which sets up what's coming next. Plus in a longer set, it helps to have a romantic number so people can slow dance if they want to."

Chapter 6: Herman Hesse's Glass Bead Game - The Punk Version

"I gotta say he looks the part of a great artist; a big burly skinhead type who named his band after a Hermann Hesse novel. He says names like "Steely Dan" from Burroughs' "Naked Lunch," are too New York for his taste. Besides, being named after a dildo is so 60s!

I took Ida to see his show last month, and after she calmed down and agreed to not press charges, described the act as "Butt Love horseplay masquerading as performance art. It's definitely not entertainment."

I told Stew what she said, and he had the comment added to the group's press kit and asked me to thank her for the great review!"

Chapter 7: Marly Tells A Punk Bedtime Story

"Marly cuts the horn, then freezes like a brave knight who's just slain a dragon, which seems odd until I realize that some tourists are taking pictures. 

I subtly turn so my left side faces the cameras and pout at the ceiling. I take the goolie out of my mouth and hold it with two fingers near my chin, so the smoke curls near my face. Keeping it in your mouth makes you look like a puppy chewing on a biscuit, not very punk."

Chapter 8: Celebration At The Pup Chuck Wagon 24 Hour Hot Dog Diner

"There's no better place for a rising star to bask in new found glory than Pup Chuck Wagon, the 24 hour hot dog diner, a haven for San Franciscans who have more coolness than cash. Cheap food and everything you sit or eat on is washable!

I can afford a mustard dog, small fries and coffee if I use my bus money. It's only a half hour walk home and this night of achievement calls for a feast!"

Chapter 9: Nym's Walk Home

"How did you know I spent my bus fare?"

Jesus guy sighs, "You passed a bus stop on Stockton without stopping, I'd have given you the fare but Phil came, so I just took the next bus."

"You assumed Phil would give me fare money?"

"I ordained it, it's what I do child, besides, I can't go giving you cash every time you go broke, my wallet would be so light it'd float me back into Heaven and I'd have to do the Resurrection all over again."




The Al & Ivy Homeless Literary Journal Archive:

There are earlier blog entries on the Delta Snake Review section of this site that aren't on the On The Road page:
http://deltasnake.blogspot.com





Cover Reveal For Hide In Plain Sight


This is the cover for the upcoming book, Hide In Plain Sight, hopefully out sometime in 2022.




The American Primitive Acoustic Collection by Handa-McGraw International can be streamed on all of the major services, including Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon, and dozens of others. Note: only available on YouTube until February 21st



The Music Of Handa-McGraw International can also be heard on the Electric Fog Factory on YouTube. You can hear the album, and dozens of unreleased cuts and demos, plus exclusive video of Ivy.




Tuesday, January 4, 2022

On The Road With Al And Ivy: A Literary Homeless Chronicle - Jan. 4th, 2022



"With an old and tried swordsman like myself, knowledge of the use of his weapon is everything; but with a young Hotspur of your temper, strength and energy go for much."

- Arthur Conan Doyle (Micah Clarke)

Internet experts state that in the early prehistoric days of mankind, when men were men, and women could have as many boyfriends as they felt like having, climate change created an extinction event that wiped out all of the man eating dinosaurs and saber tooth tigers, who in their hungry heyday made sure that no human being lived longer than, say, ten years. This removed one of the biggest reasons that cavemen and cavewomen didn’t last very long; leaving only disease, starvation, minor injuries, warfare, and marriage.

The longer life spans created new social phenomena, such as villages, condos, Kings and Emperors, celebrities famous for being famous, organized warfare, government, poor people, and of course, reality shows.

 However, the most pervasive sociological innovation was the “Generation Gap,” as it was called in the 60s. The first recorded instance of the younger generation pissing off their parents and calling them old farts was in Ancient Greece, the first civilization that had an alphabet that didn’t consist of pictures of animals and Gods. 

...the earliest travel blogger...

As recorded in a fragment of Book 13, Page 2, paragraph 10, of the ancient Lost Gospels Of Murgatroyd discovered in the recycle bin of a Chicago Hair Salon, the legendary Greek travel blogger, Herodotus O'Grady, describes an inscription on a newly manufactured vase that reads, “Achilles, Eiste ena palio fart," which was later unearthed in 1994 by an Ebay seller who found it at an flea market sale in Raleigh, North Carolina. 

Some Internet experts claim that the purported vintage Greek vase is actually a bottle of pressed virgin olive oil bottled in New Jersey in 2010, and of dubious quality, but as we all know, Ebay has strict measures in place to prevent the sale of fraudulent items, so the claims of the seller can be taken at face value. [citation needed, please define "at face value"]

...the generation gap...

The Generation Gap has certain aspects that haven’t changed throughout mankind’s history, and the most egalitarian is that everyone gets to be the vivacious, know it all whippersnappers who are sneered at by the cynical, beaten down by life old farts who bridle when their achievements aren’t treated on the same level as Taylor Swift winning a Grammy. 

Then in few years, longer if the older generation tries to extend adolescence with cosmetic surgery and asserting that 50 is the new 20, the young snots are confronted by a new crop of sass mouth delinquents who can eat junk food and not gain weight, and aren’t aware that the Beatles were the greatest thing since sliced bread and adult diapers.

This generational conflict was, at one time, muted by social controls such as teaching respect for elders to young minds not yet able to produce audible cuss words, corporal punishment, making kids stand in corners or bedrooms without supper, cutting allowances, and Lifetime Movies, but history has proven that it’s a losing battle, and time is on the side of the pups that gradually become aware of their awesome power and love for death metal music. Commercial advertisers, who follow the more sensible outlook of money grubbing, know all this, and focus on the younger demographic.

 ...childhood's end...

This blogger is aware that childhood and adolescence is a time for discovery, wonder, sexual awakening, and the assumption of greater responsibilities in an ever changing world, but that’s all been beaten to death by Hollywood and the media, and is boring even to the young target audience that now prefers the joys of making millions on social media, eating various chemicals in Tik Tok challenges, anonymous Internet trolling, and cancelling artists for the slightest reason. 

Though in all fairness, this sort of thing has been going on since the Ancient Greeks wiped out the city of Troy just because someone stole a King’s wife. If Achilles, the big stud warrior of the Trojan War, had paid more attention to his brand, we’d be seeing his face on cereal boxes. Todays young heroes are much more saavy.

 ...Jack London and Tom Wolfe...

Two definitive stories about the Generation Gap, besides my latest Punk Rock satire, "The Quitters" (retitled from the original Electric Fog Factory, see the included first chapter later in this blog entry), is Jack London’s classic “A Piece Of Steak,” which covers the concept from a Darwinian perspective, and Tom Wolfe’s “Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test,” which has a more sociological angle, and is one of the definitive studies of the formative years of the Baby Boomer generation.

These works delineate the two classic points of view in any generational type story; the older viewpoint of experience and wisdom, and the younger theme of discovery and exploration.

...a piece of steak...

Jack London’s short story, published in the Saturday Evening Post in 1909, is about an aging boxer named Tom King, who in his younger days had been a dominant fighter, flush with cash that was spent as soon as it was earned. The scene opens with Tom eating a humble meal of bread and gravy, that his wife had to borrow the flour for, and who sits by and watches, as there's only enough for one. The two children have been sent to bed early in the hopes that they wouldn't notice that dinner was being skipped.

The scene isn’t as dire as it might seem, as Tom has been given the opportunity to fight in a winner take all match, with a prize of 30 quid, which would change his fortunes for the better. That sparse meal is a final effort by the family to send him off in the best condition possible, though he still feels hungry afterwards. He grumbles that even a single piece of steak would make a huge difference. A passage about trying to pretend that his pipe has tobacco adds to the picture of destitution.

London, as usual, does a good job of creating a vivid picture of the fighter’s inner thoughts as he heads for the match, mixing seamlessly with the details of a once vibrant life and career. The account of Tom's struggle to defeat the younger boxer is textbook live action narrative, a superb piece of writing.

Like many of London’s stories, it’s about how age slows down the vitality of youth, and evolves into guile and skill gained from experience. However, London’s message is consistent, you can slow down Father Time, but in the end, you’ll always lose.

 ...acid test...

Tom Wolfe's book, "The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test," about Ken Kesey and his Pranksters, has a youthful outlook, that of exploration and rebellion, though it's a complex, detailed chronicle of the rise and fall of a movement. I've discussed this book in an earlier blog, but here will focus on a different aspect of the story.

The tale isn't just about a generation gap, one could say that Ken Kesey's aim was to build a new society based on the widespread use of acid to, for lack of a better term, free people's minds.

In fact, one of the purposes of the "Acid Tests" was, as one of the leaders put it, to learn "how to function on acid." As history has shown, the end result was psychedelic style rock concerts, complete with light shows to simulate the acid trip experience and of course, make a lot of money, which is the American Way.

...intentions..

Kesey's intention wasn't to create a new class of millionaires in the entertainment industry. Tom Wolfe said, in a later interview, that Kesey's (and his followers) early experience with acid created an ecstacy type experience that was common to new religions, though perhaps a better term is revelation or paradigm.

Kesey's group, The Merry Pranksters, did make a sincere attempt to create a new, freer society based on a sort of nonauthority, where the leaders suggested rather than gave orders (much like most Native American tribes).

The movement was bankrolled by Kesey, who used the royalties from his book, One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, so most of the problems in creating a new society, like food production and other such things weren't a factor. Everyone just followed his lead and embarked on a series of journeys and spiritual exercises, albeit with a lot of partying, sex, and the occasional hazing of squares and other unhip types. In the end, the whole trip did end up depending on one leader, whose rise and fall determined the fate of the Pranksters.

I'm oversimplifying, of course, the interpretation of the events can range from cynical to florid romanticism, and Wolfe masterfully navigates a middle course in his book.

...opinion...

My opinion is that Kesey was on to something, but it takes a lot of moral courage to reject the system and to live outside of it. Basically his followers eventually chose safer courses and built a society based on an outward change in appearances but followed the time honored Western principles of structure, commerce and heirarchy.

Another way to put it was that Kesey was heading in a metaphysical direction and was willing to make mistakes or explore what could be dead ends for the sake of enlightenment, which someone from an Eastern culture would understand, but not a Westerner used to leaders who at least behave like infallible winners of the game.

The Electric Kool Aid Acid Test by Tom Wolfe is an examination of a youthful, if not young, attempt to supplant an older system, which one could say was a partial victory that created some change but in the end was as far from the original conception as the Catholic Church was from what Jesus preached. 

Both works are worth reading for more than that idea. Both have passages that would be considered politically incorrect now, but any perspective from a writer who has the ability to stand outside of the box and describe what's going on inside is worth reading and learning from.


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The American Primitive Acoustic Collection by Handa-McGraw International can be streamed on all of the major services, including Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon, and dozens of others.



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Tuesday, December 7, 2021

On The Road With Al and Ivy: A Literary Homeless Chronicle - Dec. 2021




"You may well ask me such things, that to some I shall answer truly, and to others I shall not." And she added, "If you were well informed about me, you would wish me to be out of your hands. I have done nothing except by revelation."

- Jeanne D'Arc (The Trial of Jeanne D'Arc, trans. by W.P. Barrett)

The historical origins of music aren't clear. However, the internet, which is never at a loss for words, provides a wealth of competing theories, which as a matter of fairness, will be listed without comment, though I'll omit the purported dates so we won't have to remember anything.

The various wellsprings of song include:

Lyre accompaniment to Greek poetry recitals, accompaniment to seasonal and fertility rites, celebrating a successful harvest, bird songs that inspired the Flintstones and Barney Rubble to explore their inner fem, tribal drummers playing long boring solos so people started adding vocals, aliens giving ancient Egyptians another nudge towards higher civilization after Cleopatra complained that the pyramids could be built by any peasant with Legos, artists trying to make money without working in fields or factories (the quest continues to this day), marching bands needing gigs in between wars of conquest, promoters trying to spice up monotonous gladiator shows, Johann Sebastian Bach needing something to do when not having sex with every woman that came within 10 feet of him, desperate attempts to make mimes less irritating by adding soundtrack music, trying to inspire people to buy more stuff for Christmas, and the release of the Beatles Sgt. Pepper album. [citation needed, some experts claim that modern music started with the release of Lady Gaga's Born This Way single]

...the dawn of professional musicians...

The search for the origins of professional music isn't so elusive. It dates back to the early period when people began to congregate into villages similar to modern day social networks like Facebook and Twitter, with the resulting array of social behavior ranging from a global love of cats to the intense hatred of people one hardly knows, and of course the practice of "unfriending," though back then it was called exile, banishment, or witch trials. 

The earliest known reference to musicians who no longer performed useful daily tasks, such as food production, defense of the village, or crafting implements, appears to come from Sumerian clay cuneiform fragments that experts estimate were written around 234,456 B.C. and are from the second chapter of The Lost Gospels Of Murgatroyd, page ten, paragraph 14, and translated by the Shitzu U scholar Ivy Shitz in 1946, which reads:
 
"I travers'd the iniquities of the world during harvest,
I lay in sweet repose, hidden from dutys of the plow,
 to find succor in bless'd sleep and escape
the devilish rancor of fellows resenting mine sloth,
and in dream comes heav'nly visions of undiminisht light,
severe in lustre, full of bestial harlots, casual in vertue,
with wanton amours, rivers of Mead,
and wings to fly from all werk,
to enjoy the love of a fawn'g mosh pit multitude.
Then the guiltie Serpent appears, and so sayeth,
to sate thy rockn'rola appetites, becometh a musician,
and be deliver'd from judgement, whether in Heav'n or Hell,
and attain the ease thee seeks."
 
It should be noted that some Internet sleuths claim that the verses appear to be a clumsy transposition of Middle English with phrases inaccurately lifted from texts by Bunyan and Milton, and furthermore, the clay fragments appear to be actually part of a broken Hello Kitty ashtray that was discovered in the clearance section of a Chicago dollar store, and the date on the price tag indicates the date of manufacture is 1982. Said experts add that the purported cuneiforms are just brush texture marks from a cheap paint job intended to keep the price of the item at a dollar.
 
Since we're all familiar with the inaccuracy of internet data, these so-called corrections can be dismissed as fake news, and the transcription can be assumed to be as accurate as a modern day bio of a rock star or Hollywood actor, well within Internet standards of veracity.

...godfathers of punk...
 
It was probably around this time that Godfathers of Punk appeared, though most Internet accounts vary depending on which Record Label press release is the source document. Because of the vast and confusing body of data on the subject, it’s best to leave the subject a matter of personal conviction between each person and their streaming playlists.
 
…before we go into the history of punk rock…
 
In attempting to present the reader with an accurate history of a music genre, we have to address the fact that artists will say anything to get people to buy albums.The temptation to lie like a dog isn't exclusively a musical vice. Politicians routinely issue outrageous statements with no appearance of embarrassment or shame, and certainly in America, such elastic standards of truth are considered justified if the goal is to get super rich. 

As such, I'll assume all musical sources are true unless proven otherwise. Also, I won't bother with dates or names so no one has to remember anything.
 
The music industry never made any secret of the fact that they were in the entertainment business until the 60s, when the young rebels of rock and roll rejected the shallow values of money grubbing, reliance on top 40 singles, embraced the importance of relevance and social consciousness, and explored the deeper artistic aims and profit margins that could be achieved through the broader canvas of the long playing album.
 
The major labels were certainly taken aback at first, but came to Jesus very quickly; after all, the higher markup on albums made revolution, peace, and love a win-win for all, and figured that once these rebellious crusaders became rich, they'd see the light and get serious about extracting every possible revenue stream from their adoring fans.
 
Which is how it pretty much stayed through the CD era, as artists and labels kept prices up by increasing the content of new releases to 50-60 minutes, even if that meant consumers had to buy the whole package to get the song or songs they actually wanted. Sure, singles were still released, but were priced well above that of old school 45s.

...the turning point...
 
The turning point in the United States was the development of what was known as the “concept album,” which in theory meant the songs were part of some really deep theme, man, or in the case of one famous example, The Who’s “Tommy,” told a story that had a lot of deep meaning and significance. Like with Tommy, the story could be so awesome that it was necessary to issue the work as a double album, which not only allowed the plot to fully develop, but increased the take. Like sand in a bikini bottom, art and business always finds a way.
 
That was when the United States and England began to diverge (again); while the Yanks moved towards albums, the British artists, as a general rule, still thought in terms of releasing singles first for an audience that wanted the songs heard on the radio, then following up with albums. Even progressive rock groups, who specialized in long, complicated songs, made sure to release airplay friendly singles.
 
The point was, you released 45s to get airplay, and made your money doing live performances. Of course, it’s more complicated than that, but good enough for the purposes of this blog entry.
 
…singles and LPs…

That’s why punk rock developed differently than in America, and without the English rockers, the music could have just ended up being a cult or critic’s band type genre. There, most of the radio airplay, which was critical to success, centered on the BBC and pirate stations. That made it easier to break one’s music, and all a band needed was a single (or even a tape with the pirate stations). I’m simplifying, of course, but across the Atlantic pond, a band or artist didn’t necessarily need to record an album or even get signed to get attention from the music media.
 
In other words, the British music culture never abandoned the single, which in America had receded in influence during the 60s. That’s an important difference, because how the punk genre developed in England influenced it’s American counterpart.
 
Singles were always the primary form of promo, and given the most studio time. A group might spend a couple of hours recording the single, and be given just one more to record the rest of the album. The single, at least the "A Side," represented the artist's best effort to sell music to the public. American groups in the 60s eventually started recording albums first, then selecting cuts from it to be singles. This practice would be reinforced by Rock mags that'd mainly review the LPs as a unit, unlike English pubs that would have celebrities commenting on the latest singles as well.
 
 In England, even groups like the Beatles would release singles first, then later include those on an album, or in the case of songs like "Rain," or "Hey Jude," those would end up on a later compilation album. Singles  would often be left off of a U.K. album because it was seen as making the public pay for the song twice. There's a lot of other reasons and exceptions, of course, but as a generality, that's basically how the two cultures approached singles.
 
…the beauty…
 
The beauty of a single is that the consumer generally knows it from radio airplay, wants the song and can buy it. The lower cost also encourages people to take a chance on a new group. Until the advent of streaming, the main choice the labels offered was to buy a set of songs, most unheard, and unlike most other products, there was no money back guarantee. In the CD era, new releases were almost always near the one hour range to keep the price up, which taxed the abilities of more than one group to fill with killer cuts. Most consumers have experienced the joy of buying an album and only liking some of the cuts, but as with products like phone-based customer service and autocorrect, the consumer has learned to eat poop and like it.
 
There were always singles, of course, but the CD versions were more expensive than vinyl 45s, and never really caught on. Labels (and artists with big expenses) had no incentive to give consumers just the songs they wanted. Which, incidentally, is the reason why the industry hated cassette decks that could tape songs off the radio. Most consumers won't buy albums if they can get the actual song they want (for free or otherwise).
 
…indies…
 
Indie artists have always put out albums, of course, but after going through the expense and labor of putting one out, they ran into the dirty little secret of the music business, and the major labels had the same problem, which was that distributors hold most of the power, both in distribution and payment. More than one indie label in the 50s and 60s went under when the distributor screwed them out of their money.
 
That's why Walmart, the biggest retail seller, can require an otherwise rebellious artist to put out a PG rated version of an album (in America, revolution is all about saying a lot of dirty words). You can be a rebel, if you don't mind losing millions in sales. Most end up choosing compromise, which is the American Way, and most fans will understand the deep angst involved. [citation needed on the last sentence, I'm just assuming consumers think like Record execs and millionaire artists]



…very early punk…
 
By the late 70s, a new band in the US that wanted to make the big time faced many obstacles besides fighting oppression by The Man and achieving world peace. There was the expense of "pro level" instruments and equipment, and being told that labels required quality demos that could cost thousands of dollars to record. Then the tape was submitted to the labels, who would only choose a few from the thousands submitted. If you were lucky, one of the label A&R men might discover you, but most had to submit demos.
 
If you got signed, your advance was generally a loan against royalties, and if the record flopped (or didn't make the money back), as most did, then you either played what they told you to try and make the money back, or they owned your publishing.
 
…you can make it…
 
An artist could break through on a regional level, mainly through live performance, but their ability to make money from recording was limited by the ferociously corrupt music media and of course, being at the mercy of distributors who might not even bother to pick up a product that wouldn't sell the minimum number of copies required to make the kind of profit that was considered worth the trouble.
 
There was one exception, where a new sound or culture would arise in some city or region that the industry couldn't ignore, like the psychedelic bands in San Francisco, or the beat groups in England, but that wasn't always a given. A scene in Boston got a lot of hype in the 60s, for example, but not much came of it.
 
Keep in mind, I'm moving very quickly. For a deeper understanding of music history, a search on Google can unearth a lot of interesting and fun detail to flesh out my narrative or confirm my ignorance. Either way, please follow your heart, or whatever your spirit animal tells you to do.
 
…Back to England...
 
Just before the English Punk explosion in the 70s, there was a popular club level music called Pub Rock, which was essentially sped up R&B and 60s rock, which spawned groups such as Dr. Feelgood and Brinsley Schwartz, and was headed in the same direction of the NYC scene that featured groups like the Ramones and Patti Smith, that is to say, cult status fortified by support by friends who were mostly Rock critics.
 
However, two things happened, both in England and in America.
 
The Pub Rock movement became a scene where many of the future punk stars got their start. One example was Joe Strummer, a founding member of the Clash who was in a group called the "101'ers" and another being Nick Lowe who was a member of Brindley Schwartz, who became a solo artist and producer for the influential Stiff label (Elvis Costello, etc).
 
In the states, an English manager/promoter named Malcom McLaren had failed to make a group called the New York Dolls into big stars, and went back to England and tried again with a group called The Sex Pistols. From this point on, the events are historical and well documented on the internet and worth further study. I could delineate it all here, but I do need to start getting to the actual point of this essay. My duty to truth demands it.
 
…getting the breaks…
 
What broke punk wide open wasn't massive record sales, but the Sex Pistols managing to capture both the imagination of a subculture of young people looking for something new, and generating an epic amount of negative publicity that, as usual in such cases, had the effect of raising their profile to the international level. That made people talk about punk, and even the mainstream media began looking around for punk bands to cover.
 
The crowning glories were that their single, Anarchy In The U.K., was banned from the BBC, and causing an national uproar when they responded to an interviewer's challenge to say obscenities on TV and thus finding it almost impossible to find places to play in the ensuing uproar. Which of course had the effect of putting punk on the map. Not many artists can say that a whole country hated their guts, though a great many try to achieve that (though not too hard of course, just enough to sell records).
 
The Pistols had one other big effect on the scene; the audiences that came to the early Sex Pistol gigs included fans like Joe Strummer and Billy Idol, and bands like the Buzzcocks were formed by those fans who often hadn’t played in a band before or could even play instruments. It was a similar situation to the early 60s rock scene there.
 
…basic currency…
 
The currency of punk was the single. Groups that the industry wouldn't touch put out singles which were eagerly played on the pirate stations there.The basic aesthetic was; if you wanted to play, then form a band and just do it. Put out a single if you were capable of creating a song, don't wait till some label found you. That resulted in the recording of a lot of music that varied in quality, much like today’s digital age, but the lack of gatekeepers and perceived expense made the music game accessible to a lot of young people, who took advantage.
 
The emphasis on live performance also gave fans an on opportunity to see bands up close, which wasn't unique of course, but in America, music had evolved too much into American Dream territory, to make it big and play big gigs for lots of money. It was all about stars and audiences buying albums and watching them in big halls and stadiums (or in disco, dispensing with musicians and just playing records).
 
It goes without saying that punk eventually ended up there too, but young people really do prefer to see and hear music from their own generation, so each wave has to rise and fall so the next get their turn.
That's a very broad stroke, but essentially the truth. Like I said in the October blog, if it wasn't punk, it'd have been something else.
 
The whole punk thing created an opening for a new generation of musicians, and that's why the Pistols are such a big symbol in the upcoming serial novel. Musicians have played in clubs and bars forever, but only at certain times did they feel that it was part of something bigger and could play their own songs and music.
 
…other examples…
 
Other periods that were similar included early Delta Blues, 50s Chicago Blues and Rock and roll, Doo-Wop, Early Rap, Bop, and free jazz, to name a few. Artists that were playing something new, and important enough that the money wasn't always the point. It was something they loved enough to do for free, which was often necessary because of the often low or non-existent pay they had to accept to play.
 
Many of the people reading this blog will understand that sensibility; writing indie books, doing crafts, hobbies, or playing/recording music has to be from love as the financial rewards aren't often there. Most of the bands who played punk didn't earn much, but got the chance to feel like part of something bigger, and like the feeling an indie author gets when he or she publishes a book, there's a feeling that they've beaten the odds and did something not everybody could do.
 
That was Punk's biggest contribution; it helped reset the cycle (in rock) and made the starting line open to anybody again. In the pre-digital era, that was no small thing.
 
…important and influential punk artists and groups…
 
As far as a list of important punk artists, that’s something the reader can find in abundance on the internet. The lists can vary, depending on the compiler’s tastes, or agenda, but most are sources of many hours of rewarding exploration, listening pleasure, argument, and judgements as to the level of intelligence or taste in other cretins and philistines who don't get it.
 
What I can do, though, is list the groups that were important to me and other punk rockers at the time. What was heard in the Mabuhay, both on stage and over the PA system during breaks, and talked about by artists there were often different than described in articles about the music.
 
For example, the San Francisco rock scene that started in the 60s was still vibrant in 1977, yet the Mabuhay never played anything by the Jefferson Airplane or other psychedelic groups. There were writers at the time that asserted that many of those now legendary groups were Godfathers of Punk, but in reality, it was sort of true, and sort of not.

...record collection...
 
As an avid record collector, for example, I had every Airplane, Hot Tuna, and Grateful Dead album, but had no desire to hear that stuff in the club, or even thought of them as musical heroes or influences there. The names that meant something included The Sex Pistols, Clash, Wire, Generation X, Ramones, Patti Smith, Television, Iggy Pop, The Stooges, to name a few, and in terms of 60s groups, one heard talk about the Kinks, Stones or even Captain Beefheart rather than the Beatles or Beach Boys.
 
There wasn’t a consensus either; there were punk artists that thought this or that group was “too pop,” and most of the mainstream attempts to incorporate punk were laughed at, particularly the ones who did it to prove they were the original punks. I won’t name examples of the latter, but will quote Lenny Bruce who said, “there’s nothing sadder than an aging hipster.”

- Al Handa


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The Al & Ivy Homeless Literary Journal Archive:

There are earlier blog entries on the Delta Snake Review section of this site that aren't on the On The Road page:
http://deltasnake.blogspot.com





-Al Handa



The American Primitive Acoustic Collection by Handa-McGraw International can be streamed on all of the major services, including Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon, and dozens of others.



Friday, November 5, 2021

On The Road With Al And Ivy: A Literary Homeless Chronicle - Nov. 5th, 2021



"Injustice is relatively easy to bear; what stings is justice."

- H.L. Mencken (Prejudices, Third Series, 1922)

One of the decisions about "The Quitters" was how “historical” it should be. To a certain extent, it has to be, as most of the scene described in the early chapters was centered on late 70s era Broadway Street in San Francisco (part of the North Beach section), no longer exists. The strip clubs, particularly the (in)famous Condor Club, are still on the corner of Columbus and Broadway, but muted and now are rather ritzy “Gentleman’s Clubs” which are a far cry from the sleazy dives (complete with Barkers) that extended in a line further down the street.

Two landmarks are gone, victims of the times, gentrification and high rents. The first was Enrico’s, a famous coffee house and restaurant, and Finnochio’s, the bar that featured cross-dressing performers, both of which are mentioned in chapters for color and as part of the story. Gone also is the pinball parlor that was next to the Mabuhay Gardens, smoke and magazine shop, and bookstore (not City Lights, which was further down and across the street) that I frequented when up there for gigs or shows.

Some of the other locations in the book, such as the Caffe Trieste, which is one block up Columbus, on Grant Street and the Saloon, which was a blues club across the street from it, appear to still be there, though in what form, I don’t know. Which isn’t important, I remember both well enough to describe how the two looked back in 1978.

I'll have the same problem when the scene shifts to Southern California later on.

…period piece…

So, the story will be a period piece, and the attitudes, speech, and behavior of the characters will be typical for that era, without 2021 attitudes and biases. I’ve noticed in articles about Broadway Street that the perceptions range from approval that the low rent aspect is gone, to nostalgia about the seedy bohemian atmosphere of North Beach. I’m sure the truth is somewhere in the middle.

Since Broadway Street is central to the story, I should give a basic description of it, and you can trace the route on Google Earth or maps to get a clearer picture, though what I’m going to describe is what existed in 1977, not 2021.

Broadway begins at the east boundary of the Presidio, which is up North, right by the Golden Gate Bridge. It runs eastward, starting in the Pacific Heights district, all the way past Chinatown into North Beach. Starting at the Columbus Street intersection; on one side there was the Condor Club and assorted strip joints, a bookstore, smoke shop, Enrico’s, and other assorted businesses that led up to the pinball parlor and Mabuhay Gardens across the street. Once past those businesses, the street continued east towards the Embarcadero near the Waterfront and Pier 9.



…north beach…

That last section, mainly North Beach, was considered lowdown (aka bohemian) at the time (though a lot less so than parts of the city now), but a major draw for tourists. The Barkers outside the strip clubs, whose job was to lure customers in, are perceived as an obnoxious element now, but were considered part of the local color back then. Some were even minor celebrities, though all worked under the shadow of the most famous wayward star, Carol Doda. In spite of the notoriety, it wasn’t a red light district in the classic sense of the word. Most of the prostitution (at least the visible presence) was actually down south, centered around Mission Street in the Tenderloin, which was a different place than it is now. It’s good to keep in mind that Mission street is another long boulevard that cuts through other districts.

As far as the amount of historical detail, there’ll be just enough to give the stories the proper amount of context. Since it’s going to be a novel, I do intend to take some liberties, such as creating composites, etc. These days, the concept of a historical novel has become diffuse, and often subject to approval or disapproval by fans with a wide variety of viewpoints. The more detail there is, the more the discussion about the book can be sidetracked into disputes over accuracy.

…historical points…

For example, one article I read stated that the Mabuhay Club used strip club style Barkers, which I never saw, but perhaps that was true earlier on. It doesn’t serve the purposes of my book to get into a debate on that point (though it goes without saying that the writer in me saw some epic possibilities in creating fictional hucksters to populate the sidewalk in front). I decided that such characters didn’t serve the greater truth, which was that the venue housed a vibrant music scene that grew on it’s own, not because people had to be hustled in from the street.

The punk scene was wild enough, anyway, and my main concern is capturing it all and to avoid just conjuring up a freak show to merely shock (though as an artist, I do reserve the right to sensationalize and pander as necessary) or exaggerate my importance in the scene (though again, as a literary option, I reserve the right to make the main character embody the best qualities of stardom and legendary musical ability). There’s already enough material accumulated that I’m going to have to create composites and fictional characters to fit it all in (though finally, true to my uncompromising devotion to the fictional form, I reserve the right to make shit up and create outrageous situations to titillate as needed to transition readers to the paid chapters).

…going down memory lane…

I had two priorities, and a decision to make. The priorities were to reconstruct the history of the band (to make sure my fictional version was different, so I can discuss that period in the blog without creating spoilers) and to gather enough information to describe roughly what the area looked like in 1977. The most important decision was whether to use actual names of people and bands. I’ll probably follow a middle course, where much of the geographic detail is accurate, and use some artist and band names on the periphery of the story to give some context but not use them as characters. Certainly in the last part of the book, the account of the Sex Pistols concert at Winterland needs to be historically correct.

Reconstructing my band’s history was a lot easier, since I remember most of what happened. One thing that did fade in my aging memory bank was exactly how many times we played at the Mabuhay and when. That’s not a critical detail in the novel, but since this is also being done for fun, it was interesting to track that information down. As said in the previous blog entry, information on who played at the club is sketchy, and what little there is focuses on the various headliners. The shows generally featured at least three bands, and sometimes a fourth, which is a lot of history that isn’t documented.

I was able to get the dates from a site called the Punk Music Catalogue (https://punkmusiccatalogue.wordpress.com) in England, which has a surprising amount of detail on the bands that played at the Mabuhay, and a nice collection of flyers grouped by month and year.

…pass the ointment…

I found the six dates we played as “Ointment,” from 1977 to 1978, though the seventh as “Black Legion” wasn’t listed. Our first gig was going to be with Nuclear Valdez, UXA, Animal Things (who changed their name to Negative Trend), and us. The headliner, Nuclear Valdez, had to cancel after getting into a car accident on the way up to San Francisco (they were a South Bay band also), so the Avengers filled in on short notice.

…the bands that play together, stay together…

Dirk Dirksen, the promoter, had a system (described in detail in the book) that often resulted in groups of bands playing together as they moved up the ladder. Off the top of my head, our band played on two shows with the Avengers (already headliners), UXA, and Negative Trend. When UXA and Negative Trend moved up, we played a couple of shows with them, and finally when the latter began to headline, they kept us on their bill for a couple of shows. At that point, we got a headlining gig as Black Legion, and unfortunately, that was the last show for us.

I don’t have detailed information on the last shows with Negative Trend (who changed to Negative Trends) and as Black Legion, but the other bands on those nights included SST, Sleepers, The Liars, and Statics.

…a brief survey…

A brief survey of the headliners and other popular bands included; Crime (one of the earliest to play there), Nuns, Avengers, UXA, Negative Trend, Tuxedo Moon, Mary Monday, Mutants, Liars, Statics, Magister Ludi (a personal favorite after Negative Trend), Sleepers, Psychotic Pineapple, Readymades, The Dils (from Southern California), Nuclear Valdez, Novac, Seizure, Dead Kennedys, and the Offs. That’s just a bunch off the top of my head to give you a sampler.

My personal favorites were Negative Trend, Magister Ludi, Mutants, The Dils, and Psychotic Pinapple. The first two had the most spectacular live shows that made my jaw drop at how close to the edge they got. I liked the Mutants and The Dils for their songs, which were well crafted, and the Pineapple were cool because they emulated the 60s Psychelic Garage Bands like The 13th Floor Elevators and the Seeds.

I also liked the Nuns and Avengers, who were on the bill with the Sex Pistols at Winterland. The book will have a detailed account of that concert, which I’ll write from memory, without research (other than making sure of the date, etc), so that no second or third hand accounts slip into the narrative. There are descriptions of the event based on the bootleg (mostly from the KSAN-FM simulcast) which aren’t entirely accurate, as the mix isn’t what was actually heard live.

…put it on my account…

My account will also describe the mixed reaction of the audience. The show was a sellout, but a large number of tickets were scooped up by scalpers due to the wide publicity, but the price had dropped to a dollar by showtime. Many in the Mabuhay crowd didn’t go, and in fact, gathered at the club to listen to the FM simulcast. Descriptions of Johnny Rotten’s seemingly detached attitude was ascribed to the impending breakup of the band, but was also probably due to knowing that most of the crowd, besides the punks crowding up in front, were mainly tourists and Winterland regulars curious to see what the fuss was about.

However, it was a historic concert, and ranks in the top five of favorite shows (for me). In person, Rotten’s punkass attitude and charisma was a wonder to see, and yes, he was being flippant, with a hilarious disregard of the 70s rock star ethos. The SF punks were very good, but once the Pistols walked on to the stage, even the tourists in back stopped talking and starting watching. The English punks were the real thing and you could feel the change in presence when they came on.

…coming in December…

The December blog entry will feature a preview of the book, a look at the first three chapters, and a concise history and survey of the Punk music scene as it existed in late 1977. As an added attraction, there’ll be a piece about those artists who were called, or gave themselves the title of “Godfather Of Punk,” and how myths about rock music often end up being regarded as real history. It goes without saying, that all the subjects will be treated with strict adherence to Internet standards of truth and respect for others.



“New facts are seldom plucked from the sky; they have to be approached and smelled out by a process of trial and error, in which bold and shrewd guessing is an integral part.”

“If we assume that man actually does resemble God, then we are forced into the impossible theory that God is a coward, an idiot, and a bounder.”

- H.L. Mencken

If there's one thing more certain than death or trolling, it's that the world is full of stupid people with the exception of one person, depending on who's doing the talking. American democracy, as expressed through the internet, has produced the greatest number of stupid people in history, or more precisely, those labeled as stupid, though there is a small number who want to be called stupid by someone dressed in leather, plus those who admit to it, which, of course, repulses everyone who thinks they aren't stupid, the number of which being equal to the number who are assumed to be stupid by others. The logic is straightforward and obvious. [Citation needed by someone who is stupid to confirm this]

Nature is more just when punishing dummkopfs, as it only smites life forms which are actually stupid and unfit to have a social media account. If mankind took on the task of weeding out the stupid, it would result in an extinction event, as pretty much everyone has been classified as estupido by someone at some point.

…a true pioneer…

The greatest practitioner of the American science of sniffing out cretinism was the great journalist, essayist, satirist, and cultural critic, H. L. Mencken. He was arguably an elitist influenced by Nietzsche, a German philosopher who ended up as a patron saint of snobs, free market chest thumpers, elitists, fascists, wealthy people, political parties, and the happy few who know what real rock and roll is.

At his best, Mencken was a writer who was utterly fearless, and often very funny. At his worst, he could be irascible, opinionated, and elitist, which a good many people might think after reading his works. However, any writer who honestly speaks his or her mind will have both supporters and detractors.

Mencken had a simple outlook; he simply assumed that most of mankind was stupid, though generally ranking women and animals (such as amoebas and mackerels) higher than men in terms of intelligence. He did admit that men knew a lot, but called their skills “merely a congeries of petty tricks and antics, and their acquirement puts little more strain on the mental powers than a chimpanzee suffers in learning how to catch a penny or scratch a match.” An assessment that would be heartily cheered as “right on” by 50% of the population, and trigger butt hurt assertions about who built the skyscrapers and won every hot dog eating contest in the other 50%.

It goes without saying that if you think everyone is stupid, you’re going to be right at least some of the time, which is a principle that has ancient orgins, such as in Chapter 10, paragraph 8, of the Forbidden Gospel of Murgatroyd, the relevant fragment being discovered in a pile of cheap packing material in the dock area of a Chicago Salvation Army store in 1936, before the invention of bubble wrap. The passage, which was in Homeric era Ionian Greek reads, “Echt einst haha lol wee wee gomenasai ull-bay it-shay fignya,” which roughly translates in English to “Everyone is stupid except Zeus.” [citation needed, some experts assert that the fragment is actually a page from an Alabama cook book circa 1925]

…yet one guy wasn’t stupid…

One of the thinkers he admired was actually a male, the controversial and influential philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche, and he wrote a book about his life and ideas, knowing that few would buy it, which in this country is a sign of true conviction (and of course, stupidity). The book, “The Philosophy Of Fredrich Nietzsche,” discusses, among other things, the analogy that Greek civilization had an artistic, introspective side in the God Apollo, and a wild-ass side in Dionysius, and at it's peak, attained a balance between the two.

Modern analogies to this delicate balance would include the concept of yin and yang, good and evil, sweet and sour pork, dogs and cats, bacon and plant based sausages, cola and uncola, and Democrats and Republicans [citation desperately needed on the last one].

Good examples of Apollonian inspired life would be ketchup in hot dogs, playing the nickel slot machines in Vegas, and gluten free food products. The Dionysian side would be represented by such things as hot dog eating contests, jeans that let the lower half of your buns show, and eating grapes in grocery stores before reaching the checkout area. Hopefully, these real world examples will make the sublime philosophical concepts clear to the average layman.

...here comes superman...

The most controversial aspect of his philosophy was the concept of a "superman," which was basically (and I'm simplifying here) an ideal person, one who attains the fullest potential and creativity. That term, which in German reads, “Ubermensch,” translates to terms such as “superman,” “overman,” or “superhuman” was said to be about a future state for men to aspire to, but has been subject to a wide variety of interpretations from creative types like the Beat Poets to Nazi’s paraphrasing it to justify the concept of a master race.

The idea of supermen is, unsurprisingly, attractive to alphas. One famous example of an artist who was influenced by one of Nietzsche's works, "Thus Spoke Zarathustra," was Jack Kerouac, whose beat philosophy was overtly masculine and generally viewed women as part of the scenery of a life lived for art and pleasure, finding oneself in the company of fellow Dionysians who reject the strictures that others passively accept. In other words, intellectual guys being guys.

Whether Nietzsche’s relevant or not, is really up to you, but any study of his work is worthwhile if it’s from the actual source material and not what other people say it is. That goes for the Bible, Darwin, or any other text. One of his observations that's still of value, is that religions and systems of morality that are said to come from higher powers, are often just men putting words in their God’s mouths. Keeping tabs on, and if necessary, putting a check on the power of those doing the talking is still an exercise worth mankind's time.

...other books...

Checking out other H.L. Mencken books would be a worthwhile exercise for a writer or artist. Book writing courses tend to stress style, and what it takes to be a successful (that is to say, bestselling) author, but not always what it takes to find out who they really are or want to say as an artist. Reading books by people who were uncompromising, and seemingly impervious to criticism can give an insight into what moral courage is on the artistic plane. It’s not what such writers say, which one can find disagreeable or controversial, but how a personality or sensibility expresses itself in a work.

In other words, when reading Mencken, you know who’s talking; there’s no veil, filters or attempts to generate or avoid controversy. All of the truly great writers have that quality, to seem as if they’re talking directly to you. That’s not an easy talent to quantify or teach, even if the principle is simple and obvious, because, to paraphrase Mencken, it’s about finding the courage to be yourself.

Some of his books are free on sites like Amazon and Gutenberg Project, though the latter is recommended as it has a larger selection that haven't been repackaged as commercial products. I'd recommend checking out the free versions because, duh, it's free, but it’s also an opportunity to read whole works by the author before venturing into any commercial reissues or compilations.

- Al Handa



The American Primitive Acoustic Collection by Handa-McGraw International can be streamed on all of the major services, including Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon, and dozens of others.



The Music Of Handa-McGraw International can also be heard on the Electric Fog Factory on YouTube. You can hear the album, and dozens of unreleased cuts and demos, plus exclusive video of Ivy.