Standing on the street and watching the world move. I felt I was close to life. Human existence for sure, but actual living beings? It wasn't clear at that moment.
-Jay Unidos
Monday, March 30, 2009
I Have Dreams
I have the kind of dreams that suggest previous incarnations. I am open to suggestion when I dream of surfing in Hawaii or painting in Spain. I'm less receptive when the dreams involve violent confrontations with animals, people and monsters, some of which are invisible, making them the hardest to fight.
The worst dreams are the ones that feel like reality.
-Jay Unidos
The worst dreams are the ones that feel like reality.
-Jay Unidos
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Monday, March 23, 2009
UGZ Speed Trials 2009 • The Aftermath
So another UGZ Speed Trials has come and gone, and there were some lessons to be learned. Too many to write about here, but one thing is for sure, and that is if it has "UGZ" on the flyer or poster, then I need to be more involved. Not that I wasn't involved, but when you book 40-50 shows a year at Gilman, you begin to develop a system of trusting others to do stuff you used to do yourself because from a time standpoint it just makes more sense to delegate. I'm pretty careful when it comes to delegating some of my responsibilities, but every once in a while I am reminded that you can get a little too detached. You end up delegating things that you probably shouldn't. That said, the last couple of years of UGZ Speed Trials have turned out great, and so I can't totally dismiss my approach to UGZ Speed Trials booking and planning. We just a hit a Friday night bump this year, and so next year we will correct that mistake and bring a whole new approach to how we plan this event. UGZ Speed Trials is an event that a lot of people still love and look forward to every year, and I definitely appreciate that and hope to continue this for as long as possible, with some twists and turns thrown in to keep it interesting.
So the results from this year's UGZ Speed Trials were:
1. SFN (Wisconsin)
2. THOUANDSWILLDIE (East Bay)
3. IN DISGUST (San Jose)
As many of you who were there know, an altercation occured during IN DISGUST's set when a member of IN DISGUST and one of the Gilman security staff got into it. Aparently these two individuals had a history of not getting along prior to the Speed Trials, which I found out later. One thing I can tell you about Gilman after having dealt with various staff members, and booking over a hundred shows there, is that if you're seen punching anyone (or throwing punches) and no one is punching back, then they will porbably 86 you from the club. NOT the band, just whomever threw punches. The key thing to remember is that at Gilman, 86ing only lasts as long as it takes you to show up to a meeting to say you're sorry (usually). I know it's hard to apologize for some people, but then again it's easy. I'm also pretty prideful, and if I thought I was in the right, then I wouldn't back down or apologize, so I understand when someone decides to just stay 86ed rather than apologize for something they may feel was justified. Whatever, every situation is different. The next meeting at Gilman is April 4th at 5pm is anyone wants to come and express their opinion on this or any other matter at the club.
I have to thank Karen and Alejandra, but especially Karen for the BBQ and food that she came through with at this year's UGZ Speed Trials. Karen has really helped UGZ to take the food idea that we started at local warehouse venues to a whole other level. Contrary to what many people may believe, Gilman hasn't wholeheartedly supported and funded the food, posters, and many of the other details associated with UGZ shows the last couple of years. It took us (myself, Karen, and even Ale) several months of spending our own money to set the example for what could be done, and what needed to be done, and then after several months we began to ask Gilman for little bits of help at a time until in theory we would no longer have to go into our own pockets (for Speed Trials I still do obviously). Posters and promotional propaganda are now completely funded by the club, and have been for a while. Food is almost to the point where none of the volunteers, namely Karen, is losing money. So, that's a little insight into the Gilman universe. We have a list of things we'd like to do or add to the Gilman mix in the coming months, but we'll see how much of that actually gets done, but even if it doesn't, at least we did what we did. Thanks for your support.
-Jay Unidos
So the results from this year's UGZ Speed Trials were:
1. SFN (Wisconsin)
2. THOUANDSWILLDIE (East Bay)
3. IN DISGUST (San Jose)
As many of you who were there know, an altercation occured during IN DISGUST's set when a member of IN DISGUST and one of the Gilman security staff got into it. Aparently these two individuals had a history of not getting along prior to the Speed Trials, which I found out later. One thing I can tell you about Gilman after having dealt with various staff members, and booking over a hundred shows there, is that if you're seen punching anyone (or throwing punches) and no one is punching back, then they will porbably 86 you from the club. NOT the band, just whomever threw punches. The key thing to remember is that at Gilman, 86ing only lasts as long as it takes you to show up to a meeting to say you're sorry (usually). I know it's hard to apologize for some people, but then again it's easy. I'm also pretty prideful, and if I thought I was in the right, then I wouldn't back down or apologize, so I understand when someone decides to just stay 86ed rather than apologize for something they may feel was justified. Whatever, every situation is different. The next meeting at Gilman is April 4th at 5pm is anyone wants to come and express their opinion on this or any other matter at the club.
I have to thank Karen and Alejandra, but especially Karen for the BBQ and food that she came through with at this year's UGZ Speed Trials. Karen has really helped UGZ to take the food idea that we started at local warehouse venues to a whole other level. Contrary to what many people may believe, Gilman hasn't wholeheartedly supported and funded the food, posters, and many of the other details associated with UGZ shows the last couple of years. It took us (myself, Karen, and even Ale) several months of spending our own money to set the example for what could be done, and what needed to be done, and then after several months we began to ask Gilman for little bits of help at a time until in theory we would no longer have to go into our own pockets (for Speed Trials I still do obviously). Posters and promotional propaganda are now completely funded by the club, and have been for a while. Food is almost to the point where none of the volunteers, namely Karen, is losing money. So, that's a little insight into the Gilman universe. We have a list of things we'd like to do or add to the Gilman mix in the coming months, but we'll see how much of that actually gets done, but even if it doesn't, at least we did what we did. Thanks for your support.
-Jay Unidos
Friday, March 13, 2009
JFK was a great film
JFK was a great film. It was Oliver Stone at his best. I remember watching it once at three in the morning, in a dark empty apartment, and about half way through it I began to feel very worried about all my previous "political" activity. Paranoia set in big time. As I sat there, the apartment walls seemed to suddenly close in on me, and the temperature of the room felt colder. I began to ponder things like how long it might take someone to realize I was gone if I was ever to be gone suddenly.
Now that's a film!
JFK was creepy, thought provoking, and it really played to all of Oliver Stone's cinematic gifts. Nixon was also good, and one of the overlooked gems in Stone's filmography. I'm just putting that out there for anyone who hasn't seen it.
I just watched W, which is Oliver Stone's most recent film, and while it's been a long time since I really liked anything he's done, this film seemed promising on paper. Top notch subject matter, top notch actors, and a writer/director who has shown the ability to do something special with those kinds of ingredients before. Unfortunately, I have to recommend that you don't waste your time on W. W is a TV movie at best, but with a big budget cast, and a big budget look. Oliver Stone tries to be way too subtle for most of W, and subtlety has never been a strength of Oliver Stone's writing or direction. There is a lot of stuff he just left out and that's not subtlety, and it's not the Olver Stone we've come to know and appreciate over the years. For that reason, it's actually distracting, and not just an annoyance.
People from Stone's generation had Nixon, but for future generations, their Nixon will be George W Bush. That is important to note, and I'm not sure that Stone and his crew were capable of seeing that the way most of us do now.
-Jay Unidos
Now that's a film!
JFK was creepy, thought provoking, and it really played to all of Oliver Stone's cinematic gifts. Nixon was also good, and one of the overlooked gems in Stone's filmography. I'm just putting that out there for anyone who hasn't seen it.
I just watched W, which is Oliver Stone's most recent film, and while it's been a long time since I really liked anything he's done, this film seemed promising on paper. Top notch subject matter, top notch actors, and a writer/director who has shown the ability to do something special with those kinds of ingredients before. Unfortunately, I have to recommend that you don't waste your time on W. W is a TV movie at best, but with a big budget cast, and a big budget look. Oliver Stone tries to be way too subtle for most of W, and subtlety has never been a strength of Oliver Stone's writing or direction. There is a lot of stuff he just left out and that's not subtlety, and it's not the Olver Stone we've come to know and appreciate over the years. For that reason, it's actually distracting, and not just an annoyance.
People from Stone's generation had Nixon, but for future generations, their Nixon will be George W Bush. That is important to note, and I'm not sure that Stone and his crew were capable of seeing that the way most of us do now.
-Jay Unidos
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Sunday, March 08, 2009
An Hour Ahead
In case you were wondering about my last blog - Harmony Korine Part 2 - look no further than a parallel universe: http://blog.wethepunx.com/
Just to update anyone and everyone who follows this blog, we had a final vote this past Saturday for Gilman's Board of Directors, which as you may recall were hand picked in a misguided move by the club's treasurer at the end of last year, resulting in an uprising (I wish) by club membership that forced a proper nomination and vote process to take place. Three of the previously handpicked Board Of Directors failed to muster enough voter support to retain their seats on the board (one chose not to run). The booking department, which had been left off the board by the handpicked, non-democratic process back in 2008, easily attained a seat on the club's Board on Saturday. The new Gilman Board Of Directors consists of four women (all ages), and Pat Wright, who is in his late sixties. The people have spoken.
I feel like drinking some Belgium or Belgium style brews today, but what I really want to know is if anyone is as bummed as I am at the number of first wave punks who are dropping dead all around us? Was it the lifestyle back in the day that did it? Could it have been the stress of eeking out an existence in the post apocalypse of the late seventies and early eighties? Lack of any kind of regular dental and healthcare? No need to answer because I'm sure we all know the answer.
-Jay Unidos
Wednesday, March 04, 2009
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)