Ted's Polish-Mexican Page

I caught the Luminarios with Mozart's Sister last week. Okay, it was supposed to be Mozart's Sister opening for the Luminarios, but Rich Hopkins and crew asked that the order be switched.

In any event, the Hut was rather sparsely populated. It was a Wednesday night, after all.

Some Luminarios shows can be iffy, with Hopkins gathering a few friends (often hours before the show) and playing whatever covers that the random aggregation can play together. In most cases, his confederates are like-minded so they can get away with it. This show was done as preperation for a European Tour, so it was a stable line-up that had rehearsed and played together before.

This line-up didn't include Anna Rosales, who I don't think will be in the group since she quit the Sidewinders. It's too bad actually, she was a good bass player and a nice vocalist. The band did, however, include guitarist Mark Zubia, who has been a fixture in the scene in Tempe for sometime.

There were a few trip ups here and there, at one point, Rich had to signal the drummer to stop durring a quiet part of a song. But it looks like the guys will be ready to tour. They will be playing Germany and Croatia. For some reason, those guys out there love Tucson bands. They have taste.

Mozart's Sister went on kinda late...too late for people like me to be up when we have to go to work the next day. But, it's the price we must pay to support local music. I think I see these guys too much. I'm seeing them more often than they write new songs. Soon, I'll be singing along and irritating them like I do with the Sidewinders.

A couple of their shows have been marred by poor sound, and this was one of them. Nothing as severe as the first of their shows that I caught at Heart V last year, though. Amy Muñoz's bass ended up being the lead instrument since Phil Hemmo's guitar was burried so far down in the mix. It probably didn't help that I was sitting fourty feet away though in that lonely, hollowed out space. The subdued sound didn't even rouse the populace when the normally crowd pleasing "(I Didn't Know Your Girl Was a) Crack Whore" came up.

They'll be at Plush on the 8th, which will be a much better space for them.


Hasta la proxima. Do zobaczenia.

I've heard complaints from many of you that I haven't put up a new post in a while. To which I respond, look at yourself. I mean, what have you done to get more material for this site?


Tom found this on YouTube. Before there was Giant Sand, there were the Giant Sandworms. The name was a bit longer but made more sense. In addition to Howe Gelb, this line up included original Giant Sandmen and Tucson scene stalwarts Scott Garber and Dave Seger. On drums is the tragic Billy "Sed" Sedylmayr.

This video was for the song "Body of Water," which didn't appear on either of their EP's (Will Wallow and Roam, Live at the Wildcat House). This was shown several times (I know 'casue I saw it) on The Rock and Roll Picture Show, which KGUN produced and aired on Saturday nights for a few years in the early 1980's. This means Tucsonans had a choice between watching videos on channel 9, or the Charles Rocket/Gilbert Godfried Saturday Night Live cast on channel 4. I think channel 13 was showing reruns of The Blue Knight, I'm not sure.

Dave Seger is instantly recognizable by his stance and gestures, which haven't changed in the intervening quarter century.

Why is it that Howe seems to be the only one that hasn't aged? Does he have some picture in a closet?


Hasta la proxima. Do zobaczenia.

University of Arizona Forward Chase Budinger


Chicago Fire Defender Jim Curtin

Hasta la proxima. Do zobaczenia.

Hasta la proxima. Do zobaczenia.

These are pics from last night's Wanda Jackson show. Santa Barbara's Cadillac Angels opened and backed up the Queen of Rockabilly when she performed.

The Cadillac Angels: Tony Balbinot on guitar, Steve Carter (formerly of the Neptunes) newly enthroned on the bass and Brian Fahey (formerly of the late lamented Paladins) on drums. Their songs ranged between slow, smoky surf instrumentals to rockabilly stompers. Did I hear a bit of Roy Orbison in Balbinot's voice on the slower love songs? Excellent.




After the Cadillac Angels finished their set, Wanda Jackson took the stage. The place was absolutely packed. The crowd ranged from country fans in their fifties and sixties to thirty something scenesters to rockabilly pin-up girls to young lesbians there to up the sisterhood. An interesting moment came when Jackson led the diverse crowd in a sing along of "I Saw the Light."

Wanda Jackson and her custom pink Daisy Rock guitar.






I can't think of a clever caption for this...but she seems really interested in talking to me, don't she? The white haired gentleman is her husband Wendell Goodman, who must be so tired of hearing about Elvis by now.


Hasta la proxima. Do zobaczenia.

I heard the Buzzcocks on an ad yesterday. The ad was for...

...the AARP.

Yes, that's right, the "active seniors" in the ad are rocking out to "Everybodys Happy Nowadays." Geez.

Yes, Pete Shelley is only four years away from being able to join the AARP, but that's not my point.


I poked around on You Tube for a video of the song. I know that there is some footage of them performing it on Top of the Pops (well, lipsynching really, it's sort of a Manchester version of American Bandstand), but I couldn't find it, which stunned me. A few years ago they released a video called Buzzcocks: Playback which featured it, and it seems that all the other videos from there have been uploaded. Oh well.

Also, I thought that there would be a posting of the commercial already. It took like, I dunno, ten minutes before a Fall fan posted the Mitsubishi ad.

I found this one of them playing "Sixteen Again" on the Old Grey Whistle Test.


Hasta la proxima. Do zobaczenia.

I wrote a soccer post the other day, and I got a complaint that there were no pictures of David Beckham. Yeah, there weren't. So? Y'all realize that even if he starts all those games for the Galaxy, there are going to be ten other guys out there, plus eleven on the other team. Some of them will look like Clint Mathis and Chris Albright. Sorry, ladies.

I am one of maybe two or three MLS fans in my immediate peer group, so I've been innundated with questions about Beckham and swooning from women who should know better. It's bad enough to hear that from women who consider themselves hyper-feminist and beyond such nonsense, but one gal that was swooning was lesbian. Is this guy so attractive that even lesbians jump the fence?

Anyway, in my own personal revenge, this is a picture of national team player Natasha Kai. It's all about how she's going to smoke those German defenders next week, really.


-sigh-

I suppose I have to relent. This is an interview that Beckham and "Posh" did with Ali G. Ever notice that if you put a mustache on Ali G, he'd look a lot like Borat?

Posh could be nice looking, I suppose. She could do with eating a few Zingers. Maybe she can come to Tucson and we can fill her up on the lunch special at Las Cazuelas.



Hasta la proxima. Do zobaczenia.

More pictures from last week's concert for Ariel Cramer. Blogger has been giving me a bit of trouble with the uploading. Lets see if this works.

Mariachi Aztlan, a group from Pueblo High School, plus Mariachi Luz de Luna.


Mariachi Luz de Luna, Mariachi Aztlan plus Calexico.
Mariachi Aztlan, Mariachi Luz de Luna, Calexico, Luca, the Electric Apes (horn players from Toronto that usually back up Jay Crocker) plus three younger folks. At this point, there were 35 musicians on stage. Why'd they bother with amps?

Hasta la proxima. Do zobaczenia.

Over at Big Soccer, fans of the other teams are already appropriating anti-Beckham songs from his time with Manchester United. This is one from Everton FC fans, which the New England Fans feel they can appropriate because it mentions a well regarded former Rev:

Posh Spice is a slag
Posh Spice is a whore
And when she's shagging Beckham
she dreams of Joe-Max Moore!

Here's another one:

How do Posh's knickers fit?
Do-dah!
Do-Dah!
How do Posh's knickers fit?
Oh, do-dah-day!

As you see, there's a theme here. Here's another:

Ging-ers Hotter! (Clap-Clap-Clap-Clap-Clap)
Ging-ers Hotter! (Clap-Clap-Clap-Clap-Clap)

I always liked Mary Ann myself.

Those of you out there that are saying, "Hey, that is sooo mean!" don't know the sort of fan abuse he took from Liverpool fans when he was with Manchester United or Barcelona fans when he plays for Real Madrid. Heck, we're pikers.


In all the talk about Beckham, the story that was lost was that New England Revolution player Clint Dempsey was transfered to Fulham FC for the highest amount ever for an American player. Dempsey will be joining former Chicago Fire player Carlos Bocanegra and former Columbus Crew great Brian McBride on the Cottagers' squad.

I was watching Keith Olberman the other night and he gave a list of over the hill players who played over here. None of the players he named played in MLS, but played in the NASL. He complained that MLS isn't developing American players. Dempsey's transfer is proof that they are, in fact, doing so. The fact that none of the "stars" that he named has played in twenty years is probably a good indication that he isn't doing a good job of following the goings on in the sport.

(Salon's King Kaufman, no soccer fan himself, has a much more nuanced and knowledgeable criticism of the deal.)



And, in another note, Real Madrid's coach, Fabio Capello has announced that if David Beckham wants to play for Los Angeles so badly, then he won't see any more playing time for Los Merengues.

Not like the guy was getting a lot of playing time anyway.



Hasta la proxima. Do zobaczenia.

According to a press release, David Beckham will play for the Los Angeles Galaxy when his contract with Real Madrid expires at the end of June.

Beckham joins up in July? Hmm...the way the Galaxy has played the last couple of seasons, they should be in the midst of a nine game losing streak around then.


Hasta la proxima. Do zobaczenia.

Dirty Teri, formerly of Vice Squad, and Mabel Sugar, late of the Furious Truckstop Waitresses, will be part of a group of TRD rookies in a new team, the Copper Queens.

Dirty Teri (captain)
Syd Rock (co-captain)
Bisbee Bea
Blue Mauli
Ferocious Oxide
Kay Boom
Lavendar Pitt
Mabel Sugar
Metal Maiden
Roxxy Slide

I'm glad to see that at least one of them, Bisbee Bea, pays tribute to Bisbee's baseball history. The name Lavendar Pitt is interesting; naming skaters after mines opens up a whole new unexplored realm of names. I'd recommend staying away from Twin Buttes, however.

What, no one has incorporated the word "wobbly" into a name? I may reconsider my FTW loyalties if any of y'all do that.

Dirty Teri has always been one of my faves, good luck with this team!


Hasta la proxima. Do zobaczenia.

So, I was telling a friend who will remain nameless that Wanda Jackson is going to be playing at Plush next week.

"Who's Wanda Jackson?"

I must educate everyone, that is the cross that I bear.

Wanda Jackson is the Queen of Rockabilly. That's it. What more can I say. How does one become Queen of Rockabilly? Well, you tour with Elvis Presley at the age of sixteen and sing snarling songs and play guitar at a time when women just didn't do stuff like that.

I found some videos on You Tube of the old days. Unfortunately, the newer stuff on there seems to be mostly fifteen and twenty second snippets of shows. I did find some older stuff though, and one newer clip of her performing "Fujiyama Mama," suprisingly a hit a Japan.




Hasta la proxima. Do zobaczenia.

Joey Burns of Calexico...with that guitar with too many knobs.


Calexico, backed up by members of Luca.
Burns with the always crowd pleasing Salvador Durán.

Calexico with Mariachi Luz de Luna.

Ruben Moreno of Mariachi Luz de Luna.

Marianne Disard with Calexico.

Mariachi Luz de Luna invited some younger guitar player's onstage. By the way, Luz de Luna played the a sort of "missing man" formation. There was no vihuela player.

Hasta la proxima. Do zobaczenia.