Agent Orange drops in on the Echoplex

Agent Orange played a rare set at the Echoplex in Echo Park on April 22 as part of a rather strange bill that included TRMRS and Black Apples. Formed in 1979, Agent Orange are one of the earliest surf punk bands to emerge from Orange County. With founding member Mike Palm as the only mainstay member of the band, which has featured a number of distinguished players such as Steve Soto from the Adolescents who played bass on the classic "Blood Stains" single, Agent Orange are one of the most seminal bands in the So Cal punk scene. (Local L.A. punk band A Pretty Mess frequently covers "Blood Stains" which has also been covered by L7) Joined by current drummer Dave Klein from the Ghastly Ones and bass player Perry Giordano, Agent Orange played a number of songs from the first album Living in Darkness including "Everything Turns Grey", "The Last Goodbye" and the title-track "Living in Darkness" as well as their cover of the Bel-Airs Mr. Moto which pretty much set the standard for surf punk. Palm was in particularly good form in front of the small but enthusiastic crowd. Remarking on how females seemed to be dominating the slam pit in front of the stage, Palm dedicated a cover of the Jefferson Airplane hit "Somebody to Love" to the girls in the pit. They finished off the evening with an edge-y but faithful cover of "Shakin’ All Over", a song originally written and performed by U.K. band Johnny Kidd & the Pirates in 1960 and made famous in the states by Chad Allen & the Expressions who later changed their name to the Guess Who.

Stuck in Time

We got lost today. Which is to say that we took a significant detour home following our daily walk in the park. "We" being a six year old Boston Terrier named Yoda who has been a part of my life for a little over two years now, and myself. We had done our usual lap around the track and as we headed toward the exit gate, as he does from time to time, Yoda gave a tiny tug on the leash indicating that he wanted to head in the opposite direction of our home. Perhaps to make up for past walks that were cut short because I had other things to do or maybe because I needed his company a little more than usual this day, I obliged and we journeyed down an unfamiliar street of Yoda’s choosing. We made our way down the street slowly, Yoda stopping occasionally to sniff the sidewalk, blades of grass, flowers and lamp posts along the path. Technically, I suppose we weren’t really lost since, having lived here for nearly fifteen years, I am well aware that in Silver Lake all roads lead to home eventually. But even if that weren’t true I couldn’t imagine a better companion to be lost with than Yoda.
I suppose that it’s his bulldog lineage that compels him to sniff the ground like some forensic detective canine in search of clues. Yoda will sniff one patch of ground and then another and back again, before lifting his head and panting happily as if coming to a satisfying conclusion, and then moving on. Or perhaps he’s conducting a scientific survey of all the different scents in the world, categorizing them and cataloging them for future dog-hood. Or perhaps he’s like me, searching for the small stories within the tiny details, absorbing all the data and assembling all that had occurred, as if it were a vast novel in his Boston Terrier brain.
In between bouts of sniffing he trotted happily beside me as we traveled on. For being six years old - middle age for a dog - Yoda still harbored a lot of puppy-like traits. He still enjoys pulling the covers off the bed and the pillows out of the pillow cases. (Of course, I shouldn’t allow him to do it but it amuses me to see him behave this way.) He enjoys playing ball more than any dog I’ve ever known, as well. And not being content to simply be the recipient of a game of "catch", Yoda’s favorite game is to bounce his soft, yellow rubber ball off of his snout to hurl it back towards me and then I catch it and toss it again to him. We’ve played many hours worth of Boston Terrier Volley Ball in this manner. Frequently he pads up to the door of my room, ball clutched in his mouth and he’ll poke his head into the doorway as I bang away at the computer. Then he’ll linger there as if to say "All work and no play Bob..." Before trotting up to me, dropping the ball at my feet and smiling. Yes, he smiles. I know they say that dogs don’t smile, at least not for the reasons we do, but I know Yoda smiles to express emotion. I’ve seen it many times. When he leaps up on to my lap to lick my hand or my cheek and to give me a look that seems to say "Thanks for the food and the treats..." or "Sorry I was bad before..." or even "Thank you for being here with me today..."
But then they also say dogs have no memory, that they live forever in the moment and have no concept of passing hours and days and are, in a sense, stuck in time. Which may be for the best since sometimes it strikes me, as it did earlier this day that we, as human beings in nature, always seem to outlive things that are smaller than us. That thought occurred to me as I watched Yoda snoring at the foot of my bed. He was stretched out on his back, his perfectly symmetrical black and white markings making him look like a snoozing gentlemen bulldog. Reflexively and without thinking I laid my hand across his warm chest to feel his heart beating. His eyes opened and I watched an irritated grimace change to an eager-to-please grin after I said "Go for a walk?"
At the end of the day, despite my numerous flaws and imperfections, I can feel that I provided a happy and healthy life to a deserving creature, at least for a time.

Our adventure came to an end as we happened upon more familiar streets and I felt a bit disappointed. It appeared that Yoda felt the same way as he slowed the pace of his trot to a hesitant crawl. Of course when we reached the edge of our block, we simultaneously broke into a sprint and dashed through the courtyard, up the stairs and into my apartment where Yoda knew there would be food and treats. And while our ninety minute journey maybe already, from Yoda’s point of view, a forgotten episode in his happy existence, it is and will be a treasured moment in my own, for however long that is.

Captured by Robots conquer the Redwood stage

Legend tells of a genius musician who created a band of robots to perform with him but the robots revolted and after ripping out his intestines and eyes they forced the musician, now known as JBOT, to travel the world with them as their slave. Sounds a bit like the plot of a James Wan movie, huh? This incredible stage act is actually the brainchild of Jay Vance, former member of the Ska punk bands Blue Meanies and Skankin’ Pickle. Based in San Francisco, Captured by Robots features GTRBOT 666 (pictured with JBOT) on guitar and bass, DRMBOT 0110 on drums, two animated stuffed apes on cymbals and tambourine and an automated three-piece horn section called the Headless Hornsmen as well as the lone human member JBOT. They conquered the Redwood Bar stage on Friday, April 8 and amazed the packed house that turned up for the show. The robots rocked out on pre-programmed 70's covers and interacted with the audience and each other with uncanny precision.

Supporting the show were Sean & Zander, better known as Sean Wheeler, singer for Throwrag and Zander Schloss, bass player for seminal punk bands the Weirdos and Circle Jerks. With those credentials one might expect a raucous stage show but it’s quite the opposite. The acoustic duo of Sean and Zander present a set of folk-flavored songs that are downright pretty. They have an album out now called Walk Thee Invisible available on itunes. Opening that night was Cuntsparrer, an all-girl Cocksparrer tribute band. Cocksparrer are an East End London punk band who have been performing and recording sporadically since 1972 and Cuntsparrer put a Cuddle Core spin on their Oi! classics like "Running Riot" by playing with acoustic guitar, organ and a minimal drum kit. Cuntsparrer went over well with the Redwood crowd and it was surprising how many audience members knew the lyrics to the songs.

Rock for Japan at the Redwood Bar

Normally when the print edition of Baby Jeepers hits the streets we celebrate with a big free party at an all ages location. Due to circumstances beyond my control we weren’t able to make this happen yet for issue #10. However, three of the four featured bands will be playing the Rock For Japan benefit on Wednesday, April 6 at the Redwood Bar including Roman Candle Wars, Sex Wolf, Brainspoon, Kamikaze (pictured from the back cover of Baby Jeepers #10) and Sassafras. The proceeds will be going to the Japanese Red Cross.

The Great Eastern Japan Earthquake was a 9.0 magnitude that triggered extremely destructive tsunami waves that struck Japan on Friday, March 11. Over 125,000 buildings were damaged and destroyed in the disaster. Thousands of people are dead and many more are still missing or injured. Almost half a million people are homeless. The Japanese Red Cross is helping evacuees cope with lack of electricity, cold weather, shortages of food and clothing as well as providing other badly needed supplies. You can help. If you can’t make it to the benefit or would like more information on how to donate directly, go to Redcross.org

Wed., April 6 at the Redwood Bar:
Roman Candle Wars -- 9:30 PM
Sex Wolf -- 10:00 PM
Brainspoon -- 10:30 PM
Kamikaze -- 11:30 PM
Sassafras -- 12:30 am

316 W. 2nd Street, downtown L.A.