As I was saying.



Today is a brand new chance to say again, and do over.

Hello friends, and here we are at the neck of another week. By chance did any of yinzers catch this weekend’s ‘One For The Weekend‘?

Though it’s a bit wordy, it really is a good one;

I often wonder about a creator’s legacy, and what ends up standing out among their entire life’s output, be it a master literary work, a timeless piece of art, or in this day and age, something like a racist tirade, ala Michael ‘Kramer’ Richards.

I also think an awful lot about one creative endeavor that inspires another of a different medium. Certainly, anyone who is say, a visual artist for example, will always be compelled to make art because of that indescribable chemical response that occurs in their brain upon seeing a painting, or drawing (for example) that they love. But what of inspiration that comes from nature, overheard conversation, architecture, or in my most recent case, a band from Australia called High Tension that is fronted by the most brutal throat mine ears hath ever absorbed.

While I have regularly been celebrating their catalog in its entirety, it’s their 2015 LP Bully that, as the kids say, absolutely slaps;

Like a taste?

Ok;

https://youtu.be/5t8GbcTtnq0

Their 2013 release ‘Death Beat’ is also super fantastic.

I get that it isn’t everybody’s cup of tea. I’m ok with that, unlike Rush fans who last week got especially offended upon my declaration that the band is, and always have been totally unlistenable to me.

You see, that’s what’s great about being the audience of various creative endeavors. We all have different tastes, and if you tell me that a band I adore sounds horrible to you, I don’t care, because it’s not my band.

And to that point, if it was my band, I still don’t care, because it would be clear at that point that I wasn’t making the music for some one of your particular aesthetic anyway.

Perhaps this is just specific to Rush fans, because they’re just pissed that they have terrible taste in music.

Now, having alienated at least three of Dungeon Masters in the audience, we’ll circle back around to art that not only doesn’t suck, but goes so far as to inspire. I mentioned this person briefly in last week’s post, but figured I’d touch base and give her proper visibility. As I noted, we crossed paths in October when I was in San Diego, and as soon as we met got cracking on the topic of art.

It’s not often I randomly come across folks whose work speaks to my eyeballs so concisely, and at some point in the weeks that followed my departure from SoCal, she sent me two care packages. One containing an assortment of drawings;


And one containing a small book she made;







There are pages and pages more, each with tiny drawings about RC trucks, sour candy, stage dives, and that I have a man-crush on James West;

Given that my own studio space is somewhat in flux, (though I just cleaned it up two nights ago);

Angela’s pocket sized work coming into my world has shifted my own directive to one of a much smaller nature, all of which for the first time in a long time has been exhilarating.

I love making stuff, and I haven’t truly felt excited to do so in a long time, so as of now, it’s to pissed off Australian metal bands, and pissed off San Diego imagists, both of whom I owe sincere thanks.

Finally, I’d like to make note of an upcoming event that folks in and around the North Califs might have an interest in, being this here next weekend’s swap meet;

Personally, I’ll be bringing a ton of wheelsets, bags, saddles, seatposts, tires, frames, stems, lights, forks, complete bikes, etc. and so on. It’s the closest thing to a fire sale as I’ve ever engaged. At some point, provided I can find a suitable space, I’ll do the same thing with artwork, but for now, help me clear out my life, which in turn will (ironically) help me afford to get my life back.

Having covered all of that- What’s the sound of one hand clapping?

Though more importantly, when all’s said and done, will there be that much left to say, or do?

Perhaps within the confines of this space, it’s totally subjective whether I’ve ever really said anything at all?

Spread this like it's sick

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12 Responses to “As I was saying.”

  1. spokejunky January 21, 2020 at 11:29 am #

    None better than James West and his sidekick Artemus Gordon. I always nerded out to the western Q.

  2. michael william westerman January 21, 2020 at 11:52 am #

    i’ve always hated rush

  3. craig January 21, 2020 at 1:39 pm #

    I’m in love

  4. Eric January 21, 2020 at 2:09 pm #

    Hahahahaha…. fuck Rush! That band sucks sweaty donkey balls.

  5. Ian c January 22, 2020 at 7:37 pm #

    Great Ancient female-fronted Cali hardcore band Fisticuffs Bluff also totally destroys/ed:

    https://www.noecho.net/features/fisticuffs-bluff-interview

  6. eb January 23, 2020 at 5:21 am #

    Say what you will about Rush, that chick can sing!

    Glad to know that other people hate Rush too. I’d rather listen to Attack Attack.

  7. dirty January 23, 2020 at 10:07 am #

    “I’m the cherry pie guy” get me every time.

  8. Case January 24, 2020 at 4:55 pm #

    Checking HT now, thanks.

  9. Sam January 25, 2020 at 8:07 am #

    How special to have met and impacted someone so much that they create art for you and gift it to you. That’s really cool. Thanks for showing us that. I think that means you’re a special person, too.

  10. Mechanicmatt January 27, 2020 at 9:07 pm #

    Man, stevil I’m glad you are blogging through all this. This site, your writing voice, brand of humor, wizard staffs, all of it. Appreciate it.

    Also Rush sucks. No one can take them seriously. Rule #5 in the machine shop I worked at was when Rush comes on, change to the other classic rock radio station.

    Peace and art and bikes!

    • Stevil January 28, 2020 at 6:53 am #

      Thank you so much. I’m not sure why- Call it timing, or the universe at work, or whatever, but this comment was deeply needed when it arrived.

      • Mechanicmatt February 6, 2020 at 4:44 am #

        So much of what you read is about a sport, a thing, a activity, and I’ve always enjoyed how this site interconnects art, bicycles, skating, ranting, drinking, good times, and bad. Forge ahead with your head up, you’ll be stronger having lived through it, and something better will flower through it in the end. There’s a lot us who have lived through tough times too, it’s how you grow and harden and soften from it that’ll form what’s next.

        Again appreciate you and appreciate this site. Worlds better with you here.