Letter To The People - September 2009
Publisher's Commentary
by Rökker
Darth Rökker, Elizabeth and Xiola Blue at the Bristol Ren Faire
photo by Dan Schneiderman
This issue is dedicated to the memories of Les Paul and Cadillac Joe Andersen, and Irwin A. Goodman.
LES PAUL: It is almost unimaginable to think what life would have been like without the existence of Les Paul. The “Wizard of Waukesha” is responsible for many inventions that shaped the music world into the music industry we know today. Without the electric guitar, special effects like reverb, multi-track recording and a host of other key technologies, there might not be a Jimmy Page, Smart Studios, The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Pro Tools, Woodstock, Tool…. Maximum Ink.
Les Paul created the electric guitar out of the simple need to play louder so he could be heard in bars over the din, something considered a fundamental in rock music today!
A small gathering to honor Les Paul was held at the 400 Bar in Waukesha, the bar that Les & Mary played their first gigs. Having been to the Club 400 many times, I never realized I was standing in the true birth place of Rock and Roll.
Les Paul is buried in his hometown of Waukesha. It is a great tribute to the state of Wisconsin to host a memorial as significant as that. It is a shrine of the likes of the Jim Morrison grave in Paris. It will be interesting to see what celebs you see floating around Waukesha looking for the Les Paul memorial.
Maximum Ink’s Sarah Grant interviewed Les Paul in person back in May 2007. You can read it at Maximumink.com/les-paul.
CADILLAC JOE ANDERSEN: Back in March at the most recent Bomblastica, I was on stage getting ready to get Aaron Williams & the Hoodoo playing and struck up a conversation with Aaron while soundchecking. He reminded me that he’d played Bomblastica before way back in the early 2000’s when he was a kid playing in his dad’s band, I think it was Blind Wolf and he was very young at the time. It was really cool to see him start a band in his own name and strike out into the fray.
That image of father and son playing together on stage is how I’ll remember Cadillac Joe, who recently lost his battle with cancer. A father, a musician and a good person… you will be missed. Read more about Joe at www.duesfortheblues.com.
IRWIN A. GOODMAN: A philanthropist in Madison, Irwin, along with brother Robert, gave to the community in many ways like the Camp Shalom Jewish Community Center, Goodman Community Center (Atwood Summerfest benefactors), and the Goodman Pool. He was 94 and will be remembered for his great achievements for years to come.
REVOLVING AXES: Come down to the Annex in Madison on Saturday, September, 19th to see a very unique show. The family of Last Crack bands will celebrate their diversity during a night of “Revolving Axes.”
Muzzy Luctin, Faces For Radio, Cudasigh and Donny Bakken Band will perform live and rotate every 20 minutes. The bands will have all their gear wired up and onstage at the same time so there will be little to no change over between bands. It will be a fast paced, ever-changing night of music… and who knows what other combinations they might come up with.
LAST CRACK: The original line-up of Last Crack is coming to Scatz on November 14th. Tickets are available online at LastCrack.com/tickets. Tickets will also be able to be purchased at local outlets and the information will be released on the band’s website at www.lastcrack.com as well as the Facebook group page at LastCrack.com/facebook.
HALLOWEEN 2009: Halloween is coming and we’re going to do our annual Star Wars themed Halloween party on Saturday, October 31st at the Annex in Madison. Of course, you can come in any costume you want, and participate in the costume contest no matter what you are. We’ll have some special Jedi vs. Sith battles again this year, so put it on your calendar and get your costume ready!
ADVENTURES WITH ELIZABETH & NIKOLAI: Summer is over and today Nikko started 1st grade and Elizabeth started 6th grade. Nikko’s two front teeth are almost in after what seems months of no front teeth, bring on the corn-on-the-cob! Elizabeth, Xiola Blue and I all dressed up for the Bristol Ren Faire for Xiola Blue’s B-day. What did I dress up as, you might ask? A Sith Lord, of course!
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