On a rainy Friday, I visited with Dave of Chromeo at his hotel for a little chat. Poor P Thugg was deathly ill so we sent him to his room with hot liquids and sat down to talk about Dave’s Fancy Foot work, and of, course working with Daryl Hall of Hall and Oates.
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When a major landmark or institution closes or is destroyed, it’s common for a mourning period to follow. The passing of monument will be an elegiac era of super size proportions which will break hearts and hard ons across the world…yes, early this morning, a fire gutted The Body Shop in Los Angeles.
photo credit: Al Seib
There are four men in particular who are probably at this moment, dabbing their eyes with black lacy g-strings. These are the stalwart citizens who immortalized the establishment in their song, Girls, Girls, Girls. In a way, Motley Crue are both artists and patrons of the arts. For their tribute to dancing girls undoubtedly raised the profile of the oft scorned art of totally nude strip dancing.
The Body Shop has graced the Sunset Strip since the 40s where it once was a burlesque club. Luckily, it was transformed into an all nude dancing theater just in time for the hair metal stampede down the Sunset Strip. It even paid the rent of many budding, hungry ‘actresses’, Courtney Love being one. I never had the pleasure of frequenting this particular establishment. When I was researching the art of stripping for a play I had written, my cast mates and I kept to Crazy Girls and Cheetahs, which was titilating enough to mess with our heads in a method acting sorta way. So, I can’t properly relate to the loss of this mecca of culture, but I realize the pain is deep.
Theater of the absurd
There is no exact word on how the fire started, though my money is on someone ‘smokin in the boys room’ (sorry, had to). There are plans to rebuild the Shop, but it will remain shuttered until those renovations are done. Where, o where, will these generous men go to appreciate bodies in motion? Where will they find long legs, burgundy lips, red lips and fingertips? How will they keep fledgling models ‘over-employed’? Where can these doctors go to feel good?
model/actress/nameless
These patrons need to look no further than the dulcet tones of Vince Neil’s humble suggestions. How about a trip to sunny Florida? The Dollhouse in Fort Lauderdale could cure your blues. If humidity isn’t your bag, Hotlanta has Tattletails AND a Waffle House. Two treats in one! If you’re up for a ski lift, Vancouver’s Marble Arc will fill your need for tats and ass. Gay Paree seems like nothing of the sort, if you take in the double ‘D’s at the Crazy Horse. Or in French, Le Cheval Fou.
benjamins and booty
Of course Los Angeles is a veritable cornucopia of sin dens. There’s Jumbo’s Clown Room. That is the premiere place to watch greasy hipsters watch a broken anorexic sadly strip to Radiohead’s Karma Police. Cheetahs is more of the rockabilly girls scarred with cigarette burns, vibe. And the Crazy Girls are all about the benjamins waiting to lap dance a benefactor. I’m sure if Vince and Tommy are in town you can still find them raising ‘hail’ (hell) at the Seventh Vail.
Too fast for love
I know, I know…they’re just not the same as the infamous Body Shop. Again, my heart leaps out of my 34 C chest for all of these philandering philanthropists. These are tough times. They are times of change. They are times of joining hands and helping your fellow man.
I suggest that all ladies out there be kind to their fellow man. In fact, you can help your favorite fellow man, just by doing a strip tease in the comfort of your own home. Think of it as a form of physical therapy to get him through the night…and the many nights to come, without the Body Shop.
South by So tired!
I attended the SxSw three ring circus, which has expanded to an 8 ring cirque de soleil of hyped hyphy drunk proportions. I took part in the Eastsport media lounge where Vlaze teamed up with Urb magazine, Girlie Action pr, VH-1 Classics and several sponsors. The bands would come in and get some food drink and swag, and then do a sit down interview with yours truly.
Big ups to Jessica and the lovely people at Girlie Action, Josh G. my media mafia partner from Urb Magazine, and Skull Candy who graced my golden head with new pink headphones. I already had a pair of white Skull Candy cans that I use on air at Little Radio, so don’t get all bent out of shape because I have girlish Barbie colored ones now. I can spin vinyl in any color headphones…I’m just that damn talented.
I was so busy working and doing interviews this year, that I unfortunately didn’t get to catch many shows. I have to say, though, that the Body Of War show was amazing. It was the only ‘showcase’ that wasn’t about self promotion, but about a cause. Check out more about the film here.
So I don’t have as many pictures this year, but the ones I do are behind the scenes, side stage or right up front. Quality over quantity, I say.
Hope it helps paint the crazy picture, if you couldn’t go – or remind you of how tired you STILL are, if you did. Thanks to Totally Like Duh and Shadowscene and to all of you who made me laugh.
Interviewing the Von Bondies at the Urb/Vlaze/Eastsport Media Lounge:
Matt Goldman, of Danceright, visits the lounge for some sips and swag
My trusty shooter, Nick, takes a break from filming
The Black Ghosts spin at dusk:
Matt and me at the I Heart Comix party where I interviewed Cut Copy:
The Fluokids from France:
Body Of War show:
American Bang watching at Body Of War:
The guest of honor, Iraq war veteran Tomas Young:
Mason Jennings:
BOW producer Phil Donahue rocking out:
Serj Tankian elects the dead:
I’m now a Ben Harper fan – he was amazing:
Ben is joined by one of my favorite people, Tom Morello:
Scott Igoe from Kimmel & Shirley Halperin at the BOW show:
Billy Bragg stumps for peace:
The Nightwatchman in action. Tom Morello gave me goosebumps:
The flirty UK boys of South at their Bluhammock showcase:
I actually looked forward to time NOT being on camera:
Mingering Mike, Dori Hadar and me at the Ubiquity Records Showcase:
Dori helps Mike set up merch. If you don’t know the amazing story of Mingering Mike, you should!
My personal grail on every road trip – the floaty pen:
Sam and Ze (aka NASA: DJ Squeak E Clean and DJ Zegon) spin at the Urb showcase:
Wale warming up the crowd for GZA at the Urb showcase:
Wale from sidestage:
Food on the road included Sprite with blue and purple cubes of jello in it – I’m suspicious of that kinda fun:
This place was a post office/taxidermist/feed store/bar – but they had an 8×10 of The Donnas hung up:
Travelin’ Cat at a truck stop:
Hopefully he didn’t end up at this truck stop:
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