About four years ago, me & my brother went to Chicago for the weekend so I could pimp zines at this "Expo of the Extreme" thing, which overall wasn't very extreme. Sure, I got to meet Jello Biafra, see the Dropkick Murphys, & got a great pic of Lemmy (from Motorhead, for all you metally-challenged folks) picking his nose, but I sold very few zines & didn't come close to breaking even, so it kind of sucked. Plus, me & my brother got into a serious drag-out fistfight when we got back home, which happens every three years or so.

Anyway, one of the most memorable moments at this event was this short educational film someone there showed between acts. The film looks like it was made in the 50s or early 60s in order to educate young girls about the wonders of menstruation. One of the more curious things about this film was that they never used the "V" word. Instead, they said "blood comes out of an opening between the legs." Also, the girl in the film looks like a mongoloid. Totally bizarre, curious, & funny as hell. Anyway, someone has finally put the damn thing on the net, so I'm posting the link so you, too, can partake in the beauty that is menstruation: Periods 101

Burn in Hell
posted by El Bastardo at 12:59 PM

Shit. It's been nearly a month, I know, but so what? I'm not charging you fuckers a goddamn penny! You get to experience my brillance for free, from nearly anywhere in the world! Suffice it to say, I've been pretty damn busy lately (some of you make like to know that I accidentially typed "busy" as "busty," before correcting the typo): work, school, looking for a new apartment, etc. I'll be moving from the dive efficiency I've been living in for nearly six years to a nice 2-bedroom apt (I'll still be living alone, but now I'll have an office).

Looks like Ahnold is guv of Cali now. Personally, I was rooting for Larry Flynt or Gary Coleman (the REAL Arnold). The returns are here.

Last weekend I went to the Galt House here in Louisville for the International Bluegrass Music Association's annual shindig. For an entire week, the Galt House is overrun with bluegrass musicians from all over the world for a trade show, awards show, & a fan fest. A lot of the shit you have to pay or have a convention badge to attend, but there's plenty of other shit one can see without spending a dime. Jam sessions abound throughout the hotel: in the lobby, in front of elevators, in the stairwells, etc. There are also several free showcases in various rooms & suites, often with free food &/or booze. Speaking of booze, it's perfectly kosher to bring your own & wander the hotel in a half-drunken stupor, which I did. This was my third year attending. Thursday night I brought the Wiz along & Saturday I went with Mike. Both didn't believe how cool it was, & were surprised to see that the women there weren't old & toothless--quite a few were babes. I ran into a lot of people I knew there, or who knew me, including Che, who I hadn't seen since last year, & Erin, who I hadn't seen since Spring. Basicially, I had a load of fun & drank a shitload of beer.

What really sucks is that the event will only be in Louisville for one more year. It's moving to Nashville in 2005 for at least 3 years. This sucks not only because is it no longer within easy reach, but there's a lot of concern that the move will bring in some of the less desirable elements of the music biz. The reason for the move is basically fiscal--the powers that be feel that being in Nashville will help bring more exposure & sponsership to bluegrass. I read an article recently where bluegrass singer Rhonda Vincent, who won female vocalist of the year, mentioned that being in Nashville could bring in "image consultants" to help expose artists to a wider audience. So expect to see Del McCoury doing the "boot-scoot boogie" in tight jeans any day now, folks. Fuck that shit. Bluegrass is one of the few remaining generas where you can be ugly as a pig's pecker & still get a recording contract. Nashville will fuck up bluegrass the same way it did country. If the Nashville music industry had their priorities straight, Shania Twain would be in porn. Unfortunately, that'll never happen, so all we can do is wait for the death of bluegrass & the subsequent birth of alt.bluegrass. One more fucking year. It was good while it lasted.

Burn in Hell


posted by El Bastardo at 1:54 PM