Russ Kunkel

If you googled tom-tom fills, It's his name that should appear at the top of the page. It may not be familiar to you unless you were/are one of those who gleaned album sleeves for players whose noise made such an impression. Being a drummer, when I think of Russ Kunkel, it is those artful tom fills and his skill for feel and finesse that were nearly impossible to replicate, for I attended the
John Bonham/Simon Kirke School of Thud and Bombast which, I suppose, somewhere, has it's own merit.
Little did I know that at age 15 I had actually watched Russ Kunkel, coincidentally, it was my very first ever bought-tickets-and-rode-down-with-my-buddies rock show.
The opening act was a group of studio musicians who played together for other artists so often that they formed their own band The Section. Comprised of Kunkel, Danny Kortchmar, Craig Doerge and Russ' ever present partner in crime, the very Wizard from Harry Potter looking, Leland Sklar.
The headliner was John McLaughlin and the Mahavishnu Orchestra. Kind of an odd bill with a set from the nondescript, shoe gazing Section juxtaposed against the Mahavishnu's trippy brain scramble.
If I wrote down the complete Russ Kunkel Discography this no longer would be a simple little blogpost but a biographical book of lists. So I'll just drop a few key names that are, or have been, on your radar.
Karla Bonhoff,Jackson Browne,Jimmy Buffet,Harry Chapin,Tracy Chapman,David Crosby,Crosby and Nash, Crosby,Stills and Nash,Rodney Crowell,Neil Diamond,Bob Dylan,Everly Bros.,Dan Fogelberg,Emmy Lou Harris, Don Henley,BB King,Carole King,Lyle Lovett,Roger McGuinn,Joni Mitchell,Stevie Nicks,Linda Ronstadt,Bob Seger,Carley Simon,Steve Stills,Joe Walsh,Neil Young and Warren Zevon plus numerous soundtrack, songwriting and production credits.
Oh, and on a theatrical side bar, is Russ Kunkel's cameo as doomed drummer Eric "Stumpy Joe" Childs in the 1984 film This is Spinal Tap.

Theatrical Update, Partial Discography and Band Member Spellings from Wikipedia
Photo from DrummerWorld

The Icon Charles Taylor

One of the few articles of Punk throw-back regalia adults can sqweak by on. But only, and this is vitally important, only wear them in public after they look like they've been soiled on for, like at least 6 months. What you've got to do to make them look that way is up to you.
You really don't want to look like you just stumbled upon the adult hipster bandwagon. Drag 'em through dirt, soak 'em in mud, whatever you gotta do to carry off that I always new they were cool kinda look. Just remember nothing looks worse than a shiny new pair-o-chucks.
Having reached icon status, they are now deemed a classic in much the same way as, oh, rep stripe ties, wing tips and tweed.
My hat goes off to ya Chuck and especially to your feet cuz I still don't know how anybody can wear them all day long let alone for a full-on game a hoops.


Top photo: Chuck Taylors worn by Soul Asylum bass player
Karl H. Mueller as a gift to the Minnesota Historical Society

Bottom photo: From z.about.com

Warm, Fat and Round, The Quintessential Bottom of The Fender Precision Bass

Any self-respecting, you call yourself a bass player, bass player should have one in their arsenal. Any self-respecting collector already does.
Designed by Leo Fender in 1951, it was the first mass produced electric bass guitar.
The Precision, or P-bass for short, was named for the addition of frets for precision as opposed to the fretless stand-up.
It was created as an answer for the physically tubby, tuff to carry and stay-in-tune
double bass and it helped fill the need for increasingly louder, bigger bands that were already powered by the electric guitar.
The bass, now able to perform a more dominant role in bands, propelled itself along with drums, to be a more driving rhythm section. Providing not only root and counterpoint melodies but anchoring the bottom as well.



historical info from Wikipedia
1966 snapshot of Mr. Entwhistle at CBS Studios from thewho.net
77 Fender P from andysummers.com

Flyin' The...er, Plaid

The saying goes; " If you're old enough to remember a style the first time around, you're probably too old to wear it again.
You know what I say? I say fooey!
I'll do one better - I've never stopped wearing it!
It being an untucked flannel shirt, boots and jeans. True, while I wouldn't wear this get-up to work, I have managed to update it enough to sneak it past the naysayers. But it's still my weekend go-to uniform of choice (when I'm not wearing shorts).
"Ah yes", I says, I says I've benna cultivatin' this style for years.
Cultivatin? Whats to cultivate?

Photos from Flickr
That'd be Dylan on the left and Clapton holding court with Mr. Young.
(but then you probably new that)

Me Thinks I'm a Little Scared

We stumbled into Saginaw early enough to dump our gear at Meinberg's and then high-tail it to Mt. Pleasant so we could make Black Flag's late afternoon all ages show at Tom Foolery, which, on a good night, couldn't (shouldn't) hold more than 75 attendees, tops.
We could not miss this. When would we ever be an hour and a half away from a Black Flag performance ever again.
I'm not sure we were properly prepared for this, at least I wasn't. I wouldn't call their show life changing but I definitely left thinking I'd just witnessed something very close to otherworldly. Never had I taken in anything so disturbing in terms of darkness, intensity, malice and rage... they were not of our farming community.
The band; Greg Ginn-guitar, Kira Roessler-bass, Anthony Martinez-drums and the skimpy black-sweat soaked running short and nothing else clad-maniacle Henry Rollins who, fully tatted (including the monolithic SEARCH AND DESTROY back piece), delivered a most ferocious performance.
Perhaps the lyrics from Black Flag's spoken word epic Family Man, will give you a sense for their subtle brand of melancholy.

Henry: Do you want the family man or do you want the swingin' man? You choose.
(family man)
You get the family man.

family man
FAMILY man
family MAN
with your glances my way, taken no chances on the new day
family man,
family man with your life all planned
your little sand castle built,
smilin' through your guilt
family...man
here I come.
here I come family man
I come to infect. I come to rape your woman.
I come to take your children into the street.
I come for YOU family man. family man,
with your Christmas lights already up,
your such a MAN when your puttin' up your Christmas lights, first on the block.
family man.
family man, I wanna crucify you to your front door, with nails
from your well stocked garage, family man, family man.
family man.
Saint dad. Father on fire. I've come to incinerate you
I've come home.

We arrived in Mt. Pleasant with the giddy anticipation of catching our first truelly Hard Core show and left thinking any smidgen of feaux cow-punk street cred we had was quickly relegated to poseurville.

An eyewitness account of LA Hard Core
Additional information taken from Get In The Van
Lyrics from sing365
Photo from MySpace.com/HenryRollins

Quebecois, No?

One of the standout vacations as a youngin was to Quebec City ( founded in 1608 and the only fortified city in North America) and a stay at the magnificent Chateau Frontenac. An immense,
castle-like hotel with spires and turret-like architecture, it sits high above the Saint Lawrence River. Constructed in the 1890's, it was named in honor of Louis de Baude, Count of Frontenac and built for the Canadian Pacific Railway.
Just a few of the real strong memories I have are running amok throughout the hotel, much to the chagrin of hotel management, trying to get lost and my first sight of a woman wearing a black beret, walking along the narrow cobblestone alleyways of an art fair, wearing the shortest skirt I'd ever seen. This same vision was also shared by my mom (awkward) and dad (more awkward) who were also along. It's not a stretch really as to why this sight had permanently etched itself into my tender, young teenage psyche.
The remainder of our trip was a lengthy, cultural sojourn up the South Eastern bank of the Saint Lawrence out to the Gaspe Peninsula. With periodic stops along the way to quaint riverside fishing villages where the language is predominately Quebecois, or rather, French/Canadian.

pictures from www.ventonlife.wordpress.com/2009/02/Chateau Frontenac
and historic information from Wikipedia

Nudie (The Rodeo Tailor) Cohn

Born Nuta Kotlyarenko, a Russian born immigrant from Kiev, the 11 year old landed in Brooklyn in 1913, when after a time, his name was changed to Nudie Cohn. After a few years of cris-crossing the country a few times with his elder brother in tow, this particular jaunt included a 9 month stopover at Leavenworth Penitentiary for delivering (unbeknownst to him) a package of cocaine while running an errand for quick cash. They then made another fateful stop on their journey, this time during a stay at a boardinghouse in Mankato Minnesota where Nudie first laid eyes on his future wife Helen Barbara Kruger, who he nicknamed Bobbie.
With stints in New York during the 30's, utilyzing his training and knowledge from employmentat his brother's bra and girdle business, Nudie and now wife Bobbie honed their craft and eventually opened Nudie's for Ladies. Specializing in rhinestone studded garments made popular by Burlesque Queens, dancers and "specialty acts".
After a move back to the west coast and a few failed- illness plagued- business opportunities out of their garage, the couple managed to open the now famous Nudie's Rodeo Tailors in North Hollywood. Big enough to hold his team of tailors, embroiderers and machinery, it also served as a western themed retail store as well.
With his past and current Hollywood connections to musicians and actors, Nudie made fast friends with a couple who did a bit of both in Roy Rogers and Dale Evans. They forged a longtime
bond in friendship and as a business opportunity that led Mr. Cohn to create all their outfits for every appearance through-out the 50's. In 1957 Nudie cemented his status in the world of fashion after sewing a $10,000 gold lame suit for a young Elvis Presley.
During the 50's, 60's and 70's his compelling clientele and associations included; Gene Autry, Hank Williams Sr.,Johnny Cash, Steve McQueen, Glen Campbell (for who's recording of Rhinestone Cowboy was named), John Wayne, Ronald Reagan, George Jones, Porter Wagoner, Elton John, Cher, John Lennon, Graham Parsons, Robert Redford(for the movie The Electric Horseman), Suzie Quatro(Happy Days) and ZZ Top to name a few.
The Rodeo Tailor also spawned western designer great, Manuel Cuevas, Nudie's head designer thru the 60's and early 70's who went on to create his namesake label Manuel.

Adapted from the book, Nudie: The Rodeo Tailor
Photos from someone at Myspace.

Levi's 501-The Anti Fit- Thems Sum Britches

Depending on the wash of course, please no acid, stone or studded and say hello to rigid indigo, you can't go wrong. They fit over most boots. You can role 'em up or just leave 'em the heck alone.
I know I harp about 'em a lot but for the money, quality and fit, have I already said you can't go wrong?
I have one entire drawer devoted just to Levi's and the funny thing is, funny as in peculiar, I rarely if ever wash them.( "Honey, can you smell that?" "Smell what?") Why? Cuz I want them to retain their natural crunchiness. When I say rigid I mean rigid.
I've been shown and have felt denim that had a highly touted, soft-as-butter luxury feel with a price tag to match which might bode well as a skirt, but drape and denim don't jibe man, not on my watch. I'll take my $50 dolla-no-holla 501 jeans.

The Mavericks With Carlene Carter / Sparta Rodeo / Early 90's

Although the Mavericks delivered a rollicking show as always, it was opener Carlene Carter's sassy set that was the standout. As memory sometimes serves me, the Mavericks were touring to support "What a Cryin' Shame" with Carter doing the same behind "Little Love Letters" and/or
"I Fell In Love". Both produced by the late Howie Epstein, who was nabbed from Coopersville native Del Shannon's band by Tom Petty then subsequently nabbed from Petty's Heartbreakers by Carlene Carter.
But what made it a show within a show within a show( and Ms Carter's secret weapon) was the addition of NRBQ's Big Al Anderson on guitar.
Melting faces with his Keith Richards-cum-Chuck Berry attack, he was the ultimate hired hand.

Photo from HLSR.com




Disclaimer: I've decided to expand on my periodic posting of Short List of Favorite Shows to
Most Memorable Shows. That way, if my recall spontaneously returns, I can share these new chestnuts with you, as they arrive. How cool is that?

Jason and the Nashville Scorchers

Another in my bulging handful of f-a-v-o-r-i-t-e shows. This was probably 1982-ish at Alpine Avenue's Thunder Chicken. They just blew the doors off. Haven't seen anything like it since.
Absolutely no holes barred hillbilly rawk.

Photo from thatdevilmusic.com

Trade Show Perdition

Weeks and weeks and weeks of phone calls from 11am till 6 at night. If you have a good relationship with your customers they'll take your call sooner than later...most of the time.
If you're cold calling someone who doesn't know you or your product, more calls will be made.
1 step forward 1 step back.
This is an ad-hock rundown on the cold call appointment seeking process - Sales 101.
-Hearing or reading about a store that potentially could carry your line.
-Identifying the buyer. Sometimes requires cunning maneuvers on lesser employees to access carefully guarded information. And only then, after acquiring such information through subtle scare tactics do you realize that, because you have a name, doesn't mean the next time you're on the line,( and you can barely make out your name being giggled over on the store intercom), that the person you need to speak to will drop everything right then and there and cry out;"I Must Take This Call".
In all likelyhood, the only time they pick up the phone is by mistake.
-How do you keep them on the phone long enough to convince them that they MUST see your stuff is mostly dumb luck with a few honest facts thrown in. Like, what other notable stores are carrying this line and what kind of press is it getting if any.
You gotta remember you're your own PR and Marketing firm and quite likely this one chance
lives or dies from this one conversation.
-In the event you've "tricked" them into an appointment and they actually show up, you're half way there. Now its up to the product to speak for itself and then hopefully, the stars will align.

Gretsch Guitars, They Don't Get Much Fatter !

I don't profess to know much about guitars but I do know what I like. White Falcon, Country Gentlemen and the Duo Jet are just beautiful guitars.
This is a photo of George Harrison with his first Gretsch, a Duo Jet. (from the canteen.com).
And a rare shot of Pete Townshend with a 6120 (from thewho.net).

Hey, Nice Shorts

(The title does not at all refer to the gentlemen pictured, It's really just a playful slap at a topic that really doesn't qualify any real commentary. After all, as long as somebody has a choice, somebody will also have an opinion).


I'm a bit bewildered by the notion that men in shorts could spark any amount of controversy.
Whether it's the style of shorts themselves or the sight of the exposed leg that extends below them. (Personally, if it's about the legs, and I ain't exactly gifted in the lower extremities, I don't spend a great deal of time analyzing their details. Sure, I've heard such terms of endearment used to describe them as; spindly, knobby, veiney, bumpy and the ever popular:''Hey Chicken Leg".
But at the end of the day, if you don't like it, don't look).
I suppose for the sake of the hiperati, there are likely a few do's and don'ts.
A short that falls too far below the knee and and you risk the spant. Kind of a hybrid long short/short pant made popular in Europe and really best befits a woman. A short that's cut too far above the knee, well, that's just, in a word, icky.
But a short that hits at the knee cap, in any size-shape-color-or form, you're golden.
I don't know that I can say I love shorts.They're just very utilitarian. I wear them all year round even when I walk the dog in the wintertime. Why? Cuz it motivates me to move quicker so I get done faster.
Really, for me, they're just an extension of my boxer shorts, just sturdier and with pockets.
What's all the hubbub about?

Photo from Flickr.com

I Shot Off Bottle Rockets from Whiskey Town

I had mixed feelings for the ill fated demise of the alt country herald No Depression.
On the one hand it was the most accessible and definitive rag on Americana and Roots Rock. But on the other hand how many ads and reviews for Big Al and the Randy Mountain Boys can you wade through before you get to the 1 or 2 articles or reviews that mean something to you. I know that that is subjective and speaks for most publications but you really don't wish that from a medium you have a real affinity for.
I mean, when you hear that a magazine has taken the plunge, one of the the first thoughts is that readership is down or there is significant dis-interest. I don't think the movement for roots music is waning as much as maybe its taken on another shape in the form of My Face or Space Book.
Which is especially sad if you reside in the weeds like we do. Where dial-up is the only option and Walgreen's is your best bet as a newsstand.
That's why Rolling Stone (which at one time was one of Rock's most liberal and heady forms of anti-establishment propaganda) is the last vestige of rock reality as I know it and even that is quickly heading for tabloid heck.
It now bares too close of a resemblance to it's sister publication; US Weekly( weakly).
Before you know it Rolling Stone will carry debates on Who Wore It Best along with forums on Rock-n-Roll panty lines.

Photo from gactv.com

Black on Black on Black on

Whether you're hungover, can't get it in gear or heck, just clueless, a few fail safe get-ups to start your day or evenin'.
-Black shirt-black pants/jeans-black jacket-black boots
-White shirt-black pants/jeans-black jacket-black boots/white tennies
-White shirt-medium wash blue jeans-black jacket-black boots/white tennies
-White shirt-black vest/black cardigan-black jacket-medium to dark blue jeans-brown wing tips/white tennies
-Black/charcoal gray tee-black vest/cardigan/jacket-black boots/white tennies
-White Tee-black vest/cardigan/jacket-black boots/white tennies

Now get out there !

Another Great Yellowstone Find

The Third and Final Installment of One of the Most Powerful and Compelling Road Trip Sagas You'll Ever...

After leaving the Lodge and taking a lively/jittery canoe sojourn along Colter Bay, we make the hoof North, back up into Yellowstone. Only this time we take the route that runs through the center of the park along the West side of (its- freakin'- massive) Yellowstone Lake.
A common occurrence when puttzing through the park is coming up upon a string of parked cars along both sides of the road. You can rest assured that camera shutters are clicking away at something...big maybe? Kinda dangerous maybe?
On this leg we've seen more moose, more elk, 2 young grizzlies running across the road and between the cars, buffalo running along side us and a woman potentially getting gored by a buffalo running along side us as she stood in the middle of the road vying for what could be a fatal Kodak moment.
It wasn't.
Guess she misplaced the brochure that came in the park packet, warning visitors of the almost weekly staple of buffalo gorings within the park.
Really glad we took this way back. The scenery is just incredible. It really made me think about "all the other places" out there that we heven't seen or are even aware of and if we'll ever have the chance to discover some of them.
Another keen observation we made was discovering where all the hippies have migrated. Facial hair is still prevalent even among the men but gone are the Birkenstocks, replaced with Patagonia, North Face, Merrell and Keen. I'm thinkin' I'll trade my Chuck Taylors in for a pair of Chaco sandels...nah.

Hillbilly Travelogue Part Dos

Coming down out of Yellowstone for the first glimpse of the Tetons is pretty spectacular. It's
difficult keeping your eyes on the road as it is without my wife exulting;"oh my god,
OH-MY-GOD". We arrive at Jackson Lake Lodge, check in, drop our gear off and chill a bit.
Only a half day has gone by and we've already spotted black bear, a wolf, elk and buffalo.
Jackson Lake Lodge itself turns out to be a pretty cool experience. Kind of a 60's modern,
prairie style exterior that holds within it restaurants, shopping and a grand living room with pert near 3 story windows overlooking the Tetons.
Day 2 begins with an outdoor chuckwagon style breakfast (whoa) and then on into Jackson Hole
which, if you find yourself lurking around the town square, is a bit on the cheezy/touristy side.
So we head out across the way and find ourselves at the base of the Tetons at Teton Village, a ski resort where there happens to be a fancy-schmansy art and antique show going on in the parking lot with para-gliders hovering high overhead. Nyz day.

Hillbilly Travelogue Part 1

Sometime in the Spring of 2008 we received a check in the mail for around $1200 bucks and dang if we didn't feel compelled to spend it. Travel? You bet! Where would we go that we haven't been. Montana gets tossed around a lot. Montana it is.
Because of time and money constraints we could only give ourselves 5 days and 2 of those would have to be used for travel to and from. Out came the Atlas.
Since we both have the affinity for national parks we have to choose between Glacier to the North or Yellowstone / Tetons to the South. Because we really only have the 3 days, we think we'll get the most bang for our buck if we head down to Yellowstone.
Flyin' in to Bozeman in the early afternoon, we get a car and head for Yellowstone's North Entrance or just shy of it to the tiny berg of Gardiner, Montana to begin our real trek the next morning.
Shortly after daybreak and within an hour after leaving the park headquarters in Mammoth Springs we already spot a Black Bear slowly puttzing thru an opening in the trees maybe 100 feet from the road. How cool is that. The tone of the trip has been set.
Just an incredibly gorgeous drive along the west side of the park with Kathy manning the binocs, she spots a gray wolf trotting away in the distant flatlands. Now, onto Old Faithful who wasn't quite up to snuff. Seems he did what he could to erupt that day but then quickly fizzled.
I know old man, I know.

So hungry and longing for his wife after months in the mountains, the French-Canadian explorer, upon his first sight of the majestic peak dubbed it The Grand Teton, which, when translated to English means, The Big Teat.

-True story


Stay Tuned for Part Dos

He's a Hell of a Gunslinger that Springsteen

Sadly it was on Warren Zevon's last record The Wind and subsequent DVD;
(Inside)Out: Warren Zevon, that I discovered Springsteen ripping or as the young kids say today
shredding on the Tele on what I think is Zevon's "Disorder in the House. Holy Crap, never would I have imagined.You can tell even Warren, sitting right next to Bruce as he howls it in the control room, is visibly wowed. He should just tour with 2 guitars-bass-and drums and be done with it. Ah but too many mouths to feed. Warren was the Hunter S. Thompson of Rock. He is and will be, sorely missed.



-Photo by Mark Silver
borrowed from addictedtovinyl.com

You'd think I just discovered italics

Hek Far

I'd like to begin with one caveat:
That my literary prowess within the Rock pantheon shall go unheralded.

Okay, so?
Every once in a while I like to think its important for me to try and recall;
THE BEST SHOWS I'VE EVER SEEN
I'll list a few from time to time (probably when I fall short for things to write about) and if I need to be corrected as to the venue or date, or challenged for my opinion, please don't hesitate to do so.

The Eagles - On the Border tour - probably 73-ish - Grand Valley State Field House (Dome).

Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Bernie Leadon, Randy Meisner and a newly added Don Felder.
Long before their live shows became studio slick, believe it or not, these guys rocked hard, Chuck Berry style.

Linda Ronstadt - Heart Like a Wheel tour - again around 73.
One of THE tightest shows I've ever seen. Pretty much the studio band from the record;
Andrew Gold, Kenny Edwards... and DUAL pedal steel players Dan Dugmore and Eddie Black- Holy Crap!

My Love for all things California begins.

"Goose People"

No, Goose is not a verb here. A Goose Person" is someone who has become a believer often, with a story to tell, in the brand Canada Goose. Now let me back up a bit. I'm a sales rep, which I've mentioned previously, and one of the brands I represent is Canada Goose. It's a rare moment for me to feel the need to expound on a product especially one that I rep. But this product deserves the attention. I've never as long as I've been in this business uttered the words; " this is a GREAT product" I mean, there is no reason FOR you to say that in the fashion world. As cheezy as that sounds, until you've walked the streets of downtown Chicago in January/February with the down-filled, telescoping hooded, wind resistant, water resistant, body armor like protection you get from this jacket, you'll be a believer too. (Aw c'mon, nobody's reading my blog yet anyway). So why is this product so great and why have I not heard of it? Well, sit down for a sec. CG is a family owned, Toronto based company with over 50 years to perfect its brand. In Fact, it didn't start out as brand. The company first began doing private label in the late 50's (which, if your not familiar, is the process of one company producing a product and another company buys it and puts their name on it) for LL Bean and Eddie Bauer. But when manufacturing began heading over seas in the 70's, this Toronto based domestic producer of down jackets realized the need to re-invent themselves into the brand now known as CanadaGoose. Outfitting and endorsing the likes of 3 time Iditarod winner Lance Mackey, the lead sponsor and outfitter for
Polar Bears International, having their first shop-in-shop at Paragon Sports NYC in addition to collaborations with New York's ALIFE and denim house Ernest Sewn, the brand is clearly making a dent in the world and I do mean world. Sold in I think 30 some countries,(please check the store locater on the company website Canada Goose ) it is a global name brand. Represented in stores such as; Bergdorf Goodman, Bloomingdales, Harry Rosen, Holt Refrew, Selfridge's, Harrods, Colette in Paris and United Arrows in Japan ain't too shabby for my Northern Brutha's.

FREE BEER !

Yes, one of the oldest tricks in the book. A somewhat hackneyed approach to beckon readership or even, heck, a comment. I find myself muttering dusty old analogies like; "If A Tree Falls in the Forest", and crap like that. Well, I've put myself out there and it'll just be a matter of time right?

Right?

Raise your hand if you think I'm posting this just to post and take up space!

Lemme Tell Ya Bout My Day Job

I have probably the most un-glamorous job in the " fashion industry". That of Bottom Feeder. Or what's more commonly known as a sales rep.
The fact that I'm not a natural born people person has not added to my arsenal of selling ploys.
I'm also not a patient person. So when it comes to the fine art of small talk with a current or prospective customer, most of the time, I can't be bothered. Lets just get to the point shall we.
After all what we both really want is to just get the heck off the phone.
I've allowed myself to believe that my cut-the-crap attitude serves me well. To make up for the fact that my schmoozing abilities are somewhat manufactured, The brands I choose to represent most always speak for themselves. Hopefully not a lot of hemming and hawing goes on. The customer either loves it or or not, very little gray area and again, hopefully, sparing me any chit-chat.
Why do I put myself and my customers through this? Because I'm addicted to making people see what I see, believe what I believe and feel and what I feel. I figure if I dig it so will somebody else.
Now if only I could find them.

I Stole This

It takes brains to wear a helmet. If you don't ride in the rain you don't really ride. A $99 leather jacket is worthless. So's a $500 race suit. Loud pipes just annoy people. Fingerless gloves are for those already missing fingers. Choppers are today's leisure suits. Riding courses should be mandatory. Advertiser product reviews are just advertising. No one ever wishes they had on less gear just before hitting the pavement. Motorcycling is a skill not a lifestyle. The most expensive protection is still cheaper than reconstructive surgery.

Never compromise. Ride safe.

Amen brother!

(I stole this directly from the Trophy Cycle Apparel home page)

Creepers

Technically called Brothel Creepers. I guess if I understand Wikipedia correctly (which is where all this info is coming from), it wasn't so much that people needed to tip-toe through the brothel, which, by name, is what I envisioned, as much as these thick soled boots were coincidentally what these groups of WW2 British soldiers happened to be wearing at the time of their, well, exercise. In 1949, George Cox revamped the sole into something more fashionable.
Later into the 50's they grew popular with the pompadaur coiffed, velvet suit clad, bolo tie swingin' Teddy Boys and Rockabilliy brethren. I think the first time I became aquainted was seeing a picture of Joe Strummer in them which was around the time of the Creeper resurgence in the late 70's and then on to the Stray Cats and on and on and on and...