EI Beardo's Corner - Carve - Nardwuar, Mike Watt and Mexico - Brief Article

THERE IS GOOD NEWS TO BE HAD--good news for all. Life is not the smoldering shit-heap we thought it to be after all. No need to look farther, for exciting diversions are a around every corner. Sure, there are still plenty of security beat downs, drunk driving carnage scenes, and your generally evil sons of bitches out there, but don't worry yourself to death lil' sis, just don't. Joy and merriment are surely close at hand. Come along; I'll divulge further.

To fully realize true harmonic joy one must find themselves amongst the happy persons who see a performance by Nardwuar, the Human Serviette and his clan of merry-makers. Those of you who hail from the Great White North may recognize this outspoken Vancouverian in one or all of his many feats. Maybe you've read one of his interviews with the likes of quasi-superstars like Rollins or Iggy Pop or Jane Weidlan of the Go-Gos. Perhaps you're more familiar with his quirky ability to put world leaders on the spot--he once asked Gorbachev which world leader wore the biggest pants. hen again, being the true rocker you are, you know of Nardwuar from his bands. The Evaporators and Thee Goblins are the key sectors of his musical prowess, and any performance by thee Nardwuar and Co. will surely include these outfits and their hottest of hits. But it's not just the hits at make the evening, my brothers--ohhh no. The performance includes breathtaking events like conga lines, crowd surfing, and even keyboard surfing by the N ard-man himself! Last time they played I saw a young European woman try to make her poodle attack our hero! Yes. Nardwuar.com is there to service your needs concerning our young Canuck's interviews with celebs, but you'll have to mosey on over to the old rock club in order to check out the whole story.

Let us steam right ahead and present our honorary Ambassador of Good Times for the month: Mike Watt. Yes, the granddad of San Pedro punk and everything else the Minutemen dished out has long deserved such a grand title. A walk down memory lane with Watt finds him involved in more bands than you can count on your 20 fingers (feet fingers included), and presently he's involved simultaneously in at least four projects. There's the Stooges cover band called Wego Speedro and the Madonnabees, a cross-dressing Madonna cover band complete with go-go dancers. Then there's the improvisational hippie/jazz jam known as Banyan (with Jane's Addiction drummer Steve Perkins, too) and the even more freaky DOS, consisting solely of Watt and his ex-wife Kira playing bass guitars and rambling about on the mics. Add to that list punk rock karaoke, where famous dudes play old punk hits and crowd members sing them, and various solo projects and ... Whewww! Mike Watt you are a busy, busy man. But that's just it, he's doing it all fo r the love of the game and not for the big dollars. For this, we are proud to designate him Ambassador of Good Times this month. Cheers to you, Mike.

Next stop on the fun patrol ... Mexico! Yes, that warm, dusty homeland to tortillas and countless beige dogs can brighten your spirits on the worst of days. Sure, you may find yourself at the mercy of the corrupt-as-fuck policia at one moment, but the next you might run right smack dab into a bunch of drunken Mexicans loaded into a Barbie truck, bumping children's songs along the main drag. You never know. Then there's the whole idea of skateboarding in Mexico. The unpredictability factor comes shining through here as well. From skating over-sized washtubs to sessioning a packed dirt bank with perfectly tight transitions, the creativity level of skating seems to take a big upswing down there. Should you find yourself heading toward Old Mexico in the future, bring your skate right alongside that surfing board and the extra $20 for the cop who catches you in the middle of a piss stop along the highway. Pues, quien sabe que va a encontrar...

So there you have it young hipsters and sportswomen. No more crybaby excuses about war, high gas prices, or teen pregnancy. The good times are presently roiling, and they have been since way back when. All you have to do is open them eyes and ears and I'm sure you'll find such 'em. Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy--they're yours for the taking.

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