i wish god were alive to see this

It's Like The First Horse, The Last Horse, The Only Horse You'll Ever Ride.

Snaggle tooth rockers.

The always busy tattoo booth of J. B. Spears.

The tyranny of choice.

The Gents Of Desire were running their photo booth!

All of these things were connected to the Swerve Fest, that was up at Barnsdall Art Park, and the three main reasons to be there were Jesse's booth, Gent's photo booth, and a premiere screening of the excellent and inspiring movie, 'Beautiful Losers'. The theater was packed and everyone walked out at the end in an inspired daze.

The Chris Johanson parts, the Harmony Korine parts, Margaret Kilgallen, Mike Mills, Stephen Powers, on and on, all of it, very inspiring and touching. Excellent.

The film makers. Thank you.

Upstairs I got a suprise! Baby Vincent!

Ray Ray and Sweetie.

Ingo and Ray.

Scheid was a real cut up yesterday.

Spears was tattooing non-stop. One dude requested a RHCP logo and was turned down.

Uncle Cheif.

It was a clear and beautiful day up there.

Memories are made of this.

Right, Pete Weiss?

You Have To Pick The Places You Don't Walk Away From.

Jimmy had the blues when I met up with him this morning. No wonder. I've been depressed for over a year because of that book.

In fact, this is a picture of my mental landscape while I was reading it.

In other news..

At the Barnsdall Art Park this weekend is the Swerve Festival. There are some amazing films being shown, some bands, and all manner of hoo-rah going on. To hang is free, the movies cost $$$. Jesse made a booth to give free tattoos over at Aaron's house.

That's right, you can get free temp tats from Spears this weekend, in between watching 'Beautiful Losers' and the Joy Division movie, 'Control'.

Extra painful.

Hey. Those look like my shoes.

It's all weekend btw, and the park is beautiful. Come up. Walk around.

And, there will be music trees. There is a Lightning Bolt tree, a No Age tree, a Mika Miko tree, a Sads tree. There are 25 music trees! What is a music tree? I don't know yet!

So I Painted Over You Once Again.

These new Sads shirts are ready to order. There are a limited amount, and an even more limited amount in green. Email for details on how to make one of these hand screened beautys your own.

Make Those Horses Jump Through Hoops Of Flame.

Many many friends made it out this weekend. Full moon fever.

Dill.

Sage Vaughn, next to a locked port-a-potty.

The show, packed, was very polarizing. Love and hate co-mingled freely.

I was one of the lovers.

Snaked!

And Dan Monick.

Sean Reveron, look for him Los Angeles, because he moved here. This is his home now. There were actually a ton of New Yorkers at the show.

And Juan is here with another out of towner, Miles Raymer of Chicago! Hi Miles!

Over at the after party, things were kicking off with a bang as DSS stormed the room.

He continues to amaze me, and to watch him play to a room filled with so many strangers to his work, and to get such a howling reception was a real thrill.

David Kramer, breaking the fast with a Heineken.

Joe Preston/Thrones. Full body quake, inner rumble, oh my god status.

That's quite a group of people standing there, boy.

Thank you, Thrones, for flying down and playing the show.

Words can't really say, but this was a special night. A turning point or something. Summer is over, but Fall kicked off so unbelievably strong on this night. Coasts collided, love was in the air and LA continues to come correct.

And look who's home from 3 weeks working in New York..

Welcome back Ingo!

Dance, California, Dance,

Abe Vigoda started around 12:30. The club requested all bands be done by 11, so in the midst of all this joy there was an under current of mounting tension. Exciting!

The plan was, AV would play 5 songs and then Mika Miko would play 5, sharing equipment for a quick turnover.

I can't remember them playing this well before. It was explosive and inspiring and fun.

Ultimate Juan.

And here come the girls. Security tense, soundman unhappy and berated, elation in the air. The night was peaking.

The first thing that stopped working was the phone.

This guy from New York who just moved here, this funny, awesome guy was screaming for LA to give itself a hug. "This city deserves a hug!". Agreed.

The last remaining working microphone.

Losing control.

At this point, the last mic died. It was killed, rather, in an effort to make it stop. And then something amazing and dumb and perfect happened.

Everyone knew the words, so the crowd became the microphones. I giant, joyous, chaotic, sing-a-long.

Unhappy security guard.

So yes, wonder is alive and well here as the new season begins. It's alive and it's growing and it's getting better everyday. I can't wait to see what the next few months bring. We are lucky, right now, you are lucky. Feel it. Be here.

Come And Be A Cure For Me, Make The Tears Come Out Of Me.

Dash came to town for his show at Peres Projects, and he invited me down to check out the film he was making three days before the show.

He made this giant lightbox and took out an ad for helpers.

And this was their job.

The only rule was to give a 10 second warning before you reached your grand finale.

Everyone had their own special style or flourish.

Do I even need to mention that there was a lot of weird energy in the room? Weird, yes, but suprisingly relaxed and pleasant as well.

The shirt over the head was a nice touch.

All participants were sequestered down in the basement. One would finish, another would be called up.

Tippie toes.

Hair-do.

There were only two creeps, and they were the two dudes loudly proclaiming their heterosexuality. They were the bummer. One of them said he was going to "take his time so we didn't think he was a chump". Yeah, OK guy, you do that. Have a nice long beat off so we can think you're a good beat offer.

There is Jade. She and Dash had a baby two weeks ago! Secret!

OK, the matching Crocs. These belonged to a happy couple, been together 16 years, probably pushing 70 years old, and as happy to be there as two people could be.

So casual. Like old friends talking about old times.

We were approaching the witching hour. The end of the marathon.

In the end, there were 37 participants. The whole thing was like a once in a lifetime sporting event.

Behind closed doors on a weeknight in Chinatown, you never know what's going on.

I Was Just Trying To Get Along With You.

On a slow night and on a quest for fun, Jesse and I gathered all the change and put it in a cash bag.

Took it to Coinstar and vowed to spend it all that night.

And I know my teeth have seen better days, but do I look happy or what? That's the magic of Coinstar!

Whoo! That's a lot of change!

I tried fooling the machine but it spit my pesos and arcade tokens back out at me.

As good as gold, and as good as spent.

And finally, the fruits of our labor!

You Hit Me With A Flower

Rehearsing, the day before leaving on another tour.

And have they already mostly recorded a new LP? Maybe. Anyway, they are back on tour right now, somewhere in America, going to Japan.

Go and say "Hello" to Dean Spunt.

Go and give a hi-five to Randy Randall.

Los Angeles, they will be back soon enough.

Lay It Down Fast, Forget About It.

With Mark still in town, we went for a beautiful Fall hike.

A walk with people who made a conscious decision to be healthy and good to themselves and to each other.

Which is actually kind of revolutionary in this time, because everywhere you look in 2007 you see vapid self destruction and fear.

So yeah, we put a couple of hours aside for a walk in the park.

Also, here in sunny Southern California, the temperature has dropped to 70. Sweater weather! Whoo!

Crazed Naxos.

Jesse Smoke-A-Lotta-Doobies.

Lookit those city slickers try to make it up a hill.

Getting home we saw David Scheid cooking dinner in the 'Scheid Out'. Hi David!

The decision was made to drive out to the suburbs and listen to Operation Ivy.
As you can imagine, it was a joyous evening. What could make it better? I guess dinner at Soup Plantation.

It's OK if you're jealous. I would be too.

And to Mark, I say, Goodnight Sweet Prince! Be safe back in New York, and visit me often. It was great to see you.

Under Blue Moon I Saw You, So Cruelly You Kissed Me.

Something about Saturday night is making me nervous.

Now Hounds Of Love Are Hunting Me.

This is the most powerful handgun in existence.

And this nice man who seems to own/run the Los Angeles Gun Club explained, through laughing fits, that ever since the flooding of New Orleans that business has gone through the roof. He said that the general populace no longer trust the Police. I never would have guessed. Anyway, James, Mark and I just wanted to start the day off with a jolt.

This is an intimidating and huge and terrifying gun.

Body quake!

Scared and shaky and cracking up.

James had never fired a gun in his life.

He seemed to be enjoying himself pretty heavily.

We turned the bad guys into hamburger, and then headed over to visit the kids at Rene's house.

Because we were shaking from that giant hand cannon, and needed the kids to calm us down. Rene fed us and Jenna told us jokes and our day of weekend visiting continued as we went to go see Aaron and David who were silkscreening new Sads shirts!

Sneak peak! Limited numbers!

Available soon. This week.

Hand pulled.

A classic design for Fall.

Well done guys!

Dinnertime at the new vegan joint on Sunset, Flore. I can't get enough of that place. Total deliciousness.

And look who met us, fresh from a painting retreat in Maine! It's Jesse Spears!

I am rich in friendship!

Doing The Thing As She Dreamed It.

My Brother and I in 1977. We had just moved to California.

I Didn't Know Where I Was Going With This.

Little Nate Harringbone.

The Barry McGee opening at Redcat.

These pictures do not show the scope of this. I was immediately impressed and sold on this show. Amazing.

There was a loft that you could climb into and peek one person at a time. I won't tell you what was up there. Climb that ladder on your own.

It felt great inside this room.

This pregnant and swollen wall must have been a nightmare to hang.

Handsome Skull Buddy.

Life Neighbor, Matzah and an Abe Babe. All smokers.

Mark with Los Angeles.

It was wildly packed, a runaway success.

Down in the theater people were starting to come in to check out..

Abe Vigoda!

What a room! It's beautiful down there!

The night was a hint of Fall, and part of the Summer farewell. Things are looking good.

Naxos.

And even though there were like 700 people upstairs at his opening, Barry McGee was in the theater watching the entire AV set by himself. What a class act!

And then tragedy struck. A broken string.

Reggie looked dubious. Would the show go on?

Whew! Thank goodness!

Afterglow Michael.

Afterglow Dave.

Meanwhile, back upstairs, it's Jesse Clavin.

McCoy / Stone. Bringing you the future, today.

This is Juan, pleased that the name 'Baby Kid Congo' doesn't seem to be sticking.

And this is Reggie, pleased that in the span of a single week he will have played both the Barry McGee opening and the Dash Snow opening.

Kevin and Camille.

The night ended at Canter's, a beautiful ending, watching Juan wiggling around on the phone, eating cookies.

This Is Where We Are From.

Major friend weekend. Mark in town, Avi in town, James Ross left the house, Lil' Nate left the house.

What wild activities will unfold with these wild animals in town?

They're Quiet, The Choir, Their Voices Go Higher.

My buddy Mark McCoy flew into town yesterday to spend the weekend. He even left his computer at home to truly feel free! We drove to get coffee straight off the plane, and he was immediately asked to be in a TV show they were filming. How many people come to this town dreaming of that shit happening? Discovered!

All he wanted was some Mexican food, after which we took a leisurely stroll around Echo Park Lake. Tonight we will be at The Red Cat for the Barry Mcgee opening, where Abe Vigoda wil be playing around 9. See you there.

Each Page Was A New Chance To Understand The Last.

Relationships.

Relationships.

Relationships.

Searching For Mr. Right, Waiting Up Half The Night.

"You're the hero, you're the star."

There is a Los Angeles style hint of Fall in the air. Moments of it anyway. The slight shift in color, less windows open at night. Craving comfort food at Canters.

Button ups and cardigans.

And even though we will probably get another scorching heatwave before this Summer is officially over, I am excited for the season change. With all the energy coming into this next phase, oh shit, I hope everyone is ready to elevate their game.

Elevate everything. Elevation. Elevation Fall. (Thanks for that, Mary.)

What are you doing to participate?

More Beautiful, Than All These Things, Was Your Face, When You Came.

People are always saying to stay in the moment.

And they are right. If you can stay in the moment you are always better off. Feel everything right now.

It is really a difficult task though. I practice it everyday, for years now, and more often than not I come up short.

I wake up in the morning sometimes crushed by the past. The destruction, the failed relationships, the messy endings, the rehabs and all the near misses.

Or worried about the future. Is everything going to be OK? How will it be OK? Are my teeth falling out? Do these jeans make my ass look huge? Are there termites in my foundation? Was that a rat I saw in the living room last night? Are the bills late? Will I get cancer? When will I get cancer?

More and more though, the days get easier, the days get better.

A Whispered Remark Changed A Girl's Life.

Laura Walden, one of the all time bff's, turned 53 yesterday.

She looks great for 53! That is why she is the Eastside's most trusted skin care advisor/soap tycoon.

Trust what inspires you.

It was good to see Laura on her birthday, and good to see her so happy.

She only fell down once.

As I was leaving, the kids called Rene and I. They were stranded at the gay bar and wanted a rescue. You got it kids.

Let's get donups.

A dozen donups! The last great bargain in America!

Of course, later you will pay. Donup coma.

Evolution Is A Process Too Slow To Save My Soul.

Yeah! Kate Hall's birthday BBQ at the Clavin House.

Happy birthday pal!

Fresca!

Rockabilly dudes.

Rockabilly babes.

Yao Yao.

Tick Dent and Matzah. It's love.

Chancla chugs.

This summer is going on forever.

Don't forget it.

Running Around In Circles All Day Long.

I have a cold. A summer cold.

That means I am a snot factory.

And the life of a snot factory is a lonesome one.

Take However Long You Want.

We decided to brave the beach this weekend. What else could we do? It was 180 degrees out.

Aaron locked up Choke, and we hit the road. On that road I got a speeding ticket, which was exciting because for the first time maybe ever, I am a legal driver. License, registration AND insurance! Crazy. And oh yeah, I don't think 78 in a 65 really warrants a ticket, but whatever, Officer Jeff Jones.

Get me to the water. Get me a corn dog.

This is one example of what lifers look like.

I stayed in the water for two hours. I taught Mama Chancla how to swim, and now she is married to the sea.

Two hours. We were pruned. I was a prune.

Juan and Mama.

Walk on, let's go get some dinner. It's still, with the sun going down, like 98 degrees ps.

Googles.

Aaron took this one. He says I should be on here more, so here you go buddy.

And goodnight my friends. Goodnight to you all.

I Gave You A House, But You Didn't Haunt It. Now Where Am I Supposed To Live?

Everybody is an outsider in LA.

>>

Mika Miko came home from yet another tour and the heat inside the Smell was drenching even the walls.

In fact, the city of Los Angeles has issued an official 'heat advisory', so in case you didn't know, it is very very hot here.

Lil' Nate's hand.

Lil' Nate's feet.

Sisters.

Juan / Baby Kid Congo got a new job.

He is a nanny now! Congratulations Juan Baby!

P.S. This is my 500th post.

Yes, And The Morning Had Me Looking In Your Eyes.

David Scheid has officially moved into the apartment below mine, the same apartment that contained the woman who accused me of being a peeping tom. She was evicted for the peepery accusations, so now I get to peep on David.

Ladies, if you're interested, he is available, and he has an epic t-shirt collection.

He is a hard worker, very punctual, has done time as a yoga teacher and has a romantic streak a mile wide. So act fast!

Popular Art.

It is wildly hot this weekend. Intense heat.

So do the right thing tonight, and beat the heat in the air conditioned delight of The Smell, where The Muslims, Am, and Mika Miko will be playing.

Also, New Yorkers, Ingrid, (Above), is in the Big Apple for the next 3 weeks working. Look for her on the street, buy her a slice, make a friend.