He called himself The Living Legend," but since his family didn't publish an obituary (it's, um, complicated), it's up to his friends, lovers and bandmates to insure that he is remembered and that his legacy (good and/or bad, depending on one's point of view) lives on in some form. There's the music, of course; he may be only cremains but the tunes remain...but more than that are the memories gathered here, there and everywhere on social media. Ross Haupt/"Adolf Kowalski" touched many, many lives in Baltimore and across the globe. He certainly touched the lives of me and my wife Amy and was always, without fail, nice to us. Following are our thoughts about his untimely passing from renal failure on March 21, 2023. He was 63 years old.
Tom Warner (aka "Tommy Gunn," friend and co-founding bandmate in Thee Katatonix)
March 21, 2023: I heard the news today, oh boy...the King is dead.
Ross Haupt, aka "Adolf Kowalski"
45 years ago, Katie Glancy and I met the young Ross Haupt in the Towson State University Glen, where Katie and he concocted a plan to start a rock and roll band. I came in as part of a package deal with Katie (kind of like a multiplayer MLB trade) because I wanted to go out with her and lied and said I could play drums because, well, how hard could it be in a punk band? (I hadn't yet heard Rat Scabies - dummy me!). Who knew then that Katie & the Katatonix, the fledgling group soon to be rechristened Thee Katatonix, would blossom and grow (like a fungus) and that Ross - soon to be rechristened Adolf Kowalski - would soldier on through the decades and additional bands (All About Suzie, Blunt Force Trauma, etc), never abandoning his career and lifestyle aspirations of being a rock star and Living Legend. Well, he is no longer living but the legend lives on - warts (there were plenty) and all.
The Heroic Trio? Thee Original Katatonix, 1979 (illustration by David Wilcox)
Katie Katatonic, Tommy Gunn & Adolf Kowalski
Adolf was always fronting the image, but beneath the hubris there was a guy who would do anything for those he loved. He was my confidant in those early band days, the keeper of secrets I'll take to my grave (and vice versa). He once confided, "The old days were best, man"...They were, but they weren't made to last, not at the pace he set. A charmer, a harmer, a lover, a hater, a changer and a re-arranger - Ross/Adolf was a complex character who found Better Living Thru Chemistry, even when his body disagreed. RIP, old friend. I know you'll be pissed at missing Svengoolie each weekend, but what the hell ya gonna do? Indeed, that was the question when you became financially independent and stopped working: what the hell ya gonna do? There was dope and booze, of course, but given your creative spirit, that wasn't enough. So you poured your energies into some "venture capital" projects, like releasing Katatonix CDs, recording other artists you liked, financing the ill-fated Coffin Cuties magazine and clothing line, going to lots of concerts, and so on. And supporting any friends that needed a helping hand. That's why Robyn Webb once quipped that, while "Adolf Kowalski" could be one of the biggest a-holes on earth, Ross Haupt was the best friend anyone who experienced that side of him could ask for.
The old days were best, man!
Ah, more memories of those good old days...The early Kats did everything together and saw a lot of shows en masse: Blondie/Rockpile at Merriweather, Elvis Costello at Georgetown, The Ramones everywhere. One of the best was Devo at Painter's Mill, December 29, 1978 - when Mark Mothersbaugh came into the audience playing a wireless guitar, Adolf grabbed his ass and tore this piece off his yellow jumpsuit. I treasured it and had it laminated, apparently using a TSU photo laminator!
Mark Mothersbaugh's Devo suit
When the Cramps played the Marble Bar, we all went and I recall Lux Interior leaning over the stage to swipe Adolf's sunglasses (worn, as the song goes, after dark) and put them on his head. Adolf was touched.
I'll never forget Adolf picking us up at my parent's house to go to the Preakness in May 1980. He showed up in a full-length blue polka-dot raincoat with a cowboy hat and dark sunglasses and announced that he had just dropped acid for the occasion. ("You gonna be alright with him driving?" my sister Nancy asked. "Sure, what could go wrong?" I naively replied.) We sat in the kitchen watching John Lydon and PiL wreaking havoc on Dick Clark's American Bandstand. It set the tone for the day.
Then there were the infamous shows in D.C. At Madam's Organ in Adam's Morgan we debuted "I Hate D.C." to a less than receptive audience (go figure!) in a shitshow of a performance that found us all suffering from Montezuma's Revenge after our suspect pre-show dinner; we couldn't wait to get off the stage and back to the grimy bathroom. And our show at Scandals caused a riot that shut the place down. But trouble was already brewing before the gig when Adolf - driving Katie, me and new recruit Steevie Squeegee (Mike Milstein) - around Georgetown, sarcastically complimented some Marines on their crewcuts - the irate grunts chased us around for blocks. Not done with antagonizing the Armed Services, on the same trip Adolf also drove by a midnight screening of The Empire Strikes Back and, seeing a line of people waiting to get in, shouted out his spoiler "Darth Vader is Luke's father!" Again, the audience was less than receptive. But that was Adolf. No matter where you were, you had to be ready for an adventure.
Front Page Story: Adolf's "Boogie Nights" profile (City Paper, 1981)
Of all the achievements in his tragically short life - founding Towson's first (and Baltimore's 2nd) punk band, backing Edith Massey, touring SanFran and the UK, playing the Mudd Club, running for Guv'nor, releasing a cult LP (DIVINE MISSION) that goes for hundreds of bucks in Europe, winning those Battle of the Bands contests, the media accolades (who can forget Pam Purdy's "Boogie Nights" profile for the Baltimore City Paper?) - I think Adolf may have been most proud of winning the Dundalk Eagle's "Best Chili in Dundalk" award last year on “21222 Day.” (Dundalk celebrated a once-in-a-century date that Saturday, when the date, abbreviated as 2/12/22, matched Dundalk’s main ZIP code, 21222.) Of course, we “rocked” the vote (much as years ago we got “Katie Katatonic” elected “Homecoming Queen” by canvasing the Towson State campus with “Vote for the Punk” flyers!) It made the front page with the accompanying photo. Too bad he cannot defend his title.
Flanked by event organizers Peggy Sue Oliphant (left) and Will Feur (right), Adolf Kowalski takes home the cash prize for winning the “21222 Day” Dundalk chili cook-off (Dundalk Eagle photo by Dan Belson)
Kathleen Glancy Milstein (nee Katie Katatonic) just reminded me of another Adolf Kowalski achievement in his CV: He won the 1977 "Best Punk Costume" prize at the Iggy Pop/Ramones/Crack the Sky show at the Civic Center. This was before either of us had yet met him! But even then he was "in it to win it."
Best Punk Costume winner, 1977
His look changed constantly over the years from that initial bad boy punk style, but the attitude always remained the same.
Adolf, hair-bent for leather
Adolf, "philosopher king and the boy most likely to" (City Paper photo by Jennifer Bishop)
I particularly liked his Prince Valiant look when the Kats went into their psychedelic flower-power phase.
Before he was King...Adolf as Prince Valiant, at a 1980s New Year's Eve Party…
Adolf, you left us too soon and took away all those great memories of "the good old days." I will miss your anecdotes, your wit, and your sense of humor. But hey, you went out on your terms, living the high life and going for the gusto. Living fast and, well, dying young. It’s kinda cliche, but it’s “The Rock ‘n’ Roll Way.”
***********************************************
Amy Warner (nee Davis, nee Linthicum; friend and former Dundalk High schoolmate)
Ross Haupt before the transformation…into Adolf Kowalski
Way back in the Dark Ages when I was in high school, I was friends with this guy Ross. He was likeable, kinda pudgy, quite smart. We liked the same music. That's how you bonded with people in those days. He took me to my first rock concert (Kiss), and my second (Queen). Then I went off to college in southern Maryland and we lost touch. Then either through a chance encounter or a phone call, I forget which, we were communicating again. He told me he was now calling himself Adolf Kowalski and fronting a band, Thee Katatonix, and he invited me to see them at the Marble Bar. I didn't drive back then, and I actually took public transportation to go and check them out. But alas, something happened and they didn't play that night. That was my first visit to the Marble. I did see them play soon enough, and was amazed at the transformation of Ross into this gaunt, theatrical and somewhat threatening persona. Adolf was always pissing people off, and would say and do things that would make me cringe. He could be quite rude. Yet he was always so generous to me, and to Tom. I remember a few years ago he plucked us out of the crowd at The Damned show, and put us where he was, with the unobstructed view. He offered to send us on a honeymoon... I wouldn't have met Tom Warner (Kats' drummer), or my first husband [Mark Linthicum, aka “Mark Harp” or “Harpo”], or any of my Marble friends if I didn't know him...so I will miss Adolf; I will miss Ross. R.I.P. my friend.
The Baltimore-Washington Rockway: Singles Going Steady
A Look Back - and Forward - at Tru Fax & Dark Carnival
Following are some thoughts about some tracks lost between the cracks of time, a celebration of some great local music by Tru Fax and Dark Carnival that I've been too lazy to review - until now!
Tru Fax & The Insaniacs @ 2013 SoWeBo Festival
Just the Fax, Ma'am!
Running into the perpetually perky Diana Quinn at the Black Cat club in Washington, D.C. last week (for the first stop of Buzzcocks's 2014 North American Tour) reminded me that I was criminally negligent for not reviewing the latest music from her classic and long-running D.C. pop quartet, Tru Fax & The Insaniacs. You see, I bought a 5-song CD-EP ( a steal at $5!) from Diana back in May when her group played the 2014 SoWeBohemian Festival.
The Mighty Quinn: The perpetually perky rocker Diana Quinn
Way back when I played drums (if that's what you want to call my limp-wristed attempts at keeping a beat) in Towson's first punk band Thee Katatonix (circa 1979-1980), we were good friends with the Insaniacs - they were our favorite D.C. group (along with The Slickee Boys and Black Market Baby, natch) and I was particularly close to Libby Hatch, the original Insaniacs bass player (formerly of The Shirkers) who tragically passed away before her time after a 1998 motorcycle accident. Perhaps the Kats bonded with the Fax because we were both underdogs whose technical ability was sometimes questioned in the early days: Katatonix frontman Adolf Kowalski used to boast, "We're the worst, that makes us the best!" while Washingtonian Magazine actually named Tru Fax the District's "Worst Band" of 1980. For their part, the Insaniacs wore the dubious award as a badge of honor, even flaunting their status as "Washington's Award Winning Band"! in their fliers, as shown below:
Tru Fax: "Hear Them Do Their Worst!"
Perhaps it was this self-effacing, ego-free attitude that so endeared them to me. Despite having two "rock chicks" in the early lineup, their onstage vibe was always that of cool nerds, like something out of a Daniel Pinkwater young adult novel, rather than "New Wave Punks." Back then, now noticeably slimmer guitarist David Wells was roly-poly and bespectacled, while Michael Mariotte wore big, thick tortoise-shell specs that made him look more like an accountant than a rock & roll drummer. They didn't care; the band was about making pop music and having fun, not putting on airs and copping attitudes.
"We adhere to the original punk ideals of musical simplicity, purity, and high satire, and we're committed to having fun." - Tru Fax Mission Statement
Their sound was accurately characterized by Silver Spring Penguin blogger Jennifer Deseo as "a mixture of buzzsaw guitars and Debbie Harry vocals...a gritty sound juxtaposed with a bubbly beat" accompanied by "cheeky irony that makes punk deliciously irreverent" ("Local Licks: Tru Fax and the Insaniacs," March 28, 2008). Deseo added that songs like "Betsy's Dressed Up," "Friday" and "Pictures Of You" mirrored the punk end of Blondie's Parallel Lines (a list to which I would add the new song "Quarry House," with its soaring "Atomic" vocals intro). "Other tunes - 'King of Machines' and 'Washingtron' nod at Stooges," she continued, "and 'Love Love Love' is a gabba-gabba-hey! away from The Ramones." So Tru(e)!
The Debbie Harry-style singing of Diana Quinn is an especially spot-on comparison, but as far as songwriting goes, my girlfriend Amy had an even better analogy. "Diana Quinn is either the Ceil Strakna of D.C. or Ceil Strakna is the Diana Quinn of Baltimore!" she observed one day. The comparison to former Boy Meets Girl and Big As a House singer-songwriter-guitarist Ceil Strakna is apt, as both ladies had the song-writing chops to match their outstanding vocals.
Charm City's Diana Quinn: Ceil Strakna fronting Boy Meets Girl
And it doesn't stop there: Diana also plays in two side bands, the retro/alt Honky Tonk Confidential and the '60s "Girl Sound" ensemble The Fabulettes.
Tru Fax would soldier on after Libby Hatch with various other bass players (Jamie Cramer is the latest) and Diana would win a 1998 WAMMIE (Washington Area Music Association award) for Best Rock/Pop Female Vocalist, but over the years I lost track of them. Until, thanks to the encouragement of the Kats'Adolf Kowalski, Tru Fax rekindled memories of their late-70s/early 80's brilliance by once again gigging in Charm City with the Kats, first at the Metro Gallery in February 2013 and then at the 2013 and 2014 SoWeBohemian Festivals. (Diana also performed at the 2013 Honfest in Hampden with her swinging '60s "Girl Group Sound" band The Fabulettes.)
Though they only released one album (1982's Mental Decayon Wasp Records, with Tim Carter on bass guitar) and one classic 45 (1980's "Washingtron" b/w "Mystery Date" on Wasp Records), Diana reports that a new CD is in the works for release in the fall of 2014.
Tru Fax's "Washington" 45 (Wasp Records, 1980)
Tru Fax's "Mental Decay" LP (Wasp Records, 1982)
This is good news, very good news indeed! (According to their official web site, Tru Fax had originally planned to release a CD in 2007 that would have included their vinyl 45 and album, plus eight new songs, but it never came to pass. So far, only four Tru Fax songs - live versions of "King of Machines," "Chinese Wall," "T.V. Me," and "Washingtron" - have appeared on a commercially available CD, 1997's hard-to-find 9:30 LIVE!: A Time, A Place, A Street 2-disc set, recorded during the final days of D.C.'s old 9:30 club.)
9:30 LIVE! CD (1997, Genes Records)
Perhaps now, since their long player Mental Decay only came out on vinyl, there will finally be digital versions of that album's "Love, Love, Love," "What the World Needs Now," and "Mars Needs Women" for the world-at-large (at least the world beyond The District) to enjoy at last! And maybe (please!) that Killer B-side "Mystery Date"?
I'm a secret admirer of Tru Fax's "Mystery Date"
According to recent posts on the Tru Fax Facebook page, we can count on the following songs to appear on the new CD: "Beautiful World," "Pictures of Dorian Gray," and hopefully personal fave "Chinese Wall."
In the meantime, here's are some more clues to what we can expect from the Insaniacs based on their latest EP teaser release.
TRU FAX & THE INSANIACS
5-Song CD EP (2014)
Tru Fax & The Insaniacs 5-song CD EP
1. "Washingtron" (2014 update)
We're all Washingtrons!
This sounds like a beefed-up, slightly faster re-recording of the 1980 original that became an instant anthem for all residents of The District. (Of course, I may be wrong - since I no longer have a phonograph that works, I can't compare it to the original 45. If it's not a rerecording, then the original is holding up very well!) Diana adds some additional patter and vocal dubs, but this is still basically the unadulterated timeless classic that remains as relevant today as almost 35 years ago, even with all its time-topical references ("Accu-tron watches" and the movie Tron - of course!).
Over crunching guitars, Diana states the case for D.C.'s conflicted white-collar workers who want to pursue idealistic-elitist dreams but often end up as anonymous cogs in a dreary bureaucratic machine:
"We don't know nothing, we want to know less It's all too hard, the world's a mess - it's not our fault The things they told us turned out to be lies We know the truth has got to be disguised - for our protection Just wanna make it but before it's spent I wanna live a life that's Heaven sent"
It all leads up to Mariotte's driving beat signaling the famous chorus:
"I used to work as a waitron in the lounge of the Hiltron Now I work for my Senatron and I live in Arlingtron I'm just a Washingtron, we're all Washingtrons, Washingtrons"
It's great to have a anthem that defines your city. Diana's done that cheekily for DC, in the same way Blammo's "Sweet Home Balt-amore" has defined Baltimore as The City That Bleeds or KISS has defined Detropia as "Detroit Rock City."
2. "Britney Spears"
"Of all the jilted Mouseketeers, I love to hate for Britney Spears"
This must be a few years old, because Britney Spears today is "so 15 minutes ago," but nonetheless it's a blistering skewering of today's cookie cutter talent-challenged pop divas. Or, as Diana sings:
"Pop culture doesn't make any sense, made up of starlets with lots of pretense American Idols who don't know how sing, rock stars who just go bling, bling, bling"
Britney Spears: Mother of the Year?
Diana continues,
The thing that really baffles me, makes me wanna drink, makes me wanna flee No matter when I flip on my TV, all I see is Britney I wanna smash the television, toss my fanzine Watch a train collison, take some Thorazine Get a missile launcher, shoot down a satellite Yeah I think I wanna pick a fight
Erstwhile Mouseketeer Britney Spears
Of all the jilted Mouseketeers, I love to hate for Britney Spears I hate to love for Britney Spears, I hate to hate for Britney Spears
Who cares if she's a bad mom, likes a line of coke with her cheese and salam? I don't think she's such a cutie when she flashes me her waxed patootie
I love the sentiments behind this melodic rant, and look for future put-downs of here-today/gob-tomorrow disposable pop stars like Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus and their twerk-and-roll ilk.
3. "Mental Decay"
"Now that I'm older, I'm falling apart"
Though its the title of their 1982 long player, this marks the first appearance of a lyrically clever song every Baby Boomer can relate to.
When I was younger, I used to be smart Now that I'm older, I'm falling apart I just can't seem to cogitate smart My cerebellum, it's not in my heart I'm getting slow, I'm getting slow I'm getting stupid you know
As I get older, I seem to think less I can't do addition, my life is a mess My intellect's lacking, I'm outta control The Gallup Poll asks me, I answer 'I dunno' I don't know, uh, uh... 'What's the capital of the Soviet Union?' 'Is it Russia?' I just don't know! What's the question again? Where am I? I've got my eyes in circles, I listen to KISS I know I'm demented, but isn't it bliss? I'm getting senile, this mental decay My favorite expression is 'Have a nice day!"
The lyrics ring all too true for this AARP member, and David Wells' rollicking guitar solo proves that he, for one, isn't suffering from any osteoarthritis.
4. "Quarry House"
The Quarry House Tavern in Silver Spring, MD
After a soaring vocals opening (think Debbie Harry-circa-"Atomic"), Diana pips "Welcome to Silver Spring!" before singing the praises of the Quarry House Tavern, a "dive bar" in Silver Spring, MD, that's popular with musicians and fans of rockabilly music.
If you're not in the mood, sick of culture and fine food Want a place that's full of paramours and dudes Where the johns are lacking clean, and the staff's a little lean In a town named for a spring Full of shops and movies and bling Beneath the surface hell, there's a clientele strangely warming Don't you need a place to hide, from the everlasting tide Where nobody seems to notice life's not perfect?
Only a band with Punk/New Wave street cred can do justice to a skewering of DC's yuppified suburban paradise, and Diana & Co. don't disappoint as they find a place more to their calling, an even more underground 9:30 Club for those outsiders who do notice that's "life's not perfect" - and are glad of it!
Silver Spring: The kind of place where life is worth living
5. "Message To You"
This is Tru Fax's hilarious parody of those infamous "419 scams" - you know, the fraudulent advance-fee mail or e-mail requests (similar to the "Spanish Prisoner" scams of the late 19th century) often associated with foreign nations like Nigeria (419 is the section of the Nigerian Criminal Code dealing with fraud). Famous variations feature either a Nigerian Prince or royal family member requesting financial assistance from you - yes you! - because not only do "we hear you are confident and have strict criteria" but we're hoping you're also very stupid! After all, who wouldn't want to send money to a total stranger promising untold riches - it's a no-brainer, n'est pas?!?
To assist an unfortunate widow, we came across your address And crave your kind indulgence, with this very important business My father was a wealthy man, he died in a plane crash Can you please help me with a transfer, 'cause I really need the cash CHORUS: This is a message to you, please sincerely respond We seek your cooperation, from way across the Pond Please observe with confidentiality I'll provide you with hospitality 100 million dollars we guarantee 60 for you and 40 for me
We hear that you are confident, and have some strict criteria Please don't forget to send the fee to my bank here in Nigeria
This is a funny song with beautiful guitar strumming.
*****************
DARK CARNIVAL
"Book of Love" b/w "Second Chance"
Limited edition red vinyl 7"
(Merkin Records, 1989)
"Book of Love/Second Chance" 45 (Merkin Records, 1989)
I mentioned before how the (thee?) Katatonix connection helped rekindle
memories of the criminally neglected tunes of Tru Fax & Co.
Well, they also helped stir memories of another criminally neglected
local band from that era called Dark Carnival. You see, two outstanding staples of Thee Kats' live shows over the years have
been "Book of Love" (especially during their neo-psych phase) and "Second Chance," and both poptastic tunes were penned by lead
guitarist Charlie Gatewood (aka "Mr. Urbanity")dating back to his
late '80s days leading this Kats spin-off group whose
ranks included Katatonix drummer "Big" Andy Small and bass player Ken Malecki.
In
1989, Baltimore's Merkin Records released a limited edition red vinyl 7"
of the two songs. "Book of Love" was technically the A-side but, like
classic era Buzzcocks "singles-going-steady," it was basically a double A-side release,
with the songwriting quality making this arguably the greatest post-punk record ever to come out of Charm City. (Berserk's 1991 "Giant Robots/When I Think" 7", also on Merkin, begs to be part of this discussion as well!) (For D.C., the best single debate would come down to Tru Fax's "Washingtron/Mystery Date" versus Tommy Keene's "Back To Zero/Mr. Roland.")
Despite that, this rare collectible is virtually impossible to find on the open market, unless you want to fork over $15 for a German distributor import. I recall buying a copy from the band when they played a record-release show at the Galaxy Ballroom back in the day, but alas, it's long been lost in the black hole that is my vinyl 45 collection (shame too, because it came with a lyric sheet insert that rightly puts the spotlight on Urbanity's urbane wordplay).
What makes this single so, um, singular, is that both tunes merrily spin around the record player with nary a stitch: there is no filler, no dead space, no wasted lines. Pop perfection in just a little over three minutes flat: songwriting craft at its best.
A-Side: "Book of Love"
Fast-tempo guitar and drums race through this pop confection as Mr. Urbanity sings "I want to read the Book of Love/I want to see what you know between the pages." On the bridge, Gatewood throws in a change-of-pace reggae guitar riff (think Jonathan Richman's "Egyptian Reggae") that shows the influence of this musical style on the eclectic guitarist. (When I first met Charlie Gatewood at Towson State University circa 1980, he was working at a record store and always talked enthusiastically about reggae records - that is, before he discovered the similar joys of punk, New Wave, and post-punk while playing in Thee Katatonix.) Watch Thee Katatonix play "Book of Love."
A version of "Book of Love" also appears on Thee Katatonix's Thanks Hon, 30th Anniversary CD (U.K. Spud, 2009). The Katatonix version is notable for adding keyboards to Dark Carnivals's guitar-only propelled mix. Both versions are outstanding and compliment one another.
Mr. Urbanity's paen to love-at-second-sight reflects its subject's immediacy, the Boy Meets Girl rush best deconstructed by The Kinks as "Girl-I-want-to-be-with-you-all-of-the-time/All-day-and-all-of-the-night."
The song opens with the fairly typical rush-of-crush lyrics...
I don't wanna have took everywhere to find you I don't wanna have to look anywhere at all I was looking through the photographs Yeah I think you're unforgettable And I wanna see you once again for a laugh
Look out, look out, here I come again I wanna see you, I wanna talk to you I wanna love you to the end
With breakneck speed, the tune continues, with Urbanity's words adding, on second pass, more indelible images:
I was looking through the photographs And I think you're almost edible And I wanna see you once again for a laugh
Look out, look out, you know I'm gonna call I wanna hold you, I wanna scold you, I wanna have it all!
The track's opening and closing guitar onslaught signals the obvious effect playing harder-edged riffs in Thee Katatonix had on Urbanity.
Merkin Records Seedy Sampler (1989)
Another Dark Carnival song, the industrial-toned "Back to the Factory," appears on the 1989 Merkin Records Seedy Sampler album. Despite the exceptional pedigree of Gatewood's songwriting and the band's musicianship, Dark Carnival's back catalog consists of just these three songs. Alas. Gatewood and Small eventually returned to the Katatonix fold, where Mr. Urbanity's melodic pop tendencies and image-packed lyrics (especially on songs like "Ordinary Sunday," "Shake, Shake" and "Daisy Chain") - and Small's rock-solid beat - continue to shine.
Note: Should you try to track down Baltimore's Dark Carnival records, be sure not to confuse them with Detroit's Dark Carnival, a band featuring ex-Destroy All Monsters singer Niagra and ex-Stooges Ron and Scott Ashton.
The other Dark Carnival: I'm pretty sure that's not Mr. Urbanity in heels!
Redux Stage celebrates music long gone but far from forgotten
It was the best of times, it was the Worz of times (yes, perpetually frenetic scenester Keith Worz was there!) at the 30th annual SoWeBohemian Arts & Music Festival held this past Memorial Weekend Sunday in Baltimore's failed experiment in neighborhood gentrification, SoWeBo (which I guess stands for SouthWest Baltimore, but was originally coined by the early bohemian settlers to show their solidarity with South Africa's Soweto townships).
Musicians chill in The Redux Stage's open-air VIP Lounge
Though there's a lot to see and do down at SoWeBo - like all the art and crafts on display (though most people seem to just eat, drink, get sunburn, and listen to the free music) - Amy "I have enough t-shirts & jewelry" Linthicum and I set out to hang at the Marble Bar Time Capsule Stage (officially known as The Redux Stage, on the corner of Arlington and Lombard) as our prime objective, because this was Festival Ground Zero for seeing all the old people (Marble Bar Baby Boomers like us) and hearing all the old music (late '70s & 1980s Punk-New Wave-Postpunk) that we like.
Marble Bar Boomers trux on down to Redux
The stage was managed by Fred Collins (Motor Morons, Pleasant Livers), with DJ "Lightning" Rod Misey (former WCVT-Towson State University and current WVUD-University of Delaware jock who interviewed and played countless Punk-New Wave bands - like Da Moronics, Ivan & The Executioners, Thee Katatonix, etc. - during his late '70s/early '80s radio reign) emceeing the proceedings and Joe Berky of Sound Productions handling, um, sound and production.
The Mark Harp All-Stars idea was the brainchild of long-time Harp collaborator Robyn Webb (following a suggestion by Fred Collins), who posted on her Facebook page the following thank-you to all who participated in the day's festivities:
Still in recovery, but want to offer major thanks to everyone, Chris Dennstaedt, Chris Ciattei, Cecilia Strakna, Robert J. Friedman, David Zidek, David Wilcox, Bill Dawson, Cindy Borchardt, Craig Considine and Ben Watson
for making Mark Harp's All-Stars a reality one more time....Despite
scheduling snafus, equipment failures and general chaos, they said it
couldn't be done, but we pulled it off...Thanks
also to Fred Collins, the SoWeBo Festival committee, Joe Berky, Thee
Katatonix, Motor Morons, Mongoloidian Glow, Trufax & The Insaniacs,
David Wright, Tom Warner and to all of you that stuck around until the
bitter end to share Mark Harp's music with us. Great to see so many old
friends together in one place. - Robyn Webb
Well said, Robyn. My only regret was that the star-studded set started so late, at Twilight's last gleaming after a long day's journey into (SoWeBo) blight. But as Larry Vega would say, "What the hell ya gonna do?"
Apparently, there was a little "drama" behind the scenes of the All-Stars event, but I try to avoid conflicts and confrontations as much as I can (I get enough of that on a daily basis at my job!); interested parties can read Robyn's soap opera recap at Mark Harp's All-Stars.) (I did, however, love Robyn's snarky riposte to all the post-event carping: "Lessons learned: Get a lead guitar player who owns a guitar. Never follow the Motor Morons or an animal act.")
Robert J. Friedman (aka "Beefalo Bob") put it all into perspective with his tempered observation that "...organizing the un-organizable Mark Harp All-Stars...(was) a task that made herding cats look easy. Sure it could have been better, and it should have been earlier, however I thought we served the Big Man's memory well and made him the star of yet another SoWeBo Festival!"
More on The Big Event celebrating the music of The Big Man, Mark Harp (Mark Linthicum, 1957-2004), later in this long-winded tome...but first, a litany of the day's events in chronological order as they happened...with accompanying videos recorded by yours truly...
Tom Warner, Vidiot About Town records the action
The SoWeBeatoes
Thanks to a family medical emergency, Amy and I missed most of The Beatoes' noon set (why so early?; we barely had time to put on our sunblock!), catching only their last number, "Mouse in a Blender," an old Poverty & Spit vermin supremo delicacy that featured guest vocals by erstwhile Spit and current Thee Katatonix honcho Adolf Kowalski.
Adolf K. spits it out while Chris D. strums along
Adolf released a bunch of balloons, just like Nena in "99 Luftballons," though I don't think his act was as symbolically charged as the Krautpop fraulein's.
This was the first stage appearance by Chris Dennstaedt, the man Robyn Webb always intros as "Philadelphia's answer to Beck Hansen," who would return to the Redux Stage later that night to perform with the All-Stars. By all accounts, Chris did some major heavy lifting on the day (no wonder he wears a wrist brace!), being called into duty to carry much of the All-Stars guitar duties. As Robyn Webb later commented, "After all this hoopla, we still had to go to the bullpen immediately upon the first pitch...[and] Chris, as a relief pitcher was far from warmed up, but managed to deliver when he hit the mound." Copy that and color me impressed!
Afterwards, Amy and I wandered around the festival, running into mutual acquaintance friends and peeps like Billy McConnell and his girlfriend Nicole...
Billy McConnell's "Big Man" pin reminds us to watch the Mark Harp All-Stars
"Mark Harp? I'll drink to that!"
Bucky B...
Hollins Street Hookup: Bucky B., Robyn Webb & Amy Linthicum
Bucky's "Big Man" ink trumps Billy McC's "Big Man" pin
...Amy's college roommate and longtime gal pal Liz Crain and, hey, Chris Dennstaedt the Hobo Chef sampling a local Chicken Gyro!...
Liz Crain, Amy Linthicum & Chris Dennstaedt
Blade (Motor Morons) says hi to her Edgewater neighbor Liz
Jo Connor (Here Today, Vigil) models his Mark Harp tee
...Amy's pal Valerie Potrzuski (of Hampden's Valerie Gallery fame), who was a festival vendor selling her art there.
Valerie Potrzuski & Amy Linthicum
...and Bill Barnett, who used to work with Mark Harp when they were DJs at WJHU back in the '80s and had a music blog, Burl Veneer's Music Blog, which had a great tribute to "The King of Peru."
Bill Barnett & Amy Linthicum
In his 2007 "King of Peru" post, Bill/Burl wrote:
"I read today that Alberto Fujimori, former President of Peru, was just
convicted of abuse of power, the first in what should be a string of
convictions. But that just reminded me of my dear friend Mark Harp,
who in his final years was the self-styled King of Peru. In fact,
nearly every day something reminds me of Mark; just a few days ago he
figured in my post on Vigil. I met Mark when I was 17, a freshman in
college. The campus radio station, WJHU, had a marvelously liberal
policy regarding on-air staff: you didn't have to be a student, or even
affiliated with the university at all! Mark was a so-called "community
member" of the radio station. I got to know him when I graduated from
the 3-6 AM timeslot into 1-3 AM; he came on after me. He scared me a
bit at first, because he was a big, ugly guy. But he was incredibly
friendly and his enthusiasm for music was unbounded. Every week he
brought a mind-blowing case of records into the studio with him, and I
would often stick around for an hour or two just to hear them, and what
he did with them. Mark's ecumenical taste in music opened my eyes to so
much that I had ignored until then, so he is probably more responsible
than anyone else for broadening my own musical world."
On a day that was paying homage to the Mark's memory, I thought this was a touching tribute. I too was a "community member" at JHU's then 5-watt radio station in the early '80s (was anyone there from Hopkins? I recall a lot of TSU-ers having shows), along with my ex Katie Glancy, City Paper writer Michael Yockel, and countless others. I think my solo show was "Make Believe Ballroom" and my show with Katie was "We Am a DJ" (named after the David Bowie song) and can recall interviewing Boy Meets Girl on air there; BMG singer-songwriter Ceil Strakna would perform later that day with the Mark Harp All-Stars.
Oh, and two fans even recognized me from my old public access television atrocity exhibition, Atomic TV (one guy confessed he couldn't get enough of the Underdog Lady episodes while Harvey Wiley other gave me card for his YouTube animated series "Punk Rock Negro" available on the spaceboycmx channel).
We then headed back down to the Redux Stage shortly before Thee Katatonix's 5 p.m. scheduled set, where some unscheduled spoken word and dance performances were taking place.
Mary Knott's Poetry Gong Show
Boy, timing is everything. Poor Mary Knott was slotted to give her poetry reading before a unreceptive, sometimes heckling, urban audience that had gathered to see the act that followed hers, the Dynamic Movement Dance Team. Alas, her words fell on def ears.
Wow, tough crowd! One guy stood directly in front of Mary and glared at her, shaking his head dismissively and giving her the "cut it short" motion with his hand. Guess he was impatient to see the skinny-tights gals in the Dynamic Movement troupe - I suspect he's from the "It ain't the Mete(r), it's the Motion" school of thought - but rude is rude. Respect, brother, respect - spelled R-E-S-P-E-C-T.
Dynamic Movement Dance Team: Poetry in Motion
Robyn Webb diffused the situation by thanking Mary and cracking "Where's that gong when you need it?" as he ushered her off the stage. Mary avoided getting the gong and the Dynamic Movement came on to do their thing.
Dynamic Movement Dance Team
I have to say, these kids were really good and busted some truly dynamic moves.
Not my music and not my style, but talent is talent, and these
terpsichoreans "brought it"!
I'm sure the crowd enjoyed the one girl's
exposed butt crack as she gyrated, to boot(y). (Joy is where you find
it, after all! Look for butt crack at the 1:48 mark!)
Dynamic Movement Dance Team members
Dancing with the Stars, SoWeBo Style
So much for the professionals...It was also a day of wild abandon as far as dancing and gyrating music lovers were concerned in the amateur ranks, from a Headbanging Woman in a Wheelchair clutching a Pet Pigeon to her breast (she seemed to have an epiphany during Thee Katatonix's set - see her rock out when they played "Second Chance")...
Wheelchair lady holds pigeon - and Thee Katatonix - near and dear to her heart
...to a high-jumping, high-kicking black dude who went airborne during the Motor Morons set (Dave Wright and I suspected he might have been amped-up on Bath Salts and cautiously covered our faces whenever near him - just in case he wanted to chew off our well-chiseled faces)...
Manic dancer in blue comes unglued during Motor Morons set
"I like open-face sandwiches!": Blue man checks out our faces!
...and his sweat-suited companion in look-at-me spotlight dancing, Pink Lady...
Pink Lady busts a move in front of Redux Stage
...to uber-fans Blade of the Motor Morons pulling people from the crowd to dance with her and wildman Keith Worz of Marble Bar Lore - beer always in hand - pounding his fist on the stage and imploring the musicians to rock on.
Kalamitous Keith back in the day
(I remember well the time Keith came to a 1979 Katatonix gig in Annapolis where his frenetic pogo
dancing so impressed a local music critic that he got singled out in the
review for resembling something along the lines of "Jerry Lewis exposed
to repeated electro-shocks"!)
I hadn't seen Keith in years, if not decades. Googling him later, I found out that there's a short film by Zach Greenbaum called "Out To Lunch" on YouTube that stars Keith and is based on real events from his life. Filmed in Keith's basement, it's about two friends that reconnect after many years.
Thee Katatonix Thee Katatonix came on next and played a set that alternated between Mr. Urbanity (Charlie Gatewood)'s hook-happy psych-pop tunes ("Daisy Chain," "Second Chance," Ordinary Sunday") and Adolf's early, punky pre-Divine Mission LP tunes ("Highlandtown," "Basket Case,""My Son the Gynecologist," "Valentine's Day") that were highlights of my (Tommy Gunn's) Katatonix Mk 1.0 reign-of-error days (1979-1980).
Adolf sets the tone early (nice shirt!)
Adolf set the day's in-your-rocking-face tone with his choice of the opening salvo, the subtly named "Fuck You" (officially known as "F*** You" on their Thanks Hon, 30th Anniversary CD, and which sounds suspiciously like a re-working of the old Kats tune "Stretch Marx" with new lyrics).
The Kats lower their axes
Then it was on to such primal sonic blasts as "Basket Case" and "Valentine's Day," which date from the Kats first-ever vinyl recording, their 1983 EP ("Thanx to no one") on UK Spud Records.
I noticed that ever since the Kats played their all-Ramones covers set February 9th at The Metro Gallery, Charlie Gatewood has turned into Johnny Ramone on guitar, playing with a renewed vigor and reveling in power chord downstrokes ("They'll kill your wrists, take it from me!" Beatoes guitarist Chris Dennstaedt later remarked to Charlie, holding up his wrist brace). The transformation seems to be intentional.
Charlie Gatewood (L) channels the spirit of Johnny Ramone
(For the record: Mark Harp was also a big Ramones fan; in fact, he was cremated in a Ramones t-shirt.)
"Tommy, you missed it - we were The Ramones at the Metro,"
Charlie remarked afterwards. "Instead of just playing the old Katatonix
tunes, I thought, why don't we play those great early Ramones songs like
"Commando" and "Carbona Not Glue" and we nailed it, man. It was fun and
who better to be Joey Ramone than Adolf? We had it down!"
Thee Katatonix transformed into The Ramones at Metro Gallery on Feb. 9, 2013
And did the audience like it?
"Who cares?" Charlie replied. "We had a blast playing it and that's what's it all about. It was fun!"
Charlie then proceed to recite the words to Dee Dee Ramone's "Commando": "First Rule is: the laws of Germany, Second Rule is: be nice to Mommy, Third Rule is: don't talk to Commies, Fourth Rule is: eat kosher salamis!"
Who says The Ramones weren't thought-provoking?
And for that matter, who said those early Katatonix tunes weren't thought-provoking? "Basket Case" anticipates amputee romance, a subject critics raved about in the recent Marie Cotillard arthouse film Rust and Bone; "Highlandtown" (dedicated this day to neighborhood native Don White of Da Moronics) addressed male hustling in East Baltimore ("Highlandtown is my kind of town, where everyone pulls their pants down/To make some bread you use your head") in the same way that Dee Dee Ramone immortalized street meat in "53rd and 3rd"; and "My Son the Gynecologist" eerily anticpates the sexual needs of horndog doctors, a la the recent sex scandal (and subsequent) suicide of Johns Hopkins physician Nikita A. Levy. Who knew?
Here's another view of "Second Chance" (for you completists!) recorded by Danny Simpson that has lotsa good close-ups of Big Andy Small and Honest Ed Linton for all you Rhythm Section groupies :
(I promise to post more Katatonix videos from their set in future. Stay tuned...)
Tru Fax & The Insaniacs
Washington, D.C.'s classic pop quartet Tru Fax & The Insaniacs came on after Thee Katatonix as their surprise "Mystery Dates." They were intro'ed and outro'ed by Adolf Kowalski, who has been
re-smitten with Diana Quinn's melodic foursome ever since they played
together at the Metro Gallery back in February, and decided to donate the rest of the Kats' allotted set to his Capital District friends.
I have to say that few records hold up as well as Tru Fax's "Washingtron" b/w "Mystery Date" single (Wasp Records, 1980).
"Washington/Mystery Date" single (Wasp Records 1980)
In 1980, Washington Magazine dubbed them the District's "Worst Band," but what would you expect from those squares? (Atomic TV was once voted Charm City's "Best Worst TV," so I consider them comrades-in-arms for that alone!) No sir, that's a badge of honor. They were, and are, a great band (though I dearly miss original bass player Libby Hatch, who passed away in a motorcycle accident years ago).
Tru Fax: The original awesome foursome
Tru Fax performed three songs in a riveting mini-set that played like a killer EP record: "Love Love Love," "Mars Needs Women," and "King of Machines"(which sounded so Ig-quisite to my ears that I thought it was a Stooges cover!).
Tru Fax & The Insaniacs
By this time, acts were running over Redux time limits, so apparently the Tru Fax set was cut short, much to Adolf's dismay. Still, the Insaniacs' EP-length performance was better than nothing.
Afterwards, fans made a bee-line to congratulate Diana, including LesLee Anderson, Amy Linthicum, Carol Underwood and Mary Butler.
Marble Bar Sistahs Representing: Amy Linthicum, LesLee Anderson, Diana Quinn, Carol Underwood, Mary Butler
Word has it Diana's set to hook up with former Marble Bar co-owner LesLee Anderson on an upcoming Charm City gig...
Mutual Admiration Society: Diana Quinn & LesLee Anderson
LesLee Anderson congratulates Dian Quinn
...and will perform in the area in the immediate future with her swinging '60s "Girl Group Sound" band The Fabulettes next Saturday, June 8 (Main Stage, 6:30 p.m.) at the HonFest in Hampden. And yes, the Fabulettes (Diana, Lisa Mathews and
Jane Quinn Brack) sport the requisite double-decker B-52 beehives that fit in perfectly for the Honfest.
The Fabulettes
Milling about afterwards, a enthused Charlie Gatewood was singing the praises of Tru Fax's rendition of "Mars Needs Women." He reminded me that he went to see Tru Fax playing with Thee Katatonix Mk. 1.0 in DC - on his wedding night! -some 30-plus years ago. Now that's a fan! That's a graduate of Rock & Roll High School!
Motor Morons
The Motor Morons came on well past their original 6:30 p.m. start time (the spoken word and dance performances probably backed up the schedule) and played a long and enthusiastic set. It seems that sparks fly and brains fry whenever the Morons play. The crowd was really into it, especially the aforementioned Bath Salts Man and Pink Lady, who took over front stage to put on a Dancing with the Stars performance that momentarily looked like it might turn into a romantic hookup.
As the sun set, The Mark Harp All-Stars finally took the stage to pay their respects to the departed legend Mark Harp (Mark Linthicum, 1957-2004), whose musical legacy included countless bands, including (working backwards) Chelsea Graveyard, The Tralalas, The Diamondheads, Pornflakes, Step 3, Interrobang, Asshead, Cabal, Null Set, Not Null Set, The Mark Harp Club, The Mark Harp Experience, The Beatoes, The Casio Cats, The Casio Cowboys, P.A.B.L.U.M., Timmy, Globetrotters, The Muggers, Mold and Mildew, Maternity Ward - to name a (whew!) few!
And I'm pretty sure Keith Worz saw all those bandsl!
Keith Worz implores the All-Stars to pull his finger
The All-Stars ranks on this day were filled with the following: Robyn Webb (guitar, vocals), Chris Dennstaedt (guitar, vocals), Ben Watson (guitar), Robert J. Friedman (aka "Beefalo Bob," keyboards), Dave Zidek (bass), Chris "Batworth" Ciattei (drums), Ceil Strakna (lead and backing vocals), Cindy Borchardt (vocals), with special guest appearances by singers Bill Dawson, Steptoe T. Magnificent (Dave Wilcox), and trombone player Craig Considine (Rumba Club, Boister, All Mighty Senators).
I think the All-Stars they were originally scheduled to play for an hour, but I'd be surprised if their shortened 10-song set - which opened with "Null Theme" and ended with a cover of Mott the Hoople's "All the Young Dudes" - was much over 40 minutes. The complete setlist (with lead singer and original associated group in parentheses) is listed below.
The Mark Harp All-Stars Setlist:
Null Theme (Bill Dawson, Null Set)
Fall Flat (Bill Dawson, Null Set)
I'm Too Ugly for MTV (Chris Dennstaedt, Beatoes)
Mad Dog 20/20 (Chris Dennstaedt, Beatoes)
Bowling With You (Robyn Webb, Ceil Strakna)
Rock 'n' Roll Asshole (Steptoe T. Maginficent)
Dating the Wrestlers (Ceil Strakna)
Big Man (Ceil Strakna, w/ Craig Considine on trombone)
I've Got Five Dollars (Everyone)
All the Young Dudes (Robyn Webb, Steptoe T. Magnificent)
Long Day's Journey into Blight
Former Null Set/Cabal and Black Pete singer Bill Dawson,
with wife Michelle, traveled all the way from Jacksonville, Florida to
Charm City's crumbling westside to sing two nuggets from his early '80s
days collaborating with Mark Harp in Null Set and Cabal and to meet up once again with old
friends.
Bill Dawson, Amy Linthicum, Robin Linton & Michelle Dawson
Michelle & Bill Dawson: All the way from Jacksonville, Florida
Dundalkians Bill & Amy bond over their shared East Baltimore heritage
Bill was stylishly attired in all-leather (we would settle for
nothing less!) and colorful ink (he's a professional tattoo artist) on
this sunny day, and indicated afterwards that he and the missus were
hoping to move back to Baltimore eventually.
Fittingly, the day's tribute began with the two-song Null Set set, which included the anthemic
"Null Theme" (featuring the legendary "Null Chord") and "Fall Flat."
Ceil Strakna and Bill Dawson belt out Null Set ditties
At one point during "Fall Flat," Bill Dawson pointed to an empty space and remarked, "This is where Mark plays a serious guitar solo. But he can't do that, because he's dead." Alas, true dat.
Dawson was awesome and his brief stint after coming from so far away down the coast meant everything to the Marble Bar oldtimers - and no doubt to Mark.
Beatoes single "I'm Too Ugly for MTV" (UK Spud, 1986)
Next up, the spirit of Corky Neidermayer was invoked for the classic "Bowling With You," with Robyn Webb handling lead vocals while backup singers Ceil Strakna and Cindy Borchardt hit the girly ooo-aaahs.
Corky Neidermayer and Mark Harp love to go bowling with you
Steptoe once remarked that, during a low point in his nearly 40-year-career in rock 'n' roll, it was Mark Harp who inspired him to keep on keeping on, and he's never looked back since.
Next, former Boy Meets Girl and Big As a House singer-songwriter Ceil Strakna stepped out front from her backing vocal duties to belt out two classic Mark Harp tunes, "Dating the Wrestlers" and the anthemic Harp homage, "Big Man." (In 1991, Mark Harp rewrote "Big Man" as "Moguls in Training," a would-be theme song for a failed TV pilot, with Leslie Miller handling the vocals backed by Mark, Mike DeJong on sax, Dave Zidek on bass, and Jack Odell on drums; you can hear the 2004 Mark Harp Band version online at Internet Archives and 24 Hours with Mark Harp.) "Big Man" also featured the inimitable trombone stylings of Craig Considine (Mo Fine's All-Blind Orchestra, Off the Wall, Rumba Club, Boister, All Mighty Senators).
The All-Stars closed out their set with two everybody-play-along jams, Mark Harp's "I've Got Five Dollars" and a cover of Mott the Hoople's "All the Young Dudes." Robyn Webb introed the former by noting that Mark often wrote songs inspired by a random turn of phrase, rising to the challenge of creating something out of nothing.
More videos to follow! (I'm publishing this now because YouTube just upgraded to a Google interface and I'm afraid of losing everything with all the damned multiple account logins - aaaccckkk!.)
***
It's too bad the sun set so quickly on the All-Stars' set because I'm sure we would've like to have heard more, maybe even Harpo's "Movie Dream."
The sun sets on the Mark Harp All-Stars
If it's any consolation, I've included the Tralala's version from the
2004 Honfest in Hampden - one of Mark's last appearances before his
untimely death on Christmas Eve 2004.
It would have
been a fitting end to a day that had us all dreaming back to the halcyon
days of youth and musical nirvana. And, like a movie reaching its end,
the lights had begun to dim, ready to fade to black...
It was a great day to hear fun music and meet up with old (literally!) friends, most of whom were card-carrying (at least in spirit) members of the Mark Harp Fan Club.
