Non Commercial Arts And Thinking

City Newspaper ad for the Bug Jar featuring Margaret Explosion Fedruary 1997
City Newspaper ad for the Bug Jar featuring Margaret Explosion Fedruary 1998

Looks like this will be our twenty-first year as a band. It still seems brand new but here’s the proof, this Bug Jar ad for the “Loosest Happy Hour on Earth.” That’s probably Bug Jar Bob’s copywriting. I can still see Steve Brown behind the bar in his white shirt, wanting to talk about investing during our break while Casey did all the work.

Twenty one years and we still haven’t had a practice. That would spoil the whole thing. That’s why I got such a kick out of Frank De Blase’s article in City, “Too Much Practice Is Bad For You.” “If you see a band on stage smiling all of a sudden, then you probably just witnessed a mistake that was handled quickly, with the intuition left intact and unsoiled by too much rehearsal.” I would add, If you see a band with their eyes closed they are probably all listening to one another wondering where the song is gonna go because they have never played it before.

Margaret Explosion plays the Little Theatre Café Wednesday 7-9. Here’s a song from twenty years ago.

Margaret Explosion CD "Happy Hour" (EAR 9) on Earring Records, released 2003
Margaret Explosion CD “Happy Hour” (EAR 9) on Earring Records, released 2003
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Tap and Mallet

Paul Dodd Mug Shot Paintings at Tap And Mallet in Rochester, NY
Paul Dodd Mug Shot Paintings at Tap And Mallet in Rochester, NY

I picture someone having too much draft beer from the “tap” and a cartoon image of a “mallet” pounding on his head. That’s the name of Casey’s new place on Gregory Street where the original McGregor’s was. They wanted some artwork for the place so Casey and his partner, Joe, stopped by to see what I had. They picked out some the “Crime Faces” from a few years back and the “Road Masks” that I had hanging in the basement. Casey used to own the Bug Jar and I took some mugshots there. He owns Mex Restaurant and I painted a mural over there. Casey is a patron. I recommend their house brew, “McBanes Bitter.” It’s made by Rohrbachs. The Beer Advocate reviewed the place and said, ” the faces on the walls are very creepy!”

Horse Lovers
Horse Lovers

The Horse Lovers were performing across the street at House of Hamas in Rochester. They did a beautiful version of “Moonglow.” That’s Ken Frank from Margaret Explosion on bass. Phil Marshall plays guitar and directs the band. Jim McAvaney plays drums and all three played with Colorblind James Experience.

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