South DaCola

Editorial Cartoonist from South Dakota

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South DaCola music club w/ Machine Gun Dennis Thompson

l3wis 2Comments

This is my interview with ‘Machine Gun’ Dennis Thompson, former drummer of America’s greatest R & R band the MC5. I actually asked a lot more questions, and hopefully some of those will get answered down the road.

 

Q: Other than the MC5 material, what music of yours do you consider a career high?

 

A: The Secrets back in 1981. A trio, this was the best music, second only to The New order, and New Race actually quite proud of.. The tunes were energetic, happy, and we used three part harmonies on half the tunes. Unfortunately this music is unavailable at this time for release.

 

Q: Tell us about how you got started with music and playing drums?

 

A: My brother, my sister, and my mother all contributed to my playing a musical instrument. My mom sang, my sister played the piano, and my brother had numerous tres cool rock bands in the late 1950”s when I was 9-10 years old, and they would rehearse in our basement. Long story short, the drummers would leave their drums at our house and I would sneak downstairs and bang away. Got my first kit at six, but it wasn’t as good as my brother’s drummers kits. Our family would get together on holidays and play music together. Quite a unique and heart warming experience. My parents supported my musical career, all except for the sex and drugs part of it, ha, ha. I Got my first drum set when I was six years young. Been bangin’ away ever since…Man I wish they had video cameras back then.

 

Q: In your opinion what made the MC5 different then British rock bands from the era like the Stones?

 

A: We were Americans and we were living in the birthplace of rhythm and blues, soul, & rock n’ roll. Plus we studied all forms of jazz, and the above mentioned genre’s, and whenever we heard something we liked, we sorta incorporated it. Ha, ha….

  

Q: Do you have any upcoming musical plans?

 

A: Yes. Hopefully DKT/MC5 hits the road this spring and summer. If not, other projects are under way.

 

Q: Many believe that the MC5’s downfall was a laundry list of bad luck and bad decisions. Do you agree? How do you want the MC5 to be remembered?

  

A: Yes, that’s pretty much true, if you throw in the FBI, and police harassment. I like Wayne Kramer’s brief summation and that is we simply lost our spiritual connection to each other. 

 

Q: Any favorite artists? Do you like Niagra’s work from Detroit? Her music?

 

A: Too many to name here, but I love the John Coltrane Quartet music. Sorry I do not listen to Niagra’s music, but I really like her as a complete artist..

 

Q: What does the (non-musical) future hold for Machine Gun?

 

A: My own Television show.

Robin Hood: Men in Tights movie

 

READ MORE ABOUT DENNIS ON HIS BLOG.

 

H/T – to Retro Kimmer for setting this up.

Art Jazzfest Music

JazzFest to cut back on big names this year, but it is still FREE, so STFU!

l3wis 3Comments

The Bad Plus will play JF this year, one of my favorite modern jazz groups

I can here the f’ing whiners already, “Who is Elvin Bishop?” Well guess what, it does not matter, he rocks and he is good, and nobody is charging you to see him. So if you don’t like it, pack up your Walmart lawnchair, your ugly fat wife and rug rats and go home, so the rest of us music fans can enjoy it in Peace.

A tough economy meant a $65,000 decline in sponsorships that keep the festival free, said Robert Joyce, executive director of the Sioux Falls Jazz & Blues Society. That put a dent in what was about a $265,000 budget last summer.

Less money meant trimming costs in part by spending less on entertainers, Joyce said, but the festival still has about the same number of bands and quality of performers.

Sorry if I am a little harsh, but I wanted to nip this in the butt early. Every year I hear people bitch about Jazzfest. Only in Sioux Falls would our cheap asses bitch about FREE entertainment.

1st Amendment anger Art congress Conspiracy Theories economy Music

Once again, the Argus Liar only prints what they want….

Angry Guy 4Comments

I don’t understand why they didn’t just print Katrina’s whole letter.

I assume it’s because the AL editorial staff has some hidden agenda to suppress dissent and criticism.

Here is Kat’s piece in it’s entirety.

Governor Rounds set goals in the 2010 Initiative to double visitor spending and develop SD’s quality of life as one of the best in the nation.   Without the foundation of the South Dakota Arts Council, how will these goals be met?  Cultural tourism revenues and the creation and development of vibrant, creative, economically progressive communities is a residual effect of government support of the arts. 

 

I was one of those Gen-Xers that wanted to get away from the rural life of South Dakota as soon as I graduated from SDSU.  That was, until I discovered that I could find a career in the arts here. 

 

I’ve worked for a non-profit arts organization for the last eight years that receives a grant from the South Dakota Arts Council.  Each time my organization produces an event our patrons and vendors positively impact the state through sales tax revenues. 

 

A report from Americans for the Arts shows that as of January 2008, South Dakota is home to 1,287 arts-related businesses that employ 6,368 people and it is estimated that these businesses and arts workers create a local economic impact of $48 million.  

 

The foundation that the SD Arts Council provides my organization keeps one more young person in this state to pay taxes, buy a home and start a family.

 

My life is a microcosm of the trickle-down effect of how funding the SD Arts Council benefits our communities.

 

I’m tired of the argument that funding the arts is frivolous and meaningless.  Ideas like this are millions of miles away from the reality of how government funding of the arts truly does benefit us all, not only intrinsically, but in regard to our economy.

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