November’s 13

This time out, the time and space edition…

Deaths, Studs Terkel: Lived a good, full life. We should all be so productive and engaged. Heartfelt respect.

Books, Rip it Up & Start Again: Postpunk, 1978-84: An absolutely lively and (even) quick read, with the 400 pages going by in no time. During that reading, you’ll find yourself digging into your collection for some PIL, Pylon and Pere Ubu. Got a feeling that the rush of nostalgia will last for a little bit, too. Such good music!

Blogs, Confluence City: Be careful around Chris King. I recently purchased a sketch of his, intending it as a gag Xmas gift. But then Chris blogged my purchase, and the intended recipient read the piece; though he didn’t know the gift was coming, per se, it sorta knocked out the surprise factor. So, see, you gotta watch it when you’re around Chris, because he’s a Gladwell-like maven and connector, possibly a bit of a salesman, too, the ultimate “Tipping Point” trifecta. Not only do my onetime boxing days appear in a recent King posting, so does my ’90s kinship to Enormous Richard. It’s all very complicated.

Books and sketches, lost: Tying up this trio of items… for several years, I passed around a sketchbook. Don’t know why it was gifted to me, at all, but in short order, I turned it loose on St. Louis. Expats like Jenna Bauer and Alan Brunettin drew in it. Still-locals like Bradley Bowers and Jeff Miller added to the book. In time, Eric Woods of Firecracker Press added a new cover. After years of salting it here-and-there, sometimes for a week, once for half-a-year (Bowers!), the book’s disappeared. I don’t know who last had it, or who might now be in possession of it. So, STL-ers: if you see a well-worn, thick, sketchbook with dozens of Don Beasley drawings inside, please know who to contact.

Biodiversity, axolotls: My very favoritist film, “Another Girl, Another Planet,” features axolotls in several, key scenes. Sadly, fish tanks are about the only spot to find the Mexican “water monsters” these days, according to Yahoo. Bummer!

Event, The Kick Ass Awards: The fifth annual event, hosted by the editors and friends of 52nd City magazine, will be held on Thursday, November 13, with an evening event at Joe’s Cafe in the Skinker/Debalivere neighborhood. More propaganda in this event, here, in the very near future, no doubt. Who’s won it in the past? We’ll tell you.

TV child star, Butch Patrick as Eddie Munster: Was just thinking about him. Don’t know why.

Election nuggets, Salon’s War Room: Two more days. Read up!

Festivals, St. Louis International Film Festival: A year ago, I was clocking hours as the overwhelmed volunteer manager of the St. Louis International Film Festival. This year, I’m not. But it doesn’t mean that I’m not going to thoroughly enjoy the SLIFF this year, though I have absolutely no inside track on what’s hot and what’s not. Guess I’ll just have to read the schedule and do some calculations, like all the other folks. Fair enough.

Pizza, The Wedge: Haven’t been. Hearing about the pies, that they’re good. Blake Brokaw’s making them, so how could they not be?

Throwback concert of the month, The Great Crusades: The veteran Chicago band, by way of Collinsville, returns to the metro east for a show at the Stagger Inn on November 8. Nice. Stream a touch of their Myspace music and I hope you’ll agree.

Radio show names, Silver Tray: So I say, “the show’s called Silver Tray.” And they say, “like the drug tray?” And, so, I’m like, “a drug tray?” And they’re, like, “yeah, a tray that you’d do cocaine on.” And I’m all “Really?” So, like, really? Am I the last person to know that I named a radio show after a drug reference? Apparently!

Embeds, Vincent Price on SNL: I mean, it’s funny. Very funny. Oh! This is why I was thinking of Eddie Munster.