Brutal Existence Radio and other random news

I'm very happy to announce that I will be hosting a new show on Brutal Existence Radio .com starting March 29th (Monday) from 8-10 pm (central time). I don't have the name of the show yet - I'm taking suggestions - but I will let you all know as soon as I do. If you have not checked out the site yet, please do. Fowler, the owner has an amazing thing going and I am honored to join the team at BER.

While discussing the show with Fowler, he mentioned something that really stuck with me last night: Their main goals are to promote REAL underground music and to help each other out. That's why BER will be a perfect fit for me. And I am so excited that Stoned Insanity's Lizard Messiah will be hosting a show after me from 10-12 central!

Both Lizard and I have decided to keep our Blog Talk Radio shows for now, be we are thinking of switching to be sure. Only time will tell.

Of course, both my shows will be simulcast on my Ustream channel - for you visual junkies out there. (Those are always available on AnnieChrist.com.)


On the book project: I am getting notes and interviews together on the Teenage Waste years. There are times when I think about the enormity of the whole project based on the info coming in from just this band - and it is overwhelming. But I plan to just take it one chapter at a time. I am not kidding when I say Mike has lived an incredible, fearless life. It's crazy to hear about it sometimes.

Oh, and last but not least. I inherited a fucking cannon. My last living grandparent died two days ago - I was never close with him so I certainly didn't expect that he would leave me anything - especially not the coolest thing in his yard! OK, I got the giant concrete alligator and eagle.....but hey, a cannon comes with the deal. I actually think that he didn't leave me these things, but the family is trying to get them off the yard so they can sell his house. Either way, no one in my family would appreciate a cannon more than me. Now all I need is a Nova on blocks, and maybe a clothesline, and I will be the coolest redneck in Alabama!

Ok - I'm off to book the next show - there are some incredible bands coming up this Monday and I hope to see you there!

Kisses,
Annie

Two interviews: Brian Trotter and Ronald Nicaud

Two interviews: Brian Trotter and Ronald Nicaud
Some Random Notes

Over the past two days I’ve had the honor to interview two original members of Disappointed Parents, Brian Trotter and Ronald Nicaud. (Brian was also in Teenage Waste with Mike IX Williams back in the 80s.)

Brian met Mike IX back in 81 or 82. “He was such a little kid,” he says of Mike back then, “He and his friends were bad little boys.” Brian, who is a few years older than Mike, told me stories of the New Orleans underground scene in the 80s. He mentioned the infamous Beat Exchange (run by the never popular Barbara Hoover). He also mentioned “Emergency Hall,” the empty building owned by Ronald Nicaud’s father where bands that had nowhere else to play would be able to gig.

In fact, Ronald told me that Graveyard Rodeo named themselves at Emergency Hall. The place was originally opened when DRI came to town and had nowhere to play because David Duke and his minions had frightened Rose Tattoo enough they boarded the windows “hurricane style.”

Ronald had much to say about the infamous NOLA underground in the 80s. “It was very aggressive and very violent,” he says, “And every band was different.” This was hardcore before the crossover of metal. This was hardcore before the “drugs and darkness.” “It was a scene well before its time,” Ronald explains, and he’s glad that the scene is finally getting the attention and respect it deserves. In fact, Disappointed Parents will be playing the Raise the Dead Festival with some new members in March. Now that the band is back together, Ronald (who spent time overseas and as a Hari Krishna monk) says, “I have no regrets waiting 25 years to do it again.”

His recollections of Mike IX are much the same as Brian’s. He called him a “little rascal” who was always “super intelligent.” And he agreed with Brian, admitting that, “Yes. Mike was very naughty. But he was very nice too.” His most favorite memory of Mike IX: while at a The Cold show at Tulane, Mike turned to him and said, “Hey, have you ever heard of the band The Clash?” You just don’t forget the person who turned you on to something like that for the first time.

It was quite the learning experience to be able to talk to these guys.