The documentary film on The Funhouse, a tale that is sure to shed a few salty tears, is in post-production now. Hell, I teared up just watching the trailer. That said, the trailer also delivers a powerful message about the demise of the club, due to the ever encroaching, over-development of downtown Seattle. The club, which had stood in the same place since 1937, closed it’s doors after entertaining it’s last crowd this past Halloween. And though it’s gone, it’s hopeful that The Funhouse will once again open it’s doors at a new location, with it’s punk rock spirit intact.
One Man Metal. A three part series documenting the artists that live on very fringe of Black Metal music.
“There’s a certain fucking honesty in the picked on loner, screaming his fucking head off, playing powerful guitar.”
One man Black Metal band, Levithan (aka, Jef Whitehead)
The very metal music side of Vice, Noisey, has taken on the job of uncovering three Black Metal artists that are so off the radar, many of them have never been seen one film, until now.
In the three part documentary series, “One Man Metal“, Noisey interviewed artists that they believe represent the ethos of Black Metal: isolation, anger, and dark music played loud and fast. The doc, shot in black and white, focuses in on one man Black Metal bands, Leviathan (San Fransisco), Striborg (Tazmania), and Xasthur (Alahambra, CA). Musicians and men who live on the very edge of the Black Metal scene.
The first two installments are out now. And after watching them today in the midst of the rain and gloom of Seattle, I’ve been completely sucked in, and can’t wait for part three, due out in the coming weeks.
Stuff we won’t see in 2013: Eddie Vedder and Chris Cornell perform as Temple of the Dog at the Hollywood Palladium in Hollywood, Calif., on Oct. 5, 1991.
Last month, I helped perpetuate the rumor that Soundgarden and Pearl Jam might join forces for a tour in 2013. Well, Matt Cameron put that grungy fantasy to rest when he spoke to long-running Massachusetts radio station WAAF:
I think when Pearl Jam did the PJ20 show, Chris Cornell came to that and we played some Temple of the Dog stuff, and it was awesome. Maybe there might be a one-off where that could happen, but I’m not 25 any more.
While I can totally understand Cameron’s position (drumming for 4+ hours can’t be fun, even if you’re 25), I’m still going throw a silent “Boo!” on this news.
Here’s a pretty sad looking Axl Rose, posing in your Nana’s robe with some random chick, somewhere (I think) in Chile. I can almost hear the sound of Slash laughing so hard that he blows Dr. Pepper out of his nose.
Such sad news to hear today that Adam Yauch, MCA of the Beastie Boys, passed away after a brave three year battle with cancer. The news of Yauch’s passing is truly a huge loss for the world of music, not just hip hop, as the Beastie Boys always transcended the imposed lines of musical genre. Yauch was a devout Buddhist, and was outspoken in his efforts to bring awareness to Tibet’s diminishing culture, due to Chinese oppression. During his battle with cancer, Yauch sought help from traditional Tibetan medicine. His activism and spirituality influenced the Beastie Boys music, propelling it to a higher level.
Beastie Boys, Heart Attack Man, Live in 1995 on SNL.
Chuck D once thanked Run DMC for being the first to prove that a DJ could be a band, and the Beastie Boys deserve the same praise. And it goes without saying that the Beasties’ could not have been without Adam Yauch. The band has always been in heavy rotation since I discovered them back in high school. Their instrumental record, ‘The Sound From Way Out‘, was the music playing while guests filed into the bar at my wedding reception. I’m sad thinking that MCA is no longer part of such a stellar musical equation, but I’m grateful that he was. Farewell, MCA. Me, my horsey, and a quart of beer salute you.
It is truly a sad day for Seattle. The Funhouse has been sold. But what happens now?
Despite still hoping for a “last minute miracle”, co-owner of The Funhouse, Brian Foss has just confirmed via The Stranger that The Funhouse has been sold. Foss breaks it all down for us with this eloquent statement below.
I am sad to report that it is now official – The Funhouse will be moving from our current location.
Our landlords sent us a notice informing us that the building has been sold and we have 6 months to vacate the property, ending our tenancy on October 31, 2012.
Obviously we are devastated by this news.
My business partner Bobby & I are now going to begin the process of finding another location for our business. Ideally we’d love to find a somewhat central location that can host a bar & live music. In the best case scenario we’d love to find a place to buy, but barring that renting another space would be acceptable too.
Our hope is to take over another space by Oct/Nov, thereby minimizing down time and at best keep all of our staff employed.
The building the Funhouse occupies originally opened in the late 1930′s under the name Tex’s Tavern. Tex’s was in business for 50 plus years, until it became Zaks in the 1990′s. Bobby took over the business, opening the doors on Halloween night 2003.
When word went out about us possibly losing our business the public outpouring of support was overwhelming, and while we desire no charity (The Funhouse is a for profit business, after all) we are hoping to hear suggestions from our supporters about possible new locations.
One of the things some folks were hoping for was getting some kind of landmark status for the building, but my understanding is this happening is way on the outside of possibility. Obviously we’d love some kind of last minute miracle to keep us in our current location, but we must be pragmatic and plan on moving.
So this ain’t over yet. I have to look at this as something positive. Who knows what cool stuff will happen in the next few months?
And to anyone wanting to support us – please come down and buy a drink. We could use your business!
Brian Foss
Funhouse Co-owner/Booking Agent
So please, by all means, get out and enjoy The Funhouse, support The Funhouse, see bands you won’t see anywhere else at The Funhouse. Have I mentioned the daily drink specials? Helping keep The Funhouse bar busy is a win/win situation. This isn’t going to be an easy road for The Funhouse folks, all of whom have given so much of their time to ensure our punk asses are having fun every night they open their doors.
Tonight Brian Foss said yet again “this isn’t over yet”. And I agree. Despite this sad news, it’s not the end. A lot can change in six months, as long as a lot of people care. And I know a lot of people do.
Daily drink specials by day follows. Now, GTFO!
SUN Pabst Drafts $2 ALL DAY
MON Absolut Vodkas $5 3-8pm, Rolling Rock pints $1 ALL DAY
TUES Long Island Iced Tea $3.50, Micro Brews $3.50 3-8pm
WEDS Whiskey Weds $5, 16oz Tall Boys $2 3-8pm
THURS All Gins $5, Oly Can $1.50 3-8pm
FRI PBR Draft & Whiskey Shot $5, Micro Brew Pitcher $12 3-8pm
SAT & SUN Mimosa, Screwdriver or Bloody Mary $4 3-8pm
The end of the world is coming! The 2012 Capitol Hill Block Party might be the last one.
Well, maybe it’s not the end of the world but, it’s a sad bit of news to think that the Capitol Hill Block Party might throw it’s final very metal take down of Capitol Hill this July. For the last 15 years, Capitol Hill has played host to the Block Party, but after years of complaints from residents of Cap Hill, it looks like 2012 will be the last one. I’ve been to quite a few, my favorite year being 2002 with headliners Mudhoney and an emerging The Gossip(Beth Ditto shaking it in a half-shirt. Ah, the memories!). No lineup news yet but tickets are on sale for the event which takes place July 20-22 now.
Kurt Cobain shot by Jesse Frohman. Kurt Cobain died 18 years ago today.
Five months before he died, photographer Jesse Frohman shot these images of Kurt Cobain and Nirvana. According to Frohman, when Cobain arrived at the studio, he was high, asked for a bucket to vomit into, and never removed his white sunglasses for the entire shoot. The photos Frohman took that day will be displayed starting on April 6 at New York’s Morrison Hotel Gallery, and will run through April 23.
Original art created by Kurt Cobain in 1993.
Also coinciding almost to the day of the 18th anniversary of Cobain’s death today, is the discovery of four never before seen paintings by Cobain. The paintings were discovered in an high end storage facility called “Art Pack” in LA. According to website, The Fix, Courtney Love is planning to sell off the paintings, and numerous other artifacts owned by Cobain. However, The Fix says that Cobain’s publishing company, EOM, covered Love’s unpaid storage fees for the cache and may try to block the auction.
This is one of those celebrity death stories that I wish was a hoax, but sadly, it isn’t. Forever Monkee, Davy Jones passed away today from a heart attack at his home in Florida. Jones was only 66.
A very metal friend of mine commented that Jones was doing the Axl Rose shimmy, long before Axl was. And it’s true. Rest in Peace, Davy. The last train to Clarksville has officially left the station.
Yikes! The aftermath of Steven Tyler’s shower-fall in Paraguay this week.
In the seemingly never-ending “Steven Tyler has fallen and he can’t get up” news, here is a photo of the aftermath of Tyler’s latest misadventure that didn’t involve Joe Perry, but a shower in Paraguay. The fall cost Tyler two teef, stitches, and a nasty shiner. And naturally, the rumors that Tyler’s fall was caused by Tyler falling off the sobriety wagon, have been rampant.
Tyler maintains that he is, and has been, stone cold sober since entering a treatment program after his last relapse, and that food poisoning and dehydration caused him to pass out in the shower in his hotel. Tyler said he woke up with “with the water running on me, not knowing where the hell I was.”
The incident caused Aerosmith to postpone their show in Paraguay until yesterday, so a dentist could put two new dental implants into Tyler’s mouth.
Steven Tyler shows off his shiner as he and Joe Perry take the stage together in Paraguay yesterday.
Even grumpy old Admiral Perry was quick to give Tyler praise for taking the stage a day later in Paraguay after being treated for his fall. Perry tweeted that “Steven even played harp with his busted lip my mind was blown. He put on one of his best shows ever. Aerosmith rocks on.”
In other news, (and with all due respect), is 63 too early to get one of those Life Alert bracelets? And if it’s not, do they have a waterproof/Joe Perry proof variety? According to their website, Life Alert is the only company proven to save lives from CATASTROPHE! And a world without Steven Tyler’s rock ‘n’ roll antics would be just that, a catastrophe! As well as leaving yours truly with nothing to live for, or blog about. Which would be bad for everyone me.
