It's been a year and 4 days since I made my escape. Those of you in the know understand what I am referring to. I will now thank Jeff, Greg and Greg, Fred, and Phia for their help when it was called to be a commando.
It's been a really big week for MK and things are looking to get very busy. Personally the trip to Kentucky gave my mind exactly what it needed, to be cleared. It was a very cold and difficult winter and many changes have been implemented. Everything is now in motion and the wheels turning faster as the gears crank higher and harder than ever. Lots of projects on the table. So here's an update.
Last week it was extremely refreshing to do some serious bike riding in and around the city and I had my first cook out at the new house on Sunday. I got to visit the Secretary Of States office to renew the corporation and dodged cars on State Street and tried not to dodge the yuppie scum on Rush Street area. So much Starbucks scum.
Speaking of Starbucks, I did meet a new intern from the DePaul program at Starbucks next to the old MK office in Lincoln Park. And she's aware of the Trixie phenomenon. Her name is Jozenda.
I saw Kill Bill 1 finally and liked it, and saw the remake of Texas Chainsaw which made up in suffering where it lacked in originality.
The Black Label Society release party at The Liars Club was an amazing success. I finally hooked up in person with Carlos Burnett who is an executive on Nick Cages movie that they are shooting here in Chicago. Carlos played in the Byrds and later became the tour manager to the Runaways. So it should be no surprise that the great Kim Fowley hooked us up. I also met Barry Paddington (sp?) who heads up the Steppenwolf Theatre. I guess I'll be hanging with these guys a bit more and also Nick is coming out to a show with us but I am not saying which one it is. Carlos was amused by all the Trixies who came in and were pitching shit fits over the music. They complained and whined on end and couldn't take it till 11 PM when the event was moved upstairs. In LA when you absorb yourself in Entertainment these types yuppies etc are not even on your radar. I mean they barely show up on my, it's really like two different worlds. But they do spend their money on the product that we provide which is funny and a nice vicious circle. That's what I think.
STUFF:
1) The long over due issue will be out in May. The adult content is now in place so the publication has gone through a massive change. The look is sharper and the content is even more varied than before. We haven't really taken much out, we've just added to it.
2) We are putting together a video which is the very first solo video from Ron Marks/Subsonic who used to be the lead guitarist for Celtic Frost. The song is Dream American and it's a rocker. This is Ron's second solo album. Shooting is in Chicago over May and June with myself directing and the shoot is being produced by Solomon Mortimer who is doing the movie It Came From Trafalgar see the website www.itcamefromtrafalgar.com (a lot of people are unaware that I took film and theatre classes in college)
3) Speaking of the movie It Came From Trafalgar, I will be making an appearance in the film. Others starring in the film include Hank Williams 3, Scream Queen Legends Brinke Stevens and Linnea Quigley, Gunnar Hansen (Leather Face from Texas Chainsaw Massacre), Butch Patrick (Eddie Munster) Conrad Brooks (Plan 9 From Outer Space) Bill Hinzman (Night of the Living
Dead). Christopher Curry the longtime MK contributor and author of the great HG Lewis book is doing the cover art and the liner notes. This is the second movie I will have been in, the first being an indie film I actually saw on the big screen titled "The Mercy Seat". I played of all things a cop who kills the two stars at the end of a crime scene.
4) Last month Martin Atkins asked if I'd be interested in doing a new line of DVD's for Invisible. We met yesterday and by August the first in a series of MK Magazine DVD's will debut. It's going to be very sexy and have lots of great music that other productions are afraid to boast. We were talking about cranking out four of these a year and will be tour backstage pass into our world. I'm waiting for the paperwork and yes, it looks as though I'll be a signed artist of sorts. Again I am amazed and admire Martins dedication to underground entertainment and arts. So look for hot new MK shirts and posters advertising this baby.
5) I spoke to the Tower records magazine consignments last week and was informed that worldwide only 2 issues of the Messy issue didn't sell. So that is a new milestone for us. Tower figures that they can sell 50% of the product they order from us. this time is elapsed that. I will get the covers back and will have Messy sign them and frame them. Maybe it calls for a giveaway.
6) We are doing a contest with Mofo Wear www.mofowear.net in the new issue and it's going to be very hot. Look for it.
7) Not to sound like we're bragging here but this stat only means something if we're selling a product and we do sell advertising space on the site. We are now getting a million hits per month and this is thanks in a large part to AVN which doubled our exposure since Jan and have done numerous articles on yours truly.
9) I am in the May issue of AVN Magazine as part of the cover story on Rock and Porn and it shook be on stands any day now. They are running a not so good photo of me but being that the article represents my views it all that matters.
10) They are filming Batman begins for 6 weeks this summer here in Chicago and you know I am going to try very hard to get a part and an extra.
It's now April 20th or 420 and the date marks several things. It's the five year anniversary the Columbine shooting rampage, (I was working at HBO where I met one of my very best friends Mr. Bob 'Newbomb' Hoeksema) that maniac Hitler's birthday, my dear friends Kevin and Sam's Anniversary (congrads), a year ago was Easter and the final date of the successful first leg of the United Tour which I sponsored and that was the night I met My Motor Booty Brigette. And who would have though that would happen after over a year of hell I was living. I certainly never saw it coming. But I sure saw it going hehe.
But for other people who are chronic dope smokers means something different. I learned this from the pot head who tried and nearly attempted to steal my life from me when she'd light up everyday at 420. (and that was AM and PM on many days) Today, April 20th, or 420, is an important day for stoners everywhere, It started as an underground "tea time" for potheads, and has become an important time in many people's lives who find the numbing high of the stinky weed. Some people even have a special alarm that goes off at both 420's, like they need another excuse to smoke dope. But the day 420 means so much more than the hour, it seems, as they take it quite seriously from what I understand is about planning, things that focus around marijuana.
But it's been a year since I've been around dope and am happy not to have to walk through it's nauseating stench. I know a rather large majority of my readers and friends do indulge in the smoking of the weed and I mean no offense it's just not for me. And the person I have referred to was just a hypocrital pain in my ass who had to constantly remind me of what a loser I am.
So this is what I've been up to. Thanks for reading and supporting MK!
Happy Anniversary Booty!
When the dust settles and all is said and done, one crystal clear fact shall remain, I am alex Zander, and you're welcome to the rocking world of MK!
Posted by Alex Zander at April 20, 2004 10:45 AM