Bigger Than Jesus: The Motion Picture

diana from downtown and jim outside kennewick high...

2006-03-27T22:34:00.000-08:00

I'm not entirely sure why Diana is sporting a whip and feather boa, but... it's making me feel kinda funny...

seeding the fan base of the future, gene simmons style...

2006-03-13T23:28:00.000-08:00

from our friend Mike and his baby girl :

OMFG !!

2006-03-09T17:06:00.000-08:00

After a totally unrelated encounter with Wil Wheaton on his blog today (in which he responded to me referring to his recent work as "saccharine" and "common", but you gotta understand the context), Wil answered a Q&A question I wrote him a million years ago in his latest podcast...

Check it out! Download it and listen around the 4 minute mark.

Hawesome.

pandora panel tonight

2006-03-07T16:58:00.000-08:00

WHAT: Panel Discussion about the impact of the digital revolution in the music industry with the head dude from Pandora.com.

WHERE: Music Millennium

WHEN: 6pm too-nite! (woo-man!)

From Pandora.com:

"I'll be heading up to Portland, Oregon for a couple days of musical exploration and conversation. The main event of the trip is a 'town hall' get together at Music Millenium (801 NW 23rd Avenue) on Tuesday evening at 6pm to talk radio and digital music. Terry Currier, the longtime owner has generously agreed to host us at this indie music mecca. I'll be joined by Rick Emerson, a much beloved local radio personality, active blogger, and longtime music industry commentator for a provocative discussion on 'radio in the digital age.' Peter Carlin, journalist for the Oregonian, and a thoughtful writer on media will moderate, incite and lead what will hopefully be a lively and informative conversation about the impact of the digital revolution on the modern music industry, with a particular focus on radio.

Tim (Founder)"

HAPPY BIRTHDAY RICK!!

2006-03-07T11:22:00.000-08:00

do-do-do-dooooooo.......

2006-03-06T12:32:00.000-08:00

do something nice today..

2006-02-23T00:23:00.000-08:00

... so my old friend Eric Storm plays drums with Geoff Byrd, and they're finalists in Mix 107.5's contest for a local band to open for Bon Jovi at the Rose Garden. Take a moment and click on over here and vote for Geoff Byrd. Do it. It'll make ya feel good.

because I'll forget later....

2006-02-17T10:25:00.000-08:00

Happy birthday Musical Director Chris!! click me

Snoogums.

now THAT'S dedication...

2006-02-10T14:58:00.000-08:00

A crewman for Bigger Than Jesus who shall remain nameless (unless he wants to 'fess up to it) recently had some custom checks made for his checking account...

He sent us the following message:

That's right, every time we pay our bills, The Man will have to look at BTJ. Every time we buy groceries, The Man will see you. Every time we pass a bad check for some crap from Craigslist, they'll look at you and think, "Those fuckers fucked me, but hey, isn't that Rick Emerson?"

Feel my wrath, check-takers!!!!!!!!!!

BTJ Global Domination:1
The Man:0

little dreams coming true...

2006-02-02T11:58:00.000-08:00

two things to cross off my "to do" list for this life...

a listing on imdb.com

an entry in Wikipedia

(without having to do either myself)

also recently crossed off the list... have press release written about me in another language.

(Google translastion: "The Nicodemus Americans have entrusted to the estimated independent director Joni DeRouchie the recording of a video of long duration, relative to the Next trace in Nocturne, draft from the last album Vanity is to Virtue")

ah life is good!

now if only wil wheaton would answer my emails, i could really die happy...

props to big daddy derouchie

2006-01-31T08:57:00.000-08:00

(ugh, i'm so white)

anyway, just wanted to pass along this link to Clear Channel's NEW! music website, featuring the Ken DeRouchie Band. They were chosen from among thousands of unsigned bands on garageband.com, so it's a pretty damn cool thing.

tonight!

2006-01-27T10:25:00.000-08:00

John Hughes of BtJ fame and his band Puffer rock the 'Couve! Be there!!

youtube.com gem of the day for monday

2006-01-23T09:46:00.000-08:00

behold! the result of superior genetic engineering! the littlest DeRouchie sings Green Day. Aww.

tomorrow night...

2006-01-20T16:34:00.000-08:00

it's been a while, but you can once again catch the rockin', old school R&B grooves of the Ken DeRouchie Band tomorrow night (saturday) at the Candlelight Room!

Be there!!

Delicious Fresh Juice...

2006-01-19T00:27:00.000-08:00

True to his elitist nature, Musical Director Chris is not one to send around links to flash movies unless they're really worth watching.

He sent me this link this morning... and sure enough...

...I haven't laughed so hard since someone sent me this little guy (which puts me in hysterics for reasons I can't explain).

Bigger than Jesus Gets Some Ink

2006-01-17T08:09:00.000-08:00

Courtesy of our good friend Steven Poor, Bigger than Jesus: The Diary of a Rock and Roll Fan gets some exposure in the latest issue of Pizzazz magazine (published by the legendary Don Lemmon*.) Click here to read a long damned interview with yours truly.

*If you don't want to be Don Lemmon, you have died inside. He's got a bodybuilder's physique, he knows the guys in KISS, he's married to Asia Carrera, and he lives just outside of Las Vegas. Go drool at the life you wish you had at www.donlemmon.com. Pizzazz is a sometimes-satirical but mostly-honest periodical available online and in print since 1998.

youtube.com gem of the day for Saturday...

2006-01-14T13:41:00.000-08:00

Chris Isaak's "Baby Did a Bad, Bad Thing"... oh my...

youtube.com gem of the day for thursday

2006-01-12T13:18:00.000-08:00

Mystery Science Theater 3000 short -- Johnny at the Fair -- classic... genius...

youtube.com gem of the day...

2006-01-11T22:59:00.000-08:00

discovered by Aquanet Andrew... Alice Cooper on the Muppet Show

and in the spirit of stuff that rawks...

2006-01-10T23:05:00.000-08:00

a brief commercial explaining why, if you haven't purchased "The B-Sides" yet, you should do so as soon as humanly possible!

You Can't Spell RAWK without A.W.K.

2006-01-10T22:55:00.000-08:00

I was going to try and capture the energy that just surged back and forth over the internet a few minutes ago, but instead, I think I'll just let the words speak for themselves.

Believe.

Always. Believe.


>
> --- Joni DeRouchie wrote:
>
>> http://www.andrewwk.com/main.php
>>
>> have you?
>>
>> have you watched the preview????
>>
>> BEST THING EVER!!

> --- Rick Emerson wrote:
>
> Goddamn.
>
> Sometimes, I forget just how much that guy is the true
> patron saint of BtJ.
>
> Saint Andrew...Patron Saint of Parties, Rock, and
> Never Letting Down.
>
> Do you wanna write th blog entry, or should I?  :)
>
> -R
>


> --- Joni DeRouchie wrote:
>
> Go for it...
>
> It was a total brick in the face reminder, wasn't it???
>
> I immediately put The Wolf on and have been rocking ever since.
>
> Our little boy's all grown up... *sniff*...
>
> NEVER FUCKING LET THE FUCK DOWN!
>

by popular demand...

2006-01-07T15:16:00.000-08:00

for folks who missed out on the original run of Remote Control DVDs (and for folks choking on bitter, violent rage over Arrested Development), the filmmakers proudly present...

The Special Ghetto Edition is a homemade DVD, which comes in a fabulous paper sleeve, and features unique, hand-drawn stick figure artwork by the director.

The DVD contains:

+ 25 minute film
+ Commentary by Rick Emerson and Joni DeRouchie
+ Drunken commentary by Clyde Lewis and Aaron Geek in the City
+ Behind-the-Scenes documentaries
+ Outtakes
+ Rehearsals
+ Extended scenes
+ Screentests

Available now for the bargain price of only $8 plus $2 shipping! Order now!

(please allow 2 weeks for delivery)

(note: some DVD players have difficulty reading home-burned DVDs. We will gladly refund your $8 if your copy doesn't play.)

Harnessing* the Power of the People

2006-01-07T09:06:00.000-08:00

So...we at Bigger than Jesus World Headquarters are preparing to launch a line of rock/BtJ-oriented swag. (We've actually been planning this for some time, but between firings and crack binges, time tends to slip away.)

ANYWAY...

As at all such creative crossroads, we turn to you, The People, for thoughts and inspiration. When it comes to wearing your feelings/opinions/likes/dislikes/peeves/obsessions on your sleeve (or chest), what do you long for?

In short, what needs to be on a shirt that isn't? What rock/BtJ clothing/merchandise needs to exist that doesn't? What does today's stylish rock/metal/BtJ fan long to wear about town, saluting his like-minded brethren and irritating hipsters?

Sadly, The Dwarves have already marketed the "Teach Your Children to Worship Satan" shirt, but that's merely the tip of the metal iceberg. So let's hear it...after all, what's the alternative, wearing more shit from the P. Diddy collection?

*exploiting

crazy new-fangled internets

2006-01-02T16:15:00.000-08:00

So I've been seeing those "You Tube" interfaces around all over the place, and I finally went and checked out youtube.com and discovered that it's a site to upload and share your video clips with the world for free. I then lost several hours of my life watching Family Guy shorts and German metal videos (Oomph rules!).

Then I tried it out for myself... if you don't see them there to your right, you need to update your Flash player.

(Fans of Japanese anime shorts should definately check it youtube.com)

can't stand it anymore...

2006-01-02T14:44:00.000-08:00

must

make

naked

picture

go

away . . .

so, how's your new year going?

In addition to myriad top secret projects I'm not yet at liberty to discuss, I'm kicking off 2006 by shooting my first ever music video for Nicodemus, the progressive gothic metal band fronted by our very own Musical Director Chris and featuring the charming Aquanet Andrew on drums.

I'm currently seeking fabulous, goth-y types as extras for the shoot -- Visit me on MySpace for a detailed casting call.

Interested persons should email me at nerdygirlfilms@hotmail.com

Spread the word... tell a friend.

Happy New Year from BtJ

2005-12-30T12:11:00.000-08:00

The world domination has only begun...2006 will be The Year of the Rock.

Thanks to all who made this year so amazing and groundbreaking in a million different ways...the best is yet to come.

In the meantime, enjoy this slightly unsettling picture of Jani Lane, sent to me by persons unknown. Well, okay...Eric Helzer.

what are you doing the day before the day before new year's eve?

2005-12-27T13:11:00.000-08:00

You're going to see our old friends Jairus & Scooter perform!

WHO: Jairus & Scooter
WHERE: Bethany Village Grill in Beaverton
WHEN: Thursday, December 29th

From our good friend Steven Poor:

2005-12-26T14:15:00.000-08:00

"Rick, now we KNOW that [name of a certain BtJ band member] haunts Amazon.com:

Review of: Subdivisions, a tribute to Rush
December 18, 2005

Some background info for the ignorant masses. Take a close look into who actually contributed into this CD and you'll see some interesting things...like Alex Skolnick from Tras-Siberian Orchestra! Yeah, TSO ROCKS, I just saw 'em LAST NIGHT in Philly...and the Skolmeister does it RIGHT! Stu Hamm, I mean, c'mon, the dude was with Satriani, pick up Dreaming #11 and just listen to the bass lines...sweeeeet! And for all you Winger bashers out there, you don't appreciate SQUAT as Kip Winger is one HELL of a great songwriter. Make fun of the hair band/girlie-rock/opera-dance-stepper all you want...but you simply CANT deny Kip has added MUCH to 80's rock music. ALex, Stu, and Kip, thanks fellas. This CD is EXCELLENT!!! Keep making that sweeet rock music out there!!! 'Cause you guys and Rush are the last ones doin' it!

One more thing, Dream Theater hasn't done a decent album since Images & Words, so how about everyone stop clammoring for them to do Rush covers. sheeeesh."

Best..... Christmas Card..... EVER

2005-12-24T21:15:00.000-08:00

You may remember Mike Vaughn as the extremely talented voice actor who portrayed brother Dave and Gary Silver on the Bigger Than Jesus DVD.

Today I received his Christmas card.....

(yes, that's him)

Inside it reads: "may all your holiday wishes come true."

Indeed.

who is this guy?

2005-12-23T10:58:00.000-08:00

he sat in the front row at PSU and he's all through the movie.

if you know him, tell him I think he's awesome!

if you've been wondering...

2005-12-22T13:19:00.000-08:00

Just what is this whole Bigger Than Jesus thing about?

Well, my friend, here's a little montage which clarifies nothing... but the band looks badass and that's the important thing.

What about those Little Dudes?

2005-12-21T17:00:00.000-08:00

One of the worst moments of my life was when I had to look Little Dude Joseph's dad in the face at the DVD release party and explain to him that his son didn't make the final cut of the movie.

A few people have asked why the Little Dudes aren't in the film, and I now give the same answer I gave to Joseph's father...

There were nine total appearances of the Little Dudes. Seven of them filmed beautifully. Two of them did not. There were various reasons for this, all of them relating to one thing -- not enough prep time to make sure everything looked as good on camera as it did to the live audience. They were but one of many challenges we faced due to this same dilemma (see also "glowing white sugar cube").

Because the Little Dudes served a very important purpose -- giving us the date of the section of the story that followed -- they either all had to work, or none of them would work. There was no way to cut just one Little Dude and keep the others, because the dates were too important. So it was a real all-or-nothing situation.

And try as I might, I just couldn't make those two aberrant shots look good. In fact, they looked distractingly bad. Again, due in no part to the Little Dudes themselves.

So I had to make the extremely unpleasant choice of cutting them altogether.

I did create a montage of the ones that looked good on the Supplemental Disc, and I used a couple of them in the DVD menus. And of course they still received proper credit in the movie itself.

Some things just work better in person, and to the folks who were there that night, the Little Dudes will always be remembered fondly as part of the live experience. But they just didn't all work on camera the way we'd hoped.

A Compliment for US is a Compliment for YOU!

2005-12-20T15:27:00.000-08:00

Bigger than Jesus, like rock and roll itself, is a project by The People, of The People, and for The People. As such, it's gratifying to see that folks are diggin' it in such a huge way.

This is also a great reflection on the myriad band members, crew personnel and other members of the BtJ team. That people are bonding so strongly with the finished product speaks well of everyone involved. You rule!

From the mailbag:

Well all I can say is WOW!
BTJ was not what I expected... And actually
I was not sure what to expect, Rick with his normal
rants plus a band??? no no no.. this was something
better something that blew my mind, sucked me in. it
was a journey through music, a journey into, dare I
say, Rick. Since I got it on friday I have watched twice
and plan on inviting friends over this weekend to
watch it again. Man I want to sit here and go on and on and on about
how fucking awesome it was but I am just speechless.
it made me remember music and things from years
ago when all we had was "am" radio and then came
records and music like I had never heard......
FUCKING AWESOME JOB!!!! RICK YOU KICKED
ASS! JONI GREAT FUCKIN JOB!!! You guys made my year
with this film!!!!! Definetly worth the wate!
-Troy in So. Oregon

Got my BTJ DVD the other day. Damn it rocks so
hard!!! I've already shown it to a few friends who have asked me to burn
it for them. I have told them " no, a true rock fan would want a REAL
copy of this." And thusly directed them to the BTJ website. Keep on
ROCKIN!!!!!
-Chris V.

Just ordered my second BTJ for my friends whom grew
up in the Tri-Cities. They will love it. They actually where
in Ephrata but they talked the same about the whole zone.
-Mike B.

And, about Rock Roundtable:

The cable show rocks! Keep it up. Loved the band at
the Sabala's show, too. The hair-flipper guitarist with the VH 5150 guitar was incredible! Plus, that had to be the most guitars I've ever seen a single band use. Very cool.
-Scott G.

Such comments are the highest praise there is. Muchas gracias.

jingle bell rawwwwwk

2005-12-16T11:23:00.000-08:00

The holidays are upon us! But alas my partner in crime is currently without a radio show, which means I can't force him to play Corey Feldman's stirring rendition of "Jingle Bell Rock" against his will.

Rather than deprive the world of this delight, I offer it here for download. Behold.... it's a Corey Feldman Christmas.....

Rock Roundtable Returns

2005-12-15T22:23:00.000-08:00

The second episode of Rock Roundtable airs Friday, December 16th, at 11pm, on CNW (Comcast channel 14.) This is the episode that was aborted due to technical complications awhile back, so be sure to check it out.

(For best results, drink heavily beforehand, and view with several music-loving friends. Hilarity, arguments, and fistfights will ensue.)

one man.... on an island.... at the edge of space.......

2005-12-14T22:55:00.000-08:00

I went to see King Kong with my family for my birthday.

Two thoughts...

1. In a world where Peter Jackson exists, I'm not worthy of operating a handicam.

2. Cinetopia is the coolest movie theater on earth.

From the Mailbag

2005-12-13T09:16:00.000-08:00

It's always good to know that people dig what you do. At the risk of wallowing in our own Indisputable Genius, I did want to post an email or two from some folks who have purchased and enjoyed the DVD. The first (chosen more or less at random), comes to us from a guy named Jesse:

"All I have to say is oh my fucking god. What a show. I got my copy
today in the mail, and watched both dvds. (With my bottle of Bookers). I didn't
realize how much time and effort goes into something like this. I
loved the outakes and how much the BTJ crew did. The the reason I'm a
fan even without you on the air is you're not a sell-out. I fucking hate
sell-outs. You are keepin' it real (gay, I know, but it's true.)

Joni, the BTJ crew, and you outdid yourselves with this production.
Thanx for keepin it real and not forgetting who your die-hard fans are.

Cheers

Jesse"

Gracias, mi amigo. Thanks for the support...it never goes unappreciated.

new downloads!!

2005-12-07T00:51:00.000-08:00

Check out the new "downloads" page on the website for some new stuff, including the BTJ House Band rocking in a short video, and a 2 1/2 minute long trailer for "The B-Sides" (which y'all would have seen at the party the other night if the DVD player at Sabala's had worked).

Click here, beetches!

DVDs for sale on line

2005-12-06T14:51:00.000-08:00

to the countless folks who asked where they could buy them online, I set up a page for getting in those orders before christmas.

makes a great gift, ya know...

click here

(Most of the site is still under construction)

did anyone take pictures the other night?

2005-12-06T08:06:00.000-08:00

I saw a zillion camera phones flashing all night long... did anyone get anything good? If so, send 'em to nerdygirlfilms@hotmail.com and I'll post them (with proper credit of course) !

love from oregonlive.com...

2005-12-05T23:02:00.000-08:00

Chris Snethen, the best damn blogger at oregonlive.com, posted an awesome write-up of our party... check it out!

2005-12-04T15:21:00.000-08:00

What Can I Say?

2005-12-04T02:41:00.000-08:00

You were perfect.

To the band, thanks for rocking like nobody's business.

To the crew...thanks for helping to make the vision a reality.

And to The People, thanks for being there...and thanks for believing.

You're golden, all of you.

-Rick and Joni

life just got a little sweeter...

2005-12-02T00:47:00.000-08:00

on the eve of the release of my first feature-length motion picture and the greatest party of my lifetime, the universe has chosen to bless me with yet another gift. Yes.... that's right.... Wil Wheaton is now podcasting.

Dude could read the fucking phone book for an hour and I'd listen.

The Gathering of the Faithful

2005-12-01T23:04:00.000-08:00

Alright, ladies and germs, this is it. For the first time in seven months, and after a multi-year journey, we meet this coming Saturday the 3rd...as only we can.

Saturday, 9pm, at Sabala's Mt. Tabor (4811 SE Hawthorne), the Bigger than Jesus release party takes place.

On tap for the evening:

-The entire BtJ cast and crew, as well as your pals from The Rick Emerson Show: Tim Riley, Clyde Lewis, Sarah X. Dylan, Storm Large, Aaron "Geek in the City" Duran, Davey Nipples, Joni DeRouchie, F-Matt Peterson, Jen Lane, Dennis Pittsenbarger, Iain Gordon, Scott Dally...and many more.

-The BtJ house band will be screaming through a set of hard rock classics from the stageshow, and there may be a few surprises there, as well.

-We'll be screening never-before-seen footage from both DVDs, including the brand-new documentary I Was a Teenage Dirtbag.

And, of course, you'll be able to buy either or both of the Bigger than Jesus DVDs. (If you've pre-ordered, this is the place to pick them up...)

(Pre-orders will close at Midnight, Friday night, but DVDs will also be for sale at the party. Order online at http://www.biggerthanjesus.net/trailer/dvd.htm)

So...come one, come all...we'll see you there.

D'oh.---UPDATED

2005-11-28T20:52:00.000-08:00

I should note that in addition to our own Nate Baker, Comcast's Ken Lotka has been in touch, and was very gracious about last night's technical woes. Things will be scheduled for re-broadcast within a short time.

Nothing can stop the rock!

Rock Roundtable, Part II Airs Tonight!

2005-11-28T10:27:00.000-08:00

Thanks to everyone who checked out the premier installment of Rock Roundtable on Sunday night. Part II airs this evening (Monday) at 8:30pm, on CNW (Comcast channel 14.)

Part II features guests including Clyde Lewis, Chris Morris, Jay Haygood (from the BtJ house band and Shout it Out Loud), and myself.

Among tonight's topics of discussion:

-Do bands make better music when they're under the influence?

-Does rap-metal suck, or are Gen-Xers just becoming cranky old guys?

-KISS unmasked vs. makeup era, which was truly better?

(As a side note, the program's sound mix favors some home audio systems over others. Depending on your setup, your volume might seem excessively high or low. Adjust as needed. Rinse. Repeat.)

Rock Roundatble (part one) Airs Tonight!

2005-11-27T15:47:00.000-08:00

Set your TiVos, friends and neighbors. Tonight (Sunday the 27th), Rick will be hosting the premier installment of Rock Roundtable on CNW (Comcast channel 14).

The show airs at 11pm, and features a panel of musicians and music-industry folks talking about rock music and rock culture. Tonight's panel includes Eric Helzer (of band Shout it Out Loud), Janeen Rundle (formerly of Sony Music, now of the Oregon Music Hall of Fame), and Brian Lehfeldt (of Portland's own Tri-Polar.)

Among the subjects tackled in this debut episode:

-Does Poison get a bad rap?

-What makes a song or band "metal"?

-Can chicks truly rock?

A completely different episode airs tomorrow night (Monday) at 8:30pm...more details to come.

And, of course, we are now just six days away from the Bigger than Jesus release party at Sabala's Mt. Tabor, featuring a live performance from the BtJ house band, other distinguished musical guests, and a "special guest" list of thousands, including all your favorite Rick Emerson Show and Bigger than Jesus cast members. That's coming on Saturday, December 3rd...9pm. Be there!

why i love wil wheaton...

2005-11-25T12:07:00.000-08:00

read it!

Ten Days and Counting...

2005-11-23T12:13:00.000-08:00

What: The release party for Bigger than Jesus: The Diary of a Rock and Roll Fan.

When: Saturday, December 3rd, 9pm.

Where: Sabala's Mt. Tabor (4811 SE Hawthorne Blvd.)

After a long, nearly three-year journey, the greatest moment of your lives happens on December third. Cancel your other plans, tell your family to get stuffed, and bring your friends; the Bigger than Jesus DVD release party will be the loudest, best thing you've ever attended. A small sampling of the festivities:

-A screening of never-before-seen footage from the DVD, including scenes from I Was a Teenage Dirtbag.

-The live musical stylings of Jairus Minsky (the BtJ voice of Ozzy Osbourne) along with his partner in crime, A Man Named Scooter. They'll be performing a custom-picked list of hard-rock classics in their own inimitable fashion, and making the ladies swoon.

-The entire cast and crew of Bigger than Jesus will be in attendance, including such luminaries as Sarah X. Dylan, Clyde Lewis, Aaron "Geek in the City" Duran, director Joni DeRouchie and yours truly. I might also keep an eye out for newsman Tim Riley, if I were you. More special guests to be announced as things draw near.

-You heard them at the Bigger than Jesus PSU performance, now witness their rock and roll might up close and personal. The Bigger than Jesus house band will be giving a special encore performance to close out the party---they'll be laying down a set of full-length songs from the stageplay as only they can. Plus...we'll be publicly revealing, for the first time ever, the actual, shocking, true name of the house band.

-And, of course, you'll be able to pick up your copies of either (or both) of the Bigger than Jesus DVDs, along with a few other related items, all of them perfect for gift-giving or hurling at neighbors in a drunken stupor.

So...there you go. The Bigger than Jesus DVD release party, Saturday, December 3rd, 9pm, at Sabala's Mt. Tabor. Keep watching this space for more details...and we'll see you there.

Set phasers to "RAWK"!

Rock Roundtable Airs This Sunday (and Monday)!

2005-11-21T13:07:00.000-08:00

Is Poison metal? Does Metallica get a bad rap? Where did the term "Butt Rock" come from?

Set your TiVos now, kids; this coming Sunday night (the 27th), Rick Emerson hosts the premier installment of Rock Roundtable on CNW (Comcast channel 14). The show airs at 11pm, and features a panel of musicians and music-industry folks (including some familiar faces from Bigger than Jesus) talking about rock music and rock culture.

I think our actual description to the TV Guide people was: "Dudes like you argue about rock and roll while drinking in a bar", but I'm fairly sure they ignored that and imposed something more, er...acceptable.

The episode repeats on Monday the 28th, at 8:30pm.

This installment was filmed during the post-production sessions for Bigger than Jesus, and features Portland's very own Sabala's Mt. Tabor as its backdrop.

It's the second-best thing you've ever seen, so don't miss it! Rock Roundtable on CNW (Comcast channel 14), this coming Sunday night (the 27th) at 11pm, with an encore the following night at 8:30pm.

pichers

2005-11-08T14:24:00.000-08:00

so, screw that photo blog.

here's a couple of photos from our thankfully-not-as-chaotic-as-we'd-anticipated commentary recording session this past weekend....

Rick, Joni, Chris, and Director of Photography Nate

Rick, Joni, Chris, and Drummer Andrew

it was the plastic lawn chairs that really made us feel like rock stars.

And here are a few stills from the documentary In the Beginning: The Creation and Evolution of Bigger Than Jesus, shot and edited by the mighty Nate Baker, available on Disc #2 of the Bigger Than Jesus Collection....

Musical Director Chris**

Lighting Designer Sigfried and Stage Manager Aaron

Rick and Yoko

** yes... he does smile. It should be noted, however, that he was describing how satisfying it is to be an elitist prick at the moment that still was snapped.

Hey, look! It's Walt Flanagan!

2005-11-07T14:03:00.000-08:00

So...apart from opening credits and a few other minor tweaks, the final new material was recorded for the Bigger than Jesus DVD on Saturday. About a dozen of us sat down in a Portland studio and recorded the feature-length commentary that accompanies the film. Headed by Joni DeRouchie and myself, the commentary also features musical director Chris Morris, numerous BtJ house band members, key crew personnel, and a bottle of Maker's Mark. Mmm....slurry.

Following in the tradition of the Boogie Nights and Cannibal: The Musical commentaries, ours is a combination of behind-the-scenes observations and crude non-sequiturs---in fact, you'll be able to tell within sixty seconds or so whether the commentary is for you. (Hint: evacuate small children from the room beforehand.)

All-in-all, it's another slice of entertainment for your Bigger than Jesus dollar, and one that we're pretty proud of. Next time, Carrot Top!

2005-11-01T15:02:00.000-08:00

from our friends in Puffer.....
Wild Side (motley crue tribute) with Puffer at Sabala's Mt. Tabor wednesday November 2nd. "come at 8... PUFFER starts at 8:30....Wild Side at 10:30... You'll be home before midnight, you lazy fuck."

also...
to our friends in nicodemus...congratulations on acquiring american distribution of your new cd. now americans of poor taste will be able to purchase it domestically before underappreciating it. (a big >>backspace<< to you both.)

Apropos of, well....everything.

2005-11-01T09:58:00.000-08:00

As part of my effort to curb the sprawl currently rendering my basement unusable, I'm working my way through boxes, one by one, judging their contents, and either refiling them in a concise fashion, or selling/discarding them.

This process has been ongoing for a few weeks now, and I finally reached the most difficult part of it: assessing my CD collection.

I don't know how many CDs I have -I stopped counting at a thousand- but I do know that sifting through them is like examining clay layers in an archeological dig; each box, each stack, each pile represents a time in my life, and contains, preserved forever, a set of experiences and memories...some good, some not.

There are long-forgotten EPs (who remembers the band Dandelion???), curious CD singles (Freddie Mercury singing "The Great Pretender"), and hard-found collectibles now made less exotic by the age of MP3s (my cherished box set of Oasis singles and B-sides, imported from Britain, which cost somewhere in the neighborhood of nine million dollars.)

At the risk of sounding like The Old Guy In The Record Store, it's worth noting that many of my imports and collections came with small tchotchkes, and, as we move further into the digital era, these things will be lost---some future version of Rick will have to do without the AC/DC bottle opener that accompanied the Bon Scott box set.

And so, speaking of the modern era, my true task is upon me. I must now begin the laborious job of archiving all (or at least most) of my CDs digitally. This is one of those things that, like creating a library's card catalog, will be great (and relatively easy to maintain) once it's done. Actually doing it however, requires endless, tedious hours of pointing, clicking, stacking, and sorting. Worst of all are those not-too-rare times when the online CD identifier fails to recognize some disc or other (although I was impressed to see that Slam Suzanne's On the Floor with Your Mom was in their database.) In such cases, ten or twelve different song titles must all be entered by hand, along with year of release, genre, composer, etc. (Well....I guess they don't have to be, but if I don't do it, the OCD fairies start to call to me at night, and I find myself at the keyboard, blearily pecking in the names of a dozen obscure Carcass songs.)

In the end, though, it's worth it, if only for the absolute, physical proof it provides of music's importance in my life. Looking around my office, and taking in the endless mountains of CDs (vinyl archiving comes next), I don't think about the work, the storage space my newly-organized collection will take, or even the tens of tousands of dollars I must have spent on this music. Instead, I think about where I was when I bought a certain album, or how long I waited in line to purchase something I deemed especially important.

My mom once said that you could measure a person by how they treated their books. I would extend that to include their treatment of the music they own. So...my VHS Blackadder collection? Gone. My inexplicable mound of blank reel-to-reel tapes? History. But the music? Ah, the music...remains.

The Song Remains Inane

2005-10-26T12:34:00.000-07:00

Having posted a long dissertation about powerful, inspiring song lyrics last week, it's only fair that we give equal time. So let's have 'em...let's hear (see) the tackiest, corniest, cheesiest verses out there. Even the ones you love. Especially the ones you love.

Special points will be awarded for terrible lyrics from an artist who's otherwise fantastic.

I'll start:

Ladies and Gentlemen, may I present the worst Alice Cooper song in all of creation, so cringe-inducingly bad, it makes Spinal Tap seem like a paragon of subtlety:

Well, I ain’t evil, I’m just good lookin’
Start a little fire, and baby start cookin’
I’m a hungry man
But I don’t want pizza
I’ll blow down your house
And then I’m gonna eat ya

You don’t want to talk
So baby shut up
And let me drink the wine from your fur tea cup
Velcro candy, sticky sweet
Make my tattoos melt in the heat
Well, I ain’t no veggie
Like my flesh on the bone
Alive and lickin’ on your ice cream cone

Feed my frankenstein
Meet my libido
He’s a psycho
Feed my frankenstein
Its lunch time
Hungry for love
And it’s feeding time

happy birthday to my offspring

2005-10-25T12:14:00.000-07:00

you are in the double digits.

and an awful brat.

but yer cool.

and you can play social distortion on the guitar.

guess we'll keep ya.

Words to Live By

2005-10-19T13:06:00.000-07:00

I recently posted a long piece about Bon Jovi's 1994 hit, "Always." I paid particular attention to the song's lyrics; an amalgam of every devotional ballad ever written, they seem ripe for ridicule, or, at least, a knowing smirk. But part of me knows that for every eye-rolling, chuckling hipster, there's a high-school couple who sang those words to each other over the phone...or inscribed them forever in a senior-class yearbook.

Song lyrics are the narration to our own, private movie; a greek chorus of affirmation, pain, and wonder. When I, as a teenage boy, sat alone for endless hours in my darkened bedroom, listening to The Cure, it wasn't just for the melancholy sweep of the music, but also for the words...words that made Robert Smith seem like a friend and companion:

If only I'd thought of the right words
I could've held on to your heart
If only I'd thought of the right words
I wouldn't be breaking apart
All my pictures of you

At happier moments, behind the wheel of my first car, or reveling in my imminent graduation from high-school, I felt intoxicated with newfound freedom and possibility, and the music I blasted reflected that joy. Rob Halford shrieked:

The road is open wide to place your biddin'
Now, wherever you turn, wherever you go
If you get it wrong, at least you can know
There's miles and miles to put it back together
And I'm heading out to the highway
I got nothin' to lose at all
I'm goin' to do it my way
Take a chance before I fall

There's no doubt that these lyrics are overwrought; whether they seem fearless or funny is merely a function of your mindset...and your needs at the time.

So, as we prepare for the release of Bigger than Jesus: The Diary of a Rock and Roll Fan, let's take a moment to reflect on those lyrics -whether plaintive or powerful, ferocious or forlorn- that stuck with us.

What are some of your favorite song lyrics ever?

Update.......

2005-10-17T20:10:00.000-07:00

3 new photos of the aforementioned Rock Roundtable are now available for your viewing pleasure on the photo blog

Note: I've been told by several people that buzznet now forces folks to sign in or register before allowing them to view the photo blog. Needless to say, that's wicked lame. Sorry. I guess I'll have to find a different way to share the stills with y'all. Stupid buzznet.

"Rock Roundtable"...Fuck Yeah!

2005-10-17T11:30:00.000-07:00

Now that the beans have officially been spilled on the contents of the Bigger than Jesus DVDs, we're free to start masturbatorily gushing about how fantastic all the bonus features are. (Er, I suppose "masturbatorily" and "gushing" may not be the best words, in a back-to-back sense. Sorry about that.)

Anywho...Joni and I recently screened the first 26 minutes of Rock Roundtable, currently in final post-production with the mighty Sigfried.* Having been there for the filming, having seen some video mockups, and having worked with our stellar crew on many projects already, I knew enough to expect greatness, but it's on track to be far better than even we expected, and that's saying something.

Couple brief observations:

As Milo Bloom once noted, it's a shame that smoking, you know, kills you and all, 'cause it looks so damned cool. Between the whorls of smoke and the blood-red decor of Sabala's Mount Tabor, it looks like Charlie Rose in hell, and I mean that in a good way.
There's a moment, early on, when one of Eric Helzer's comments strikes such a nerve that, for a moment, it seems decidedly possible that Brian Lehfeldt will punch him squarely in the face. Genius.
Have you ever seen four grown men spontaneously raise a toast to Cinderella? You will.

Normally, bonus features on a DVD are much like the "new" tracks on a greatest-hits compilation---a way to pad out the album and separate you from your dollars. Not this time. I'm proud to say that this DVD set -all nine hours of it- is worth your time, your money, and your shelf space.

*You know those stories you sometimes hear, wherein a film is still being edited the night before, or morning of, its premiere? I always wondered exactly HOW such things come to pass; I wonder no longer. Between the mountains of film to edit, peoples' outside jobs, our rampant drug use, and the need to sleep at least three hours a night, everyone is starting to have visions of John Gulager.

+++

Bigger than Jesus: The Diary of a Rock and Roll Fan

Pre-orders now being accepted.

Watch the teaser-trailer here, and order safely and securely with your credit card through our official website.

Did your mom always say you were a great writer?

2005-10-12T13:44:00.000-07:00

She was probably lying---parents are contractually required to deceive their children about such things.

However, on the off-chance that she was actually correct about your talents, listen up:

Bigger than Jesus: The Diary of a Rock and Roll Fan needs a back-cover blurb, and we want you to write it. (Well, that's not technically true, but we've exhausted our brains beyond the point of rehabilitation, and since The Daily Show has no music-oriented writing, we don't even have anyone to steal from.)

Anyway...if you'd like to see your words forever emblazoned on the back of a future-award-winning DVD, this is your chance.

Simply compose a brief, exciting, somewhat accurate description of Bigger than Jesus; one that, were you to read it, would compel you to purchase said DVD. The winner will not only achieve cinematic immortality and receive a credit for their work, but will be given a free, autographed copy of the Bigger than Jesus DVD, so that he or she may better prove his/her feat to others.

For best results, your blurb should mention the following points about the film, in your own words:

• Features a live band performing three decades of rock and metal classics

• Filmed in front of a rapturous/rabid/worshipful/smitten/love struck audience in Portland, OR.

• It’s a filmed version of the hit stage show

Bonus points if you can convey the following ideas:

• Bigger than Jesus is hilarious, but heartfelt, and truly loves the music it discusses. No ironic, smirky humor here.

• Contains both comedy and drama

Hella-bonus points if you can work in a mention of at least one of the below items:

• Features a long segment on the Great Metallica Sellout

• Features (at long last) a dissenting voice regarding grunge and the legacy of Kurt Cobain.

Feel free to add any other comments or superlatives that you wish...just keep it real, yo.

So...there you go. Think you can sum up all (or most) of that in a few small paragraphs? Nah...probably not. Don't worry, we couldn't do it either; that's why we're pawning it off on you.

Send all submissions to rick@rickemerson.com. Submissions should be no longer than 120 words in length. Have fun with that.

Deadline for submissions is October 21st, 2005. All submissions become the property of Rick Emerson and Joni DeRouchie. So there.

a day in the life of editing Bigger than Jesus...

2005-10-11T09:24:00.000-07:00

7:30 am - Wake up, send child off to school.

8:00 am - Establish caffeine and nicotine levels for the day, take Advil if applicable.

8:30 am - Housework. Cut commercials out of day's best-of.

11:00 am - Sit down to edit. Pretend not to notice big, glowing white sugarcube in the middle of the screen.

1:00 pm - Watch "Ice Cream Man" scene a few times. Giggle like schoolgirl.

1:15 pm - Briefly consider bathing for first time in three days. Determine that it's probably a waste of time.

1:16 pm - Stare in awe at Guitarist Jay. Wonder what I did to deserve him.

1:32 pm - Tinker with ending credits. Triple check spelling of last names. Become convinced I've missed someone. Experience moment of terror.

2:00 pm - Leave Rick a series of panicky voicemails which he'll never return.

2:18 pm - Briefly consider eating a sandwich. Determine that it's probably a waste of time.

2:26 pm - Watch "Welcome to the Jungle" scene a few times. Shudder with delight.

2:44 pm - Say silent prayer of thanks to various deities for the existence of Musical Director Chris.

2:50 pm - Work on Act II for a few hours. Feels like 10 minutes.

5:50 pm - Field phone calls from singers and musicians wanting to know when commentary is being recorded. I don't know! Get off my back!

6:12 pm - Make dinner. Watch Futurama with family.

7:30 pm - Putter around with DVD artwork.

9:20 pm - Marvel at Drummer Andrew's magnificent arm choreography during the finale.

8:40 pm - Realize I've spent far too much time marveling at Andrew's arm choreography. Vow to never get distracted by it again.

10:02 pm - Watch Ramones scene. Mutter string of obscenities at The Mystery Cougher.

10:27 pm - Have brief impure thoughts about House Band Singers.

11:03 pm - Chug more coffee.

12:00 am - Take a break for mindless IM chatter and backspacing.

1:20 am - Final pass through scenes in progress. Tidy up cuts.

2:17 am - Watch Daily Show. Feel shamed by Daily Show writers. Consider giving up.

3:20 am - Drift off to sleep. Have strange dream in which James Hetfield is my plumber.

7:30 am - Wake up. Do it all again.

to the person who coughed all through the Ramones scene...

2005-10-08T03:28:00.000-07:00

I don't know who you are, but I'm going to find out. I'm going to hunt you down and I'm going to force you to buy 50 copies of the DVD to make up for the insane amount of work you created for everyone concerned. Next time, for the love of God, bring a Halls, man!

A "Credit" to Her Gender. Get it? "Credit?" Ha! I kill me!

2005-10-07T14:02:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday afternoon, I got to walk the hallowed halls of DeRouchie Studios and watch as large sections of the Bigger than Jesus opening credit sequence were put together.

Since I'm a largely-untalented boob, it will shock no one that most of the heavy post-production lifting is done by others. In that way, I'm like most of you...in that I often don't see the final product (or at least final cuts of individual segments) until they're done; having me in the mix would only complicate and delay things. All of which is what made Tuesday so great.

Having a rough idea of what the opening credit sequence would consist of, Joni was hunkering down to assemble, edit, and polish it---to turn the idea into a usable thing. This entailed a sound mix (of several different audio sources) as well as numerous small sections of film...all of which had to be heavily processed and matched to one another. Then, there was the issue of timing...how fast should one shot cut to another? How loud should the audio be? And -always the hardest choice- what should be cut when things start to run overtime?

Within a few hours, the figment had become flesh. What had once been an amorphus collection of ideas and notions was now a largely complete opening sequence---one that (hopefully) starts this unique film off on the right note of energy and antici....pation.

What makes this opening even more special is that it contains some great, very stylized shots of certain audience members. Your face may grace tv and theater screens the world over, depending on how things unfold.

I can't wait for you to see. Really, truthfully, I can't wait for everyone to see the whole thing, and that's not a function of my ego, but a reflection of how much energy has gone into this whole labor of love. (Well...and a little bit of ego. Ahem.) Everyone in the audience who supported this project, those who spread the word, told their friends, and put their butt in a seat...as well as the crew, cast, and production team...this really is for you.

December third is coming. Order now.

new stills added to photoblog...

2005-10-05T15:54:00.000-07:00

... band shots and Little Dudes ...

um...

2005-10-05T15:15:00.000-07:00

file this under "BOOFUCKINGHOO, ASSHOLE".........

Goddamn this band makes it hard to like them sometimes.

2005-10-04T09:25:00.000-07:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
OCTOBER 4, 2005
8:00 AM

Bigger than Jesus: The Diary of a Rock and Roll Fan
Teaser trailer unveiled online

DVD contents revealed; Film set for imminent release;
Pre-orders now being accepted

Portland, Oregon
October 4, 2005

As advance buzz continues to build about Bigger than Jesus: The Diary of a Rock and Roll Fan, the film's producers have unveiled a special, online "teaser" trailer, and begun accepting early orders for the hotly-anticipated film.

Rick Emerson and Joni DeRouchie, the production/writing/directorial team behind the hit rock and roll one-man show, made the announcement via the film's production blog this morning.

Describing the finished product as, "the greatest goddamned thing any of you have ever seen in your whole fucking lives", the duo revealed the existence of a second DVD, one comprised of extra documentary features, behind-the-scenes footage, and early audition tapes, in addition to other material.

Available as a standalone product or as part of a specially-priced "Holy Trinity" package, the supplemental disc, entitled Bigger than Jesus: The B-Sides, was described as "jam-packed with crap", and also features long form interviews with the film's creators and production crew.

Purchasers of the "Holy Trinity" package will receive both the primary DVD -itself filled to overflowing with special content- and the second disc, as well as a replica of the Director's script from the PSU performance of June, 2005, "complete with coffee stains, Joni’s handwritten cues, stage directions, notes, and more."

Street date for the film is December 3rd, 2005, with the official release to be marked by a gala bash featuring live music, special surprise guests, and what one insider would only refer to as "rivers of booze".

Updates are available at the film's official website, or through its production blog: biggerthanjesus.blogspot.com.

###

Contact: Rick Emerson, Writer/Producer, rick@rickemerson.com
Contact: Joni DeRouchie Director/Producer, nerdygirlfilms@hotmail.com

I Swear to God...

2005-10-04T08:27:00.000-07:00

I was listening to a Marilyn Manson song this morning, and so help me, he used the phrase "Swing Heil".

One to Grow On

2005-10-03T08:43:00.000-07:00

Throughout my life, songs and artists have appeared as if by magic; the right music at the right time often making the difference between life and despair; between hope and dismal resignation.

As I march through adulthood, those moments still occur---perhaps less frequently, but still with the same fire as when I was a gangly, shiftless youth. From Oasis to The Crystal Method, my post-high-school record collection has never stopped growing, even if it's now more often in the form of ones and zeros than actual discs.

Taking a break between Bigger than Jesus work sessions late last night, I asked Joni a question that's been on my mind a lot lately: are there any current musical favorites that you wish you'd had as a teenager? I mean, how different would Joni DeRouchie's adolescence have been if she'd had Rufus Wainwright to serenade her to sleep every night? What would the modern-day Clyde Lewis give to send a Rob Zombie album back to himself in 1978?

I think about Andrew W.K., and how, had I heard I Get Wet as a guitar-wielding teen, I might very well have chosen the path marked "music", instead of "radio". In retrospect, that would have been the wrong career for me -in many, many ways- but I think it might have happened. Something about that powerful, glorious, righteously dumb anthemic genius might have tipped the scales toward a life of rock and roll fameseeking. (Ditto for The Wolf. What would I have given as a teenager to hear someone say, "I want you to remember you're not better off dead"?)

I think about a band like Hatebreed. Since I'm a 32-year-old, poodle-owning nitwit, I find that their brand of furiously-roiling aggro-rock mainly serves to lessen my road rage while driving...or at least re-channel it. But, as a band which essentially performs endless variations on "Dyer's Eve", their steel-hard defiance, their absolute refusal to bend, could have been my teenage self's greatest ally.

Perhaps it's best that these albums waited until my later years to manifest themselves...you don't want to find all the good stuff at once, after all. Such discoveries are like Wonka's golden tickets...great enough to keep you searching, rare enough to take you by surprise.

How about you?

attention BTJ cast & crew!

2005-09-30T02:36:00.000-07:00

post production crew --
nate, sigi, ken, and anyone else doing any sort of shooting, editing, or audio for the project ----- your deadline for completion is three weeks from today, october 21st!

yay! woo!

musicians and singers --
we're looking at next weekend for overdub day! so prepare yourselves and await further instructions.........

tonight's the night...

2005-09-28T08:13:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite things about working on BTJ is hearing peoples' stories about when, where, and how they discovered music.

Most of those stories begin with "I had an older sister who was into records" or "My cousin came to visit and brought his 45s." It's safe to say that, in 99% of the stories I've heard, there's some friend, family member, or neighbor kid who plays a key role. And everyone can always remember the details of that day with perfect clarity.

I took great pleasure in capturing those stories on film, where they will live on until the end of time.

And now I'm in a very unique and wonderful position...

Because, as I've spent time over the past several months listening to my friends recount their stories of rock and roll discoveries and transformations, I've been able to watch my nine year-old daughter living those stories in real time. And due to my experience with BTJ, I'm able to recognize those moments as they happen.

Tonight, when I take her to see her idols Green Day at the Coliseum, I'll know that I am playing a part in what will become a treasured rock memory.

And years from now, when she's sitting under searing lights in some dive bar, being interviewed by hack filmmakers for a documentary, and they ask her about her first concert, she'll reply, "My first concert was Avril Lavigne. And that was awesome. But the one that really blew my mind was Green Day. And my mom took me to both."

Aww.

Sniff.

Three Small Things.

2005-09-26T23:07:00.000-07:00

1) I know that I'm not supposed to issue effusive praise about anything until it's finished, since to do so is tempting fate, counting my chickens, whistling past the graveyard, blah, blah, blah....

BUT...

I heard a mostly-final mix of the Bigger than Jesus closing credit song a short while back, and I really have to say, in all modesty, THAT WE'RE FUCKING GENIUSES. Everyone on planet Earth needs to cower before our brilliance right fucking now.

Of course, I still don't have a job, so what do I know?

Anyway, the right band (The Dry County Crooks), the right producer (Ken DeRouchie), the right song (to be revealed later), and the right film (ahem), all add up to something that's pretty goddamned great, no matter how you slice it.

On that note:

2) On Tuesday, October Fourth, a major Bigger than Jesus announcement will be posted right here. You won't want to miss it.

3) Finally, click, and be shamed.

The Arrested Development premiere

2005-09-24T17:56:00.000-07:00

Not only am I nerd enought to actually go to imoscar.com to see if it really exists (oh like you didn't do it too), I recognized that his inmate number, #24601, is the same as Jean Valjean's inmate number in Victor Hugo's Les Miserables. It's not often that my bottomless abyss of useless Les Miserables knowledge comes in handy, so I jumped at the opportunity to display it here. Woo!

desperate times and desperate measures...

2005-09-22T12:29:00.000-07:00

The life of a freelancer is, while gratifying, often unpredictable.

I just learned that, due to unforseen circumstances, I lost the big job that was going to carry my family through for the next six to eight months, leaving us fucked in ways I can't even begin to explain.

So ... I use this, my last gasp, to ask you fine people if you or anyone you know has any use of my talents, including but not limited to web design, web coding, web graphics, writing, and oh so much more, please contact me immediately for what is most likely to be the sweetest, cheapest deal you'll ever get in your life.

My resume is long and lustrous, with names such as Hanlon Brown, Elvis & Bonaparte, Intel, Nike, and countless others, spanning a decade of professional web work, and I have references to die for. All of which I'll be happy to share with any interested person.

Any job is great, but ones that could put a little something down immediately are super great.

So please email me or call me at 971-285-3034.

Thank you, and [diety of your choice] bless.

-Joni

UPDATE

Web portfolio now updated!

new stills added to the photoblog!

2005-09-20T23:36:00.000-07:00

good news, everyone!

I've updated the photoblog with stills from the actual performance at PSU! You can view them by clicking here.

And everyone who doubted my fabulous Marshall facades **coughchriscough**, please note just how much ass they kicked after all.

And never ever doubt me again.

where's Todd the Corpse been lately?

2005-09-20T08:27:00.000-07:00

That guy just up and disappeared!

Todd?! Don't make me remind you what happened the last time you ignored me...

yesterday was Talk Like a Pirate day...

2005-09-20T07:51:00.000-07:00

You know ... I was doing Talk Like a Pirate Day back before it was cool. (I never had a groovy pirate shirt like Andrew, though.) I can remember when Talk Like a Pirate Day was a way for those in the know to irritate their families, friends, and co-workers with what was then an inside joke amongst an elite few web geeks.

But now, like everything else good, Talk Like a Pirate Day has become all mainstream and stuff -- ruined forever by greedy bastards trying to make a buck.

Face it... once Dave Barry writes about it in his column... it ain't cool anymore.

So we need something new with which to irritate and perplex our co-workers.

In the spirit of that...... I declare tomorrow to be official...

Intergalactic Talk Like Paul Stanley Day!

(Unfortunately, Paul Stanley speak is far more difficult to spell phonetically than pirate talk)

why it's been so dull around here lately

2005-09-18T21:43:00.000-07:00

I was having a conversation one day with my hacker brother, and I told him that I wanted to write a movie about hackers some day. "It'll never sell," he told me. I asked him why. He said that some pasty guy chugging Mt. Dew and sitting in front of a computer tapping away for hours is not entertaining, sexy, or interesting to anyone anywhere. "That's why movies with computer hacking are bullshit," he said, "with those totally flashy interfaces and hot girls and stuff... because the reality is so boring to look at."

Well, the same could be said for video editing. I haven't written lately about what I've been doing because it's boring as hell. I point. I click. Occasionally, I drag. It's very unsexy. I wish I had something interesting to report, but I just don't. But I'm still here, and still slaving away.

totally off-topic poll, part II

2005-09-14T18:02:00.000-07:00

I was in the car just now and I heard what I consider to be the greatest pop song every crafted by human hands. Before I say what it is, I was wondering what your guys' nominations for the title would be?

[Mine wins because it's got all the elements -- perfect hooks both lyrically and musically, guitar, piano, enough synth to date it but not too much to out-date it (if that makes sense), the lyrics are simple, sweet love song poetry, and the production is lush without sounding over-polished. And it's a perfect length -- it ends right when it should, yet you still wish it was just one minute longer.]

So what's yours?

totally off-topic poll

2005-09-13T17:25:00.000-07:00

So I'm taking my daughter to see Green Day in a couple of weeks at the Coliseum. It's a general admission show, and our tickets are in the 'bowl' area (we're both far too frail to brave the floor). We're going early to hang out in line all day and make the mad dash once the doors open, but we're trying to figure out which area of seating is the best. I've never seen a concert at the Coliseum before, so I was hoping that some of y'all might have experience with the venue and know which seats are the best. If you go for maximum visibility, do you sacrifice sound? If you go for maximum sound, do you sacrifice visibility? Does sound even matter when it's Green Day? What do you guys think?

Here's the seating chart

What a Day/What a Night

2005-09-11T22:54:00.000-07:00

Goddamn...who knew that one day could seem so long?

Today, two major BtJ projects were moved closer to the "done" column.

Most of the crew assembled at Sabala's Mt. Tabor to film the final supplemental feature (except for the movie's audio commentary, which has yet to be recorded.) From noon until 8pm, we converted Sabala's main room into a soundstage, and shot what will eventually be a fantastic, one-hour special feature on the DVD. (More details to come soon....)

After weeks and weeks of hauling equipment, setting it up, tweaking it, filming with it, and then tearing it down, today was the most logistically, technically, and creatively challenging of all the "supplemental" film shoots. A crew of about ten, plus a cast of nine, plus a TON of gear...well, all of it equals a whole lot of favors that Joni and I will be paying back for the rest of our lives. Trust me when I say that Joni and I are just two small parts of this whole thing, and without the stellar crew with whom we've been blessed, BtJ would have fallen off the rails months ago.

On the other side of town, Imperial Minister of Funk Ken DeRouchie was ensconced in a studio with The Dry County Crooks, who are supplying the closing credit song for Bigger than Jesus. It's gonna rock. The whole thing's gonna rock. I can't wait.

Keep watching this space, because, within a very short time, we'll be revealing the complete contents of the Bigger than Jesus DVD.

(Or should that be DVDs.........?)

Stay tuned.

Jehovah's Witnesses came to my door...

2005-09-07T13:02:00.000-07:00

They wanted to offer me God's comfort in this time of our nation's suffering.

God's comfort. For the suffering. Suffering due to an act of God.

I didn't know how to tell them that not even I have daddy issues that messed up.

a welcome distraction

2005-09-07T09:59:00.000-07:00

Not so much for the metal crowd, but for the rest of y'all...

Here are some songs by really cool local artists you've probably never heard before. Some are friends of mine; some are random guys who sent me CDs back when I was writing local music reviews.

These are high-quality MP3s, so you'll want to do the ol' right-click-save and then be patient.

Qwee - Plastic Dreams
Qwee is a friend of mine who's put out two records over the past several years. He very rarely plays live, and I don't even think his last record is available for purchase anywhere which is a damn shame cause it's fantastic. This song, from his first, self-titled CD, is particulary "Beatlesesque" and one of my favorites. Though his voice isn't for everyone (I adore it), his songwriting and arrangements are undeniably fabulous.

Pangs - Sad Pastime
These guys are weird, man. I've never met them nor seen them live, but their CD "Stalemates and Sad Pastimes" is wonderfully strange and has the sound of a thing that's barely holding itself together. Like it shouldn't work, but somehow it does. (I once described this band as "brainy cock rock" in a review.) On the web at http://www.pdxbands.com/pangs/PangsNews.htm

Blue Skies for Black Hearts - Truth and Love
These guys I know nothing about, beyond the fact that they've got the longest name on earth and their website will give you seizures. Nevertheless, this song is off a 12-track CD of stylishly produced and "challenging" nerd music, entitled "This Black Heart is Gonna Break".

The Dandy Warhols - Get Off
For Chris, because he's never heard them. This song makes me lose my mind.

and of course...

Ken DeRouchie Band - In My Arms
An old-school, R&B, Motown-style ballad by my fabulously talented husband that is currently entering the fourth round of competition at GarageBand.com with a perfect 5.0 review rating. Though it was recorded several years ago, it's an extraordinary song that's finally getting its props. And I'm not just saying that because he beats me if I don't.

and finally...

a little pop gem by a mystery singer who will probably kill me for this.

2005-09-06T12:20:00.000-07:00

so long, l'il ozzy...

2005-09-02T17:23:00.000-07:00

After months of trying to figure out how to make L'il Ozzy speak English, I finally discovered that the script is not compatible with Blogger in the first place. Sadly, L'il Ozzy was doomed to never live up to his potential. He was supposed to be a little learning kitty who, when clicked on, would say stuff that he's learned by 'reading' posts. Eventually, with enough language under his belt, he would have started leaving his own comments. But alas, it was never meant to be.

So I got rid of him and replaced him with Andrew. I'll be rotating that picture out with other various animated bits of the movie and behind-the-scenes stuff.

2005-09-01T15:38:00.000-07:00

peace be with you and may the forces of evil become confused on the way to your house. and may the forces of mother nature spare both you and the gallery which houses your artwork.

Update...

Three months ago i got this irrestible desire to move from NOLA. I've moved my few possesions back into that old attic and have started traveling around producing plein air paintings and making a modest living. Provincetown has been my first real success story on the road. I was accepted into a gallery there and believe it is just the start. Thanks for your concern. I will eventually be traveling out to the west coast. I hope to get back in touch with you, face to face. take it easy, Southside Rabitslayer

When Worlds Collide

2005-08-29T13:20:00.000-07:00

Proof that you should never say never:

A few days back, I caught the new creature flick The Cave, and, like a true obsessive-compulsive film geek, stayed to watch every frame of the closing credits. As terms like "gaffer" and "best boy" scrolled past, the unmistakable sound of prog-metal came pouring out of the speakers.

Actually, galloped out of the speakers was more like it. Like all progressive rock -especially the harder-edged stuff- this music suddenly filled my head with visions of sword-clutching valkyries, mist-covered battlefields, and Nordic women on horseback. You could practically hear the sound of fifteen-sided dice hitting mom's dining room table.

The song was overwrought, pretentious, and melodramatic to the point of comedy, except that -and here's the rub- I actually kind of liked it. In fact, "liked it" is a bit of an understatement. Perhaps it was the lateness of the hour, or its association with a fairly decent horror film, or some sort of blood sugar imbalance, but the song sounded fucking great. It had all the best elements of metal -a pounding, hammering relentlessness- topped by a swirling, Celtic guitar line, all overlaid with lush, wailing female vocals. It was like some really, hellishly-rockin' version of Riverdance.

Anyway, watching 'til the end, I discovered that the song, "Nemo", was by Finnish superstars Nightwish, and, -once I was able to flush images of a Pixar clownfish out of my head- I flashed back to the very first meeting Joni and I had with BtJ musical director Chris. Over coffee at My Father's Place, we had drilled him mercilessly about his background and musical taste, culminating in a listing of his five favorite musical acts.

His numero uno? Nightwish.

My thoughts on prog-rock are well known, and, the rare exception aside, I've found precious little in that genre to be inspiring or captivating. Nothing personal---it just ain't me. All of which makes it even more interesting, and, in a way, heartening, that I dug the tune so much. That I can discover, in the unlikliest of places and genres, a new song to love.....well, that's what Bigger than Jesus is all about.

I plan to hunt down a Nightwish CD the next time I'm out. I'll file it right next to Tommy Tutone...and I mean that in a good way.

Kings of the Nighttime World

2005-08-27T19:32:00.000-07:00

Well, cross another item off my "things to do before I die" list.

Last night (er...actually this morning) we immortalized My Father's Place, Portland's premier late-night hangout, and site of many, many marathon Bigger than Jesus work sessions.

For more Saturdays and Sundays than I even care to remember, Joni and I would hold down a booth in the dark, smoky, somewhat spooky recesses of this Portland landmark, scribbling furiously on yellow legal pads, and trying desperately to wrangle control of this stageplay behemoth we had created.

The food is cheap, the coffee hot, and the atmosphere fairly screams "rock and roll."

Anyway, with a potent mixture of Tom Waits and Aerosmith blaring from the jukebox, we whipped the story and script into shape, and the rest is history.

Last night/this morning, we revisted My Father's Place, this time with our intrepid crew in tow (a gang of folks who really deserve merit badges and combat pay at this point.) From 2am until just after 6am, we filmed a long series of interviews with the folks who made Bigger than Jesus happen, tracing it from inception to execution, and chronicling the ups, down, and near disasters that happened along the way.

In the process, we committed to film a small, largely unspoken tribute to a place that aided us immeasurably throughout the creative process. It didn't have Stephen King's iconic "shuttable door", but it was where we did our best work, and it was only fitting that it was where we gathered to look back on the whole ride.

Next up, we film the final, and perhaps greatest, of all the bonus features, after which, we hunker down to finish post-production and manufacturing of The Greatest Damned Thing Ever.

Stay tuned.

The times they are enragin'

2005-08-23T20:40:00.000-07:00

So, uh... I just saw a commercial for Kaiser Permenente featuring Bob Dylan's "The Times They Are A'Changin'"...

When did this happen? What the FUCK? It's layers of irony, one upon another, like an irony onion. I mean, one of America's most beautiful protest songs used to whore for The Man... and not just The Man, but Big Healthcare... one of the greediest of all The Men. Jesus christ, the balls on that guy!

But I have to ask myself ... why does it feel so terrible and wrong? Dylan's practically a senior citizen by now, should he be allowed to cash in on himself if he wants? Or does someone like Dylan -- a 'voice of a generation' type icon -- have a responsibility to maintain that legacy as long as he's alive?

Ugh, I dunno. It just makes me feel sick. Even though I haven't listened to Bob Dylan much since I was a teenager, I still feel like something inside me has been ripped out and stomped on.

I mean, I never thought I'd live to see the day that a citizen activist coalition would be urging the public to protest Bob Dylan for lending his music to a faceless, multi-billion-dollar corporation.

Come senators, congressmen
Please heed the call
Don't stand in the doorway
Don't block up the hall
For he that gets hurt
Will be he who has stalled
There's a battle outside
And it is ragin'.
It'll soon shake your windows
And rattle your walls
For the times they are a-changin'

new stills

2005-08-21T21:44:00.000-07:00

UPDATE
A few familiar faces up on the photoblog ...

I put a few stills from the documentary up on the photoblog for your viewing pleasure. (In particular, from the Shout It Out Loud concert a couple weeks back.) I'll continue to add stills here and there as editing progresses.

Well, there's no changing it now...

2005-08-20T21:21:00.000-07:00

This morning, accompanied by ace cameraman Patrick and director of photography Nate, we shot some additional footage at the NW Music Millennium location---including the now-infamous "The Ten Rock Albums You Should Own, But Don't" list.

Deprived of sleep and low on caffeine, I managed to slur my way through most of it, and even contrived to work in an anecdote about evil, Southern clowns (hint, hint.)

So, for good or bad, it's locked, and there's no going back on it; come December 3rd, I'm sure the brickbats will be flying, but that's half the fun, anyway.

We also taped a brief intro to the DVD, and hammered down some additional details for the coolest bonus feature of all...one that I'm giddy over the prospect of filming. More details to come...stay tuned.

(Thanks to Music Millennium owner Terry Currier , and to store manager Krissy, who let us drag three hundred pounds of equipment through the store, and who did her very best not to snicker as I sang the praises of a certain long-haired, bombastic, latter-day rock-and-roll messiah.)

The Rock Album You Should Own, But Don't

2005-08-18T08:08:00.000-07:00

Among the bonus features on the Bigger than Jesus DVD is a segment focusing on overlooked rock albums...those records which, for whatever reason, escaped public notice upon release, and never attained their rightful spot in the pantheon.

Like everything else, this piece is the catalyst for hours and hours of hair-tearing, teeth-grinding, obsessive-compulsive agony...have I chosen wisely, or poorly?

Some choices are obvious (to me, at least); others are less so, and it's those records about which I fret. I live in the eternal shadow of fear---fear that I've neglected some rock and roll masterwork, some musical crown jewel.

So, as always, I turn to you.

The question is this: What are the most overlooked rock albums of all time?*

* "Rock" is, of course, a subjective term, but, as a great man once said, we know it when we hear it. After a momentously difficult period of vacillation, I was eventually forced to leave The Caulfields' Whirligig off the list because, despite my firm belief that it's perhaps the single most overlooked record of the 90s, it still rings a little too "alternative pop" to quite make the cut. Fantastic stuff, though, and criminally overlooked.

The pieces are falling into place...

2005-08-17T23:04:00.000-07:00

Sound Wizard/Overlord/Guru Ken DeRouchie and I just came from The Dry County Crooks' rehearsal space, where, for the first time, we heard them perform the Bigger than Jesus closing credit song.

All I can say is...sweet holy Goddamn Jesus.

When this thing is done, it's gonna tear your head off...it's gonna be a monster. It'll be the perfect capper to a film whose heart and soul are based in the power of music...the power of rock and roll.

I can't wait. 107 days and counting.

at long last.......

2005-08-17T15:04:00.000-07:00

I'm pleased to report that, yesterday afternoon, Guitarist Jay officially welcomed his (undoubtedly) future musical genius spawn into the collective.

His kid was born, in other words.

A girl!

And in about two months ... once he learns that, tiny as they may be, those little suckers have freakishly strong fists of fury ... he'll most certainly be chopping off all that hair.

Congratulations Jay!!

attention Jairus and Camera #2...

2005-08-17T10:57:00.000-07:00

this won't mean anything to anyone else, but check it out.......

2005-08-15T13:19:00.000-07:00

The boundless talent of the Bigger Than Jesus House Band members continues to dominate the cityscape of our town with...

John Hughes and his rocking band Puffer

Wednesday, August 17th
Rock-n-Roll Pizza
11140 SE Powell Blvd (112th & Powell)
$5, 8pm, 21+

2005-08-12T21:11:00.000-07:00

I just came from a sneak peek of Shout It Out Loud at an outdoor Vancouver festival, and I urge you to go see them tomorrow night at Dante's. You really, really, really don't want to miss it. I'll be there, with Rick and a cameraman in tow, to film them for the documentary. These guys are masters of mimicry, bearing the one true mark of a great tribute band -- after a few minutes, you forget that they're not the real thing.

And to the BtJ band and singers ... you think you know Jay ... you spent two long nights a week for a few months with him, watching him play, marveling at his skill ..... but you ain't seen nothin' till you seen his Ace. And the shades of Paul Stanley we saw in Eric during the finale are on full display in spandexy, girly, grease painty glory.

Don't be foolish, mortals, and GO!

wanna rock and roll all night?

2005-08-11T15:09:00.000-07:00

well, do you?

You may remember Eric, who played Paul Stanley in the show. And you may remember Jay, the BTJ House Band Guitarist. Well, when they're not busy slaving away at our big, dumb rock show, they're performing with Shout It Out Loud, the world-famous KISS tribute band, as Paul Stanley and Ace Frehely, respectively.

And they're making a rare appearance at Dante's this Saturday night with Tri-Polar opening at 11pm. Click here for more info.

"From the dead on '77 era costumes, to the full on stage show, Shout It Out Loud truly is the ultimate Kiss Experience."

BE THERE!

'nuff said...

2005-08-10T23:05:00.000-07:00

okay, sissies ... time to redeem yourselves

2005-08-09T03:31:00.000-07:00

I've scheduled another documentary shoot to give those of you who wussed out last time a chance to make it up to me.

TONIGHT!

Tuesday, August 9th
Dante's, 1 SW 3rd Avenue & Burnside
Arrive between 5 and 8 pm (ish)

So be there! And have your photos and ticket stubs and rock stories ready! Remember, no white shirts or busy patterns.

Enjoy Ground Zero Live while you await your turn in front of the camera.

I've heard that maybe even Dean Hockman will be there... if he's not too busy cheating on me with some real director.

(He'll never love you like I do, Dean)