Ridin' on Rims/Birthday Shows/Savantes Play to Bleed

Last Friday was an interesting day in the lives of brick mower, and the members of Brooklyn's garage-fucks, Savantes. It was K. Gogan's birthday. We had a show at The Charleston. NJ, and NY got blasted with our third or fourth major snowstorm of the year. We weren't quitten though. The show was to go on.

We drove into Brooklyn in around 7:30 with our friend Kelli, guitar-slinger for Savantes in the back. Getting off the BQE, our car slammed into a pot-hole the size of a Hakeem Olajuwon in a fetal position (p.s., he's an old basketball player. DUNK). Needless to say, we made it to The Charleson, but had a flat front tire.

We loaded in our gear, sneakers water-logged, spirits cracking slowly in the cold. The neighborhood down-and-outs, somehow only seeming to focus on our fresh faces, began requesting money and "free tunes." Every time I carry a drum the common citizen feels it's their duty to yell at me or request something ridiculous. Yeah, how the fuck can I play "Freebird" in the middle of a sidewalk with just a floor-tom? If I could do that, I'd probably been in Vegas instead of shivering in the middle of Williamsburg.

We opened the show, then Savantes played. Had fun. Lost my voice, while developing a nice fever. Between 2 and 7 people shuffled in and out for our sets. After the show, I followed our fill-in drummer, and full-time Savante, Dave to a gas station where I put the spare donut on the car, all while watching a poor street cat eat piles of snow, and getting advice about being the Air Force and being a musician from a crazy Middle Eastern man.

We ventured on home, only to get to the Holland Tunnel. Suddenly, a horrid shredding noise erupted from the front of the car. The spare had gone flat, in the fucking tunnel. We made it into Jersey City, parked at a Hess station. I called trusty Triple A, who informed me that due to Jersey City regulations, I was considered at a "safe spot" and could not receive a tow. If I pulled my car into the street (or "unsafe" spot), they'd simply tow me back into the station. WTF to the max!

After waiting an hour and a half, we finally got picked up by a local tow truck. This over-worked, slyly racist truck driver took us back to Keansburg for a mere $400, while the ladies sat on each others laps. Wow, careful there fellas. Our driver told us stories of how a sex-toy truck flipped over on the parkway and he had to pick up dildos with the cops. He also regaled us with horrid tales of chicken trucks overturning, horse carriers breaking apart, and infants flying through the air and onto the Turnpike. Did we laugh or cry? A bit of both I believe. More so out of exhaustion.

Well, we finally got Kelli back to her home in New Brunswick where she bought us all falafel. And where were you in all of this? Huh?

Have drum, will travel (LOOKING FOR A DRUMMER)

YES, THAT'S RIGHT. WE NEED A DRUMMER. If you've been talking to me recently, I've probably asked you if a.) you play drums, or b.) you know anyone who plays drums. Many friends have given us leads, which we thank you. More impressively, we've actually met and played with people who've been willing to help us over a short period of time, and we thank you more (Brian, Mike K., Dave, Marty). Scruff from The Tea and Whiskey described our drum conundrum as a very Spinal Tap situation. But no one is dead so it's not identical. No bizarre gardening accidents have occurred yet.

BUT IF YOU PLAY DRUMS, OR KNOW ANYONE, PLEASE LET US KNOW!!! That's an order, dagnabbit. We're looking for someone who can play (almost) all nights of the week (for shows, not Black Flag style practicing), preferably over 21, not a dick or into the needle, has a car, and um, you know. Get in touch with us.
Email vikingoncampus@gmail.com
or message us at www.myspace.com/brickmower

Also, we are playing K. Gogan's Birthday show @ The Charleston in Brooklyn this Friday. Show starts @ 8. Savantes play around then, then us. Come out. It will be fucking awesome. Throw cake at K.!

Thanks a lot.

Last Weekend- "The Golden Days"

Well, well, well. brick mower forges on. and on. and on. Last weekend (2/12 and 2/13) we played two shows with our part-time, fill-in drummer, and new friend, Mike Kessell. Mike's played in such bands as The Jaywalkers and Mellow Maniac. To pad his resume a little more, Mike is a fantastic drummer and we were happy to have him on board in Trenton and New York. He also doesn't mind eating delicious Eastern cuisine, which you shouldn't either!

I'd like to thank Scruff again, via blog, for having us out in Trenton. The Tea and Whiskey were awesome. Also, The Break Evens played a set they deemed practice-worthy due to certain band member inebriation. However, I had a blast watching them and felt a bit of the old "should I jump on stage to scream a line or two" during their cover of "Flip Your Wig." Also, K. Gogan and I had to dig our car out of a snow bank, by hand, on a side road in Trenton. Christ, South Jersey got hit with snow!!! (D.C. is still diggin out!) Even saw a cop car ramming into the back of another cop car, just to try to get the one car out of a snow drift. WILD TIMES IN OUR STATE'S CAPITAL!

For Saturday's show, I'd like to thank Kelli, Charles, Dave, and the lovable D.A.R.E-to-be Andy of Savantes. They asked us to play this show at Otto's Shrunken Head in Manhattan. The bar is possibly the only one in Manhttan I've played that I actually like. And Savantes were fucking amazing as always. Parking was a bitch due to snow and Saturday nights in NY. I think I walked 3.5 miles that night, back and forth to the car, but damn are my thighs looking hot! YOUCH. Also, I wear a size 13 shoe. That night, as I exited, I spotted a pair of kicks outside the bar. Naturally, I eyed them up, peaked inside, and found them to be a 13! Hence, I took them. I can't even fucking find that size in the store half the time. But the streets of New York, of course. Needless to say, they sit in my trunk now. Has anyone ever seen that Twilight Zone episode called "Dead Man's Shoes"? Oh well, the title says it all. One of those predictable TZ episodes. I don't want to become a plot point.

OK. Goodbye. We're playing @ The Charleston in Brooklyn with Savantes on K.'s b-day, 2/26/10. Show starts at 7pm. Come out and say hello to all of us, as well as Happy Birthday to those involved in being birthed. Dave from Savantes will be playing drums for us, so we are pumped.

Spend Friday night in Jersey City, not getting mugged and dancing!

There are several things I'm sure will always happen to me in life. I'll always loose a new pair of gloves, and once or twice a year, a show I'm playing in will be canceled because of snow. And now all I hear about is this massive snow storm we're supposed to get. Well, I'm not giving in yet. You hear me Mother Nature!!! We shall see what these forecasters predict as Friday draws closer. In the meantime, get yourselves ready for the show @ Automata Chino in Jersey City. It's located @ 99 Greene St. We go on at 11, and we're the first band. A bit late for my grandmother, but it's okay because I didn't send her a Facebook invite anyway. It's a 21+ show, which sucks, seriously. Sorry.

Also, I've thanked most of the bands numerous times for playing last Thursday @ Shea Stadium in Brooklyn. The show was fucking awesome. Every band put us to shame, which is cool because I feel a pretty good time was had by all. Any night I can get actual metal screws as drink tickets and leave with a Stupid Party 12" is alright by me.

Here's a picture of my old station wagon. I posted this picture on Criagslist. A guy and his son drove 4 and a half hours from Pennsylvania to load it onto their flatbed back in October. The clutch was worn to shit, the door was falling off, and the air hadn't worked for two summers. Ahh, she's beautiful.

Also, Drucker is doing a diligent job booking our week long tour for March. If anyone has any other hot leads about shows let us know. Possibly making a pit-stop in Chicago to play now? Hope so. We'll see you on the road or in the snow.

Finally, this is a picture of me typing the blog. Actually, no it's not. It's my old apartment. What a gorgeous mess.