Extreme Polka

Group Sex @ Harold's!

Saturday April 30th
Cindy Pritzker Auditorium
Marvin Tate
2-2:50 p.m.

See me perform with Marvin Tate tomorrow, as a part of "Group Sex" at The Harold Washinton Library's Cinday Pritzker Auditorium! Marvin is one of the best poets the country has ever known!

Marvin Tate is a performance poet and author. He has performed with the likes of Ken Nordine, Amiri Baraka, The Last Poets, Antibalas, Wilco, Tortoise, Nikki Giovanni, Kahil El Zabar and Babes in Toyland. He was also recently featured on HBO's Def Poetry Jam. In his fourth year as a poet in residence through the Poetry Center of Chicago's Hands on Stanzas program, Tate was a recipient of the Gwendolyn Brooks award. Currently, he is recording a solo CD with his new project "Group Sex" and writing a second book of poetry.

Joyce Update!!!

Remember a while back I posted the worst album covers that I could find?
"Joyce" was one of them- and I've not been able to find out who she was.
Today I am happy to report that I have FINALLY found out who in the hell Joyce is!
Or should I say was?

Her full name is Joyce Drake and her album, simply titled "Joyce" was released in 1983 and includes the track "I Get All Excited."
Damn.
I hate to think how she looked when she was excited.
Im still looking for the track to post here- if anyone has it please contact me!!

Thanks to Nick Di Fonzo's new book, The Worst Album Covers in the World
If you live in the UK you should be able to find it for about £7.99

Hedonism Lives!!

Death To Apartment: The last show ever was indeed EXTREME.

The Historic and beautiful DANK Haus will never be the same as I highly doubt that they have ever seen the likes of our crazy avant garde chamber punk music, nor our fans.
I'd also venture to say that they have not had a schizophrenic Jewish single looking for love in all of the wrong places, and the tales that encompass that, or sexy Siren Snakedancer writhe and slither her way through the crowd, nor had the pleasure of witnessing a burlesque dancer tease them with her gyrations, nor beheld an auto erotic bondage escape artist dressed in a red flappers dress from the 20's wrapping herself up in 200 feet of leather belts, nor had a fire engine red pantyhose hose low cut dress wearing sultry woman dance on the bar or had their ears filled with the words of the best damn poet on the planet, Marvin Tate or had his kick ass artwork displayed in their presence-- all to the music of two cellos, guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, and a trumpet.

We also had paintings, hand made t-shirts, and Shrinky Dinks for sale!

Except for one woman taking it upon herself to pee in the hallway- the night was perfect! Then again, a woman peeing in a hallway goes along with Apartment's crazy, hedonistic lifestyle.

Thank you to Stephanie Rearick, Marvin Tate, Joss Bergeron, Bill Taney, Ed and Paul, Meredith Jessica Miller, Nicole Garneau and all the performers and everyone who came out to witness the Death Of Apartment....I'll miss everyone- may the rest in peace.

On a side note- Natalie and I played at The Empty Bottle last night for the Sluts, Rockers & Geeks - A benefit to raise funds for The Mobtown Moxie Review: The Slut Tour. A night of bands, burlesque & drag. We played a couple of songs that we wrote 3 hours before the show- it was a hoot! If you ever want a night of fun- check out the Mobtown Moxie Review and the Hellcat Hussies- you won't be disappointed.
I am going to miss Natalie as she is moving to Arizona. We are in the process of recording an album our songs that we've written and hope to do a couple more shows before she moves.

Awww I am so sad- I loved being in Apartment; the fans, the venues, the freaks.

And now for something completely different...

DEATH TO APARTMENT
FINAL SHOW:

Friday, April 22nd 8pm (door) 9pm (ShowTime)
get there early as this is only a 150 seat venue.

DANK Haus
4740 N. Western Ave 6th Floor
Chicago, IL
info: (312) 479-3764

$10

As some of you may know I've played upright bass and regular electric bass in the band "apartment" for the last 6 years.
In that time we've made several recordings in our own two studios, released 4 live albums, one 4 song EP and one full length album entitled "The Girl is Not Right". The band has received some wonderful reviews and acclaim during this time and now we have decided to call it quits with one last show.

The members of apartment have decided to move on- literally- with all members moving out of town and state and in one case even out of the country, and trying to get 6 people together for practices when there are thousands of miles between all of us is next to impossible.

Not only will apartment play a set, we will also have performances by Marvin Tate with the backing band Group Sex.
Pianist, vocalist, songwriter, and trumpeterStephanie Rearick as well as auto erotic bondage, siren snakedancers, hellfire preachin' and food by Food Not Bombs along with a cash bar.

It's Death to Apartment and we hope to go out with a bang.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chicagogigs.com - Ellen Stennard:
apartment has all the eerie charm of an Edward Gorey book. Classically twisted, perky and dark, the juxtaposition of so many opposing qualities draw you into these songs even when they most disturb you. With an unconventional mix of instruments, this self-described "chamber punk" quintet could have fallen from a David Lynch soundtrack. Moaning tubas, synthesized marimbas and warm cello notes play with jazzy percussion and pop-rock guitars. The beauty of this album is that despite all its polarized elements it feels completely cohesive and at peace with its extremes.

From the January 2nd, 2003 issue of New City. - Dave Chamberlain
apartment 'the girl is not right'
The six members of Apartment make music as bizarre as it is diverse, running a strange art-rock gamut of stringed instruments, keyboards, off-kilter guitars and twisted lyrics..... Apartment might be on to something big here. Or it might just be full of shit.

Review of 'the girl is not right' from Venus Zine.
music which lies somewhere between gypsy caravan and creepy carnival and you've got a mix that makes the Apartment seem like the voice you hear when you're…well, hearing voices. This does not mean it's bad. In fact, the music is highly orchestrated and well-played. Natalie Brewster Nguyen's cello is perfectly weepy and damn can Christine Heinisch play the trumpet.

Review of July 26th Windy City Radio Showcase @ Nevin's Live By Vern Hester of the Windy City Times:
"For the next hour, Lipovsky and her band, Apartment, threw themselves into a maddeningly offbeat and brilliant set unlike anything that I've ever seen. Thrilling, funny, demented, and acerbic, Apartment is arty and rude, satiric and low-minded, and altogether nuts....more

There is a charmingly dark, theatrical, witty overtone to both the lyrics and the execution of the various musicians on this disc.... What apartment does with this disc will be anyone's guess; the creativity and talent is nearly overwhelming, so much so that if that dark sense of humor wasn't present, it would be over the top.
- Heidi Drockelman - Indie-Music.com

Extreme Bunny

So I took this stupid little quiz and I am the kiss my ass happy
bunny. I don't care about anyone or anything.
I must be so proud.
Gee aren't these quizes cute? Insert sarcasm here.
Hey at least the little bunny with the lipstick on it's ass is nice.


which happy bunny are you?

Happy Birthday

Hey on this day math wiz Paola Frisi was born!

...and speaking of dead

Boxcar Willie died 6 years ago today, at the age of 67, and Abbie Hoffman killed himself on this day.

Mmm dead yippes and hobos. One out of two ain't bad?

The Shaft- Part Deux

I've received quite a few emails concerning The Pope's Last Will - and it looks like several of you agree with me.
The man did not want to be buried in a crypt- he even wrote it down!
It's a shame that his wishes were not followed.
For the record I am not Catholic, and I have my reservations about organized religion- but I agree with the gentlemen who replied below- we are all human beings and we should respect each others wishes.
I wanted to share this with you- thanks to all that have replied.

From : 
<------@mac.com>

Sent : 
Tuesday, April 12, 2005 5:40 AM

To : 
polkaboy30@hotmail.com

Subject : 
Pope's burial

Did you write about the Pope being shafted?

Are we the only one's on the planet who have read his will?

I'm an atheist and couldn't give two hoots about religious institutions, but I do believe in respecting other human beings and following the due process of a civilized world.

Congratulations on your letter.

Regards

Clive Solomon

It's Party Time!

Our good friends of the DANK German Social Club are having a PARTY this Saturday!!

A reminder to everyone that the 1st annual DANK-GAPA spring festival is
coming up on Saturday April 16th at 6pm in the 5th floor grand ballroom in
the Historic DANK-HAUS.
This event is a family friendly event that will raise money to support the cultural
activities of both organizations.

The lively Paloma band will play both German and American favorites.
A variety of excellent homemade food and a cash bar will be available.

Baby-sitting is available at the 3rd floor school, a magician and other entertainment will be available for the children, parents must RSVP for baby sitting.

We hope you can join us and
experience the fun & camaraderie possible when great friends get together.

Thank you for your continued support,
Bill Taney
1st Vice President - DANK-Chicago.

DANK is a 501c3 Non-profit organization that supports German language and
cultural interests nationwide.

The German American Police association supports the interests of
German-American police officers in the Chicago Police department and the
surrounding area and their families.

Karol "Lolek" Wojtyla

1920-2005

Wojtyla became the first pope to visit a synagogue and the first to visit the memorial at Auschwitz to victims of the Holocaust. In ending the Catholic-Jewish estrangement, he called Jews "our elder brothers."

This is not a pope who looks at the public opinion polls," said Father Thomas Reese, editor in chief of the Catholic weekly magazine "America" and author of "Inside the Vatican." "He says what he thinks is right and wrong from conviction. And that's why people admire him. He's a man of integrity and prayer, even if they don't agree with him."

One would think that the Roman Catholic Church and the Vatican and The College of Cardinals would respect the wishes of their "leader" but no- in the end The Pope got the shaft.

According to Text of pope's last will and testament: "As for the funeral, I repeat the same dispositions as were given by the Holy Father Paul VI. (Here is a note in the margin: burial in the bare earth, not in a sarcophagus, 13.3.92) (March 13, 1992)"

Pope John Paul II was buried today in a crypt under St. Peter's Basilica after a funeral Mass attended by presidents, prime ministers and kings and watched by millions on television. A bell tolled as the pope's simple cypress casket was carried to its final resting place. Mmmm perhaps no one in charge read his wishes? Too bad because I believe he would have been upset had he known he was going to be buried in a crypt- instead of the bare earth.