The Great Minnesota Get Together. In Shitty Pictures.

Just in case one battered foot long Pronto Pup won't do. Now you can get a bucket of hot lard encrusted hot dogs to stuff into your gaping jowls. I was relatively tame this year. I ate one roasted corn on the cob, a handful of garlic fries, some apple cider, and one late night wannabe Pronto Pup. I still almost crapped myself.



The only image I nabbed from the Steely Dan concert was this one. Then a security guard who looked exactly like Willie Aames almost kicked me out for taking a picture. We threw peanuts at him for the rest of the night.



There's only one Seed Queen. I got close enough to smell her dementia.



It took me about 7 tries to nail this masterpiece. I like how he has fat balls.



One of the blue ribbon winners at the seed art competition. This one is called "Girlie."



Auburn Sasquatch? Fuck no. That's the Purple Sasquatch. Dude was on a mission to smash nerds and screw birds. I could barely keep up and I almost suffocated in his wake of cologne.



Mayor Mike's favorite find. This brilliant illustration can be seen at the pastrami wrapped pickle and cream cheese booth.

Arthur Lee and Love Footage.

love arthur lee by samithemenace

I stumbled across this Arthur Lee and Love footage and I gotta say, it's pretty incredible. I couldn't find much information on the footage. Not even a year, although it looks like 1967 era Arthur. Trippy. Even when he's just fucking around riding a bike.

Bill Owens: Ordinary Folks.

"Ordinary folks doing ordinary things" is how Bill Owens describes his photography. He's currently showing at the San Jose Museum of Art.

Thanks to the fine folks at A Continuous Lean for this find.

Zeppreacher. Your Time Is Gonna Come.

Finally a church that has my moral compass in mind. Sunday is always funday with the Zeppreacher proseltizing the words of the almighty Zepp. Thanks for the find Hartley.

Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris. Big Mouth Blues. 1973.

Gram and Emmylou Live in Texas in 1973.

Dick Pust. For Mayor.

I spotted these political signs all over Olympia while on a motorcycle trip a few weeks back. Turns out Dick Pust was a radio broadcaster for KGY (if the call letters were only "KY." One can only dream) for 51 years. Now he's running for Mayor at 70. I suppose having a spit-take worthy name like Dick Pust is only a "rub" when you don't have a golden voice. I'm sure he pronounces it in a super interesting way too. "Poost," "Peest," "Pusssssss." I prefer it simple like.

Editor's Note: Dick Pust still isn't the best name I've seen for an elected official. That honor goes to Dan Mansavage who ran for Sheriff of Pine County in Minnesota years ago. I stole one of his signs and had it hanging on my wall for years. I also imagined that his constituents had to keep him in a locked cage at all times, for fear he may terrorize the town and devour cattle.

Abandoned Farm.

This mysterious abandoned farm was discovered a few miles west of Cle Elum right off the Yakima River. I thought we had stumbled upon one of serial killer Robert Pickton's infamous pig farms. Well, we didn't spy any dead prostitute parts...just heaps and heaps of rodent shit. I probably inhaled a barn-full of Hantavirus spores while trying to snap some of these pics. Exploring weird stuff has its risks.



Terrible things have happened here. Probably.



While I don't doubt that more than a few Roslyn rednecks have gotten their pecker's wet on this bed, the odor was more closely associated with rats fucking in a hot tin coffee can.



Pretty pastoral landscapes amidst decay and rat shit.



The piece of land that this farm was decomposing on was straight out of a Louis L'Amour novel. About 100 yards off the Yakima river with no civilization in sight. Epic vistas and rolling hills. Beautiful and dead.

Big Business Destroys Chicago.

The good people at Noisey.com contacted me regarding this awesome video and interview they captured of Big Business, the world's most baddass band.

The performance is from a recent show at the Bottom Lounge in Chicago. There are 5 separate videos here that kick serious dick.

Special thanks to Noisey.com and Vice for this fine face-melting footage. From their media release:

Sludge-metal mainstays Big Business have a reputation for hitting the road, and hitting it hard. Since their formation in 2005, the Los Angeles heavyweights have toured with legendary Northwest punks The Melvins, playing in the band’s rhythm section as well as opening the shows with their own “power duo” and touring as much as they can solo

Noisey.Com recently had a chance to sit down with the band before a show in Chicago to talk about life on the road, coming up as a DIY act in the contemporary music scene, and their current tour with Miami, FL metal crew Torche. The segment also includes a number of live tracks from the band’s show at Bottom Lounge in Chicago while on tour for their new 12", Quadruple Single.

About Noisey.com: Noisey is crisscrossing the globe to find the most exciting emerging musicians and music scenes around the world. Transcending continents and language barriers, the site is gives music lovers the opportunity to discover great bands and connect on a powerful, state-of-the-art digital entertainment channel. Shot in over 10 countries (from Brazil to Japan), visitors to Noisey receive unprecedented access to up-and-coming bands and local music scenes from around the globe. Featuring artists like The Black Lips, Das Racist, Cults and Total Warr, Noisey brings exciting video and sound to music lovers of all genres.

Male Pattern Dementia.

Male Pattern Baldness is definitely setting in. This was just confirmed by a discerning female friend. I'm too ashamed to show the "now" picture, so let me just relish in the "then." Just for a few minutes longer...

To put this all in perspective, I was recently rafting the Yakima river. While on this sojourn, I passed around my camera to a few of the pals on the trip. What was captured BY THINE OWN DIGITAL IMAGERY was a horrific patchy head, complete with a glowing orb of a sunburnt bald spot. A prominent bald spot.

What. The. Fuck.

I'd be hard-pressed to find a bald guy that I think is cool. Wait...there's my Dad, my uncle, Jake, and that one weird drummer from Spirit who's like the father in the law of the lead singer. Yeah.

Time to just waltz into the great, dark abyss with my old dusty pit bull in tow. Sigh.

Al, Paco and John.

Al Di Meola, Paco de Lucia and John McLaughlin in a TV performance and interview from what looks like the early '80's. Masters of their craft.

Exiled.

This is how it all goes down. "The true story of a man exiled in the wilderness and how he learns to survive."

Sounds like a pretty good gig if you ask me. I'll do without the feathered locks and blow-dried beard though. There's no time for that shit when you live the life of a total sun-burned savage dude.

Word on the street is that Dan Haggerty (Grizzly Adams) runs a small bistro and markets a line BBQ sauce. The obvious next step in the career of a professional savage. I wonder what ol' Mad Jack and Number 7 are up to these days?

Can't Cage a Beast on The Bearded Lady.

Washington state offers ample geographical wonders to live like a total man savage. Take this weekend for example, on Saturday I rolled out to the Cascades with a few pals and crushed Mt. Index. I dunked my wolfen mane into the icy waters of Bridal Veil Falls and pounded a Rainier Ale (that's their malt liquor) before climbing the steep and treacherous incline to Lake Serene. I made it home just in time to fire up the grill and cook some chicken thighs that I've been marinating in homemade terriyaki for two days. Total savagery.

On Sunday I had a power breakfast with an artist to talk collaboration, then picked up my pal Max to take out his 26 foot Chrysler Sailboat. You heard that right. We went sailing on Possession Sound. From the top of a mountain one day to pounding growlers of Scuttlebutt IPA on a sexy sailboat the next. We went swimming with seals, ripped the main sail, almost capsized the fucker trying to get in back into the slip, and admired one of the most incredible sunsets I've ever experienced. The name of the boat is The Bearded Lady. Yesterday was all about bearded dudes.



The men of The Bearded Lady. Johnny Sockwell and Mad Max. Nothing but good times and hirsute felines for these seaway scallywags.



Max. Just jibbin'.



Got my oxford on. Got my khakis on. Got my IPA face on.



Captain Mad Max. Red Beard.



Yeah.



Retirement at 35 can be your reality too. Go savage.

"Livin De Life"

A. Samuels is a 55 Year old casino executive with a passion for hip hop music. The story of "Livin De Life" is unique to say the least.

After watching this video on repeat for an entire afternoon, I'm currently re-evaluating all of my life choices.

Al Green. Tired of Being Alone. 1972.

An excellent live performance by Al Green in 1972. The man is full of sweat drenched tears.

Solus.

Lossa Engineering's short film "Solus" from Jay Lossa on Vimeo.

A short film by Ricki Bedenbaugh for Lossa Engineering, "Solus". Lossa Engineering built Yamaha SR500, also featured on Cafe Racer TV season 1.

Fucking beautiful.

Terry Gilliam's Do it Yourself Animation Show.

The only thing cooler than Terry Gilliam's awesome Prince Vallient inspired haircut, is this DIY program on how to create your very own animation. Spending all that time with the Fops in Britannia really helped Terry shake his Medicine Lake, Minnesota accent.

Third Beach to Toleak.

This weekend was epic. I rode the entire Olympic Peninsula on my motorcycle, from Seattle to Olympia to Aberdeen to Lake Quinnault to Kalaloch (where I ran out of gas) to Forks to Third Beach. I hiked an amazing trail with treacherous ropes and ladders in brilliant weather. Then we found our Fantasy Island-like camp where we swam in the ocean, feasted on good grub, drank wine, laughed, and investigated the mating rituals of starfish and lime-green sea anemone by moonlight.

I still can't for the life of me figure out the photo ordering system used by Blogspot, so these aren't in any type of order whatsoever.



Lime-green Sea Anemone found in a tide pool around midnight. One of the girls said "touch it, it feels like a vagina." Don't mind if I do!



Sunset on Toleak. I could have looked at this all day. I'll be back.



The stacks off of Toleak Point.



The trail to Third Beach, where we began our 6.5 mile hike up and around headlands using ladders and ropes to make it up steep, treacherous embankments. Indiana Jones style. Totally savage.



I met this guy in Aberdeen. He had a chopper trike that was 100% custom. He was blasting Iron Maiden. He complimented my Triumph, and I complimented him on his excellent taste in music. Tight bros for life!



The mating rituals of the starfish are elusive. We found hundreds of these guys in the low tide pools. The orange ones seemed to fancy the purples. I need to learn more about these strange critters.



In deep. Solo shot after climbing one of the steep inclines of the headlands.



The underside of a starfish plucked from the tide pools. I have no idea if it is illegal to handle these little buggers, but I can assure you he was put back in his spot unharmed.

Big Business.

The best band currently playing live music is Big Business. They're playing in Seattle tonight at Neumos. It's only $13. Don't be a chump.

Brewcifer.

Hey everybody, I want you to meet my new girlfriend. She's not exactly the type of gal you bring home to Mom. Nope, this one's a real beast. She lives fast and rides hard. Her name is Brewcifer.